PEOPLE

Thomas Jefferson

. Virginia planter and third president of the United States

. Drafted Declaration of Independence

. Oversaw Louisiana Purchase and Lewis & Clark Expedition

James Madison

. Virginian most responsible for designing the Constitution

. Nationalist, helped write Federalist Papers

. Despite initial misgivings, helped pass Bill of Rights

Sally Hemings

. Slave mistress of Thomas Jefferson

. Gave birth to six children, some or all of them almost certainly fathered by Jefferson

. Many of the children were freed in Jefferson's will, though Sally wasn't

Aaron Burr

. Jefferson's running mate in 1800; became vice president after electoral vote tie

. Killed political rival Alexander Hamilton in duel, 1804

. Later plotted to cause southwestern states to secede; accused of treason

Alexander Hamilton

. First Secretary of the Treasury

. Leading Federalist; believed in strong central government and wrote many of the Federalist Papers

. Wanted proportional representation in both houses of Congress

. Considered founder of American financial system

. Killed in duel with Aaron Burr, 1804

John Marshall

. First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

. Part of "XYZ" affair delegation, 1787-1788

. Established principle of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison

EVENTS

1800 Presidential Election

. Through a major strategic oversight, Jefferson tied in electoral college with Aaron Burr, his running mate, throwing election into House of Representatives

. Federalists in House schemed to throw election to Burr, whom they regarded as a lesser opponent

. Hamilton threw support behind Jefferson despite political disagreements because he thought Burr lacked integrity

1803 Marbury v. Madison

. Supreme Court decision in case involving executive appointments established principle of judicial review

1803 Louisiana Purchase

. Robert Livingston and James Monroe concluded negotiations with French

. U.S. representatives had only been authorized to purchase New Orleans, but in wake of Haitian debacle Napoleon offered entire territory for 3 cents an acre

. Purchase doubled size of US

. Thomas Jefferson thought it was unconstitutional to go through with the purchase, but proceeded anyway

1803 Launch of Lewis & Clark Expedition

. Overland journey from U.S. to Pacific coast

. Explorers ordered to map travel routes, establish relations with Indians, document flora and fauna

1807 Embargo Act

. Jefferson hoped to pressure Britain and end harassment of American shipping by cutting off all trade

. Made New Englanders furious; they began shipping up Hudson to Canada

. Congress ended embargo the moment Jefferson left office

GROUPS

Radical Whigs

. British parliamentary faction that despised bribery and patronage

. Suggested that arbitrary power of monarch and ministers infringed on personal liberty

. Writings influenced American colonists—especially Jefferson—as they moved toward independence

Republicans

(a.k.a. Democratic-Republicans)

. Party believed in small, local government and low taxes

. Feared centralized power and tyranny from afar

. Strongest in the South (Virginia especially) and West

. Opposed Federalists in early partisan political battles

. Led by Thomas Jefferson

. Different from modern Republican Party

Midnight Judges

. Judges appointed by John Adams during last hours in office

. Jefferson told Madison to refuse to appoint them

. Case went to court in Marbury v. Madison

CONCEPTS

Judicial Review

. Principle that Supreme Court is ultimate authority on whether a law is constitutional

. First established by Marshall's opinion in Marbury v. Madison

. Now seen as essential component in American balance of powers

Natural Aristocracy

. In Jefferson's view, the deserving rulers in world history

. Those who earned their positions through their own talents, not inherited wealth or rank

. Jefferson believed state should encourage the cultivation of these talents through education

Republicanism

. Ideology of government in which authority derives from consent of the people

. Success of system depended on virtue of its citizens

. Republican citizens were property-owners willing to subordinate their own interests to that of the community as a whole

Jefferson on Race

. Ranked races by "real distinctions" of color, smell, hair, and physique

. Believed slavery was wrong, but owned slaves anyway and fathered children by slave mistress Sally Hemings.

Jefferson on History

. Did not believe in an active God

. Did believe that world followed a rational course

. Believed that common people were most moral people, had generally correct political intuitions

PLACES

Monticello, Virginia

. Jefferson's plantation estate

Louisiana Territory

. Huge area at center of American continent

. Consisted of all land that drained into Mississippi River from the west; extended from New Orleans to the crest of the Rocky Mountains in modern-day Montana

Controlled by France until 1803, when Jefferson bought it for 3 cents an acre