Welcome to the swamp. That’s basically the look of Washongton DC in the first few years. This is the image of the beginning of the Jeffersoniam administration, but it was much more complicated than that. The US was a growing nation. Congress met in 8 different towns before this. Now there was an official capitol. The US could spread out, but look at the title: Restoring Liberty. Does that imply that liberty didn’t exist under the Federalists? It’s a tricky title. Think about what you read and how it is presented. Is there a bias here?
THE JEFFERSONIANS TAKE CONTROL (271) Jefferson wanted to set an impression of his new term in office. He had dinner with guests at a circular table. He rode a horse rather than riding in a coach. He believed in getting rid of social protocols. He was also the first president to play the role of the party leader. This would set yet another precedent.
POLITICS AND FEDERAL COURTS (272) Here we see how Jefferson’s supporters try to do what the Federalists were doing in the Adams administration: removing their political opponents. In the Jeffersonian’s case, it was through impeachment. With the Federalists, it was through the Sedition Act. You also begin to see the fight over the courts. This is a direct challenge to the checks and balances system and it bears close scrutiny.
DISMANTLING THE FEDERAL WAR PROGRAM (272) A couple main points here: Jeffersonians clean house. They dump the Sedition Act. They reduce the size of government. They change back the Alien Acts. They declared that property was best controlled by the states (no wonder there what he was talking about… hint: chains and whips).
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