in the beginning there was george washington the mechanics of the electoral college the presidential...

In the Beginning

There was George Washington

The Mechanics of the Electoral College

• The Presidential Election should be viewed as 51 separate elections each with a “winner take all” system

• To win a candidate must get a majority of 538 votes or 270

• Each state is represented in the EC according to their total number of members of Congress

The Mechanics Cont’d

• Kentucky has 2 senators and 6 representatives. This means that Kentucky has 8 electoral votes

• California, the most populous state, has two senators and 52 representatives. This gives California 54 electoral votes

• Wyoming, the least populous state, has two senators and 1 representative. This gives Wyoming 3 electoral votes

The Mechanics Cont’d

• The total electoral vote of 538 is based on 100 senators, 435 representatives for the 50 states. The 23rd Amendment gave Washington, DC 3 electoral votes

• The candidates compete in 50 states and DC for electoral votes and the winner must have at least 270

• The Electoral College always works when there are only two candidates

President Washington

• Capitol in New York

• Served along with wife,Martha

• Very stressful particularly with the trouble continuing economically with England

• Setting precedents are always stressful

George Washington’s Presidency

• Washington establishes many governmental precedents.PRCEDENT: an example that would become a standard practice.

I. Establishment of the Court System

Federal Judiciary Act of 1789: passed by Congress.

1. Created an independent federal court system with the Supreme Court and lower level courts.

2. The U.S. Supreme Court is to have a Chief Justice and five associate justices. Currently we have 9 total justices.

3. Washington appoints John Jay as Chief Justice.

II. Establishment of the Presidential Cabinet

A. The Constitution allows Congress to create departments to help the President – the Cabinet.

B. The first Presidential Cabinet had four departments:

The First Presidential Cabinet

1. Secretary of War (Henry Knox) oversee the nation’s defenses.

2. Secretary of State (Thomas Jefferson) oversee the relations between the U.S. and other countries.


3. Secretary of the Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) to manage the government’s money.


4. Attorney General (Edmond Randolph) to advise the government on legal matters.


US Economics

• Government was expected to protect the business of America

• Government was also to protect the interest of the American consumer

• How do those two objectives cause a conflict?

III. Hamilton’s Financial PlanNOTE: Alexander Hamilton

believed that the federal government should be stronger than the state governments.

III. Hamilton’s Financial PlanA. Pay off the war debt to develop the trust of other

nations for trade.

• That debt was in the form of bonds to citizens of the United States

• People that could not afford to keep holding the bonds until the government was financial stable had to sell their bonds at a cheaper value

• The bonds were bought by wealthy members of the country

• Hamilton wanted to pay off those bonds for face value @ the taxpayers expense after the citizens had lost money on them

• Jefferson disagreed with Hamilton he believed it gave unfair economic advantage to the wealthy

• In addition, Hamilton wanted the federal government to pay off the state’s individual revolutionary debts. Again Jefferson disagreed.

• The Southern states had a relatively low debt compared to the Northern States and the Southern States did not want to incur the burden of sharing the Northern debt.

Cutting a deal

• Hamilton, Madison, and Jefferson met at Jefferson’s home for supper to compromise on this deal

• It was agreed, the country would assume the states debts and the capitol of the nation would be moved to the south

• Washington D.C.

Hamilton’s Financial PlanB. TARIFFS – a tax on imported goods.

C. Tariffs would…1. encourage the growth of American

industry (buy American-made).2. raise money for the federal

government.

III. Hamilton’s Financial PlanD. Create a

NATIONAL BANK:1. safe place to keep

the government’s money.

2. can make loans to businesses.

3. would issue paper currency.

4. strengthen the federal government.

Debate on Interpretation of the Constitution

• STRICT CONSTRUCTION: only what the Constitution clearly states – favored by Jefferson and Madison.

• LOOSE CONSTRUCTION: the Constitution should be flexible to meet the needs of the country (Elastic Clause) – favored by Hamilton and Adams.

Jefferson and Hamilton argue these points on the creation of the National Bank.

V. Major Events DuringWashington’s Presidency

C. The French Revolution (1789-1793) the French people overthrow the French monarchy by executing King Louis XVI.

• Neutrality – the U.S. would not side with any European country in wartime.

• Neutrality Proclamation: US would not take sides with countries at war in Europe (without Congress approval)

Edmond Genet

• French representative• Approached out country for support for the

French Revolution• Genet was told “NO” and that he was to

stop recruiting American men for their army

• Genet and France were offending after the support provided by France to American’s Revolution

Jay’s Treaty

• The British were continuing to encourage the Indians as allies

• The British seized ships going to the West French Indies

• The British continued to kidnap sailors and impress them into the British Navy

• Chief Justice Jay went to London to work out details of peace between the two nations

Jay’s Treaty

• Britain would pay for American seized ships• Britain would remove forts from Great Lakes• US would pay British merchants for damages

incurred during war• THE TREATY did not stop impressment nor did

British stop encouraging the Indians and supplying them with weapons

• Many unhappy with treaty

Major Events DuringWashington’s Presidency

• Pinckney’s Treaty (1795) Spain gave the Americans the right to freely (without paying duties) travel on the Mississippi River and use the port of New Orleans.

Indian fights during Washington’s presidency

• Little Turtle(American Indian) vs General Anthony Wayne(US Army)

• American Indians were winning as long as they were supplied with weapons by the British

• When British refused weapons, the Indians lost to the US


• Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794) the American army defeats a confederation of Indians over tension in the Northwest Territory.

• Treaty of Greenville (1795) 12 tribes cede much of present-day Ohio and Indiana to the U.S. government.


• The Whiskey Rebellion (1794) PA farmers refused to pay the tax until the American army enforces it. This upholds the power of the new federal government.

Washington’s Farewell Address

• 2 terms was enough for a President to serve

• Be careful of political parties, it may make you focus on the differences rather than the common goal of government

• Be careful of debt it will weigh on future generations

• Be careful of allies, the US was young and allies will mislead you to get your support

Washington Retires

Established the precedent of only a two-term presidency, which becomes the 22nd Amendment in 1951.

Interactive Portrait - George Washington: A National Treasure

http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/portrait/flash.html




First political parties

III. Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists

• Hamilton’s Background

• Admirer of the British• Envisions Commercial

Republic• Wants wealthy people

tied to the new nation• Loose interpretation of

Constitution

IV. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans

• Jefferson’s Background

• Admirer of the French

• Envisions Agrarian Republic

• More optimistic about common man

• Opposed to large national government

• Strict Interpretation of the Constitution

Election of 1796—What a mess

• In 1796, the man with the most votes became president and the man in second place became the vice president

• In this case, those two men were from different political parties (as expected)

• Adams took office as the Federalist President of the United States

• Jefferson took office as the Democrat-Republican Vice President

XYZ AFFAIR

• Deteriorations with France worsened• Adams sent 3 ambassadors to handle the crisis• Talleyrand, the French minister, sent 3 agents to

inform the US reps that a bribe would be accepted of $250,000 in addition to a $12 million loan

• US citizens were angered, the cry for war began, “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute (bribery)”

A. The “Quasi-War” and the XYZ Affair (cont)

• Federalists press for a larger army

• Adams strengthens U.S. Navy

-- U.S.S. Constitution (“Old Ironsides”)

• Adams resists a declaration of War against France

B. Alien and Sedition Acts

• First crisis in American history endangering American civil liberties

• The Alien Acts (removal of foreigners)

• The Sedition Act (no hostile words against the government)

• Violence in Congress and the possibility of insurrection

• The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

It is illegal to limit the free speech of citizens

• Jefferson and Madison said it was

• They claims that the Federal government had overstepped its boundaries

• They claimed the Alien and Sedition Acts to be unconstitutional and told states not to enforce the laws

• They practiced nullification

C. Peace with France

• Adams again tries diplomacy in 1799 to make peace with the French

• Adams fires disloyal members of his cabinet and dismantles army

• Treaty of 1778 voided and freer trade with the French guaranteed

• Adams calls the French mission the “most successful act” of his life

VIII. Election of 1800: “A Peaceful Revolution”

• Federalists divided and Hamilton tries to rig the election again

• Terrible “mudslinging” in this election

• Election ends up in a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burr

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