The Election of 1800

In the election of 1800, Federalists supported President Adams for a second term and Charles Pinckney for vice president. Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson for president and Aaron Burr as his running mate.

The election campaign of 1800 was very different from the political campaigns we see today. Neither Adams nor Jefferson traveled around the country to gather support. Many thought direct campaigning improper for a person who would be president. Instead, hundreds of letters were sent to leading citizens and newspapers to make candidates' views public.

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The Vote Is Tied

Under the Constitution, voters in a presidential election are really electing groups of people called electors. These electors meet in what is known as the Electoral College. There they cast the ballots that actually elect the president and vice president. Each state has as many electoral votes as it has members of Congress.

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12th Amendment

​In the House, Federalists tried to keep Jefferson from becoming president by supporting Burr. For 35 ballots, the election remained tied. Finally, one Federalist decided not to vote for Burr.

Because no one wanted to see another tie between a presidential and vice-presidential candidate, Congress passed the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution in 1803. From then on, electors cast one of their votes for president and the other for vice president.

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Jefferson as President

On the day he became president, Jefferson dressed in his everyday clothes. He walked to the Senate to take the oath of office. President Adams did not attend.

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In his Inaugural Address, Jefferson outlined some of his goals, including "a wise and frugal government" and "the support of the state governments in all their rights." Jefferson believed a large federal government threatened liberty and that individual states could better protect freedom. He wanted to limit the power and size of the federal government.

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Jefferson as President

Jefferson also limited the number of federal government workers to a few hundred people. At the same time, his government got rid of most federal taxes. They only collected customs duties, or taxes on imported goods. Under Jefferson, the government's income would come from customs duties and from the sale of western lands.

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Jefferson reduced the national debt and cut down on military expenses.

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customs duties - tax collected on goods that are imported

Judiciary Act of 1801

After the election and before Jefferson took office, the Federalists passed an act that set up a system of courts. John Adams used this act, the Judiciary Act of 1801, to make hundreds of appointments during his last days as president. Adams also asked John Marshall to serve as chief justice. Congress was then still under Federalist control and supported Adams's choices. In this way, Adams blocked Jefferson from making appointments and made sure the Federalists controlled the courts.

Adams's appointments could not take effect until these last-minute appointees, known as "midnight judges," received certain official papers, called commissions.

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Judicial Review

The ruling in Marbury v. Madison affected much more than William Marbury's career. In his opinion, Chief Justice John Marshall established the three principles of judicial review: (1) the Constitution is the supreme law of the land; (2) the Constitution must be followed when there is a conflict with any other law; and (3) the judicial branch can declare laws unconstitutional. In short, Marshall claimed for the courts the power to find acts of other branches unconstitutional. Judicial review is a key check on the legislative and executive branches.

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principles - a fundamental, or basic, law or idea

Supreme Court Cases

In his 34-year term as chief justice, Marshall helped broaden the power of the Court. He also expanded federal power at the expense of the states. In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Court held that Congress does have implied powers and that states cannot tax the federal government. In Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), the Court held that federal law overrules state law in matters affecting more than one state. In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Court decided that states could not regulate Native Americans. Only the federal government had that power.

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