The Early Republic- HIST

The Early Republic- HIST

Lo-An Lu

Course

Professor

14 July 2019

The American elections of the year 1800 were significant as a peaceful government transition was achieved, for the first time, from the Federalist Party to the Thomas Jefferson led Republican Party. The Jeffersonian era saw a return to the free agrarian society, with a weak central government, as opposed to the Federalist model favoring an industrialized economy with a strong central government. Thus, military expenditures were cut, taxes were repealed and public debt was paid off to usher an era based upon original American ideals. Simplicity, localism, and a weak central government were central to the Jeffersonian vision as authority once again began to be relegated to the states.

However, the Jeffersonian era also saw American expansion into western territories and to survey acquired regions to fortify presence and develop agriculture. One such expedition was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson in 1803 to map and explore the western half, such as states like Oregon, to establish American presence before European or British powers attempted to claim it. These expeditions brought colonists such as those with Lewis and Clark in close contact with the Native Indian populations who documented their encounters in substantial detail. The Jefferson administration’s policy was to assimilate or civilize Natives to American culture, customs, and agriculture; however, if efforts were to fail, then the next option was their removal to the west. Therefore, a forbearing and friendly spirit was demonstrated by the government towards the peaceful tribes, offering them protection from injustice and fraud. Yet, after the treaty of Greenville, purchases of Indian lands continued in some territories while they were removed in others. In 1812, as America once again fought Britain to protect its interests in the sea, the defeated Indian tribes who had allied themselves with the British were moved further west of the Mississippi River. Even as the Jefferson government wanted a spirit of cooperation, many Indian populations were relocated further west, which resulted in the acquiring newer territories such as the state of Oklahoma.

Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAPHY Clark, William, Patrick Gass, Meriwether Lewis, John Ordway, and Joseph Whitehouse. 1805. August 26, 1805. August 26. Accessed July 14, 2019. https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/item/lc.jrn.1805-08-26.

Digital History. 2016. The Jeffersonian Era. Accessed July 14, 2019. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=4&smtid=2.

Irving, Washington. 2016. "Traits of Indian Character." In The Sketch Book Of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, edited by Nelson Nieves and David Widger. Project Gutenberg.

Kappler, Charles J., ed. 1795. "The Treaty of Greenville." Yale Law School: Lillian Goldman Law Library. August 3. Accessed July 14, 2019. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/greenvil.asp.