005 - The Early Republic

Emancipation Podcast Station

Welcome back to The Emancipation Podcast Station - the place to hear about history researched and retold through the eyes of Middle school and HS students.

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George Washington

John Adams

Today we discuss “The Early Republic”. Let’s dive in.

Which Candidate would you have voted for, why?

The election of 1800

1st - Ricky-the Election of 1800 was a cruel, and partisian time filled with bitterness and hate. The gist of the Election was that Thomas jefferson had been ‘waging war’ so to speak against John adams. Each had different views on America even though they were friends Thomas Jefferson was Democrat/Republican and John adams was federalist.

2nd - Gabe - There was some major conflict in america in 1800 because with

the Federalist leaning toward Britain and the Democratic/republic leaning

More Toward the French many thought the federalist were trying to bring

back more of a monarchy.

3rd - Ben- These bitter rivals fighting over how the States should be governed, but both representing different points of views. The alien and sedition acts were also still a problem during this time, and alexander hamilton wrote a 54 page long letter criticising adam and all his flaws, which mustve been many flaws if it was 54 pages. Soon after, the entire letter was published, which really damaged the federalists. Duing the voting of who would be president, it was a total tie, with 65 electoral votes on each side, but once south carolina turned it their votes, it revealed that jefferson had won the election. 4th - Ethan - There was a foreign policy debate based on an appropriate response to the French revolution. The democratic-republicans were sympathetic to the French. Note to self Thomas Jefferson was a Democratic Republican and John Adams was a federalist. 5th - Hunter - The United States presidential election of 1800 was the fourth United States election. It was held from Friday, October 31 to Wednesday December 3. The election was between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson it was a hard-fought campaign. 6th - Blake -The election of 1800 pitted two rivals of different parties against each other. Former Vice President and current President John Adams and wealthy Virginia farmer Thomas Jefferson were the two candidates of this hostile election. 7th - Skylar - The election of 1800 was a fight against Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. It was basically an argument about two different views and opinions for the United States. This election was one of the most bitter elections in US history.

Jefferson's presidency and the turn of the nineteenth century In your opinion what was the most important thing Jefferson did?

1st - Gabe - Thomas Jefferson was the writer of the declaration of independence

He was a Democratic/Republican not a Federalist he ran against john adams and

Won in 1800 before that he was a secretary under george washington and vice

President for John adams.

2nd - Ethan - Jefferson was the 3rd president of the US. He served 2 terms from 1801-1809. Jefferson had to deal with some difficult challenges with authority. Piracy on the Barbary Coast of Northern Africa and British impressment. This made Jefferson instate a massive ban on European goods. This was called the Embargo Act of 1807. Jefferson was born in Virginia. He was the first US Secretary of State. 3rd - Ben- Jefferson authorized the louisiana purchase during this time, really helping the united states gain some more land and territory. When jefferson became president, he focused on reducing the national debt that america had, from 83 million to 57 million, he did this by reducing the size of the navy. 4th - Hunter - Adams and Jefferson represented two different visions of what the United States of America should look like. Whereas Adams and his fellow federalists, including George Washington, envisioned a strong central government and a thriving manufacturing sector centered in the cities, Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans espoused an agrarian ideal, rooted in the republicans virtues of the independent small farmer. The election of 1800 was fiercely contested and facilitated the rise of the two-party system and bitter partisanship. 5th - Blake - The aftermath of the 1800 election which resulted in Thomas Jefferson being elected for two terms. Jefferson’s first act as President was to attempt to minimize national debt, which he was able to lower by almost 50%. 6th - Skylar - Jefferson was the 3rd presidency and served as the United States for 8 years, 1801-1809. He dealt with piracy along the Barbary Coast of North Africa. Also the British which ended in Jefferson having to make the Embargo Act of 1807. Jefferson also made the Louisiana Purchase during this time and made the US move farther west. The Barbary Coast is in north africa along Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. It’s so important because it was a big call for Thomas Jefferson because he was only the second President, he didn’t have anyone to look back on and say, he would’ve done this or that. 7th ricky- Adams and jefferson as Hunter said “represented Two different visions” and for this they were enemies.

The Louisiana Purchase and its exploration

What did the Purchase do? Why do you think it was so cheap.

1st - Ethan - The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the US, which reshaped the environmental and economic stance of the country. He was the president that confronted the fact that he didn’t have the power to do it but he did it anyway. He got 2 men to explore the new territory. These 2 men were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. 2nd - Ben- The louisiana purchase was a treaty made with france in 1803, stating that america was buying the state of louisiana for a whopping 15 million. It bought the land from the rocky mountains to the mississippi river, and from the gulf of mexico to canada, expanding the territory of the united states by a lot. 3rd - Hunter - Though the Louisiana territory had changed hands between France and Spain a number of times, in 1800 Spain ceded the territory to Napoleon’s France. Napoleon, whose attention was consumed by war in Europe, began to view the territory as a needless burden. 1803, he volunteered to sell all 828,000 square miles to the United States for the bargain price of $15 million. 4th - Gabe - Once Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase it increased his chance

of being reelected by all but 14 votes. Even tho there was a lot of criticism from the

northern states about there being to many slave states but he passed it anyway.

5th - Blake - At the time of the Louisiana Purchase President Thomas Jefferson didn’t even know if it was constitutional. During the years of the Louisiana Territory being passed around by France and Spain it was mostly inhabited by various Native American tribes. Altogether there was about 828,000 square miles of land in the entire territory which sold for 3 cents an acre adding up to about 315,000,000 in today’s money. 6th - Skylar - The Louisiana purchase was a purchase Thomas Jefferson and The United States made like Ethan said. It doubled the size of the United States an added land from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico like Ben stated. William Clark and Meriwether Lewis explored this new unknown territory. 7th - the louisiana purchase helped the french tremendously, napoleon, the french emperor, was in desperate need of funds at the time. Because of this france had no choice but to accept. This payed for a lot of military funds in the french take over of europe.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1st - BEN- The lewis and clark expedition was from may 1804- september 1806, it was

also called the Corps of discovery expedition. It was a selected group of US army volunteers, led Meriwether Lewis and his good friend Second Lieutenant William Clark. They were hired to explore the newly bought territory that america got during the louisiana purchase.

2nd - Ethan - Lewis and Clark were hired by Jefferson to explore the land west of the Mississippi River. The expedition lasted 4 years. The were aided in their investigation by a local indian woman named Sacagawea. She knew the tribes and land so she help immensely. 3rd - Hunter - By the end of the expedition, Lewis and Clark found and categorized 122 new animals and 178 plants, mapped the geography, and achieved friendlier relations with the natives. How ever they did not find an all water route to the Pacific Ocean. 4th - gabe - As Lewis and Clark went up the mississippi river gnats and mosquitos

swarmed them. They killed many animals including: elk,grizzly bears, and buffalo.

One of the explorers actually had been bitten by a rattlesnake and survived.

They documented flora and fauna and lewis being very curious had even eaten

some minerals and had become very sick.

5th - Blake - After the Louisiana Purchase Thomas Jefferson had newly bought land that was undiscovered so Jefferson granted an expedition. Jefferson selected two Army volunteers to lead the expedition Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark. One of the many animals they discovered was the prairie dog which they captured by pouring buckets of water down each hole and flooding them out. 6th - Skylar - The lewis and clark expedition was basically two normal guys just exploring new territory that the US bought. The found tons of things like the rocky mountains, new plants, and animals like hunter said, and many other things. While on this expedition the found a girl named sacagawea Hidatsa villages who was pregnant at the time and had to endure a lot of pain walking through the Rocky mountains while i was riding through these mountains i seen very fit people struggling to walk through these mountains so i couldnt even imagine walking through with an extra 15-20 pounds. 7th Ricky- The lewis and clark expedition was a long and perilous journey through the recently purchased Louisiana Purchase. In the end it prospered. Along the way they met sacagawea, an indian whose parents were Smoked lodge, and Otter Woman (hey I didn’t name them). Sacagawea was lewis and clark’s translator and guide. Unfortunately She died shortly after the expedition.

The War of 1812 -

1st - Ben- The war of 1812 lasted from June 18, 1812- February 12, 1815. There was a lot of conflict deciding if they should go to war or not, but the biggest group, the “War Hawks” led by Henry Clay said that they shouldn't tolerate such insults from britain. Most federalists didn’t want a war, they thought it would stop important trade that northern america depended on. 2nd - Ethan - They fought over the issues in relations between the US and Britain. The British allied themselves with the northwestern indians. Federalists opposed the war. 3rd - Hunter - The war of was a military conflict that lasted actually from June 18, 1812, to February 18, 1815, fought by the United States of America and the United Kingdom, its North American colonies, and its North American indian allies. 4th - GABE - the war of 1812 definitely taught the indians in the Battle of Horseshoe bend Andrew Jackson destroyed all military capabilities of the Creek Nation. Andrew wanted to clear land for the US settlements they killed 15% of the

Creek Nations population. The creek had to give up 23 million acres of land

and had to never join sides with the Spanish or British against the Americans again when they signed the treaty of Fort Jackson.

5th - Blake - The War of 1812 was a armed conflict from 1812 to 1815. The combatants of this war were The United States, Great Britain and American Indians. The US and Great Britain were definitely not on great terms after the American Revolution. The british had friends within the Native American tribes and they weren’t on great terms with the US either as settlers had been pushing for more westward expansion. 6th - Skylar - The war of 1812 lasted from June 18, 1812, to february 18, 1815. This war was fought because of issues between the US and Britian even after the revolutionary War had ended. The issues were things like trade restrictions, American sailors and other things that was not any of Britians business. 7th - the war of 1812 was a conflict in which ended 1815. What surprises me the most is that no one mention the national anthem which was created during the war of 1812.

The Monroe Doctrine

What did the Monroe Doctrine do? Was it effective in your opinion?

1st - Ben- The Monroe Doctrine was a speech, or well, a part of a speech, the speech was given in 1823 by president James monroe, here is what it says, “We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system (They were talking about britains system of government, monarchy) to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power, we have not interfered and shall not interfere. But with the Governments who have declared their independence and maintained it, and whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.” It was basically declaring americas overall freedom, that britain couldnt interfere in anything or put british colonies on their land. 2nd - Ethan - The Monroe Doctrine was a US way of opposing Europe colonizing the Americas. It was established in 1823. It told us that European nations could not colonize the Americas would be considered “The manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the US”. 3rd - Hunter - The Monroe Doctrine was a U.S. foreign policy regarding European countries in 1823. It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as act of aggression, requiring U.S. intervention. 4th - Blake - The Monroe Doctrine a letter to the entirety of Europe saying hey keep out. The only problem was that the US didn’t have much power at the time so countries really wondered if the US would be able to uphold that statement. 5th - Gabe - Since the US didn't have a navy or army when they wrote this

It was discarded largely by the other nations. Australia said it was just another

way for an American revolt , but for britain they accepted the doctrine.

6th - Skylar - James Monroe wrote the Monroe Doctrine in the year of 1823. Monroe told the “Crowned Heads” of Europe to stay out of the Americas. He also said the era of colanization is over. Monroe did not want Europe to know anything about the Americas. The crowned heads were the kings and queens of Europe, higher up, and pretty much knew and thought they were better than anyone. This was only a phase to describe monarchs. 7th - Ricky- in all seriousness, the monroe document was a, as blake puts it “keep out” signal for other countries to not dare colonize/attack or they would regret it. Today, would it wouldn’t be that bold of a statement, but the difference was that it was done in the 1800s when america was young.

That’s all we have time for today. Thanks for joining us in this emancipation from the box, that is learning.