Thomas Jefferson was elected as the third President of the United States from 1801-1809. He believed in a small and limited federal government with power derived from ordinary citizens, not a strong central authority. During his presidency, the Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison established the Court's power of judicial review, allowing it to overturn laws deemed unconstitutional, which Jefferson disagreed with strongly.

1. Name: ___________________________________________ Date:
________________
Thomas Jefferson
Review:
Thomas _____________________
 elected ____ President (1801-1809)
 Vice President is Aaron _______ (later kills Hamilton in a duel)
Inauguration
• Jefferson wanted to be _______, not showy.
• He walked to the Capitol
• Spoke so low for his speech almost no one could hear him.
• Jefferson came from a wealthy family, but he believed that the nation’s
strength came from the ordinary people.
JeffERSON’S Democratic Style
Democratic – ensuring that all people have the same rights.
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is
their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them… They
are the only (ones to rely on) for the preserva4tion of our liberty.” – Thomas
Jefferson letter to James Madison, 1787.
Federalists are scared
• Some believed he would support the French Revolution
• He might punish the Federalists for the Alien and Sedition acts. (the acts
had expired before he took office and he pardoned those affected by it)
• “the minority possess their equal rights which equal laws must protect.”
Jefferson –
a smaller government
• Jefferson wanted to lessen government power.
• This would also reduce the federal budget and debt low
• Jefferson believed in an economic idea known as LAISSEZ FAIR
• LAISSEZ FAIR – A FRENCH TERM MEANING “LET ALONE”
• FREE MARKET – WHERE GOODS AND SERVICES ARE EXCHANGED
WITH LITTLE REGULATION.
• Government should play a small role in economic affairs.
John Marshall (1803)
 most powerful and famous Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
 Marbury v. Madison = very famous Supreme Court case
result
 Establishes Supreme Court’s right to determine laws unconstitutional
(judicial review)

2. Marbury V. Madison
• 1803 – case that increased the Supreme Courts power.
• It gave the Supreme Court the power to decide whether laws passed by
Congress were constitutional and to reject laws that it considered to be
unconstitutional.
• JUDICIAL REVIEW
JEFFERSON DISPLEASED
“THE OPINION WHICH GIVES TO THE JUDGES THE RIGHT TO DECIDE
WHAT LAWS ARE CONSTITUTIONAL AND WHAT NOT, NOT ONLY FOR
THEMSELVES… BUT FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND EXECUTIVE ALSO…
WOULD MAKE THE JUDICIARY A (TYRANNICAL) BRANCH.” – Jefferson to
Abigail Adams 1804
 In the end, the President and Congress accepted the right of the Court to
Overturn laws. Today, judicial review remains one of the most important
powers of the Supreme Court.