They concluded that the only way to retain their influence in government would be to remove the New England states from the union. However, the plan would only work if they gained the support of New York, so they enlisted Aaron Burr to run for the New York government. Burr lost the election, perhaps due to a public denouncement of his character expressed by Alexander Hamilton in many New York newspapers. This growing disdain between Burr and Hamilton would ultimately lead to a duel, resulting in Hamilton's death. .
1808 Congress stops slave trade.
Forbidden by the Constitution to tamper with the slave trade for 20 years, Congress quickly acted on the expired deadline by ending the slave trade. However, slaves received no more rights, nor did they receive any more respect. Until the civil war and the passage of the 13th amendment in 1865, slaves remained totally subservient to their owners, and were still viewed as property. .
IX Foreign Policy.
1801 Tripoli and Barbary Pirates.
Jefferson sent a naval squadron into the Mediterranean against the Barbary (or Tripolitan) pirates of North Africa. The nation of Tripoli had long relied on piracy as a major source of income, as well as taking payments in exchange for protection and selling captured seamen into slavery. In 1805, a peace treaty with Tripoli secured the safety of American ships for half of what it would cost to buy annual protection form the pirates. .
1803 Louisiana Purchase.
After suffering a crushing defeat in an attempt to subdue the island of Santo Domingo, Napoleon decided to give up his dream of a Caribbean Empire and instead focus on restarting a war in Europe. Hard pressed for funds, Napoleon agreed to sell the Louisiana territory to the United States for $15 million, or roughly 13 cents/acre. While Thomas Jefferson had hoped to acquire some land from France, the prospect of buying the whole territory seemed to stretch his strict constitutional approach.
