Interactive American History

[Wakie]

Ok, so this is sort of a redo of what I tried to do before.  We are starting from scratch.  One vote per person, try to keep it on the honor system.  I'll write the history you make the choices.

The only decisions I will leave open for a vote will be

• Who will be the Presidential Candidate for each Major party?
• Who wins the general election?

We will start in 1789.  All history up to this point is the same as in reality.  There really are no major political parties so to speak at this point.  As in reality, the candidate with the most votes becomes President.  The runner up will be Vice President.  Although Washington is running unopposed there are a # of candidates who are also in the running mainly to be VP.

One vote per person.  You can only vote for 1 person (NOT a Pres and VP).  Once the 12th Amendment is passed this will change.

Your candidates are:

• George Washington
• John Adams
• John Jay
• Robert Harrison
• John Rutledge
• John Hancock
• George Clinton
• Samuel Huntington
• John Milton
• James Armstrong
• Benjamin Lincoln
• Edward Telfair

[Wakie]

I'll try to keep up with it pretty regularly.  Much more so than my Reagan timeline.  I think this one will move faster as it requires less research.

Vote totals thus far:

Washington = 4
Hancock = 1
Jefferson = 1
Clinton = 1
Adams = 1

Waiting on a tiebreaker for the VP ....

[Wakie]

Ok ... no votes came in and I don't want to let this stagnate so .... Washington wins and the VP will be selected at random from the 4 single vote getters.  The first VP of the United States is ..... John Hancock.

The history to follow ....

[Wakie]

Life After the Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War was only the first step for the 13 American States to become a nation.  The Treaty of Paris left the United States independent and at peace but with an unsettled governmental structure.  Congress had drawn up Articles of Confederation in 1777, granting itself a permanent confederation, but leaving it as the only federal instituition and with little power to finance itself or enforce resolutions.

Following the war an economic depression set in on the country.  The ports of the British West Indies were closed to all staple products not carried in British ships.  Soon France and Spain established similar policies.  British products were soon filling American ports.  The apparent inability of the Congress to redeem the public debts incurred during the war, or to become a forum for productive cooperation among the states to encourage commerce and economic development, only aggravated the already gloomy situation.

Congress had issued bills of credit, but by the end of the war its paper money had so far depreciated that it ceased to pass as currency, spawning the expression "not worth a continental".  Congress couldn't levy taxes, and less than a million and half dollars came into the treasury between 1781 and 1784.

When John Adams went to London in 1785 as the first American representative of the United States he found it impossible to secure a treaty for unrestricted commerce.  Adams stated it was necessary for the States to confer the power of passing navigation laws to Congress, or that the States themselves pass retaliatory acts against Great Britain.  Congress had already requested and failed to get power over navigation laws.  Meanwhile, the States acted individually against Great Britain to little effect.  When other New England states closed their ports to British shipping, Connecticut hastened to profit by opening its ports.

Debtors' problems came to a head in Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts when a group of small farmers took up arms.  A Massacusetts militia was raised as a private army and quickly, and with virtually no blood shed, put down the rebellion.  The lack of an instituitional/Federal response energized calls to reevaluate the Articles of Confederation and gave strong impetus to the Constituitional Convention of 1787.

The Constituitional Convention

A series of attempts to organize a movement to outline and press reforms culminated in the Congress calling a Convention which met in Philadelphia in the Summer of 1787.  The meeting was called to suggest reforms to the Articles of Confederation but rapidly resulted in the creation of a wholly new Constituition which created a federal government.

Under this new Constituition the Federal Government would be limited in scope but independent of, and superior to, the States.  Three branches of government were established.  A bicameral Legislature to draft policy and laws; a Federal Judiciary to interpret laws and settle disputes between states; and an Executive which would be charged with enforcing laws which were unenforcible at the state level.

The Constituition called for ratification by the states.  Several of the smaller ones, led by Delaware, embraced the Constituition with little reservations.  Some of the larger and wealthier states were hesitant to accept a strong Federal government. Ultimately though, with the support of George Washington and the promise of a Bill of Rights, all 13 American states ratified the Constituition.

The First President

Congress made the necessary arrangements for the first national election.  For all intents and purposes, George Washington ran unopposed for election as President.  Under the system then in place, each voting elector cast two votes, and the recipient of the greatest number of votes was elected President, providing they equaled or exceeded half the total number of electors.  The runner-up became Vice-President.

In the absence of political parties, there was no formal nomination process.  George Washington handily was the election as President.  John Hancock, receiving the full endorsement of John Adams, was elected Vice-President.  New York City was designated as the first temporary capital and in April, 1789 at Federal Hall in Manhattan George Washington was inaugurated.

[Wakie]

1789

The French Revolution
Shortly after Washington took office events in France which ultimately led to the French citizenry taking up arms against the monarchy and beginning the French Revolution.  Despite internal pressures to aid French republicans, Washington resisted such efforts on the grounds that the United States were still too weak and unstable to fight another war with a major European power and, thus, provided no assistance to the French.

Organizing the Government
Immediately upon becoming President, George Washington began organizing the Federal Government.  He established a Department of Foreign Affairs, a Department of War, a Treasury Department, and a Federal Judiciary which would include a Supreme Court consisting of 6 Justices.

Under the leadership of James Madison, the first Congress made good on the Federalist pledge of a Bill of Rights, proposing to the states twelve amendments, ten of which were speedily adopted.  The Bill of Rights limited the powers of the federal government while protecting the rights of the citizenry.

1790

Emergence of Political Parties and the Compromise of 1790
Very soon after the acceptance of the Constituition, two strong political parties grew into being.  The first, led by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and known as the Federalist party, believed in the value of a strong federal system, advocated a national bank, and were relatively pro-British.  The second, which came to be known as the Democratic-Republicans and was led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, were proponents of stronger states' rights, were strongly opposed to a national bank, and were pro-French (seeing France during the French Revolution as a democratic ally).

Washington, a strict opponent of political parties, refused to take sides in the numerous battles between the two, although it is said he favored Hamilton more often.

One of the earliest "battles" between the two revolved around the location of the national Capital.  A compromise was struck allowing for the creation of the capital city along the Potomac River after a 10 year temporary residence in Philadelphia.  This carried the strong implication that the North would not raise objections to the instituition of slavery, since the capital would be located in two slave states, Maryland and Virginia.  In return Jefferson agreed to support the creation of the First National Bank of the United States.

Northwest Indian War
When Washington assumed the Presidency he was faced with the on going challenge of the Northwest Indian War.  The Indian Western Lakes Confederacy had been making raids in the Northwest Territory on both sides of the Ohio River and had grown increasingly dangerous.  With casualties mounting, in October, 1790 President Washington ordered Brigadier General Josiah Harmar to launch a major offensive into the Shawnee and Miami Indian country.

Harmar's forces were sorely defeated, resulting in Washington ordering Major General Arthur St Clair to mount a more vigorous campaign the following year.  General St Clair's forces were more sorely defeated than General Harmar's.  Of his force of 920 soldiers, 632 were killed and 264 were wounded.

1791

Vermont
Early in 1791 Vermont was admitted as the 14th U.S. state.

The First Bank of the United States
The First Bank of the United States was chartered in early 1791.  Along with establishing a mint and an excise tax, the bank was to establish financial order and credit within the young nation.  It would also resolve the issue of the flat currency issued by the Continental Congress.

To raise funds for the bank Hamilton proposed a sale of $10 million in stock and through the increase of the duty on imported spirits and the excise tax on domestic liquors.

1792

The Coinage Act
Congress establishes the US Mint and introduces regulated coinage to the United States.  This sets the dollar as the unit of money declared to be lawful tender and creates a decimal system for US currency.

Kentucky
Kentucky is admitted as the 15th state.

[Wakie]

Ok, time for the 2nd Presidential election.  I will allow each person to vote twice.  Washington is running pretty much unopposed.  Top vote getter becomes Pres, runner up is VP.

Your candidates are:

George Washington
John Hancock
George Clinton
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr

[Wakie]

As in 1789, President George Washington ran unopposed for a second term as President.  Under the system in place then though, each voting elector cast two votes – with the recipient of the greatest number of votes becoming President and the runner-up Vice President.  As with his first term, Washington’s victory was considered inevitable.

Despite the “inevitability” of Washington’s election, Vice-President Hancock’s was not.  By this time in American politics a strong party division had emerged between the Federalists, led by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republicans led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

Although both parties supported Washington’s reelection, they strongly contested the Vice Presidency.  The Democratic-Republicans stood unified in their support of Thomas Jefferson.  The Federalists divided their support between incumbent John Hancock, who some felt was aging too rapidly to follow Washington into the White House, and Massachusetts Governor John Adams.  Ultimately this led to Jefferson’s election as Vice President.

1793

The French Revolution and The Neutrality Proclamation
Shortly after Washington’s reelection to the Presidency the issue of foreign affairs once more reared its head, primarily through the troubles in France.  Although Washington had taken a firm stance that the United States should stay out of European affairs, there were many, including his new Vice President Thomas Jefferson, who disagreed.

When French Revolutionaries guillotined King Louis XVI the British declared war on France, ostensibly to restore the monarchy but truly to extend their own position against their long-time rival.  France, in turn, declared war on a host of European powers.

France dispatched diplomat Edmond-Charles Genet to America.  Genet’s mission was to drum up support for the French cause.  Genet issued letters of marque and reprisal to American ships so they could capture British merchant ships.

The issue of “Citizen Genet” caused a serious rift between Washington and Jefferson.  Washington was deeply irritated by what he saw as the subversive meddling of France in America.  But he was even more troubled by the actions of Vice President Jefferson, who Washington felt overstepped the powers of his office.  When Jefferson authorized a French-sponsored warship to sail out of Philadelphia against direct presidential orders, Washington demanded that France recall Genet.  However, by this time the temperament in France had turned extraordinarily bloody and had Genet returned he surely would have been guillotined.  Together with Jefferson he appealed to Washington and was pardoned and allowed to remain in the United States so long as he halted his behavior.

As punishment for Jefferson, Washington elevated former Massachusetts Governor and Federalist John Adams to the position of Secretary of State (a roll which had been left empty and whose primary responsibilities Jefferson was, here to now, still fulfilling).  Privately Washington chastised Jefferson and suggested that he focus his attentions on being President of the Senate.

Washington closed the matter completely by issuing a formal announcement declaring the United States would be neutral in the European conflict.  This Proclamation of Neutrality threatened legal proceedings against any American providing assistance to any of the warring nations.

Alexander Hamilton, the Reynolds Affair, and The Jefferson Resolutions
In late 1792 three Democratic-Republican congressmen, James Monroe, Abraham Venable, and Frederick Muhlenberg, confronted Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton with charges of shady dealings with one James Reynolds, currently in jail.  Reynolds claimed that Hamilton had given him Treasury Department funds to play the stock market.  Hamilton admitted he had given Reynolds money, but said it was his own, not Treasury funds.  He further explained it was to pay Reynolds off as he was having an affair with Reynolds’ wife.  Hamilton penned a full confession of the incident in lurid detail.

Sensing the time was ripe to strike at his political opponent, Vice President Thomas Jefferson introduced to Congress a series of resolutions questioning Hamilton’s appropriations of foreign loan funds and demanded a concise accounting of his handling of such funds.  Hamilton responded by handing over spotless records in impeccable order in less than a month.  Stymied, Jefferson tried again, this time drafting a series of resolutions explicitly accusing Hamilton of violating numerous laws and calling for his removal from office.  Being virtually without merit, this second set of resolutions was soundly defeated.

Fugitive Slave Law
Although the issue of slavery was assumed to be addressed by the Constituitional Convention of 1787, the differences over the moral attitudes and its questions came to a head in 1793.  Pennsylvania’s governor, Thomas Mifflin, sought the extradition of 3 Virginians accused of kidnapping a black man from Pennsylvania.  Virginia’s governor, Beverly Randolph, refused extradition on the grounds the man was a fugitive slave subject to rendition.  Mifflin objected, saying he was a free man and thereby protected.

In response to the legal struggle Congress drafted the Fugitive Slave law.  This law disqualified escaped slaves from jury trials and gave teeth to the provisions in the Constitution protecting slavery.  It made it a federal crime to assist an escaping slave, and established the legal mechanism by which escaped slaves could be seized, even in “free states”.

John Hancock Dies
In October of 1793 the first Vice President of the United States, John Hancock died.

The British Problem
In 1793, Great Britain stated that it would not follow the provisions of the Treaty of Paris and would not leave its posts on the Great Lakes until the United States repaid all debts to Great Britain.  Partially in response to the privateers being recruited by “Citizen Genet” Britain announced that it would seize any ships trading with the French, even if they were flying the American flag.

Tensions escalated and in early 1794 George Washington ordered the construction of 6 warships to combat the British navy.  President Washington dispatched his new Secretary of State, John Adams to negotiate with the British and to oversee affairs on the issue.  The British continued to seize American vessels and Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and many of the other prominent Democratic-Republicans called for war.

Northwest Indian War
Still looking to avenge earlier defeats in the Northwest Indian War, President Washington ordered Revolutionary War veteran General “Mad” Anthony Wayne to launch a new expedition of well trained troops against a coalition of tribes led by Miami Chief Little Turtle.  Wayne spent months training his troops to fight using forest warfare in the style of the Indians before marching boldly into the region.  He rapidly constructed a chain of forts in Indian country.

Wayne’s men scored a series of victories over Indian forces and advanced further into the territory.  When Indian forces attempted to withdraw to the safety of their British allies’ forts, they found themselves locked out and betrayed.  The British and Americans were reaching a close rapprochement at this time to counter Jacobin France in its French Revolution.  The American troops decimated Indian villages and crops in the area, and then withdrew.  Defeated, the seven Indian tribes ceded large portions of their lands to the United States and moved west, officially ending the hostilities.

1794

The Whiskey Rebellion
As a way of financing Alexander Hamilton’s First Bank and paying down the national debt, the federal government had implements a system of taxes on distilled spirits.  The tax favored larger distillers who could pay a flat rate, whereas smaller distillers had to pay by the gallon.  So strong was the opposition to this program that from Pennsylvania to Georgia, western counties engaged in a campaign of routine harassment of tax collectors.

By the Summer of 1794 tensions reached a fevered pitch all along the western frontier and civil protests turned to an armed rebellion.  The first shots were fired just south of Pittsburgh and as news spread so did a period of mild anarchy.

Washington, remembering Shays’ Rebellion just 8 years prior, decided to make Pennsylvania a testing ground for federal authority.  Washington invoked martial law and summoned the militias of Pennsylvania and Virginia and personally led the army into Western Pennsylvania.  They encountered virtually no resistance and the uprising was ended with no violence.  It proved the authority of a federal government to regulate the people.

The 11th Amendment
On March 4, 1794 Congress passes the 11th Amendment to the Constitution.  The Amendment read, ”The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.”

[Wakie]

1795

The Treaty of Madrid
Since the British had expanded the territory of the Florida colonies while it was in their possession, there had been a standing dispute over the boundaries of the United States (then the British colonies) and the Spanish colonies.  Largely through the efforts of Thomas Pinckney and Don Manuel de Godoy, a treaty was settled between the United States and Spain which established intentions of friendship between the two, defined the boundaries between their holdings, and guaranteed the United States navigation rights on the Mississippi River.

By terms of the treaty, the southern boundary of the United States with the Spanish Colonies of East and West Florida was a line beginning on the Mississippi River at the 31st degree north latitude (or roughly the current boundary between Florida and Georgia).

The Adams Treaty
At the direction of President Washington, John Adams had actively been in London working on resolving many of the issues left open following the Revolutionary War.  Finally, in 1795 Adams obtained a settlement which included the following terms:

• British withdrawal from their posts in the Northwest Territory
• American ship owners would be compensated for damages sustained at the hands of the British
• The United States were granted trade rights with India and the Caribbean in exchange for limits on the export of cotton
• The United States granted Britain “most favored nation” trading status and would acquiesce to British anti-French maritime policy
• A firm border with Canada was established on the St Croix River
• The issue of compensating Southern slaveowners was dropped
• Wartime debts would be submitted to arbitration

Washington submitted the treaty to the Senate for ratification.  Intensely unpopular in the South, it gave Jeffersonians a rallying platform.  Jefferson and Madison raised public opinion to a fever pitch by accusing the British of promoting Indian atrocities on the frontier.  More than any other issue it organized and unified the Democratic-Republican movement into a single party.

The Federalists fought back in the Congress saying this treaty was imperative for the success of the nation.  Hamilton convinced Washington to throw his enormous prestige behind the treaty and public opinion was almost immediately rallied behind it.  Ultimately his prestige carried the day and the treaty passed through Congress.

1796

Tennessee
Tennessee was admitted as the 16th state.

The Treaty of Tripoli
For almost 300 years the Mediterranean Sea lanes had largely been controlled by North African Muslim states on the Barbary Coast (Tripoli, Algiers, Morocco, and Tunis) through piracy.  Ships were frequently waylaid, goods seized, and hostages taken and ransomed or sold into slavery.  Most countries solved the issue by paying a yearly tribute to the Barbary Sultans in exchange for safe passage.  Following the American Revolution, American vessels were no longer under the protection of British tribute treaties, effectively halting American commerce in the Mediterranean.  With only 6 ships in its Navy the Federal government decided to form tribute treaties with the Barbary states.  The result was the creation of the Treaty of Tripoli wherein the United States agreed to pay an annual fee to the aforementioned states.

Washington’s Farewell
After 8 years as President Washington had proven himself an able administrator, an excellent delegator, and a phenomenal judge of talent and character.  He established a standard for the office of the Presidency.

Although it was his for the taking, Washington had only reluctantly agreed to serve a second term and he outright refused a third.  He was physically, mentally, and financially exhausted.  He closed his administration with a thoughtful farewell address.  He spoke passionately on the necessity and importance of a national union, the value of the Constitution and rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of the people.

[Wakie]

Ok, time for the 3rd Presidential election.  I will allow each person to vote twice as the same general rules still apply as in 1792.  Top vote getter becomes Pres, runner up is VP.

Each of the two major parties has 4 candidates.  And no, there are no primaries ... yet.


Your candidates are:

Federalist Party
John Adams
Thomas Pinckney
John Jay
Oliver Ellsworth

Democratic-Republicans
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr
Samuel Adams
George Clinton

[Wakie]

For the first time in American history the question of who would become President was open.  Thomas Jefferson introduced a strategy of rallying southern electors around himself with the concession to the North of having Massachusetts favorite-son Samuel Adams as his running mate.  Ultimately it was this strategy which swept him into office as the second President of the United States.



The selection of Samuel Adams as Vice President was widely regarded as the “safe” move.  With deep Massachusetts roots, Adams brought a certain amount of Northern support.  But he was a safe bet in that he was a Democratic-Republican, fervently anti-British, and suffering from the early stages of an illness whose symptoms would indicate Parkinson’s Disease.  Adams was, in effect, a politically convenient stuffed suit.

1797

Removal of the Federalists
George Washington’s cabinet had been comprised of men who he felt were the best and the brightest of their field, regardless of political affiliation.  Jefferson, on the other hand, was very suspicious of his political adversaries and so he put together  a cabinet that was entirely comprised of Democratic-Republicans.  Alexander Hamilton in particular was forced from the position of Treasury Secretary and into private offices in New York City.  Naturally this served only to infuriate Federalists who felt they had a right to be closely in control of the body which they battled to create.

The Burr Treaty
Although he had long been in favor of closer American relations with France and distance from Britain, President Jefferson continued the policies created by the Adams Treaty.  The French immediately responded to this as an insult and began harassing American naval vessels bound for British ports.

Jefferson responded by dispatching a delegation to negotiate with the French and to open up a treaty of similar stature as that which America had with Britain.  Jefferson’s French sympathies were well known and his agent, Aaron Burr, was well received.  What became known as the Burr Treaty was crafted, granting France the equal trading rights with the United States which Great Britain held and granted the French government a significant loan to help fund French wars.

Enraged, the Pro-British Federalists demanded President Jefferson nullify the treaty.  Jefferson refused, arguing that by granting France the equal trade rights granted to Britain, he was merely following Washington’s advice of American non-intervention in European affairs.  When pressed on the issue of the loan, Jefferson responded that he it was an investment which would ultimately pays itself off and reduce America’s own debt.

This being said, Jefferson was not naïve.  He understood the dangerous game he was playing.  In confidence he told James Madison he did not believe the young nation was strong enough to battle either of the great European powers and so he “would make an ally of them both”.

Expansion of the Navy and Creation of West Point
The aggression of both the British and French made President Jefferson keenly aware of the American weakness on the high seas.   Although he was nominally opposed to expanding the federal military, he ordered the construction of several military ships, the organization of the Department of the Navy, and proposed to Congress the establishment of an American military Academy at West Point, New York.

Ironically, as Vice President Jefferson had resisted President Washington’s efforts to create a similar facility, saying there was no provision in the Constitution which allowed for the creation of such a facility.

1798

The Trial of William Blount
While serving in the Senate, Democratic-Republican William Blount of Tennessee experienced serious financial difficulties due to his land speculations.  In an attempt to try to alleviate some of his problems he concocted a plan to incite the Creek and Cherokee Indians to aid the British in conquering the Spanish territory of West Florida.  A letter he wrote alluding to the plan fell into the hands of the Federalists.

John Laurence of New York delivered the letter to the Senate who rapidly voted to expel Blount.  The House of Representatives impeached him but, with strong urging from President Jefferson, the Senate opted to drop further charges on the grounds that no further action could be taken beyond dismissal.

Mississippi Territory Organized
The Mississippi Territory was organized from territory that had been disputed by the US and Spain until Spain ceded its claim with the Treaty of Madrid.

Revocation of the Treaty of Madrid
Recognizing the weakened position of the US and determining that surrendering claims to valuable land in the America’s to be counterproductive, Spain abruptly announced their revocation of the Treaty of Madrid.  Frustrated by helpless, Jefferson turned to the French and suggested that the American loan to France vis-à-vis the Burr Treaty, could be repaid in land.

1799

New York Abolishes Slavery
Adding fuel to a growing fire of controversy, the New York state legislature passes a law which gradually abolishes slavery.  Up to this point this was the largest abolition of slaves in American history.

Frustrated slave owners in other states argued that this would lead to an increase in “runaway” slaves.  When questioned on the issue President Jefferson merely points to “States Rights”.

Death of George Washington
The former President fell ill while working on his estate in Virginia.  His condition worsened and ultimately he died of pneumonia.  The nation mourned the man who became known as the Father of Our Nation.

1800

The Capital Moves to Washington
As per the agreement signed to create the first National Bank, in 1800 the national Capital moved to Washington DC.  The city, at that time, was little more than a swamp on the Virginia and Maryland borders.  Thomas Jefferson moved into the newly constructed Executive Mansion and Congress held their first session in the new city.

The Library of Congress Created
With the strong encouragement of President Jefferson, Congress creates the Library of Congress on April 24, 1800.  The legislation appropriated $5,000 “for the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress …, and for fitting up a suitable apartment for containing them…”.  The Library was located in the new Capitol building.

Indiana Territory Created
On May 7, 1800, President Jefferson signed into law an Act of Congress creating the Indiana Territory.  It was the first new territory created from lands of the Northwest Territory.

The Treaty of San Ildefonso
On October 1, 1800, France and Spain secretly signed a treaty in which Spain returned the colonial territory of Louisiana to France.  The treaty furthermore reaffirmed the alliance between the two nations.

[Wakie]

Election of 1800.

Same rules apply was before.  Each person to vote twice as the same general rules still apply as in 1792.  Top vote getter becomes Pres, runner up is VP.

There are no primaries ... yet.  Note, VP Samuel Adams has dropped out of public life due to his failing health.

Your candidates are:

Democratic-Republicans
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr


Federalist Party
John Adams
Charles Pinckney
John Jay

[Wakie]

The United States Presidential election of 1800 represented one of the most shocking reversals of political fortune in American history and fundamentally changed American politics as a whole.  The election exposed one of the flaws in the original Constitution.  Members of the Electoral College could only vote for President; the Vice President, up to this point, was always the person who had the second largest number of votes.  It would never again be such after this election.

The Democratic-Republican party entered the election with a strategy of pushing forward President Jefferson for reelection and Aaron Burr as Vice President.  However, Jefferson’s machinations with the French had made him reviled by Federalists.  Alexander Hamilton once said, “I dislike Aaron Burr, but I despise Thomas Jefferson”.  Conversely, the Federalists were promoting John Jay as their candidate, with little attention being focused on who his Vice President would be.  The election was bitter with each party accusing the other of slander.  Alexander Hamilton tirelessly lobbied electors support Jay or, “if you must vote Republican, vote for the New York Republican (Burr) only”.  

When the electoral ballots were finally opened and counted on February 11, 1801, what transpired would oft be debated as one of the most scandalous moments in American history.  The voting was close with Jay receiving nearly as many votes as the Jefferson/Burr ticket.  His Vice Presidential votes were split between Charles Pinckney of South Carolina and John Adams of Massachusetts.  Vice President Samuel Adams, as President of the Senate, was counting the votes.  He discovered the certificate of election from Georgia was defective.  The only name he could clearly make out was Burr.  Although it is likely the other name was Jefferson, Adams declined to count the votes for Jefferson, just adding to Burr’s total.  In the end, it was this small margin which altered the election and American history.

Much to the surprise of all in attendance, Aaron Burr was announced as the third President of the United States with John Jay as Vice President.

 

1801

Burr, Jefferson, and the Rift of the Democratic-Republican Party
If at first Jefferson believed he would remain the “behind the scenes” power of the Presidency, Burr quickly made it clear he had different plans.  In his inaugural address he commended President Jefferson’s service to the nation and indicated that should he feel the need for advice he would “contact President Jefferson at his estate”, implying that Jefferson should leave Washington and offer said advice only when asked for it.

Jefferson and his supporters were embittered by what they perhaps unfairly viewed as Burr’s duplicity.  Later in life Jefferson would describe Burr as “the most ambitious and manipulative man” he had ever met.  Adding to the divide was the fact that Burr favored the abolition of slavery.  Some discussed the possibility of splitting away from the party, but James Madison counseled against it saying “this is but one election and dividing ourselves will only deliver greater power to Federalists”.  Nonetheless, it was clear a divide had opened with Burr and his so-called “Democrats” on one side and Madison and the so-called “Republicans” on another.

The Barbary War - Beginning
In 1796 the United States had negotiated a treaty with the Barbary Kingdoms which controlled naval navigation of the Mediterranean Sea.  By terms of this contract the United States Federal Government paid a fee to these kingdoms in exchange for safe passage.  On Burr’s inauguration as President, Yussif Karamanli, the Pasha of Tripoli demanded an additional fee from the new administration.  Burr refused the demand and the Pasha declared war on the United States.

In response, President Burr petitioned Congress to reorganize the Marine Corps (disbanded after the Revolutionary War) and to dispatch the new American Navy to “make war on the Pasha of Tripoli”.  Both Democratic-Republicans and Federalists were fast to approve it.

1802

The Treaty of Amiens
On March 25, 1802 the British and French signed a “Definitive Treaty of Peace” under which Great Britain recognized the French Republic.

The Louisiana Transfer
The city of New Orleans controlled the Mississippi River through its location and was important for shipping goods to and from parts west of the Appalachian Mountains.  Through the Treaty of Madrid with Spain, American merchants had “right of deposit” in New Orleans, meaning they could use the port to store goods for export.  However, in 1798 the Spanish revoked the treaty, causing significant problems for American expansion.

President Aaron Burr had tight ties with the French Government stemming back to his negotiation of the Burr Treaty.  When Great Britain and France made peace in 1802, President Burr learned of the Treaty of San Ildefonso which had transferred the valuable Louisiana Territory to the French.  He immediately began negotiating with France to gain control of the city of New Orleans.

James Monroe and Robert Livingston were dispatched to Paris to conduct negotiations.  Although their interest was only the port and its environs, they were offered the entire territory in exchange for forgiveness of the French debt to America and for an additional fee.  They jumped on the offer and the Louisiana Territory was transferred to America.

Opinions were mixed.  Although privately virtually all would agree that doubling the size of the nation for such a low price was a sound move, publicly there was debate and opposition.  Federalists argued that the agreement too closely tied the United States to France.  Thomas Jefferson wrote that the purchase was unconstitutional.  Even Vice President Jay suggested that the political power of the Atlantic seaboard states would be threatened by the new citizens of the west, bringing about a clash of western farmers and New England bankers.

The Judiciary Act
Congress passed the Judiciary Act which reorganized the Federal Judiciary.  The circuit courts were organized into 6 courts with one Supreme Court justice to each circuit.

The Enabling Act and Ohio
Congress passed the Enabling Act which authorized residents of the eastern portion of the Northwest Territory to form the State of Ohio, thereby establishing the precedent and procedures for the creation of future states in the western territories.  Ohio was formed as the 17th State.

[Wakie]

1803

The Louisiana Contracts & Lewis and Clark
Almost immediately after the Louisiana Transfer was signed land speculators and explorers came calling and Burr was more than happy to entertain all offers.  Although it was suggested at the time and in subsequent years that Burr improperly influenced the awarding of contracts to favor his personal friends and business interests, no solid evidence proves such (aside from perhaps the fact that the Bank of Manhattan Company seemed to fund a large number of expeditions).

Perhaps the grandest of these expeditions was that of Meriweather Lewis and William Clark.  Meriweather Lewis was hand selected by President Burr to lead an expedition to explore the Missouri river and follow it or any of its connections to the Pacific Ocean.  It was from this expedition that the United States gained extensive knowledge of the American West.

The Pinckney Letter and the Split of the Democratic-Republican Party
Another issue of concern regarding the new Louisiana Territory was that an increase in slave holding states created out of the new territory would exacerbate divisions between free and slave states.  Although he remained publicly silent on most charges regarding Louisiana, on this loan one President Burr answered in a letter to Charles Pinckney saying that he believed the institution of slavery was contrary to the ideals detailed in the Constitution and for this reason as long as he was President no slave state would be added.

Much to Burr’s chagrin the letter found its way into the hands of Alexander Hamilton who, seeing his own Federalist party in decline, published it.  The reaction within slave states and within the Democratic-Republican party as a whole was outrage.  The party bitterly and rapidly officially divided along the Democrat and Republican lines with each party nominating their own candidates for President in 1804.  Burr would never forgive Hamilton.

The End of European Peace
After only one year the peace between Britain and France broke down.  As part of the Treaty of Amiens the British had agreed to evacuate their presence from Malta.  Reluctant to do so, they dallied and looked for excuses not to leave.  For their part, the French reintroduced slavery and pressed increasingly dictatorial measures on their colonies.  Eventually the British imposed a blockade of France and the French Parliament ordered the imprisonment of all British males between the ages of 18-60 in France.

War had once again erupted in Europe and President Burr was forced to continue to play the neutrality game which President Jefferson had so skillfully introduced.  Although his sympathies were clearly with the French, President Burr struggled with the conflict of conscience created by the reintroduction of slavery.

1804

New Jersey Abolishes Slavery
Adding to the continued divide between North and South, New Jersey became the last Northern State to abolish slavery.

The Barbary War – The Battle of Tripoli
In late 1803 the USS Philadelphia was captured and its crew taken hostage by the Tripoli Corsairs.  In response the American Navy attacked Tripoli outright.  American marines conducted a daring raid which destroyed the captured ship and freed most of its crew.

A series of inconclusive battles followed.  President Burr ordered “no quarter until Tripoli surrenders”.  The result was to leave Tripoli devastated by years of warfare.

The 12th Amendment
The Presidential Election of 1800 had revealed a significant weakness in the original Constitution.  Federalists were frustrated that because President Burr was from a different party, Vice President John Jay was little more than a figurehead.  Republicans from the Democratic-Republican party had been angered that the intended Vice Presidential candidate, Aaron Burr, had found his way into the Presidency.  And many non-New Yorkers were especially concerned that both the President and Vice President were from the same state (New York).  To solve these problems, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced.

The 12th Amendment effectively changed the way the President and Vice President were elected.  Now one would vote for President and Vice President, essentially creating the party system which we are currently accustomed to in Presidential elections.  The 12th Amendment also established that the President and Vice President must be from different states.

[Wakie]

Election of 1804

Rules are different now that we've passed the 12th Amendment and split the Democratic-Republicans into 2 parties.

In this election there are 3, count em, 3 major parties.  The Democratic-Republicans split into Democrats and Republicans.  Aaron Burr heads up the Democratic party more or less.  They are anti-slavery, pro-expansion, but lean towards smaller government.  Thomas Jefferson is the father of the Republican party.  It is the defacto Southern party, pro-slave, small government, non-interventionalist, strict-Constitutionalist party.  Then there are Alexander Hamilton's Federalists who are basically the same as in reality. 

You will vote once for the candidate from each party (meaning you vote for a Dem, a Repub, and a Federalist).  I'll make suggestions for the candidate but write-ins are always welcome.  Once I announce the winners of each party's nomination we will have the actual election.

Here are my suggested candidates for each party ....

Democrats
Aaron Burr
George Clinton

Republicans
James Madison
John Breckinridge

Federalist Party
Charles Pinckney
John Jay

[Wakie]

Lief ... you get to vote for 3 candidates ... one from each party ... then we vote for President.  So cast a vote as follows:

D-Person A
R-Person B
F-Person C

[Wakie]

Ok, the candidates are selected.  Here is each ticket with an explanation of the VP choice.  Now vote for President.

Democratic Ticket
Aaron Burr and Timothy Pickering
Pickering was a Federalist who had a falling out with party leadership.  Burr offers him the Vice Presidency hoping to win over some Federalists and Massachusetts.

Republican Ticket
James Madison and Robert Smith
Smith is chosen at the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson.  Smith was Jefferson's "catch-all".

Federalist Ticket
John Jay and Charles Coatesworth Pinckney
Pinckney adds some Southern support.

[Wakie]

When will you update again?  I like this TL

I was kinda hoping to get more votes but it looks like we have a winner.  I'm busy at work today but I'll write up something tonight and post it.

[Wakie]

btw, what about this is different from history so far(Besides the presidents)

Differences by President

Washington 1787-1796 - Nothing different aside from the VP's and the names on certain treaties.  Adams called the Vice-Presidency the most useless position ever created and Washington treated it and him as such.  I see no reason he wouldn't do the same to Hancock and Jefferson (the 2 VP's from this timeline).

Jefferson 1797-1800 - TJ replaces John Adams as President.  As TJ was a well-known Franco-phile it eliminates the XYZ Affair and the Alien-Sedition Acts.  This has long-ranging effects that include the, as of yet, lack of an established precident for judicial review.  It also eliminates the little undeclared war between the US and France which happened.  West Point is established a little earlier and the groundwork for the Louisiana Purchase is set forward sooner.

Burr 1801-1804 - The biggest thing is the split in the Democratic-Republican party.  There is also the early stirring of problems over the slavery question.  There is no Burr-Hamilton Duel (as Burr isn't involved in NY politics to get upset).  And we have arguably the first abuse of Presidential authority by Burr (awarding government contracts to his own business interests).

[Wakie]

The Presidential election of 1804 saw a 3-way battle between the split Democratic and Republican parties and the weakened Federalist party.  Support for the Federalist party had already waned significantly.  Many former Federalists had begun to defect to the Democratic party.  The old rivalry of Jefferson and Hamilton continued to drive the Federalist and Republican parties to strictly oppose each other.  In the end this was their joint undoing.

Although when votes were finally tallied President Burr had the most, he did not have the majority of greater than 50% needed to win reelection and so it fell to the House of Representatives.  In an all-night marathon meeting, members of the House from all three parties discussed the wisdom of future course of action for the country.  It was determined that for the good of the country it was necessary to award the election to the individual with the majority and, as such, President Aaron Burr won reelection with Timothy Pickering as his Vice President.

1805

Michigan Territory Created
In January of 1805 the United States Congress established the Michigan Territory.

The Barbary War – Battle of Derne
For several years the Barbary War between the United States and the Barbary States had raged with little decisive action.  The Barbary States though were exhausted from the war.  The American Government had decided to support the plan of General William Eaton to back the claim of Hamet Karamanli to the throne of Tripoli.  Eaton sought him out in Egypt and together they formulated a plan to place him on the throne.

With a force of Christian American soldiers and Muslim mercenaries, General Eaton led assaults on the Libyan cities of Derne and Bomba.  With Tripoli on its heals and about to capitulate, General Eaton was stunned to learn that American diplomats had privately negotiated a settlement and end to the war which didn’t include consideration for his Muslim allies.  Eaton returned to the United States, a national hero.

The Pike Expedition
In July of 1805, President Burr authorized Army Captain Zebulon Pike to lead an exploration of the south and west of the Louisiana Transfer.  The President told Captain Pike that all territory and peoples he would encounter would now be under the protectorate of the United States of America.

Along the early stages of their exploits, Captain Pike led his men beyond American territory and strayed into the lands controlled by Spain.  There they encountered a Pawnee village and announced (as per his directorate from the President) that it was now under the protectorship of the United States government.  He furthermore ordered the removal of a Spanish flag therein and its replacement with an American flag.  This seemingly simple act though enraged the local Spanish soldiers who were still in the area and wandered onto the village several days later.

Eventually Captain Pike and his men were apprehended by Spanish soldiers and imprisoned.  However, knowing of the strong alliance between the United States and France, the Spanish Governor was reluctant to hold a military officer of the neighboring country and repatriated Pike and his men.  Spain protested the violation of their territory, but Burr publicly called it a simple mistake and privately expressed his lack of respect for European authority in the Americas.

1806

The National Road
In 1751 the Ohio Company had opened a road spanning the expanse between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers.  Since the inception of the new nation there had been proposals to expand on this road and replace segments of it.  Finally, on March 29, 1806 President Burr authorized the construction of what came to be known as The National Road.

The Dayton Affair
In early 1806, President Burr was approached by Jonathan Dayton, a friend and classmate of his from Princeton.  Dayton felt that the Spanish had displayed weakness in their handling of the Pike Expedition and that if the United States agitated the Spanish along the border they could encourage draw the neighboring Governors into a fight and then use the American alliance with France to win concessions from Spain which would include additional territories.

Disregarding Congress, and even his own cabinet, Burr set the plan in motion.  Not knowing that General James Wilkinson, the Commander-in-Chief of the American Army in New Orleans and the Governor of the Louisiana Territory was actually a spy in the pay of Spain, Burr enlisted his aid in the plan.  General Wilkinson betrayed Burr’s plans to Republican and Federalist members of Congress, as well as his Spanish paymasters.

The events which subsequently unfolded are amongst the most dramatic in American history.  Spain filed a complaint to France and to the United States.  For his part, Napoleon was already planning to launch a stealthy invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.  He informed the Spanish that France would protect her interests but encouraged it to reinforce its territories in the Americas (drawing forces out of Spain).  To strengthen the Franco-Spanish alliance there he began moving French soldiers into Spain.  On the other hand, the French diplomat to the United States informed President Burr that France would not intervene on Spain’s behalf if a war was initiated.

Before President Burr could put his plan into action Samuel Smith (R-MD) presented the evidence of President Burr’s plot to maneuver the nation into a war without Congressional consent.  Democrats first denounced the evidence as hearsay, but little could be done to stop Congress from launching a full investigation into the matter.

[Wakie]

1807

The Impeachment of Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr had a tendency to make powerful enemies.  In 1807 this penchant finally caught up with him.  Federalists had long reviled Burr for his pro-French leanings.  Republicans disliked him for splitting their party in two.  And even Southerners within his own party disliked him for his anti-slavery views.  When, in 1806, he attempted to maneuver the nation into war without the consent of Congress he finally gave his enemies an opportunity to take him down.

Under questioning from Congress, Jonathan Dayton admitted that he had approached President Burr with his plot and that the President had excitedly agreed that it had merit.  Together with the evidence provided by General Wilkinson resulted in the call for impeachment proceedings against President Burr.

Democrats argued that the separation of powers prevented the Legislative and Judicial Branches from being able to remove a sitting Executive.  There was little they could do though and the proceedings moved forward.  In a series of legal maneuvers which John Quincy Adams said “would make Lucifer envious”, Burr dragged the proceedings out.

Chesapeake-Leopard Affair
While the Federal government was gridlocked by the impeachment proceedings of President Burr, the British Navy had begun a policy of frequently boarding American ships to “search for deserters from the Royal Navy”.  This was little more than a veiled excuse for forcibly pressing American sailors into the British Navy by claiming they were deserters.

On June 22, 1807 the British frigate HMS Leopard hailed the American frigate USS Chesapeake off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia.  The Leopard requested to search the Chesapeake for “deserters” only to be refused.  The Leopard opened fire, refused the surrender which the Chesapeake offered and boarded it.  The British seized four men it claimed were deserters and took them to Halifax.  One man was executed and the other 3 were sentenced to 500 lashes each.

The American public was in an uproar.  The fact that the Chesapeake put up so little resistance to a foreign attack so close to American soil raised the question about the competence of the military leadership.  Many blamed “the distraction of the Burr trial” and called for a rapid conclusion.

The Resignation of Aaron Burr
The events of 1806-7 unfolded in a most dramatic fashion.  First was the Dayton Affair, followed by the Burr Impeachment, and finally the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair.  It was clear that President Burr would be forced from office but he and his supporters were looking for a way to leave and “save face”.  The Chesapeake-Leopard Affair afforded them the opportunity.

Beyond just the question of how the removal of the President would impact the country, was the question of who would ascend to the office and how the removed President would be dealt with.  “To save the dignity of the Presidency”, Burr agreed to resign from office.  The agreement followed that Vice President Pickering would ascend to the Presidency and that on doing so he would pardon President Burr and the matter would be settled.  The leadership of all 3 parties agreed and on October 1, 1807 President Aaron Burr submitted his resignation.

President Timothy Pickering
After the resignation of President Burr, Timothy Pickering was elevated to the position of being the 4th President of the United States.  He did not nominate a Vice President to replace him in that role.  President Pickering’s first act was to pardon former President Burr of “any and all offenses committed while in service to his nation”.



1808

The Embargo Acts
In response to the Chesapeake-Leopard incident Congress passed a series of laws which were intended to punish the British by effectively halting trade with the United States.  The acts came in piecemeal with each one intended to fix the loopholes in the one before it.

What ultimately came out of the Embargo Acts though is that rather than punishing the British, the Pickering administration and Congress were punishing the citizens of the United States.  Both military and naval units had mobilized against the citizenry to enforce them  To alleviate the economic challenges, President Pickering moved for closer trade ties to Spain.

The Peninsular War
In 1807 and into 1808 French forces had slowly been swelling on the Iberian Peninsula.  The pretext for their presence was to reinforce the Franco-Spanish army occupying Portugal.  In February of 1808 Napoleon dropped the charade and turned on his ally, ordering French commanders to halt their march and seize key Spanish fortresses.  For the most part Americans supported the French move against Spain and French agents within the United States circulated the rumor that the tensions between Spain and the American federal government had at least contributed to the French move against Spain.

In response to the French move against Spain, British forces landed in Portugal and drove French forces back.

[Wakie]

Election of 1808

This election will work the same way as the 1804 election.  There are 3 major parties.  The Democrats are more or less the Northern version of the then Democrat-Republican party.  The Republicans are the Southern version of the then Democrat-Republican party.  The Federalists are a dwindling lot who seem likely to go away soon.

You will vote once for the candidate from each party (meaning you vote for a Dem, a Repub, and a Federalist).  I'll make suggestions for the candidate but write-ins are always welcome.  Once I announce the winners of each party's nomination we will have the actual election.

Here are my suggested candidates for each party ....

Democrats
Timothy Pickering
George Clinton
John Langdon

Republicans
James Madison
James Monroe
Nathaniel Macon

Federalist Party
Charles Pinckney
Rufus King
John Marshall

[Wakie]

The candidates are selected.  Here is each ticket with an explanation of the VP choice.  Now vote for President.

Democratic Ticket
Timothy Pickering and John Langdon
Langdon is pretty much the epitome of the Democratic party.

Republican Ticket
James Madison and Robert Smith
The ticket of Madison and Smith runs again.

Federalist Ticket
Rufus King and Humphrey Marshall
Marshall is the most prominent Southern Federalist of this era.

[Wakie]

Hopefully tonight ... busy day at work.

[Wakie]

The Presidential election of 1808 was a referendum on the Democratic and Republican parties.  Since George Washington had left office in 1796, the Executive Branch of government had been dominated by one party.  After the scandals and controversy of the Burr administration, the people were ready for change.  The Federalist Party, which up to this point had been slowly fading into the sun, saw a rebirth in 1808.

Democrats and Republicans had split their national interests between North and South but the Federalists struggled to maintain a balance.  Their Presidential ticket displayed this, selecting a New Yorker and Kentuckian who both opposed slavery but more for economic than moral reasons.

As in 1804 the election ended up going to the House of Representatives and, once again, the House gave the election to the candidate with the majority of the votes.  Rufus King became the 5th President of the United States with Humphrey Marshall as Vice President.


1809

The Federalist Majority
Along with the election of President King came the election of a Federalist majority in Congress.  This majority gave the Federalists the opportunity to press forward with virtually any legislation which they saw fit to pass.

The Non-Intercourse Act, Macon’s Bill, and The French Response
Almost immediately after entering office the Federalist Congress repealed the Embargo Acts and introduced legislation favoring a return to freer trade.  President King softened the foreign policy line the Pickering administration had taken towards Great Britain.

When prominent Republican Nathaniel Macon introduced a bill aimed at trying to stop Britain from seizing American vessels and sailors by forbidding public British vessels from entering American ports, the Federalists defeated it in Congress.  President King argued that his administration was following the advice of George Washington and avoiding entangling itself in the European Wars of the day.

Seeing the changes in American foreign policy, Napoleon authorized French vessels to board American vessels and to arbitrarily impress American sailors.  As a result of having the two great Atlantic naval powers placing a boot on the American throat, trade ground to a near halt and the American economy suffered enormously.

Illinois Territory Organized
On February 3rd, 1809 Congress passed legislation establishing the Illinois Territory.

Majority Rule
When the Presidential Election of 1804 went to the House of Representatives it was thought to be an anomaly.  When it happened again in 1808 it was realized that this may very well be the function of having 3 strong political parties.  The standard course of action for the last two elections had been for the House to award the election to the majority vote holder, but there was no guarantee that this policy would be continued.  Concerned that this may not always be followed, Democrats introduced a Constitutional Amendment to take the House of Representatives out of the equation and give the election to the simple majority winner.  It was defeated after much debate.

The Treaty of Ft Wayne
As part of the United States expansion westward, the governor of the Indiana territory, William Henry Harrison negotiated numerous land cessation treaties with several Indian tribes in the Ohio and Indiana areas.  This culminated in the Treaty of Ft Wayne in which the United States was sold 3,000,000 acres.

Indian spiritual leader Tecumseh was outraged by the treaty and began fomenting resistance to it.  He argued that the lands sold could not be transferred as they belonged to all the tribes.

[Wakie]

 1810

Prohibition on the Import of Slaves
Rufus King had long opposed slavery and believed it was contrary to the political and economic realities of the young nation.  Although he favored emancipation, he wrote that he was willing to “suffer the continuance of slaves until they can be gradually emancipated in states already overrun with them.”

In 1810 President King introduced legislation which would prohibit all future importation of slaves into the United States.  The legislation argued that the slave trade unduly placed a burden on federal resources to protect slave ships from the French and British.  It further argued that a more than ample supply of slaves could be garnered from the descendants of those already in the United States.  Despite opposition from Southern states and the apprehension of many, the Federalist Congress passed the prohibition but agreed to not enact any additional laws impacting the institution of slavery in the states wherein it currently resided.

Expiration of the Charter of the First Bank of the United States
As the charter for the First Bank of the United States approached its date of expiration, many Federalists, led by the party’s Godfather, Alexander Hamilton, pressed for Congress and President King to extend the charter.  Unlike most Federalists though, Rufus King was opposed to the idea of a national bank.  He was more than happy to let the charter expire and the bank dissolve.  Despite warnings that this would only worsen the economic crisis gripping the nation, President King pressured Congress and succeeded in allowing the bank to die.

1811

The Slave Revolt of Charles Deslandes
On January 8, 1811, a man by the name of Charles Deslandes led an unsuccessful slave revolt in parts of the Louisiana Territory (the largest of its kind).  Approximately 500 insurgent slaves marched New Orleans.  They were halted short of their goal by a Planter militia supported by a small detachment of federal troops.  Although the uprising was put down and the leaders of the uprising were killed, pro-Slave Southern politicians argued that it was a direct result of the federal government anti-slave bent.  Recognizing the opportunity, the Republican party begins a gradual move towards being THE pro-slavery party.

Tecumseh’s War
After 2 years of actively fomenting political resistance to the transfer of Indian lands to white settlers, Indian spiritual leader Tecumseh met with the American Governor of the Indiana Territory, William Henry Harrison.  He urged Harrison to return the Indian lands which Harrison refused to do.  Tecumseh left the meeting and began gathering allies to go to war. 

The Battle of Tippecanoe
While Tecumseh was gathering allies, Governor Harrison marched up the Wabash River from Vincennes with a force of 1,000 men.  His goal was to intimidate the Prophet and his followers.  On the way they built Fort Harrison as their base of operations.

On November 6, 1811, Harrison’s army marched on the Indian encampment near Prophetstown.  Tenskwatawa, the Indian leader in Tecumseh’s absence, ordered a preemptive strike against Harrison’s forces.  The attack was repeled and Harrison ordered his men to burn Prophetstown and destroy the Indians’ cooking implements, without which the confederacy could not survive the winter.  Harrison’s troops also desecrated the Indian graveyard.

The defeat of Tecumseh’s men and the fact that the weapons which he said would not harm them did, caused much disgrace for the Prophet.  He fled north into Canada.

The Great Quake of 1811
On December 16, 1811 a massive earthquake strikes the Mississippi Valley and reverses the course of the river for a while.  This is the last major earthquake along this fault line.

1812

Embargo on French Trade
Submitting to pressure from Great Britain, the King administration agreed to introduce an embargo on the import of French goods to the United States.  The reaction within the already economically struggling nation was one of bitter outrage.  Both Democrats and Republicans referred to President King as Britain’s “lapdog”.  Federalists argue that Napoleon is a tyrant and that it is America’s “duty” to resist, if not militarily then at least economically.

In response to the embargo, Napoleon ordered an immediate cessation of all French trade with America.  The result was a brutal blow to each nation’s economy, ultimately spinning the United States towards a Depression.

The Depression of 1812
With the dissolution of the National Bank, the cessation of trade with France, and the continued harassment of American ships by the British, the economy of the United States grinded to a standstill and entered a Depression.

Pro-Slave Republican politicians argued the Depression was caused by the anti-slave policies introduced by the Federalists and the King administration.  Pro-French Democrats argued that the Depression was a result of collaboration with Great Britain.  What was clear was the effect on the American people was devastating.  Widespread foreclosures, unemployment, and slumps in agriculture and manufacturing were the order of the day.

Numerous remedies were proposed, including increases or reduction of tariffs, an end to the embargo, a repeal of the anti-slavery laws, restrictions of bank credit, stricter enforcement of anti-usury laws, and direct relief of debtors.  Ultimately the King administration proposed a series of public works proposals which would be administered by the Federal government.

Napoleonic Wars
In a bid to conquer Russia, Napoleon’s Grande Armee crossed the Niemen River.  The brutality of the Russian campaign is unmatched by anything in military history to this point.  Ultimately though the triple blow of the Russian scorched earth strategy, the defeat of French forces in the Peninsular Campaign, and the economic troubles caused by the United States take their toll on France.  Napoleon decides to withdraw from Russia, resulting in a series of costly defeats along the way.  This represented the turning point in the French domination of Europe. 

Louisiana Petition of Statehood Delayed
In 1812 Louisiana petitioned to become the 18th state to join the United States.  Although it met all of the previously prescribed conditions for statehood, it desired to enter as a slave-state.  This was unacceptable to President King and the Federalist majority in Congress.  Through a series of political maneuvers they delayed the admittance of Louisiana, hoping to force the state to abandon its pro-slave stance.

Republican Louisiana Governor William Claiborne argued that his state must be pro-slave and goes so far as to say that “this nation threw off one king, perhaps it is time to throw off another”.