Issues Facing Issues Facing the New the New

GovernmentGovernment

George Washington’s George Washington’s PresidencyPresidency

1789 - 17971789 - 1797 No political party No political party

affiliationaffiliation Won 100% of Won 100% of

electoral vote in electoral vote in both electionsboth elections

Established Established precedent of only precedent of only serving 2 terms as serving 2 terms as presidentpresident

Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonWashington’s Washington’s

Treasury Treasury SecretarySecretary

Federalist PartyFederalist Party Wanted to build a Wanted to build a

financially strong financially strong and independent and independent US, especially for US, especially for American industry American industry and businessesand businesses

Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonWashington’s Washington’s

Secretary of Secretary of StateState

Democratic-Democratic-Republican PartyRepublican Party

Wanted to protect Wanted to protect states’ rights, US-states’ rights, US-French relationsFrench relations

Resigned in 1793Resigned in 1793

Henry KnoxHenry Knox Washington’s Washington’s

Secretary of WarSecretary of War Famous hero of the Famous hero of the

Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War Ft. KnoxFt. Knox (in Kentucky) (in Kentucky)

is named after him: is named after him: (Remember: (Remember: FortsForts are are used in used in WAR)WAR)

Supposedly died from Supposedly died from swallowing a chicken swallowing a chicken bonebone

Edmund RandolphEdmund Randolph Washington’s Washington’s

Attorney GeneralAttorney General Later became Secretary Later became Secretary

of State after Jefferson’s of State after Jefferson’s resignation, but then resignation, but then had to resign himself in had to resign himself in 1795, due to scandal; he 1795, due to scandal; he had been advising the had been advising the French government on French government on how to deal with Pres. how to deal with Pres. Washington, potentially Washington, potentially an act of treasonan act of treason

Judiciary Act of 1789Judiciary Act of 1789 Established the Established the

Federal Court Federal Court systemsystem

Made the Supreme Made the Supreme Court the highest Court the highest court in the U.S.court in the U.S.

President George President George Washington Washington appointed John Jay appointed John Jay as the 1as the 1stst Chief Chief JusticeJustice

John JayJohn JayFirst Chief First Chief

JusticeJustice (1789-95) (1789-95) FederalistFederalist Sent to England in Sent to England in

1794-5 to negotiate 1794-5 to negotiate Jay’s Treaty (more on Jay’s Treaty (more on that in a later lesson)that in a later lesson)

Resigned from the Resigned from the court in 1795 to court in 1795 to become governor of become governor of New YorkNew York

Hamilton’s Economic PlanHamilton’s Economic Plan

Most states had many Most states had many debts left over from the debts left over from the RevolutionRevolution

Hamilton wanted the US Hamilton wanted the US to assume the states’ to assume the states’ individual debtsindividual debts

US would pay these US would pay these debts by taxing whiskey debts by taxing whiskey and imported goodsand imported goods

Hamilton also wanted Hamilton also wanted to establish a national to establish a national bankbank

Constitutional opposition to Constitutional opposition to Hamilton’s PlanHamilton’s Plan

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson argued government did argued government did not have the not have the constitutional power to constitutional power to create a bank (a strict create a bank (a strict interpretation of the interpretation of the Constitution)Constitution)

Hamilton argued that Hamilton argued that the “necessary and the “necessary and proper” clause allowed proper” clause allowed the government to do the government to do what was necessary to what was necessary to perform its functions perform its functions (loose interpretation)(loose interpretation)

Southern opposition to Southern opposition to Hamilton’s PlanHamilton’s Plan

Taxes on imported Taxes on imported goods would hurt goods would hurt southern farmerssouthern farmers

Many southern states Many southern states had already paid their had already paid their war debtswar debts

South agreed to South agreed to support Hamilton’s support Hamilton’s plan only after North plan only after North agreed to move the agreed to move the capital from New York capital from New York City to the Potomac City to the Potomac River (Washington DC)River (Washington DC)

Frontier opposition to Frontier opposition to Hamilton’s PlanHamilton’s Plan

Didn’t like tax on Didn’t like tax on whiskey because whiskey because that was how many that was how many frontiersmen made frontiersmen made their livingtheir living

This opposition led This opposition led to the Whiskey to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794Rebellion of 1794

Whiskey RebellionWhiskey Rebellion Pennsylvania farmers Pennsylvania farmers

refused to pay refused to pay whiskey tax and took whiskey tax and took up armsup arms

Pres. Washington Pres. Washington responded by leading responded by leading the US Army in the US Army in putting down the putting down the rebellionrebellion

Federal government Federal government demonstrated it demonstrated it could enforce its lawscould enforce its laws

Federalists vs. Federalists vs. Democratic-Democratic-RepublicansRepublicans FederalistsFederalists

Led by Alexander Led by Alexander HamiltonHamilton

Favored strong national Favored strong national governmentgovernment

Favored large landowners Favored large landowners and merchantsand merchants

Favored tariffs and Favored tariffs and government regulations government regulations that supported businessthat supported business

Loose interpretationistsLoose interpretationists More popular in the NorthMore popular in the North Pro-businessPro-business Favored neutrality in the Favored neutrality in the

war between Britain and war between Britain and FranceFrance

Democratic-RepublicansDemocratic-Republicans Led by Thomas JeffersonLed by Thomas Jefferson Favored strong state Favored strong state

governmentsgovernments Favored small farmersFavored small farmers Favored a “laissez-faire” Favored a “laissez-faire”

approach where approach where government did not government did not regulate the economyregulate the economy

Strict interpretationistsStrict interpretationists More popular in the More popular in the

SouthSouth Pro-farmersPro-farmers Favored France in their Favored France in their

war against Britainwar against Britain

Washington’s Farewell Washington’s Farewell AddressAddress

17961796 US should stay neutral US should stay neutral

and avoid “foreign and avoid “foreign entanglements”entanglements”

Good government is Good government is based on religion and based on religion and moralitymorality

Political parties are Political parties are divisive and divisive and dangerous to national dangerous to national unityunity

John Adams’ PresidencyJohn Adams’ Presidency

1797 – 18011797 – 1801 FederalistFederalist Had been Had been

Washington’s Vice-Washington’s Vice-PresidentPresident

Beat out Jefferson Beat out Jefferson in 1796 election by in 1796 election by only 3 electoral only 3 electoral votes, but lost to votes, but lost to Jefferson in 1800 Jefferson in 1800 electionelection

Alien Acts of 1798Alien Acts of 1798 Allowed Allowed

government to government to arrest and deport arrest and deport foreigners deemed foreigners deemed “untrustworthy”“untrustworthy”

Prevented poor Prevented poor immigrants (who immigrants (who tended to vote tended to vote Democratic-Democratic-Republican) from Republican) from votingvoting

Sedition Act of 1798Sedition Act of 1798

Limited free speech by Limited free speech by making it illegal to making it illegal to publish "false, publish "false, scandalous, and scandalous, and malicious writing" malicious writing" against the government against the government or its officialsor its officials

Used to silence critics, Used to silence critics, who were usually from who were usually from the other party: the other party: Democratic-RepublicansDemocratic-Republicans

The Virginia and Kentucky The Virginia and Kentucky ResolutionsResolutions

Written in response to Written in response to the Alien and Sedition the Alien and Sedition Acts by Jefferson and Acts by Jefferson and James MadisonJames Madison

Claimed that states do Claimed that states do not have to obey or not have to obey or enforce federal laws enforce federal laws that they believe to be that they believe to be unconstitutional – they unconstitutional – they can “nullify” the law: can “nullify” the law: the Doctrine of the Doctrine of NullificationNullification

Election of 1800Election of 1800 Presidential election Presidential election

was won by Democratic-was won by Democratic-Republicans, but it was Republicans, but it was a tie between Jefferson a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burrand Aaron Burr

Federalists had to Federalists had to choose which Dem.-Rep. choose which Dem.-Rep. to support; Hamilton to support; Hamilton decided to support decided to support Jefferson over BurrJefferson over Burr

Sometimes called the Sometimes called the “Peaceful Revolution”“Peaceful Revolution”

Burr-Hamilton Burr-Hamilton DuelDuel

July 1804July 1804 Vice-President Burr Vice-President Burr

challenged challenged Hamilton to a duel Hamilton to a duel in which Burr shot in which Burr shot and killed Hamiltonand killed Hamilton

Burr was charged Burr was charged with murder, but with murder, but acquitted and acquitted and finished his term as finished his term as VPVP

The Midnight The Midnight JudgesJudges

Adams appointed a Adams appointed a bunch of Federalist bunch of Federalist judges to life terms just judges to life terms just before leaving officebefore leaving office

Jefferson ordered his Jefferson ordered his Sec. of State James Sec. of State James Madison to withhold Madison to withhold their commissions, their commissions, preventing them from preventing them from taking officetaking office

These denied judges These denied judges sued in federal courtsued in federal court

John MarshallJohn Marshall Chief Justice of the Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court (1801-Supreme Court (1801-1835)1835)

A FederalistA Federalist Longest serving Chief Longest serving Chief

Justice in US HistoryJustice in US History Established the Established the

Supreme Court’s Supreme Court’s authority to interpret authority to interpret constitutionality of constitutionality of lawslaws

Marbury v. Marbury v. MadisonMadison

Court found that, while the Court found that, while the judges had a right to be judges had a right to be seated, the Supreme Court seated, the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction in did not have jurisdiction in the casethe case

Declared the Judiciary Act of Declared the Judiciary Act of 1789, which had given the 1789, which had given the Court jurisdiction, to be in Court jurisdiction, to be in conflict with the Constitution conflict with the Constitution and therefore and therefore unconstitutionalunconstitutional

Established precedent of Established precedent of judicial review – the Supreme judicial review – the Supreme Court decides whether laws Court decides whether laws violate the Constitutionviolate the Constitution

Thomas Jefferson’s Thomas Jefferson’s PresidencyPresidency

1801 – 18091801 – 1809 Democratic-Democratic-

RepublicanRepublican Both he and John Both he and John

Adams died on July Adams died on July 4, 1826 – 50 years 4, 1826 – 50 years to the day after to the day after signing the signing the Declaration of Declaration of Independence!Independence!

The Louisiana The Louisiana PurchasePurchase

US acquired 828,800 square US acquired 828,800 square miles for a total purchase price miles for a total purchase price of $23,213,568of $23,213,568

About $0.03 per acre!About $0.03 per acre!Napoleon’s France needed the Napoleon’s France needed the

$$$$$$Begins US policy of pursuing Begins US policy of pursuing

economic prosperity through economic prosperity through territorial expansion territorial expansion

The Decline of the The Decline of the FederalistsFederalists

Federalists opposed Federalists opposed the War of 1812 (a war the War of 1812 (a war with Britain), and with Britain), and staged a formal staged a formal protest in 1814protest in 1814

Unfortunately, they Unfortunately, they protested just as news protested just as news arrived that the US had arrived that the US had won the war, causing won the war, causing them to lose popularity them to lose popularity and fade from the and fade from the political scene.political scene.