# Presidential transition of Thomas Jefferson

* This article or section is part of a series about United States presidential transitions
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President-elect of the United States
Vice President-elect of the United States
End of Term Web Archive
Midnight regulations
Plum Book
Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act of 2010 :
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* This article is part of a series aboutThomas Jefferson
Early life and political career
Early life and career
Declaration of Independence
Committee of Five
Notes on the State of Virginia
Minister to France
Secretary of State
First Party System
1796 election
Vice presidency
Personal life
3rd President of the United States
Presidency
Transition
Inauguration
First term
1800 election
1st inauguration
Jeffersonian democracy
Fiscal policy
Twelfth Amendment
Military Peace Establishment Act
Yazoo land scandal
Louisiana Purchase
Lewis and Clark Expedition
First Barbary War
Burr–Hamilton duel
Second term
1804 election
2nd inauguration
Burr conspiracy
Florida and Haiti
Native American relations
Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves
Red River Expedition
Pike Expedition
Chesapeake–Leopard affair
Embargo Act
Judicial appointments
Post-presidency
Education
University of Virginia
Autobiography
Death
Legacy
Legacy
cultural depictions
Memorials
Monticello
Democratic-Republican Party
Religious views
Views on education
Views on slavery
Jefferson–Hemings controversy
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The presidential transition of Thomas Jefferson began when he won the 1800 United States presidential election, becoming the president-elect, and ended when Jefferson was inaugurated on March 4, 1801.
During the transition, Jefferson picked members of his Cabinet. He also selected individuals less principal positions of his administration, such as Meriwether Lewis to serve as his personal secretary. The transition between Adams and Jefferson represented the first transfer of the presidency between two different political parties in United States history, and set the precedent for all subsequent inter-party transitions. It was the first time in United States history that a president handed over the presidency to a political opponent.
Unlike modern-day presidential transitions, the transitions at this time were informal affairs, with relatively minimal activity required of the president-elect.

## Transition

Unlike modern-day presidential transitions, the transitions at this time were informal affairs, with relatively minimal activity required of the president-elect. The transition between Adams and Jefferson represented the first transfer of the presidency between two different political parties in United States history, and set the precedent for all subsequent inter-party transitions. It was the first time in United States history that a president handed over the presidency to a political opponent. During the transition, Jefferson picked members of his Cabinet. He also selected individuals less principal positions of his administration, such as Meriwether Lewis to serve as his personal secretary.

## Inauguration

After about three months and one day as president-elect, Jefferson officially became president on March 4, 1801. Jefferson, who was staying at Conrad and McMunn's boarding house south of the Capitol building, and at about 10:00 a.m., the Alexandria Rifles marched to the intersection of New Jersey Avenue and C Street. He delivered a 1,721-word speech in the Senate chamber of the United States Capitol, and was then sworn in, administered by Chief Justice John Marshall. Outgoing President John Adams, distraught over his election defeat as well as the death of his son Charles Adams from alcoholism, did not attend the inauguration. He left the President's House at 4:00 a.m. early on a public stagecoach for Baltimore. This was the first time an outgoing president had not attended his successor's inauguration.