Study Questions
Thomas Jefferson commented late in life that the election of 1800 was
"as real a revolution in the principles of our government as that of 1776 was in
its form." Why did Jefferson believe this, and was he correct?
During the controversy over the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Republican
Party took on the cause of states' rights as their ideological cornerstone.
However, in 1803, during the limited debate over the Louisiana Purchase,
House Federalists invoked the states' rights doctrine as well. Why did they
take this action and what does that say about the states' rights doctrine?
How did the secretary of treasury under Jefferson, Albert Gallatin,
specifically target his initiatives to counter the Federalist economics that
Alexander Hamilton had established as the norm
under George Washington's presidency?
How did the struggle for American neutrality evolve during Adams and Jefferson's
presidencies? How did it necessitate specific foreign relations policy?
By the election of 1800, the Republicans commanded far greater popular support
than they had in 1796. Which elements of the population had changed their
allegiance and why?
What evidence is there to suggest that the Alien and Sedition Acts were purely
politically motivated? In what ways did the acts infringe upon guaranteed
rights?
While in office, did Thomas Jefferson remain committed to the ideals of the
Republican Party or did he lose touch with his state's rights roots, as the
Tertium Quids contended? What is the evidence to support each argument?
In what ways was the Louisiana Purchase a boon to the US, and in what ways was
it a curse?
Describe the various forces of subversion that existed in the American
southwest. Why did these forces fail to present a legitimate threat to the
nation?
Describe the effects of the Embargo Act in Britain and in the US. What
factors dictated the differing experiences? How did these differences dictate
the success or failure of the Embargo Act?
