Revolution of 1800

Thomas Jefferson took the presidential oath of office in March 1801, promising to return the country to the simplicity and “pure republicanism” that had energized the Revolutionary generation.  He called his electoral victory the “Revolution of 1800,” believing that his win meant that political and cultural change could occur in the new nation without resorting to violence or bloodshed. 

The election proved that power could peacefully transfer from one party (the Federalists) to another (the Democratic-Republicans) and however ungracefully the Federalists may have let go of the office, they did let go, and they did so peacefully. The swapping of political parties marked a turning point in American politics. It proved that parties would not rip apart a democratic system. Instead, they served as a vehicle for peaceful discussion and change without war.

 

Although the Federalists lost the election, they did not slip into the minority party position without one last attempt to maintain power.  Federalist congressmen passed the Judiciary Act of 1801, which was intended to ensure Federalist control of the judicial system. And before he left the presidential office, John Adams appointed a new chief justice and forty-two justices of the peace—all good Federalists.

Republicans in Power

Thomas Jefferson was a tall, thin man with red hair and a ruddy complexion. Standing in front of a crowd to deliver his inaugural address, he became the first president inaugurated in the new federal city, Washington, District of Columbia. The city was not much to look at. Except for the capitol and the executive mansion, most of the rest of the land was a swampy wilderness. But Jefferson had a vision, and he promised a retreat from Federalist policy. He wanted to reverse the elitist and commercial agenda of the government and restore an emphasis on egalitarianism and agrarianism. Jefferson called his election a “Revolution,” but it was not a real revolution. No one had their heads lopped off and no social change occurred. Jefferson argued that he was going to set the United States back on its “rightful” course, away from the changes the Federalists had implemented. The election of 1800 was a revolution in that the government changed hands from one political party to another without bloodshed. The peaceful transfer of power was unique at the time.

Jefferson’s Vision

Jefferson aimed to make the government smaller and less intrusive in the lives of citizens. To achieve that, he slashed federal spending, virtually disbanded the army and navy, and repealed almost all taxes except those from the sales of federal lands. Jefferson believe land was the key to true equality, and by selling public lands, he hoped to encourage the creation of more small farms, fulfilling his vision of making America an agrarian bastion, and rid the government of debt. To learn more about Jefferson's vision, and to see how his ideas differed from those of Alexander Hamilton, take a moment to explore the activity below.

Jefferson as Paradox

Jefferson believed in strict constitutionalism. That means that he believed that the president had to stay strictly within the bounds of the Constitution. Despite this, the opportunity to expand America’s size encouraged Jefferson to venture beyond the constitution in at least one area.

Since becoming president, Jefferson had reoriented the entire economy toward westward expansion. Jefferson reasoned that the United States needed more land for its increasing citizenship and there was plenty of land west beyond the Mississippi.