Washington Washington AdministrationAdministration

US HistoryUS History

Fall 2009Fall 2009

Essential QuestionEssential Question

How did domestic and How did domestic and foreign affairs shape foreign affairs shape American politics in American politics in

the 1790s? the 1790s?

IntroductionIntroduction

I.I. Unique Nature of the 1Unique Nature of the 1stst Presidential Presidential ElectionElection

A.A. Old Congress set up Old Congress set up electoral electoral proceduresprocedures and passed out of existence and passed out of existence

B.B. Feb 4, 1789: First Feb 4, 1789: First Electoral CollegeElectoral College elects elects G.W. by a unanimous vote – 1G.W. by a unanimous vote – 1stst and only and only time!time!

C.C. March 4, 1789: 1March 4, 1789: 1stst Congress meets in NYC; Congress meets in NYC; only 8 senators and representatives only 8 senators and representatives present!present!

D.D. Untried Constitution and nationUntried Constitution and nationII. Nothing like it before in HistoryII. Nothing like it before in History

Major Problems AwaitMajor Problems Await

Financial Financial IssuesIssues

Distrust of Distrust of GovernmentGovernment

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy Creation of Creation of

agencies and agencies and departmentsdepartments

Creating the 1Creating the 1stst Federal Federal GovernmentGovernment

12 Proposed amendments 12 Proposed amendments (only 10 ratified)(only 10 ratified)

Cabinet PositionsCabinet Positions Department of StateDepartment of State Department of TreasuryDepartment of Treasury Department of WarDepartment of War

Judiciary Act of 1789Judiciary Act of 1789 CompositionComposition PurposePurpose

Financing the Federal GovernmentFinancing the Federal Government Basic Problem: Big Basic Problem: Big

debt v. no moneydebt v. no money $52 million owed by $52 million owed by

national governmentnational government States owed an States owed an

additional $25 additional $25 millionmillion

Question of fundingQuestion of funding Face value??Face value?? Foreign Debt??Foreign Debt?? Domestic Debt??Domestic Debt??

Hamilton’s Financial PlanHamilton’s Financial Plan Full funding of Full funding of

national AND national AND state debt state debt (assumption)(assumption)

Create a Bank of Create a Bank of the USthe US

Tariff on Tariff on ImportsImports

Excise taxes to Excise taxes to provide provide additional additional revenuerevenue

Opposition to HamiltonOpposition to Hamilton Key Players: Key Players:

Madison and Madison and JeffersonJefferson Oppose full Oppose full

funding: no funding: no speculatorsspeculators

Bank is Bank is unconstitutional!unconstitutional!

Alternate tariff for Alternate tariff for manufacturingmanufacturing

Lower Excise Lower Excise TaxesTaxes

The Bank IssueThe Bank Issue

Hamilton: “Loose construction” of the Hamilton: “Loose construction” of the Constitution Constitution What the Constitution doesn’t forbid it permits, orWhat the Constitution doesn’t forbid it permits, or If it doesn’t say you can’t, you can!If it doesn’t say you can’t, you can!

Madison/Jefferson: “Strict Construction”Madison/Jefferson: “Strict Construction” What the Constitution doesn’t permit it forbids, What the Constitution doesn’t permit it forbids,

OROR If it doesn’t say you can, then you can’t!If it doesn’t say you can, then you can’t!

Loose ConstructionLoose Construction

““That every power vested in a government is That every power vested in a government is in its nature sovereign, and includes, by force in its nature sovereign, and includes, by force of the term, a right to employ all the means of the term, a right to employ all the means requisite and fairly applicable to the attainment requisite and fairly applicable to the attainment of the ends of such power, and which are not of the ends of such power, and which are not precluded by restrictions and exceptions precluded by restrictions and exceptions specified in the Constitution, or not immoral, specified in the Constitution, or not immoral, or not contrary to the essential ends of political or not contrary to the essential ends of political society”.society”.

Strict ConstructionStrict Construction

The incorporation of a bank, and the powers The incorporation of a bank, and the powers assumed by this bill, have not, in my opinion, been assumed by this bill, have not, in my opinion, been delegated to the United States, by the Constitution. delegated to the United States, by the Constitution.

The second general phrase is, "to make all laws The second general phrase is, "to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution the necessary and proper for carrying into execution the enumerated powers." But they (bank functions) can enumerated powers." But they (bank functions) can all be carried into execution without a bank. A bank all be carried into execution without a bank. A bank therefore is not necessary, and consequently not therefore is not necessary, and consequently not authorized by this phrase. authorized by this phrase.

Washington Supports HamiltonWashington Supports Hamilton

Bank Bill PassesBank Bill Passes Debt to be fully “funded” Debt to be fully “funded”

Old securities exchanged for new securities at face Old securities exchanged for new securities at face valuevalue

Plan binds securities holders to the new Plan binds securities holders to the new governmentgovernment

Assumption bill: Passes w/ compromise on Assumption bill: Passes w/ compromise on location of capitallocation of capital

Foreign Policy in Early Federal Foreign Policy in Early Federal PeriodPeriod

Outbreak of French RevolutionOutbreak of French Revolution Early, massive popular support for Early, massive popular support for

revolutionariesrevolutionaries Divisions occur w/ 1792 warDivisions occur w/ 1792 war Situation gets serious when Situation gets serious when

England entersEngland enters

French Revolution

Washington’s Neutrality Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation Proclamation

1778 Alliance w/ 1778 Alliance w/ France France

Washington’s Washington’s PositionPosition

Major political Major political uproaruproar

Citizen GenetCitizen Genet

Citizen Genet

Great Britain and the USGreat Britain and the US

Basic ProblemsBasic Problems Jay TreatyJay Treaty Problems with Treaty:Problems with Treaty:

Was a treaty with Was a treaty with Great BritainGreat Britain

Acknowledged Acknowledged inferiority of USinferiority of US

ImplicationsImplicationsJohn Jay

Terms of Jay’s TreatyTerms of Jay’s Treaty Great Britain agrees to evacuate NW Great Britain agrees to evacuate NW

TerritoryTerritory Pre-Revolution Debts move to arbitrationPre-Revolution Debts move to arbitration England agrees to pay for seized goods in England agrees to pay for seized goods in

West IndiesWest Indies Ratified by Senate (20-10) in June 1795Ratified by Senate (20-10) in June 1795

Jay’s Treaty ContinuedJay’s Treaty Continued

Non-Issues:Non-Issues: British Incitement of Indians in NWBritish Incitement of Indians in NW Future SeizuresFuture Seizures ImpressmentImpressment

Trade with West Indies openedTrade with West Indies opened Pinckney Treaty with SpainPinckney Treaty with Spain

The Jay TreatyThe Jay Treaty

Jay DenouncedJay Denounced

The FarewellThe Farewell

1796: Washington decides to retire (again)1796: Washington decides to retire (again) The Farewell AddressThe Farewell Address Legacy of Washington’s PresidencyLegacy of Washington’s Presidency

““Legitimacy” Legitimacy” Important PrecedentsImportant Precedents

The First Political Party SystemThe First Political Party System

The Federalist PartyThe Federalist Party Strong central (Federal) governmentStrong central (Federal) government Loose Construction of the ConstitutionLoose Construction of the Constitution Promote economic growth, particularly commerce Promote economic growth, particularly commerce

and manufacturingand manufacturing Pro-British in foreign policyPro-British in foreign policy

The First Political Party SystemThe First Political Party System

The Republican Party (sometimes called The Republican Party (sometimes called “Democratic-Republicans”)“Democratic-Republicans”) State rights over Federal powerState rights over Federal power Strict Construction of the ConstitutionStrict Construction of the Constitution Remain mostly agriculturalRemain mostly agricultural Pro-French foreign policyPro-French foreign policy

The First Political Party SystemThe First Political Party System

Characteristics of the First Party SystemCharacteristics of the First Party System ElitistElitist Intensely partisanIntensely partisan Importance of Importance of foreign policyforeign policy

The Adams PresidencyThe Adams Presidency

The Election of 1796: What it The Election of 1796: What it Wasn’tWasn’t No “campaign”No “campaign”

Word did not exist in that senseWord did not exist in that sense Undignified to solicit votesUndignified to solicit votes Few people made speeches for anyoneFew people made speeches for anyone No “ticket”: no President/Vice Presidential candidate No “ticket”: no President/Vice Presidential candidate

for each partyfor each party

The Adams PresidencyThe Adams Presidency

The Election of 1796: ResultsThe Election of 1796: Results John Adams wins: 71 votesJohn Adams wins: 71 votes Thomas Jefferson 2Thomas Jefferson 2ndnd: 68 votes: 68 votes Thomas Pinckney: 59 votesThomas Pinckney: 59 votes Aaron Burr: 30 votesAaron Burr: 30 votes

The Adams PresidencyThe Adams Presidency

Problems of the Adams AdministrationProblems of the Adams Administration Followed WashingtonFollowed Washington Conflict among FederalistsConflict among Federalists

Hamilton v. AdamsHamilton v. Adams Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

The Adams PresidencyThe Adams Presidency

Problems with FranceProblems with France Anger over neutrality Anger over neutrality Anger over Jay Treaty with Great BritainAnger over Jay Treaty with Great Britain Seize over 300 U.S. ships by 1797Seize over 300 U.S. ships by 1797

The Adams PresidencyThe Adams Presidency

Cause and Effect in Adams AdministrationCause and Effect in Adams Administration Adams seeks a treaty: X, Y, and Z AffairAdams seeks a treaty: X, Y, and Z Affair Anger over XYZ produces Quasi-WarAnger over XYZ produces Quasi-War Quasi-War leads to Alien and Sedition ActsQuasi-War leads to Alien and Sedition Acts Alien and Sedition Acts lead to Virginia and Kentucky Alien and Sedition Acts lead to Virginia and Kentucky

ResolutionsResolutions All of the above influence election of 1800All of the above influence election of 1800

The Election of 1800The Election of 1800

CandidateCandidate Party Party Electoral Electoral Vote Vote

Thomas Jefferson (VA) Republican Thomas Jefferson (VA) Republican 73*73*

Aaron Burr (NY) Republican Aaron Burr (NY) Republican 7373

John Adams (MA) Federalist John Adams (MA) Federalist 6565

C.C. Pinckney (SC) Federalist C.C. Pinckney (SC) Federalist 6464

John Jay (NY) Federalist John Jay (NY) Federalist 1 1

The Election of 1800The Election of 1800

The House voted 36 times before the tie was The House voted 36 times before the tie was brokenbroken Federalists still controlled the HouseFederalists still controlled the House Hamilton backed JeffersonHamilton backed Jefferson

Disliked Jefferson’s politics, butDisliked Jefferson’s politics, but HATED BurrHATED Burr

1212thth Amendment changed the procedure Amendment changed the procedure

The “Revolution” of 1800The “Revolution” of 1800