The Age of Jefferson
c9s1 Kara F. & Sabrina S.

Thomas Jefferson led a new political party that challenged the federalists’ power.  The party that he led was called the Democratic-Republican Party.  Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr ran for President and Vice President against John Adams and Charles C. Pinckney in the year of 1800.  The candidate who got the most electoral votes would become President.  The person who got the second-largest number of votes would become the Vice-President.

Thomas Jefferson felt that a strong national government was only a step away from monarchy.  He favored the idea of states rights, which increased power of the states. Jefferson did not agree with many federalists’ ideas. However he believed that some federalists’ ideas were good for the country.

Jefferson ’s aim was to decrease the federal power.  If he wanted to achieve his goal he would have to work to cut back the size of the federal government.  Attempts to limit the federal power didn’t always work.  Sometimes they didn’t work because of the influence of Chief Justice John Marshall.  Marshall wanted to prove that the Supreme Court had constitutional powers.

By 1800 many northern people began to live urban cities. People began living in the states of New England , New York , and Pennsylvania . The cities drew people of different backgrounds and different interests. Within a short period of time the urban cities became commercial 

centers. Commercial centers where manufactured goods, and farm products were brought for sale or for shipment.

In the age of Jefferson , trade and manufacturing were important. One thing to encourage the north was that they ere not well suited for farming. Also the states in the North often had the resources that were used for the industry. These sources were waterpower, good transportation, fine harbors, and raw materials. As a result many small industries, such as ironworks and textile mills began to appear in the North.

Life in the South was much different than the life in the North because southern life was rural.  Farming in the South was the way of life.  The southern economy was based on cash crop trade.  Cash crops were farmed goods that were grown to be sold.  Most southern cities were agricultural trade centers rather than manufacturing cities.  Much of the rural south in the early 1800’s was small family farms.  Each family farm was self-sufficient.  Self-sufficient is able to produce enough food and livestock to meet its need.  Any surplus was often being sold or traded at nearest village market.

During the age of Jefferson cotton became the major product of the South.  In 1793, Eli  Whitney invented the cotton gin.  The cotton gin was used to cut the time and the work needed to prepare cotton for market. Cotton also needed large 

areas of flat fertile land.  As a result, it became profitable to raise cotton.  With the use of the cotton gin, the cotton production quickly increased.  For example, in 1800, over 18,000 tons of cotton was raised.  As a result, there was a demand of cotton in Europe, and in America . By the early 1800’s cotton had become “King.”

During the age of Jefferson there was a change in the country’s society, economy and its government grew rapidly. Americans then moved westward and the United States gained new lands. 

As western settlement continued the country faced many new challenges. 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

KARA F.  & SABRINA S.

Sabrina’s  Hobbies include:
Dancing, swimming, skateboarding, figure skating, and shopping.

Kara’s hobbies are: swimming, basketball, volleyball, and talking on the phone with friends.

The Nation Grows
c9s2 - Dani D. & Jocelyn G.

The search for new land went on throughout most of the 1700’s.  Before the we got our independence from Great Britain we had already started moving westward.

During the early 1800’s the U.S. wanted to get the land from the west because they couldn’t support their population. This was because more and more people from Great Britain continued to move to America for freedom.  By 1810 there were over seven million people.  In 1803 the United States was still bordered by the Mississippi River .

Most of the land to the west of the Mississippi River was owned by Spain .  A very large part of that land was called the Louisiana Territory . In 1800 Spain gave France this large plot of land.

Napoleon was the leader of France .  When he got this large amount of land he wanted to start a large French empire on this new land he had just received.  He didn’t carry through with this plan though. The Americans were happy that Napoleon didn’t start a large French empire on this large amount of land because then they wouldn’t be able to spread our country to the West.

America and France signed a treaty so the French Territory would become  United States territory. This was now known as The Louisiana Purchase.

The Americas depended on the Mississippi River for trade among the colonies and other countries. Cities such as St. Louis , New Orleans , and Natchez were built along the Mississippi for storing trade goods.

France took part in many wars in Europe during the early 1800’s. Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory so he could have more money to fight in Foreign Wars. It was bought by Thomas Jefferson who was president at the time. President Jefferson told Congress to pass the sale of the Louisiana Territory . 

In 1803 The United States of America bought the Louisiana Territory from France . It cost about fifteen million dollars! When our country bought that land America doubled the size!

the Louisiana Territory . They explored the north west for over two years. They got help from Sacagawea, the Indian princess. The black slave called York also helped them.

When Lewis and Clark were exploring, Sacagawea and York helped work as translators. The group of people crossed the Rocky Mountains . They charted the Oregon Country. They also got to the Pacific Coast. By Lewis and Clarks’ exploration they were able to draw up a nice picture of what the Louisiana Territory would look like.

Americans couldn’t settle in the Southwest because the Spanish owned most of the land.  So they chose to settle in the west.  After 1803 many people moved into the west.  As people continued to move in, their economic, political, and voting power grew.  A few people in the New England colonies didn’t like the idea of the Louisiana Purchase .  Of these people some of them wanted to break away from America . 

About the authors:
Dani D. & Jocelyn G. are Itasca District #10  TEAM 7 students in Mr. Peel’s 7^th Grade Social Studies Class. Dani’s Hobbies include: Swimming, reading, drawing, bowling, golfing, and playing the guitar. Jocelyn’s Hobbies include: Swimming, riding bikes, playing with my friends, talking on the phone, playing my Sims video game, play soccer for fun, and listening to music.

Neutrality problems
c9s3 - Ryan C., Kevin H., & Danny J.

In the early 1800’s some Americans wanted war against Great Britain , and some wanted to side with them to fight France . Thomas Jefferson didn’t believe America was ready for war. He thought that we shouldn’t side with Great Britain or fight France . He thought we should be neutral. In 1807 the British warship Leopard fired upon the American navy ship Chesapeake ,

In 1807 Thomas Jefferson placed the embargo act. It said that they couldn’t trade with France and Great Britain . He hoped it would make them honor America ’s neutrality. Many Americans lost their jobs because of this. The act failed, it only made things worse. President Jefferson asked congress to remove it. They removed it in 1809.

In 1809 James Madison was president. He intended to follow Jefferson ’s policies of neutrality and peace. The war- hawks were a powerful group in congress led by Henry clay and John C. Calhoun. They supported the Americans who believed their economic problems were because of Great Britain ’s blockade of Europe . Most of the people in the New England states believed that they should go to war with France . The war hawks pressured president Madison into going to war against Great Britain . In 1812 president Madison asked Congress to go to war with Great Britain .

In 1814 New England leaders met in Hartford Connecticut to discuss breaking away from America . This meeting was called the Hartford convention.  This convention caused many problems for America .

During the postwar years America tried to build a better society.  But there were still problems in America .  The main problem was slavery.  So in the early 1800’s a movement to free black slaves began to gain power in America .  Also, women began to take a stand for their rights during this time.  Change then began to happen in America .

About the authors:
Ryan C.
Hobbies: playing sports and hanging out with friends .
Food: tacos, pizza, and cheeseburgers .
Danny J. (DJ)
Hobbies: playing video games, hanging with friends, skateboarding. 
Food: pizza, steak, all types of meat .
Kevin H.
Hobbies: Computer, skateboarding, video games . Food: pizza, pickles, hamburgers.