Launching a New Nation
George Washington
•
General for the Continental Army during
the Revolutionary War
•
He is elected as the
first
President of
the United States on 4/30/1789
•
He is a member of
the Federalist Party
Washington’s Office
•
Unanimously elected into office
•
Had 3 department heads
– Thomas Jefferson- Secretary of State – Alexander Hamilton- Secretary of the
Treasury
The Bill of Rights
•
1791-
James Madison
passes the Bill of
Rights in Congress. The B.o.R was the
first 10 amendments to the
Constitution.
– Do you know the rights given to us
The Judiciary Act of 1789
•
Establishes the
Supreme Court of the
United States.
•
The act includes
– A chief justice and five associates (John
Jay is the first chief justice!)
Alexander Hamilton’s Actions
•
Hamilton was appointed as Secretary of
the Treasury
•
He set out to solve the financial issues
that plagued the U.S. as a result of the
Articles
– Policies favored wealthier groups (boost
Actions (cont.)
•
Funding at par-
federal gov’t pays off
debts at face value + interest
– Unpopular so $ depreciated
•
Assumption
- take up state debts
– Popular with debt heavy states, not so much
with small debt states
•
Virginia Idea
- wanted the new capital
Dealing with Virginia
•
Hamilton persuaded Jefferson to get
VA’s votes in Congress
– In exchange, the new capital would be on
the Potomac
•
Dinner Table Bargain
- Jefferson,
Hamilton, and Madison were able to
make a deal over this issue
Duties and Taxes
•
The nat’l debt had increased to $75
million
•
Hamilton’s solution: customs duties
– Make revenue
•
Domestic items are taxed, including
Bank Battle #1
• Hamilton proposed a Bank of the United
States
– Jefferson was against it
• Jefferson’s Argument:
– The Constitution did not cite anything about a bank
– Strict interpretation
• Hamilton’s Argument:
Bank Battle (cont.)
•
Washington’s Decision: The bank is legal
•
Congress created the Bank of the
United States
Angry Farmers in PA
•
Whiskey was being taxed in order to
raise revenue for the gov’t
– Farmers needed booze to make $ on their
own
•
Whiskey Rebellion
- started in SW PA
Rebellion (cont.)
•
Booze brewers are furious!!!
– Violently rebel against tax collectors
•
Washington rallies an army to crush
rebellion
– Rioters scatter – Power increases
•
Once again…
Political Parties
•
Hamilton’s policies improved the
country’s credit
– However, there was some criticism
•
States’ rights were put into question
•
Hamilton made an enemy out of
Jefferson
– Lead to the rise of political parties
(Federalists and Anti-Federalists)
Parties (cont.)
•
The rivalry btwn. Jefferson and
Hamilton created two political parties
– Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson) – Federalists (Hamilton)
•
Washington does not like these parties
The French Revolution
•
1789: The French Revolution began
– Peaceful at first- but then it got worse
•
Reign of Terror-
King Louis XVI, Marie
Antoinette, and others killed
Washington’s Response
• Remember- France and U.S.A. made an alliance in
1778
– FR and USA would support each other
• Debate:
– Democratic-Republicans favored the alliance and
wanted to fight Britain
– Washington: wanted to avoid war
• Why avoid war?
– Military was weak – Poor unity
Response (cont.)
•
Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation
-
the federal gov’t will be neutral in the
conflict btwn. Britain and France
– Jeffersonians angry!
•
Edmond Genet-
attempted to recruit
American privateers in order to fight
against Britain
Boils over Britain
•
Britain still had holdings on U.S. soil
– Need for fur trade
•
Sold firearms to the Miami Confederacy
– Miami hated the U.S.
– Little Turtle- defeated some American
Boils over Britain (cont.)
•
Treaty of Greenville
- signed August
1795
– Miami gave up large parts of the Old NW
(incl. Indiana and Ohio)
•
Britain was at war with France
– Wanted to starve out the West Indies
– Used impressment on American sailors as
Jay’s Treaty
•
In order to avoid a second war w/
Britain, Washington sent John Jay to
London (1794)
– Jeffersonians are unhappy (again)
•
Treaty
– British abandon holdings on U.S. soil
– Paid damages (didn’t stop impressment)
Other Actions
•
Pinckney’s Treaty
– 1795 with Spain
Washington Retires
•
Washington decided to retire after
serving his 2
ndterm
– Served as a precedent for future
presidents (except for F.D.R.)
•
Farewell Address
- Washington advised
against permanent foreign alliances
Election of 1796
•
Alexander Hamilton- made unpopular after
Washington left
– John Adams= the Federalist candidate
– Jefferson= Democratic-Republican candidate
•
Campaign Issues: personalities- Whiskey
Rebellion response and John Jay’s treaty
•
Result:
Adams wins the election
Frustrated France
•
France was angry
– The Jay Treaty was a direct violation of
the Treaty of 1778
•
French actions
XYZ Affair
•
Adams appointed 3 men to go to France
to make a deal
– They wanted to talk with the foreign
minister, Talleyrand
•
3 go-betweens met with the three
Americans
– Wanted a $250,000 loan in order for
Reactions
•
Americans are outraged!
– War preparations are made: expanded
military and navy
•
Fighting (
not war
) broke out in the
West Indies
Patriotism > Party
•
France attempted to avoid war at all costs
•
Adams is pleased
– His actions would hopefully glorify the
Federalists
•
Convention of 1800
– Signed btwn. Americans and Napoleon
Bonaparte
Continued
• Adams and his party wanted to crush their
political rivals using legislation
– Alien Act
– Sedition Act
• Alien Act- it would take 14 (instead of 5) yrs. to
become a citizen
– Nativist sentiments
– Deported “dangerous” foreigners
• Why?
Continued
•
Sedition Act-
was a direct violation of
the first amendment
– Affected freedom of speech and Press
•
Anyone who violated gov’t policies…
– Fined
– Imprisoned
•
This law was unfair!
– Not in Supreme Court: they were a
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
• Jeffersonians would not yield to the Alien and
Sedition Acts
• Jefferson and Madison wrote resolutions that
wrote about the possibility of a one-party rule – A dictatorship
– Emphasized the compact theory
• Compact Theory- The 13 states created a
federal gov’t
Federalists
•
Federalist beliefs:
– Supported the wealthy
• Wealthy should lead the country
– Distrusted whole Democracy
– Strong central gov’t to crush excesses – Support private enterprise
Democratic Republicans
•
Also known as “Anti-Federalists”
– Lead by Thomas Jefferson
•
Beliefs:
– State Gov’t > Federal Gov’t
– Strict interpretation of the Constitution – No special privileges
– People rule the gov’t (only literate)
