Jeffersonian Democracy
1800-1815

1800
Second Great Awakening begins.
Gabriel Prosser's plans for slave rebellion in Virginia foiled, he and thirty-five others were executed.

1801
United States capital moves to Washington, D.C. Virginian Thomas Jefferson became the third president of the United States after having served as Washington's secretary of State. He was one of the most versatile and brilliant men of his day.

Tripoli declares war on the United States. Jefferson determined to respond with force. The War lasted until 1805 and was fought by American naval forces off the coast of North Africa. In the last stages of the war, William Easton led a land expedition against Tripoli. After this expedition captured Derna, Tripoli agreed to make peace, but the United States had to pay ransom for American prisoners of war. Dangers still from the corsairs continued, but in 1815 the United States declared war on Algiers. A naval expeditions quickly forced the Algerians to make peace and to pay reparations.

1802
Repeal of the Judiciary Act of 1801; The passage of Judiciary act of 1802 was a repeal, by the Democratic - Republicans, of the Judiciary act of 1801 that had been crafted to preserve a Federalism judiciary. The act of 1801 also introduced reforms that had became necessary in the 1790s. By this act the Supreme Court membership was reduced to five, a new set of circuit courts was to be created (with judgeships to be filled), and the number of district court judges was to be increased. This act led to last minute "midnight appointments" by President Adams and caused considerable bitterness among the Democratic-Republicans. Actions of the Democratic-Republican administration restored the Supreme Court membership to six and established a lower number of circuit courts.

1803
Purchase of the Louisana Territory: In 1762 Spain took charge of France's rights of conquest beyond the region of Mississippi and held that territory when Americans gained independence from England. Occupied with internal and foreign difficulties, the new American government paid little attention unless there was Spanish interference with American navigation of the Mississippi River. The issue was resolved with the signing of the Treaty of San Lorenzo in 1795 and as long as Spain held Louisiana American had no complaint. However by 1801, Napoleon pressured Spain to return Louisiana to France. President Jefferson immediately took steps to buy part of the region to ensure continuing use of the Mississippi. James Monroe and the American minister to France, Robert Livingston, with congressional approval, were instructed to buy New Orleans and part of the Gulf Coast. Napoleon by this time had suffered repeated defeats in Santo Domingo (Haiti), abandoned his territorial plan for North America. He offered the American all of the Louisiana territory for the equivalent of $15 million. The result of the transaction almost doubled the size of the United States and its possibilities.

Marbury v. Madison: The supreme Court decision of Feb. 24, 1803 resulted from an appointment by President John Adams just before he left office in 1801. He appointed William Marbury as justice of the peace. Although the commission had been signed, Marbury never received it. When Thomas Jefferson became president, he order his secretary of state, James Madison not to issue the commission. Marbury sued, asking the court to issue a writ of mandamus that would compel Madison to deliver the commission.

Ohio admitted as a state to the Union.