The Election of 1800 marked a transfer of power between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties, who had vastly different visions for America's future. The Federalists supported a strong central government and close ties to Britain, while the Democratic-Republicans favored states' rights and protecting small farmers/laborers. Though the Federalists lost power, they peacefully handed over control, proving the young American system of government could change leadership without violence.
The Election of 1800 and the Transition of Power Between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
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3. The Election of 1800 was aptly named
the “Revolution of 1800” because of the
vast differences between the economic
and political ideologies of the Federalists
and Democratic-Republicans for the
future of the young nation.
4. The Federalists lead by John Adams and
Alexander Hamilton believed the future of the
nation lay in its abundance of natural resources
and the ambitions of the people to create a rich
economy.
Federalists supported growth in industry and trade.
The inexpensive and rapid expansion in ocean
transportation for trading.
The Irish Potato Famine created a growth in cheap
labor because of the Irish Immigrants
The Development of Corporations gave more labor
for the economy
5. The Democratic Republicans, lead by
Thomas Jefferson, thought the Federalists
had too much power and the
government was being controlled by the
wealthy.
The Democratic-Republicans believed in
protecting the interests of the working
classes: workers, farmers and laborers.
They were against the bank and the
wealthy.
6. The Federalists favored a strong central
government that would run the country
efficiently and help them grow.
They believed that the states had to much
power and the citizens were incapable of
running the government.
The Federalists wanted to place limits on
those who wanted to become citizens and
on individual’s rights to criticize the
government through the alien and sedition
acts
7. They believed that the true power of the
government was given to the citizens and
the states
They preferred small local governments to
the large Federalist Government.
They wanted to encourage the common
people to participate in the government
and believed that many of the federalist
policies were a threat to the rights and
liberties of the people
8. Before the end of his term, John Adams appointed
a number of Federalists judges to federal court
positions in an effort to mitigate the upcoming
Republican rule.
Adams signed the judges’ commissions during his
final few hours in office—hence the name
“midnight judges” or “midnight appointments.”
9. The judiciary should be subservient to the elected
branches and the Supreme Court should not have
the power to strike down laws passed by Congress.
The Jeffersonians lost this battle to Chief
Justice John Marshall, a Federalist, who dominated
the Court from 1801 to his death in 1835.
Marbury vs Madison- The first case of the Supreme
Court deeming an act of Congress to be
Unconstitutional
10. Adams continued to support Washington’s
neutral foreign policy stance
Most Federalists favored an alliance with
Great Britain
11. Americans had a duty to spread what Jefferson called the "Empire of Liberty"
to the world, but should avoid "entangling alliances."
Britain was the greatest threat, especially its monarchy, aristocracy,
corruption, and business methods; the Jay Treaty of 1794 was much too
favorable to Britain and thus threatened American values.
Favored an alliance with France during the early stages of their revolution
but considered Napoleon an enemy republicanism
A standing army and navy are dangerous to liberty and should be avoided;
much better was to use economic coercion such as the embargo such as
the Embargo Act of 1807 {Against Britain and France during the Napoleonic
Wars}
The militia was adequate to defend the nation. But this proved wrong in the
War of 1812 when militia units refused to leave their state to attack the British.
1803 Louisiana Purchase- Jefferson purchases the Louisiana Territory from
France for $15 million to gain access to the Mississippi River
12. Adams had appointed hundreds of federal Judges
to the bench and left office after Jefferson won.
They didn’t contest the outcome or call the army
to keep Adams in power.
Federal Legislators left office without any trouble.
The Dem-Republicans set a new course for the
country by repealing the Alien and Sedition acts
Jefferson turned the efforts of the country to the
West, expanding and absorbing territories
13. The election of 1800 marked the first time
that power was peacefully transferred from
one political party to another
The Dem-Republicans reversed many
Federalist policies, but did not attempt to
destroy the Federalist party.
The election also proved that citizens could
successfully change the course of the
Government when they saw fit.