2014 IB Ch. 8 The Early Republic.pptx

The Early Republic:

Conflicts at Home and Abroad

The Early Republic

» _{Introduction: Americans assumed that the Constitution would create consensus, but}

the nation still faced political, economic, and diplomatic questions that led to partisan (strong supporter of a party or cause) politics during the 1790s.

Workable Government:

» _{The First Congress had the tasks of raising money, creating a bill of rights, setting up}

the executive departments, and organizing the federal judiciary.

» _{James Madison persuaded Congress to adopt the Revenue Act of 1789.}

"Whereas it is necessary for the support of government, for the discharge of the debts of the United States, and the encouragement and protection of manufactures, that duties be laid on goods, wares and merchandise:“ - From this emerged a North/South debate…

» _{Madison also took the lead in presenting the constitutional amendments that came to}

be called the Bill of Rights; the states ratified ten amendments (1791). Executive Branch:

» _{Congress organized the executive branch with three main department: War, State, and}

Treasury - and granted the President the power to dismiss appointed officials.

» _{The Judiciary Act established a Supreme Court, defined federal jurisdiction, created}

The Early

Republic

» _{Washington understood the importance his actions would have as precedents, and}

moved cautiously at first.

» _{Alexander Hamilton’s zeal had attracted the favor of Washington, who appointed him}

Secretary of the Treasury. Nationalism and skepticism shaped Hamilton’s policies:

 repay its debt at full value and to assume the war debts of the states.

 extend the authority of the national government and gain the support of securities holders.

 advocated a national bank and secured creation of it.

» The actions of the Washington administration led to debates over the authority of

Congress to pass laws not specifically authorized by the Constitution. Whiskey Rebellion (1791):

» _{When farmers protested a federal tax on whiskey (spirits), which they distilled from}

their grain, Washington forcefully demonstrated the strength of the national

government. Repealed (1801) under Jefferson’s Republican who opposed Hamilton’s Federalist Party

The Early Republic

The French Revolution:

»

_{Disagreements over the American response to the French Revolution}

(Republicanism)

led to partisanship. Still, both sides agreed that the United States

should remain impartial when Citizen Edmund Genêt (French ambassador to

US) called on President Washington.

»

_{Democratic-Republican Societies expressed opposition to administration}

policies and thereby generated the first formal political dissent in the United

States as supporters of Hamilton and Jefferson gradually divided into opposing

camps.

Jay Treaty:

In 1794, John Jay negotiated a treaty with Great Britain in an

effort to resolve several differences between the two nations

since the Treaty of Paris (1783). The treaty faced strong

opposition (feared it would strengthen Federalist and weaken

Republicanism), but eventually won the approval of Congress.

The Early Republic

Political Parties:

»

_{Democratic-Republicans: generally from the southern and middle states,}

tended to be optimistic, to espouse democracy, and to embrace individualism.

»

_{Federalists: mostly from New England, expressed more fears for the future and}

tended to come from the commercial class.

Washington’s Farewell Address:

»

_{As he left office, Washington encouraged Americans to maintain commercial}

ties but not political relations with other nations and to avoid permanent

alliances. He also expressed sorrow over factional divisions within the republic.

Placing his support with the Federalist Party.

»

_{Federalist John Adams won the presidency in 1796, but the constitutional}

means of determining a vice president led to the election of Thomas Jefferson,

a Democratic-Republican

The Early Republic

XYZ Affair and Quasi-War:

» _{When Americans learned that French agents had demanded a bribe of American negotiators,}

anti-French sentiment swept the United States leading to an undeclared naval war with France, mostly in Caribbean waters.

Alien and Sedition Acts:

» Federalists hoped to capitalize politically on Americans’ anger toward France by passing four laws to suppress dissent and limit the growth of the Republican Party.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions:

» _{Jefferson and Madison (Democratic – Republicans) responded to the Alien and Sedition Acts (passed by}

Federalists) by claiming that since a compact among the states created the Constitution, the states could review the constitutionality of federal actions. The resolutions argued that the states had the right and the duty to declare unconstitutional any acts of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution. Election of 1800:

» _{In the same year the Quasi-War ended, electoral procedures resulted in a tie between Jefferson and}

Aaron Burr. After 35 ballots, the lame-duck, Federalist-dominated House of Representatives finally settled the election in favor of Jefferson. Burr becomes Vice President and famously kills Alexander Hamilton in a dual to the death (1804).

Indian Trade and Intercourse Act (1793):

» _{Attempted to “civilize” eastern Indians by supplying them with}

livestock, agricultural implements, and agricultural instructors. However, by focusing on men, the act ignored that fact that Indian women traditionally did the farming in eastern Indian societies.

The Early Republic

Essential Questions

1. Discuss the characteristics and the political, social, and economic beliefs of the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, and explain the relationship between those beliefs and the approach of these political factions to

a. Hamilton’s economic program. b. the Whiskey Rebellion.

c. the formation of Democratic-Republican societies. d. the Alien and Sedition Acts.

e. the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions.

2. Examine the debate between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans about major foreign policy issues between 1789 and 1801, and discuss the domestic impact of this debate. 3. Examine the issues in the presidential election of 1796, and explain the election’s outcome.