Chapter 6

Launching the New Nation

G. Washington took office as the 1st president of the U.S

In charge of an experimental political system Never before had a nation tried to base its gov’t on ideas of

republican rule and individual rights (Enlightenment ideals)

No one knew if a gov’t based on the will of the people could really work

Constitution provided a strong foundation BUT not at detailed blueprint for governing

Washington and Congress had to make decisions on how to raise revenue and provide for defense

New Government Takes Shape

First task of Washington and Congress was to create a

judicial system

Judiciary Act of 1789: law that provided for a Supreme Court with chief justices and est federal circuit and district courts throughout the country

Also allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a federal court when constitutional issues were raised

Guaranteed federal laws remained “supreme Law of the Land”

Judiciary Act of 1789

Washington needed to build an executive branch to

help him make policies and carry out laws

Congress created three executive departments to help: Dept of State: deal with foreign affairs (T. Jefferson) Dept of War: handle military matters (H. Knox) Dept of Treasury: manage finances (A. Hamilton)

These dept heads eventually became known as president’s Cabinet

Washington Shapes the Executive Branch

Hamilton v. Jefferson

Hamilton

Believed in strong central gov’t led by a rich, upper-class citizen

Commerce and industry were key to a strong nation

Jefferson Favored strong state

and local gov’t rooted in popular participation

Society of farmer-citizens

As secretary of the treasury, proposed a plan to manage the country’s debt

and est a nat’l banking system Most of debt came from Rev War

Hamilton believed nat’l gov’t responsible for about 2/3 of debt and states responsible for the rest

Country also owed money to foreign countries and citizens who received bonds as payment for their service in the war

Hamilton proposed: Paying off foreign debt Issuing new bonds to replace old ones Take over debt of the states (incentive to support fed gov’t)- made many in

the Southern states furious b/c already paid off debt and saw it as gov’t paying Northern debts

Hamilton’s Economic Plan

The split in Washington’s cabinet between Hamilton

and Jefferson led to the country’s first political parties Main issue debated: size of federal gov’t vs. smaller

state/local governments

Two-party system formed

First Political Parties

Federalists Democratic-Republicans

Agreed with Hamilton- believed in strong central government

Agreed with Jefferson- believed in strong state governments

1789 Congress passed protective tariff: import tax on

goods produced in Europe Meant to encourage American production & brought in

revenue

Secretary Hamilton wanted more so pushed through exercise tax: tax on product’s manufacture, sale, or distribution Levied against manufacture of whiskey

Most whiskey producers were small farmers and it was their main source of cash

Whiskey Rebellion

Hamilton knew the tax would make the farmers furious

and it did 1794: farmers in western PA refused to pay the tax, beat up

federal marshals and threatened to secede from the Union

Hamilton saw this rebellion as an opportunity for the federal government to show it could enforce laws on the frontier 15,000 militiamen were called up and scattered the rebels

without any causalities

The Whiskey Rebellion was a milestone in the enforcement of federal powers in domestic affairs

Whiskey Rebellion

Most Americans initially supported the French

Revolution because, like the American Revolution, it was inspired by the ideals of republican rule

Alliance between France and the U.S. (Treaty of 1778) served as an additional bond between the nations

U.S. Response to Events in Europe

When the Reign of Terror broke out in France, the French

expected the Americans to help Democratic-Republicans wanted to honor the treaty and

support France (Jefferson and Madison) Federalists did not & wanted to support British (Hamilton)’

President Washington took a middle side April 22, 1793 he issued a declaration of neutrality:

statement that US would not support either side

Hamilton and Jefferson came to an agreement and decided entering a war was not in the nation’s best interest

Reactions to the French Rev

U.S. wanted to secure land claims west of the Appalachian

Mtns and gain shipping rights on the Mississippi R. Needed to come to an agreement with Spain

Negotiations stalled because of issues in Europe Spain signed a treaty with France and then feared England

would retaliate against them and attack the Louisiana Territory

Spain agreed to meet with U.S. minister to England, Thomas Pinckney, and signed Pinckney’s Treaty on October 27, 1795

Treaty with Spain

Pinckey’s Treaty

Spain gave up all lands east of the Mississippi (except Florida)

Recognized the 31st parallel as the southern boundary of the U.S. and the northern boundary of Florida

Spain agreed to open up the Mississippi River to traffic by Spanish subjects and U.S. citizens

Allowed American traders to use the port of New Orleans

Political battle over Jay’s Treaty and division between the two political

parties led Washington not to seek a third term in office

In his “Farewell Address” he urged the U.S. to “steer clear of permanent alliances” with other nations

Election of 1796: John Adams wins presidency with 71 electoral votes T. Jefferson received 68 and because the Constitution stated that the runner up

should be VP the U.S has a Federalist Pres and a Democratic-Republican VP

This rule seemed sensible when the Constitution was written but unexpected rise of political parties had become a problem

Election also illustrated danger of sectionalism: placing the interests of one region over those of the nation as a whole Southern states voted for Jefferson, Northern states for Adams

Adams Provokes Criticism

After taking office Adams faced first major issue:

possible war with France French gov’t saw the Jay treaty as a violation of the

French-American alliance and began to seize American ships bound for Britain

Adams sent Charles Pinckey, John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry to Paris to negotiate a solution Planned to meet with French foreign minister but instead

gov’t sent 3 low-level officials that Adams described as “X,Y, and Z” in his report to Congress

French officials demanded a $250,000 bribe as payment for seeing the foreign minister

Adams Tries to Avoid War

News of this bribe caused a wave of anti-French feelings

at home- known as the XYZ Affair

1798 Congress created a Navy dept and authorized U.S. ships to seize French vessels

1,200 men marched to Washington D.C. to volunteer for war and Congress authorized the creation of 50,000 troops

War was never officially declared but, for the next 2 years, naval war raged between France and the U.S.

Adams Tries to Avoid War

Louisiana Purchase

Napoleon Gets Involved

1800- Napoleon Bonaparte persuaded Spain to sell back the Louisiana Territory that it received from France in 1762 (secret deal)

French intended to use the land to create an empire in North America

Jefferson worried that French and Spanish may stop goods from going through New Orleans

Also feared strong French presence in the continent would force an alliance with Britain

Jefferson’s Plan

Try to buy New Orleans and western Florida from the French

He knew Napoleon was fighting wars with other nations in Europe and needed money

Sent James Monroe and U.S ambassador Robert Livingston to Paris

BUT before they arrived in Paris Napoleon had already abandoned his vision of a North American empire

France Sells

Slave revolt in Haiti and impending war with Britain led France to abandon plans and sell the entire territory to the United States

U.S. originally intended only to seek the purchase of New Orleans and its adjacent lands

Specifics of the Deal

Monroe and Livingston closed the deal at $15 million dollars

828,000 square miles

Less than 3 cents per acre

Today: $233 million dollars- less than 42 cents per acre

Was it Constitutional?

Jefferson began to worry whether purchase was constitutional (within his power)

On other hand, new lands could form “empire of liberty” he envisioned for the nation

After short delay, submitted the treaty finalizing the purchase and Senate ratified it (October 1803)

By December- U.S had control of land which doubled country in size

Mixed Emotions

Some felt purchase was a positive and gave the U.S room to grow

Others worried that U.S would get too big to rule and land was just worthless forests and mountains

Causes of the War of 1812

Impressment Practice of seizing Americans at sea and “impressing” (drafting them into the

British navy

Chesapeake incident (June 1807) Commander British warship demanded the right to board and search U.S naval

ship Chesapeake for British deserters When U.S. captain refused, British opened fire killing 3 Americans and wounding 18

Tecumseh Shawnee chief that refused to sign land over to U.S and went from tribe to tribe

encouraging them to do the same Tecumseh began negotiations with British for assistance (weapons) against U.S. Battle of Tippecanoe: U.S. troops burned Shawnee capital to ground but also

suffered heavy losses When it was discovered Native Americans were using arms from the British, young

Congressmen from the South and West called for war against England (War Hawks)

The War Brings Mixed Results

James Madison (Election of 1808) is president

By Spring of 1812, Madison decided to go to war against England Believed that England was trying to strangle American

trade and cripple American economy

U.S was not prepared for war Low taxes reduced military

The War in Canada

Detroit was captured shortly after the war was declared and Americans suffered numerous setbacks including failed attempt to take Montreal

The following year was better (1813) American fleet defeated British on Lake Erie and retook

Detroit Also won several battles

The War at Sea

War of 1812 was opportunity for young U.S. Navy to test out its ships

Aided by its three 44-gun warships: the President, the United States and the Constitution Known for speed and ability to

sail close to enemy vessel

As the war went on the British forced a blockade of the entire east coast By 1813 most U.S. ships were

stuck in a port

British Burn the White House

British Attack DC- 1814 Burn Capitol and

President’s Mansion (later repainted white)

Only time since Revolutionary War capitol invaded by foreign power (until 9/11)

Dolley Madison escapes bringing many important docs, art, ect from being destroyed

Battle of New Orleans

January 1815

General Andrew Jackson gathered troops

Most decisive U.S. victory- over 2,000 British killed

Battle took place after the peace treaty was signed but communication slow

Treaty of Ghent

December 24, 1814

Set boundary between U.S. and Canada

Failed to solve problems of embargoes and impressments However, eager for peace so welcome treaty

War 1812: confirmed American independence and strengthened nationalism