Launching a New Nation

George Washington

“About ten o’ clock I bade farewell to Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domestic

felicity, and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations than I

have words to express, set out for New York.”

-George Washington, April 16, 1789

Is Washington excited about being the 1st President of the new nation?

How do you know? What is your proof?

What does precedent mean?

Read this…The Canadian women’s hockey team set a new precedent in Olympic competition when they scored 7 goals in one game.

Any more ideas about the meaning of precedent?

•A precedent simply means to set a standard or example for others to follow.

Washington’s precedents

As the nation’s first president Washington set many PRECEDENTS.

As you watch this video jot down any precedents set by Washington.

http://www.history.com/videos/george-washingtons-precedents#george-washingtons-precedents

•Inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States, at Federal Hall in New York City, April 30, 1789; oil painting by Ramon de Elorriaga, c. 1899.

Creating a Government• Washington had a lot to do as the country’s first president.

• For example, the Constitution only created 1 court – the Supreme Court – and there needed to be more.

• Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789…it created

• 3 circuit courts and• 13 district courts

• a national court system.

Creating a Government

• The Constitution did not provide anyone to Help or advise the President so …Washington created a four departments and the head of each department, or Secretary, became known as the President’s CABINET (group of advisors )

• Departments • State Department – Foreign Affairs (Thomas Jefferson)

• Treasury – Finances (Alexander Hamilton)• War Dept. – National Defense (Henry Knox)• Attorney General – (nations top lawyer) – Edmund Randolph

Do you have your own CABINET?

Henry Knox, Secretary of War

Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of Treasury

Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State

George Washington, President

Edmund Randolph, Attorney General

Alexander Hamilton was named Secretary of Treasury

(Treasury Department deals with issues involving money or taxes)

Thomas Jefferson was named Secretary of State

(State Department deals with issues involving foreign nations)

Hamilton and Jefferson were the most influential of Washington’s cabinet, but they had different

views on the role of government

Hamilton v Jefferson

• Both men had very strong, very different opinions about the new government

Hamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government

Commerce and Industry

Support from

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

Commerce and Industry

Support from

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• Key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

Support from

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• Key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

• Farmers will be the key to our nation’s wealth

Support from

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• This is the key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

• Farmers will be the key to our nation’s wealth

• North Support from

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• This is the key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

• Farmers will be the key to our nation’s wealth

• North

Support from • South and West

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• This is the key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

• Farmers will be the key to our nation’s wealth

• North

Support from • South and West

• Loose Interpretation

Loose or strict interpretation

Hamilton v JeffersonHamilton Jefferson

• Strong central government

• Led by a wealthy elite

Government • Strong state government

• Lots of individuals participating

• This is the key to a strong nation

Commerce and Industry

• Farmers will be the key to our nation’s wealth

• North

Support from • South and West

• Loose Interpretation Loose or strict interpretation

• Strict Interpretation

Alexander Hamilton believed that a strong national government

was necessary to provide order in America

He wanted to build a strong economy focused on industry so America could be self-sufficient

He believed that the Constitution should be loosely interpreted to allow the government

to respond to issues

Thomas Jefferson believed that political power should remain

with state governments in order to protect liberty

He wanted the economy to remain focused on farming and the gov’t

to protect farmers

He believed that the Constitution should be strictly interpreted with

all other powers reserved to state governments

Hamilton’s Economic Plan•Proposed: Pay foreign debt•Why?

• It would show the world we could take care of our business and gain foreign support

•Who did NOT like?•South

•Why?•The South had paid off most of their debt

Hamilton’s Economic Plan

• Proposed• Federal Government take over (assume) the debt owed by the states

• Why?• To give creditors a reason to support the new government

• Who did not like?• South

• Why?• Southern states had already paid off most of their debt and did not want to pay off northern debt

Hamilton’s Economic Plan•Proposed:

•Create a National Bank and currency

•Why?•Encourage wealthy people to invest in the countries welfare

•Who did not like?•Strict interpretationists

•Why?•The Constitution does not give Congress the power to create a national bank

How would things be different if we did not

have a national currency?

Strict v Loose Interpretation of the

Constitution• To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof. Article 1 Section 8 clause 18

• Strict Interpretation – Congress can only do what the Constitution says ((US Constitution)

• Loose Interpretation – Congress can do what they need to

Reaction and Sectional Opposition

•Southern States opposed the plan•Any ideas why?

•Many in the South supported a strict interpretation of the Constitution

•The National Bank – •opened the issue of strict vs. loose interpretation of the Constitution. (Article 1 Section 8 – Elastic, or Necessary and Proper Clause)

•Washington supported Hamilton and the bank passed.

•What did Hamilton do to get support for his economic plan?

•Proposed that the nations new capital be in the south

•Built new capitol on the Potomac river between Maryland and Virginia

•Why did this make Southerners happy?

First Political Parties

•What key issues caused political parties to develop?

•State power v federal power

First Political PartiesFederalists Republicans, later

called Democratic-Republicans and even later, Democrats

• Shared Hamilton’s vision of a strong central government

* Believed in: -Strong central government -Industrial economy -Less participation by people in government -Weak state governments

• Shared Jefferson’s vision of strong state government

• Believed in:• Limited central

government• Agrarian (farming)

economy• Lots of participation

by people in government

• Strong state government

The disagreements between Hamilton and Jefferson led to the formation of America’s first political parties

Hamilton formed

the Federalist

Party

Federalists supported a strong national

government…

…loose interpretation of the Constitution…

…a strong financial system that favored banks and industry…

…supporting England when war broke out

with France

The disagreements between Hamilton and Jefferson led to the formation of America’s first political parties

Jefferson formed the Democratic- Republican

Party

Republicans supported

strong state governments…

…strict interpretation of the Constitution…

…state banks and policies that support

small farmers…

…supporting France when war broke out

with England

In 1794, Washington faced another crisis: the

Whiskey Rebellion

The Whiskey Rebellion, 1794

•Congress places an excise tax on whiskey to raise money

•Farmers in Pennsylvania protested the tax saying it was unfair to the poor.

•Washington wants to demonstrate the new power of the federal government, he sent approx. 12,000 militia-men

Excise Tax – Tax on the sale of a domestic product

When Shays’ Rebellion broke out in 1787,

the weak government under the Articles of

Confederation could not stop the rebellion

When the Whiskey Rebellion began in 1794,

President Washington saw the uprising as a

threat to public safety

Reminder!

“Whenever the government appears in arms [against a

riot or insurrection], it ought to appear like Hercules,

and inspire respect by the display of strength”

“A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. It is a medicine

necessary for the sound health of government”

Jefferson writes…

•“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”

•Why would Jefferson write something that seems to support a rebellion?

President Washington mobilized an army of 13,000 soldiers which ended

the rebellion

The rest of the story…

•Unsuccesful rebellions indeed generally establish the incroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions, as not to discourage them too much. It is a medecine necessary for the sound health of government." - Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Paris, January 30, 1787[2]

What role does rebellion

play in government?

•What lesson do you think Jefferson would say the government learned from the Whiskey Rebellion?

Effect of Whiskey Rebellion

•The rebellion does not work but it •Highlights the growing division in politics and

•Shows the government is STRONG and capable of enforcing Federal Laws (in this case a tax) in the states

What do Washington’s actions suggest about the role of the

federal government?

•Whiskey Rebellion Video

Recap•What domestic issues did George Washington face?

• Setting up the Cabinet and Courts• Handling the national debt – Hamilton’s Economic Plan• Interpreting the Constitution – strict v loose• The Whiskey Rebellion• Political Parties Emerge

•How did Washington solve each issue?

•What does the word PRECEDENT mean?

•What is one PRECEDENT set by George Washington?

Notes “Quiz”•1. What was one major domestic issue George Washington had to handle?

•2. Which political party had a loose interpretation of the Constitution?

•3. What did the Whiskey Rebellion prove?

•4. What is a Tariff?

•5. List two key differences between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans

After 4 years, George Washington was unanimously elected president for a second term

In his second term (1793-1797), Washington had to solve serious FOREIGN POLICY problems that faced

the young nation

In 1793, war broke out between Britain and France after the French Revolution

France tried to gain an American alliance in

their war with Britain

Jefferson wanted the USA to support

France and their fight for liberty

Hamilton wanted to support Britain in order to avoid

angering our largest trade partner

President Washington believed that America

was too young to involve itself in a European war

In 1793, Washington set an important foreign

policy precedent with his Proclamation of

Neutrality

America remained neutral in European

affairs from 1793 to 1898

Britain• British has forts in American territory in the Northwest

• The British trade fur with Native Americans ($$$)

• The British encourage Native Americans to resist American expansion west – supplied guns!!

Jay’s Treaty

•Britain signed a treaty with US Chief Justice John Jay on November 19, 1794.

•Jay’s Treaty gave control of the Northwest Territory to the US, but it allowed British fur trappers to continue to operate south of the Canadian border.

Fighting with Native Americans

•Big Question: What to do about Native American threat in Northwest Territory?

•Native Americans continued to claim tribal lands in Northwest Territory.

Battles with Native Americans•Federal forces are sent to get control over the area.

•Little Turtle (chief) defeated US forces in two battles (1790-1791)

•Battle of Fallen Timbers – The Miami Confederacy (Native Americans) were defeated in 40 minutes by US forces on August 20, 1794

• "Charge of the Dragoons at Fallen Timbers," painted by R.T. Zogbaum, ca. 1895. The painting illustrates General Anthony Wayne's campaign against the Ohio Indians in 1794.

Battles with Native Americans

•Treaty of Greenville signed: Native American leaders give Ohio to United States.

•Result - The Northwest Territory is open for settlement.

“Signing the Treaty of Greene Ville” - Painting by Howard Chandler Christy, hanging in Ohio State Capitol

Spain

•Big Question:•How to gain shipping rights on the Mississippi River and secure land claims west of Appalachians?

Treaty with Spain•Pinckney’s Treaty of 1795 (Treaty of San Lorenzo) gave all land east of the Mississippi River (except Florida) to the United States

•US citizens were given access to use the Mississippi River and the Port of New Orleans

Why was this gain

important for the US?

Helped pave the way for US

expansion west of

Appalachians.

Pinckney’s Treaty Jay’s Treaty

American who negotiated the treaty

Thomas Pinckney

John Jay

Country the treaty was made with

Spain Great Britain

Terms of the treaty 1. Gave all land east of Miss. To US

2. Access to New Orleans

1. Opened NW Territory

2. Some British still on Canadian border

American’s Reaction to the Treaty

Happy AmbivalentMixed feelings

In 1796, Washington chose not to run for a 3rd term as president

He was afraid that if he died in office, it would

create a precedent that presidents can serve for life

There was no term limit in the Constitution,

but Washington created the precedent that

no president serve more than two terms

In 1796, George Washington gave advice to the nation

in his Farewell Address

Washington warned against the growth of “factions”

and political parties

He warned against growing sectional tensions between

the North and South

He restated his desire for neutrality by warning

against entangling alliances

Washington says “Farewell”

•Farewell address – In his address Washington:

•Hmm, wait! Let’s read it… oh yay!!!! Excitement fills the air…

•"The unity of government...is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence...of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize.“

•Speaks about the benefits of the

federal government. 

•  "It serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration....agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....against another....it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption...thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.“

•Warns against the

•party system.

•"Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?"

•Stresses the importance of

•religion and morality. 

•"...cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible...avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt....it is essential that you...bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not...inconvenient and unpleasant...“

•Advocates stable

•public credit. 

• •"It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world...“

•Warns against permanent

•foreign alliances.

• "...avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which, under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty.“

•Warns against an over-powerful •military establishment.

John Adams1796-1800

“The Last Federalist Administration”

•Washington has warned about the

dangers of political parties.

Election of 1796

Federalist John Adams vs. Democratic – Republican

Thomas Jefferson

Which area of the country voted for Adams?

Which area of the country voted for Jefferson?

What does this show us about America in 1796?

Electoral Votes:

Adams - - 71 votes

Jefferson - - 68 votes

The Constitution stated that the runner up in the presidential election would be named vice president.

What problems might this present?

President: John AdamsVice Pres.: Jefferson

Election of 1796

Results•So…

•the President was – •John Adams – a FEDERALIST and •The Vice-President was – •Thomas Jefferson – a Democratic-Republican

•Anyone see any problems here?

XYZ Affair

•Description:

•Likely war with France – French govt. viewed Jay’s Treaty with Britain as a violation of French-American alliance.

XYZ Affair

•Solution:•Adams sent US officials to France for a meeting with their foreign minister (Tallyrand)

•French officials (X, Y, and Z) demanded the US pay $250,000 to see Tallyrand in person.

•America refuses to pay

XYZ Affair

Americans are MAD! The French tried to bribe them!

As a result, US-French tensions were at an all-time high for two years

“I think John Adams handled the XYZ affair all wrong. As a

Democratic-Republican, I

think the French are our

FRIENDS!”

Thomas Jefferson

“Oh yeah? Well I say you

cannot criticize the

U.S. Government. And I’m the

President, so take that!!”

John Adams

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

•Background

•Many of President Adams’ critics were foreign born

•The Alien and Sedition Acts were intended to respond to what Adams saw as a growing threat against the government.

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798Sedition ~ encourage people to commit treason

1. Alien Acts ~ allowed the president to deport or jail any ‘undesirable’ alien

2. Sedition Act ~ set fines and jail terms for anyone using “false, scandalous, malicious statements” against the government

3. Naturalization Act ~ raised requirement for US citizenship from 5 to 14 years.

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798•Solution:

•Angry Democratic-Republicans call the acts a violation of the 1st Amendment right to Freedom of Speech

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

• Outcome:

• Virginia And Kentucky Resolutions (see next row)

• And

• Sets the stage for the election of 1800 between Adams (Federalist) and Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican)

But President Adams, you

can’t do that! The Alien &

Sedition Acts clearly violate

our first amendment

rights!!

Thomas Jefferson

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

•Description:•Written by Jefferson and Madison•Declare Sedition Act unconstitutional•Introduces idea of nullification

•States have the power to reverse federal laws that were unconstitutional.

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

•Solution:

•No other states join and the issues dies out by the next election

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

•Outcome:

•Sets the stage for the election of 1800 between Adams (Federalist) and Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican)