Thomas Jefferson- Law Changes to American Government and Impact on the World

Thomas Jefferson- Laws Changes to American Government and Impact on the World

Thomas Jefferson changed many of the policies and customs that were often seen in government during George Washington and John Adams’ presidency. For instance, Thomas Jefferson changed the Federalist “etiquette” atmosphere that was initially brought up by George Washington. Jefferson established the rule of pel-mel, meaning that there was seating without rank. Jefferson pardoned martyrs that were serving their sentences due to the Alien and Sedition Acts, unjustly imposed during Adams’ term and unappreciated by the states. Jefferson established the Naturalization law of 1802; directing the clerk of the court to record the number of aliens and their biography. Aliens were permitted in the states and were given many of the same rights as natural born citizens. All immigrants had to declare and ask for permission to be granted citizenship.

Thomas Jefferson got rid of the excise tax on whiskey that had started the Whiskey Rebellion. This was used as a way to increase central government power as said by Alexander Hamilton. Farmers who used left over corn and grain in form of whiskey had to pay a tax. Jefferson reduced the military establishment and had more police enforcement. This showed that the states had an indirect peace treaty; however Jefferson ordered that two hundred tiny gunboats were constructed. Jefferson made a significant impact through the Louisiana Purchase. As Americans were moving westward into Ohio River and the Missisippi but the Spanish were going to give back the lands to France. The U.S was scared that France, under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, he would take away those resources from the U.S. Livingston and James Monroe were asked to negotiated with French minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand for the purchase of New Orleans. It was sold for ten million dollars. Treaty dated on April 30^th and the bargain price was for less than 3 cents and acre. In 1804 territorial government was established.

The purchase of the Louisiana Purchase contributed to the discovery of an overland trail to the Pacific. During Jefferson’s presidency, the navy was weak. He also settled the Embargo Act of 1807 that forbade export of all goods from the U.S. This deeply hurt the commerce of New England because there were mounting piles of tobacco, corn and grain. On the contrary, the Embargo Act did not hurt Europe’s economy due to other ports in Latin America that were willing to export with Europe. Jefferson’s ideal view of an agricultural society came crashing down when New York decided to reopen its factories due to the Embargo Act.

John Galloway: Traitor and Philospher

              Joseph Galloway, an American politician and Loyalist, was born on 1731 in West River, Maryland. Galloway is most popular for becoming a loyalist during the Revolutionary War and a delegate of Pennsylvania in the First Continental Congress.He was also reputable for winning cases before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. John Galloway proposed a Plan of Union to the Congress arguing the reconcile of the colonies and Britain and that there should be a presidential general to be appointed by the king and a colonial legislature to have rights and duties similar to the House of Commons. The colonies that were in favor for the proposition were New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
               On October 22nd, 1774, the Plan of Union was rejected by Congress. Upset by this matter, Galloway left Pennsylvania and joined General Sir William Howe's army and accompanied him on his seize of Philadelphia. Galloway earned the title of administrator. Galloway organized many of the Loyalists of the city. In 1778, the British pulled out of Philadelphia and Galloway fled to Watford, England after the French joined the war. John Galloway fled with his daughter and that same year he was convicted of treason and was confiscated of his estates. On August 10, 1803 he passed away in England.
               
             

Francis Bacon

Rene Descartes

The Constitution and Declaration of Independence
 

Time of Illumination: The Enlightenment

               Superstitious and ignorant ideas hindered Europeans and early American colonists to "think outside the box." During the mid 1600s and 1700s the human ability to reason finally broke through in what is known as the Enlightenment, Age of Reason or Time of Illumination. In this important period in the history of western civilization, scholars, writers and scientists used rational thought to replace the irrational ideas of humanity. The Enlightenment led to improvements in math and science and the belief in basic human rights and a democracy. The founding fathers of the Enlightenment were Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes. Bright individuals as they were, published books that inspired scientists such as Isaac Newton and Robert Hook.
               Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes strongly believed that science was essential to get rid of ignorance. Francis Bacon promoted experimentation and conclusions based on experimentations. Descartes reasoned that math and reasoning was all that was needed for science. During the Age of Reason, the scientific method was developed as well as major discoveries in chemistry, physics, biology and electricity. From Bacon and Descartes, Isaac Newton was able to derive ideas of calculus, laws of gravity and laws of motion. In addition, Anton van Leuwenhook and Robert Hook developed experiments in biology and microscopic organisms.
               As well as science, the Enlightenment focused on ideas of the mind and political subjects. One of the great philosophers of the time was John Locke (1632-1704). Locke believed the people should choose who governs and that some of the basic rights of humans were life, liberty, ownership of property, freedom of press, religious tolerance and education reform. These ideas shaped revolutions in both America and France and led to the creation of two important documents: the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Other great thinkers include the French philosopher Voltaire that emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and Montesquieu believed in the separation of powers and that has influenced America's form of government as the separation of legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Virginia --> The Virginia Company

               The Virginia Company was founded by English stock companies and it was a combination of the Plymouth and London companies. The Virginia company was chartered by King James I on April 10, 1606. Even though, the royal crown of England owned the Virginia Company, the settlers in New World were able to govern themselves. In order to finance the voyages to settle in the New World, the English encouraged individuals to purchase shares of stocks in the New World. This would help in the expenses of overseas settlement. Money would also contribute to the purchase of ships and supplies as well as to recruit laborers.
              
               Merchants hoped that new industries would be developed and King James I wanted Protestant Catholicism to be the established religion in the colonies. There were also hopes that the New World would become a trade market for English goods and the finding of the Northwest Passage. However, the Virginia Company encountered an early problem: not every person wanted to buy stock in the Americas. The only way for the English to make money was from running lotteries.

               The London Company settled Jamestown by John Smith and Sir Thomas Gates was the governor of the Virginia Colony. It was established on May 14,1607. John Smith made alliances with the Powhattan tribe until both waged in war. On the other hand, the Plymouth Company established their settlements in Chesapeake Bay. Before the Pilgrim settlement in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Plymouth Company established the Potham Colony in what is now present day Maine. The Pilgrims arrived one year later and formed Plymouth Colony in which they engaged with the Patuxet, Wampanoag, Mohagan and Nipmuck tribes.

Magnet APUSH Post #1

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado

              Francisco Vasquez de Coronado is lauded with the discovery of the Grand Canyon as well as credited with the exploration of the American Southwest. His story begins in 1510 in Salamanca, Spain born to a prosperous and wealthy family. However, seeing that he was the youngest and would not inherit the family estate Coronado decided to go to New Spain. There, Francisco Vasquez earned a position in the colonial government and soon enough met his wife, Dona Beatriz who was the daughter of the colonial treasurer.

              Through the explorer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Vasquez found out about the Seven Gold Cities of Cibola. European explorers believed that due to the immense wealth discovered in the Aztec and Inca empires, the same amount of treasures would be found in the Americas. In 1539, he decided to go out and find Cibola. Coronado set out with 300 soldiers and 1,000 Indians. He ended up encountering Indians in New Mexico. He destructed the tribe of the Zunis that offered no type of wealth or luxuries and also encountered other tribes such as the Hopi. Continuing on his exploration, one of Coronado’s men, Garcia Lopez de Cardenas spotted the Grand Canyon located in Arizona. Coronado continued on his search to Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

                                    

               He returned to Spain in 1542 and became the governor of Nueva Galicia. The inability to find wealth in the explored lands broke off the friendship between Coronado and Antonio de Mendoza. Coronado was removed from his position as governor due to his cruel treatment towards the natives. He later lived in Mexico City where he ended up passing away on September 22^nd in 1554. After Coronado's attempt to find the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, many Spanish explorers branded him a failure. He is one of the first Europeans to explore the American west.

Blog Post 7B

I think that students can't finish their homework that lasts 20 minutes because people rather spent hours doing nothing than do homework that is boring. Students woould rather relax their brain and not stress out about their homework until one day before it's due. It makes sense because even I would rather sleep than do homework because sometimes the homework I get is hard and I want nothing to do with it until later especially if it's spring break.