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Chapter 9: "A Wise and Frugal Government": The Democratic-Republicans in Power, 1801-1815

Chapter Summary

Chapter 9 covers the development of the United States from 1801 to 1815. After a peaceful transition of power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans, the Democratic-Republicans began to implement their domestic governmental philosophy by cutting taxes, reducing the army and navy budgets, reducing the size of the national debt, and allowing the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire. Furthermore, they appointed fellow Democratic-Republicans to governmental offices and attacked Federalist control of the judicial branch of the government. The attack did not succeed. In fact, under the direction of Chief Justice John Marshall, the Supreme Court successfully claimed the power of judicial review, which allowed the Court to develop as a coequal branch of government. The Court also asserted the supremacy of the federal government over the states.

While the Supreme Court expanded its powers and the powers of the central government, Jefferson, in the face of political reality and national interest, showed a willingness to alter his strict constructionist view of the Constitution. Seeing the possibility of doubling the size of the republic and removing major obstacles to future commercial growth, Jefferson accepted the idea of implied executive powers and agreed to the Louisiana Purchase. In the aftermath of the purchase, Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the area for both scientific and political purposes.

These years also witnessed continued competition between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans and the further development of democratic party politics. Although older Federalists remained disdainful of direct appeals to voters, Younger Federalists attempted to imitate the campaigning style and tactics of the Democratic-Republicans. In those areas where Federalists and Democratic-Republicans competed for voter support, party organizations emerged. This in turn brought increased voter participation in the political process. In spite of movements in the direction of party politics, intraparty factionalism and personal rivalries prevented the emergence of political parties in the modern sense. The Hamilton-Burr duel is an excellent example of these factional forces in operation.

The United States also faced challenges from abroad during these years. Caught between two warring powers, the United States found its independence and nationhood challenged, with the greatest challenge coming from Great Britain. The adoption of the policy of "peaceable coercion" by President Thomas Jefferson and President James Madison created a situation in which the use of federal power had a tremendous economic impact on the lives of individuals and on the future economic development of the country-an ironic development in light of Jeffersonian beliefs about the role of government in society. As disruptions to commerce caused by embargoes and war made domestic manufacturing more profitable, the number of cotton and woolen mills in New England grew from twenty in 1807 to more than two hundred by 1813. It was, in fact, in 1813 that a radical transformation of textile manufacturing occurred with the chartering of the Boston Manufacturing Company and the development of the Waltham (Lowell) system.

The policy of "peaceable coercion" did not bring an end to the humiliations experienced by the young republic at the hands of the British navy. Ultimately, because of continued affronts to its independence and because of the assertiveness of expansionists within the republic, the United States was drawn into the War of 1812. Lack of preparation for war, the presence of internal divisions, and the emergence of a pan-Indian movement in the Northwest could easily have spelled disaster for the nation. Instead, defeat of the pan-Indian movement of Prophet and Tecumseh caused the collapse of Indian unity in the Old Northwest and ended effective Indian resistance to American expansion in that area, and England's preoccupation with war in Europe resulted in military stalemate with the United States and led to the status-quo antebellum Treaty of Ghent.

Despite the nature of the peace, the American victory at the Battle of New Orleans (fought after the signing of the peace treaty) caused most Americans to perceive the war as a major victory against the English and as a reaffirmation of the nation's independence, strength, and vitality.

Learning Objectives

1. Assess the Democratic-Republicans' attempts to implement their philosophy of government.
2. Discuss the role of Chief Justice John Marshall in establishing the Supreme Court as an equal branch of government in theory and in practice.
3. Discuss Jefferson's decision to purchase the Louisiana territory, and explain the political and economic impact of this decision on the United States.
4. Explain the goals and discuss the achievements of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
5. Examine the development of party politics in the early nineteenth century, and indicate the factors that led to the demise of the Federalist party.
6. Examine, evaluate, and discuss the consequences of United States policies from 1801 to 1812 that were designed to protect America's trading rights.
7. Examine the hostility between the United States and Shawnee Indians from 1801 through the war of 1812.
8. Examine the development of commerce and industry in the United States from 1801 to 1815.
9. Discuss the causes and consequences of the War of 1812.

Chapter Outline

Introduction

Thomas Jefferson's inauguration heralded a change from the Federalist-controlled government that had preceded. The nation's political system became better defined and its nationalistic and international positions grew clearer over the next fifteen years.

1. The Jefferson Presidency and the Marshall Court
   
   1. Jefferson's Inaugural
   2. Democratic-Republican Ascendancy
   3. War on the Judiciary
   4. John Marshall
   5. Marbury v. Madison
2. Louisiana and Lewis and Clark
   
   1. Louisiana
   2. Louisiana Purchase
   3. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Jefferson to head an exploratory expedition to the
   4. Corps of Discovery
   5. Exploration of the West
3. Political Factionalism and Jefferson's Reelection
   
   1. A New Style of Campaigning
   2. Grassroots Electioneering
   3. Hamilton-Burr Duel
   4. Jefferson's Reelection
4. Indian Resistance
   
   1. The Prophet
   2. Tecumseh
5. V. American Neutrality Imperiled by a World at War
   
   1. Impressment of American Sailors
   2. Chesapeake Affair
   3. Embargo Act
   4. Election of 1808
   5. Non-Intercourse Act
6. Commerce and Industry
   
   1. Stimulants to Industry
   2. Waltham or Lowell System
7. The War of 1812
   
   1. The Vote for War
   2. Recruiting an Army
   3. Invasion of Canada
   4. Naval Battles
   5. Great Lakes Campaign
   6. Campaign against the Creeks
   7. Battle of New Orleans
   8. Treaty of Ghent
   9. Consequences of the War of 1812
   10. Hartford Convention

Your notes should include the following terms:

1. John Foss
2. the Tripoli War
3. the Revolution of 1800
4. President Thomas Jefferson
5. Albert Gallatin
6. Democratic-Republican frugality
7. the Naturalization Act of 1802
8. the Judiciary Act of 1801
9. Federal District Judge John Pickering
10. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase
11. Chief Justice John Marshall
12. Marbury v. Madison
13. the theory of judicial review
14. the Louisiana Purchase
15. the Lewis and Clark expedition
16. York
17. Sacagawea
18. Zebulon Pike
19. Josiah Quincy
20. Younger Federalists
21. political barbecues
22. Timothy Pickering
23. the Hamilton-Burr duel
24. the Burr conspiracy and trial
25. the presidential election of 1804
26. Prophet
27. Tecumseh
28. the impressment of American sailors
29. the Non-Importation Act
30. the Chesapeake affair
31. the concept of "peaceable coercion"
32. the Embargo Act
33. the presidential and congressional elections of 1808
34. the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809
35. Macon's Bill Number 2
36. Samuel Slater
37. the Boston Manufacturing Company
38. the Waltham (Lowell) system
39. the War of 1812
40. the War Hawks
41. the invasion of Canada
42. General William Hull
43. the British naval blockade
44. the Great Lakes campaign
45. the Battle of Put-in-Bay
46. the Battle of the Thames
47. the razing of York
48. the burning of Washington, D. C.
49. the bombardment of Fort McHenry
50. Francis Scott Key
51. the Battle of Lake Champlain
52. Andrew Jackson
53. the execution of John Woods
54. the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
55. the Treaty of Fort Jackson
56. the Battle of New Orleans
57. the Treaty of Ghent
58. the presidential and congressional elections of 1812
59. the Hartford Convention

Class Activities

• Divide the class into two groups and have one group represent the Federalists and the other group represent the Republicans. Have each group research and list the ideals and viewpoints of their party. Set up a debate between the two groups over each of the major political issues that arose in this period.
• Have part of the class represent the United States and another part represent Great Britain. Debate the issues of stopping neutral ships and impressment on the high seas during a war.

Discussion Questions

• The election of 1800 is often called the "Revolution of 1800." Was this election revolutionary? Why or why not? Did the federal government undergo any fundamental changes as a result of it? NOTE: See the "Organizing Information" exercise in Chapter 9 of the Study Guide.
• What were the guiding principles of John Marshall in the cases discussed in this chapter? Was he following a partisan agenda, a personal ideology, or was he simply looking to empower the federal government? How does the Court still reflect his influence?
• What was the social, economic, and political importance of the Louisiana Purchase to the new American republic and to its future?
• Some scholars have described the War of 1812 as the "Second War for American Independence." Is this a fair assessment? What unresolved issues from 1783 helped bring on the war?