A Detailed Look at the First 4 Presidents

At 53 years of age, Washington was looking forward to a life of retirement but he was elected unanimously into the presidency with John Adams as his vice-president.

Washington knew that everything he did in office would be scrutinized and shape the future of the U.S.

His first order of business was to be addressed as Mr. President while in office.

Washington chose the most prominent political figures of his day such as: Thomas Jefferson-secretary of state, Alexander Hamilton-secretary of the treasury, Henry Knox-secretary of war, and Edmund Randolph as attorney general.

Vice president Adams’ vote broke the tie that allowed Washington to dismiss any members without the Senate’s approval.

This set up the court system of federal courts that would be able to reverse any state court decision.

John Jay was nominated the first Supreme Court chief justice.

This started a lot of the fears many had that the federal government would oppress state’s rights but all Americans trusted George Washington.

James Madison wanted to calm the fears of Americans afraid of a powerful federal government by adding this to the constitution.

This measure protects individual rights of liberty, such as freedom of speech, and rights of persons accused of crimes, including trial by jury.

To pay the debt from the Revolutionary War, Hamilton proposed to issue bonds-paper notes promising to repay the money in a certain period of time.

Speculators- people looking to make a profit by selling the bonds for less than their value, sent opposition into a frenzy because they feared the speculators would become rich and a government is not supposed to profit.

In 1792 there were only 8 banks in the country and all were established by state government.

Hamilton asked Congress to create a national bank and Congress did which sent divisions throughout Washington’s cabinet as Madison and Jefferson hated the idea.

Hamilton then proposed tariffs to protect America’s industry from foreign competition.

Most Americans made their living by farming and the tariffs protected the northern industry but the south hated them because they had no industry and did not see the benefit.

The states felt like they were losing power from a strong federal government powered by the wealthy class and it divided the cabinet and the nation.

Hamilton’s taxes set off a rebellion in Pennsylvania because of a special tax placed on whiskey.

Most farmers traded whiskey for other supplies they needed so no money was ever exchanged and they rarely had cash so how could they pay the tax?

The protests were usually peaceful until July of 1794.

Washington's message was swift as the armed rebellion quickly fell apart as the Continental Army marched over the Appalachian Mountains.

This action let citizens know that if they had a problem with federal taxes they had to resolve it peacefully through constitutional means and not through armed resistance.

The Indians that lived there did not recognize any power that the new US government had over them.

Washington made treaties with the Indians and hoped that would settle disputes but the American settlers ignored the treaties and moved onto lands set aside for the Native Americans.

The Brits were encouraging Indians to attack.

GW sent an army to restore order under General Arthur St. Claire and in November of 1791 his forces were badly beaten by Little Turtle the chief of the Miami people where over 600 American soldiers died in a single battle at the Wabash River.

Avoiding a risky alliance with the French against the British, Spanish, and Native Americans was GW’s concern.

When the Native Americans demanded that all settlers leave the Ohio Valley area, Washington again sent armed forces to challenge the threat of over 1,000 Indians near present day Toledo, Ohio under the command of General Anthony Wayne.

The Battle of Fallen Timbers in August of 1794 crushed any hope of Native Americans to reclaim their land.

While some praised the French people for rising up as Americans did, many were turned off by the violence that occurred like the execution of the French King and Queen.

Britain and France went to war again and the US was divided as to who to support.

The NE wanted to favor Britain as a trading partner while the South favored France for their help in the Revolutionary War.

GW issued a Proclamation of Neutrality in April of 1793 to not take sides in the European war but Edmond Genet, a diplomat from France managed to sign up several American merchant ships to fight the British.

The British responded by attacking any American ships that traded with the French which outraged many Americans and moved us closer to another war with Britain.

GW sent Chief Justice John Jay to work out a deal with Britain and the two sides agreed to several proposals.

In Jay’s Treaty the Brits agreed to remove all claims to American soil, pay for damages for the American ships seized, and allow American ships to trade with the Brits in the Caribbean.

GW did not like the treaty but was glad for peace.

Since Britain and America could work together, Spain feared they might be next and Thomas Pinckney was sent to Spain.

Pinckney’s Treaty gave the US the right to travel on the Mississippi River and trade with the City of New Orleans.

GW announced he would not seek a 3rd term as president and feared the presence of political parties.

While GW was very popular as president, he did have many critics from supporters of Thomas Jefferson.

GW was certain political parties would divide the nation & the Federalists emerged to support the policies of GW & his cabinet.

Jefferson & Madison created the Democratic-Republicans which wanted small govt. & favored by southerners.

Jefferson & Hamilton both quit Washington’s cabinet before his term was over because of their differences.

The Federalists wanted John Adams as president & Charles Pinckney as vice president & the DR’s wanted Thomas Jefferson as president.

This ruined Adams & Jefferson’s friendship & they became fierce rivals after Adams won.

Federalists-Leader Alexander Hamilton-Rule by the wealthy class, Strong federal govt., Manufacturing, Loose interpretation of the Constitution, British Alliance, National Bank, & Protective tariffs

Democratic-Republicans-Thomas Jefferson-Rule by the people, strong state govt., agriculture, strict interpretation of the constitution, French alliance, state banks, free trade

Under the provisions of the Constitution at that time, whomever received the second number of electoral votes became vice-president so Thomas Jefferson became John Adams’ vice president and the two grew to hate each other while they were in office because of their distinctly different party beliefs.

No, it does not mean examine your zipper.

Adams wanted to avoid war with France because France was mad that the US had a treaty with Britain so it appeared to them we were working against France.

France sent three unnamed agents to meet with US delegates to demand a bribe and a loan for France; the Americans flatly refused.

Adams told the US to prepare for war and referred to the agents as X, Y, & Z.

France and the US was now having an unofficial declared war with several clashes at sea & at home several voters voted Republicans out because of not changing their position on France as a trading partner.

A growing fear from French supporters of the French Revolution now living here, the A & S Acts were created to remove anyone from European Revolution happening here.

These two encouraged the states to challenge the federal power of these acts and they backed the Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 & 1799 stating the A & S Acts were unconstitutional.

Adams political career was in trouble as he refused to step up the pressure for war against France to help his cause & paved they way for Thomas Jefferson in 1800.

The Federalists knew Adams would not win re-election but saw a chance to mess up Jefferson’s presidency by throwing their support for his vice-president Aaron Burr & the two candidates ended up with the same electoral votes at 73.

Hamilton had to urge one Federalist not to vote for Burr, breaking the tie.

The 12th Amendment was created to prevent this from happening again.

In a shrewd move he reached out to the Federalists, urging that we were all the same.

Jefferson then moved to reduce the size and power of the federal government using the French philosophy of laissez-faire which means “let the people do as they choose”.

Jefferson long believed in state’s rights which meant slavery would flourish beginning the Antebellum Period in the South.

First Jefferson cut the army size by 1/3 and reduced the navy from 25 to 7 ships which helped to quickly pay off the national debt.

He removed the hated whiskey tax and all other federal taxes only leaving taxes on foreign goods and the sale of western lands.

Jefferson believed the national government should only deliver mail, conduct a census every 10 years, and collect custom duties.

No, the Supreme Court remained as Adams wanted it because of chief justice John Marshall.

In fact under Marshall’s careful knowledge of the law, he expanded the power of the Supreme Court over the State’s regional courts.

He determined that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land & must be followed.

Spain changed their policy in the Mississippi region giving France full control & Jefferson worried that Spain may have given France sole control over the region.

Napoleon Bonaparte had plans for an empire in Europe & the Americas & Jefferson quickly authorized more than 10 million dollars to purchase the region from France.

Napoleon may have never taken the money if he could have kept control of a critical seaport in present day Haiti called Santo Domingo.

Without this port, he really had no need of the territory so he gave the Americans much more territory than they originally bargained for at an increased price of 15 million.

In 3 years, Jefferson doubled the US’s size.

With the purchase complete, Jefferson hired Lewis & Clark to explore the territory as a scientific venture because Congress was interested in the possibility of commercial profit and future forts.

Assembling a crew, L & C met a Shoshone guide named Sacagawea who served as an interpreter & after 18 months & 4,000 miles they brought back their findings to Congress.

Just like the Civil War would separate the nation into two, the Federalists looked to remove New York and the Northeast from the Union by supporting Aaron Burr as governor of New York & then secede from the US.

Alexander Hamilton defeated Burr, won the election, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel but Hamilton refused to shoot, was wounded & later died & Burr fled to avoid arrest.

While Jefferson easily won re-election, the booming sea trade during his time in office had its share of problems as well as enormous profits.

The Barbary Pirates had captured a ship and refused to let the prisoners free until a 60,000 ransom was paid.

Britain’s & France’s war threatened to drag the US into it at sea as well.

Madison was nominated President once Jefferson decided he would not seek a third term and left Madison with many problems.

Failed embargos with France & Britain did not have the desired effects Jefferson had intended & war hawks were crying for war.

American ships had been fired on, damaged, sailors killed & kidnapped & forced into service for Britain & France (impressment)

Ohio became a state in 1803 & white settlers continued encroaching on lands set aside for Indians & these Indians began renewing old contacts w/the British & fur traders.

A Shawnee chief Tecumseh & his brother known as The Prophet brought NA’s from neighboring lands to start a town called Prophetstown near present day Lafayette, Indiana and war was looming there as well.

The governor of the Indiana territory, General William Henry Harrison sent a letter which pretty much sounded like a threat to make Tecumseh stop trying to recruit tribes to unite against settlements in the territory.

While Tecumseh was in the south recruiting, Harrison struck & two hours later Prophetstown was destroyed during the battle of Tippecanoe.

Not much really, while the Americans were successful in removing Indians from Prophetstown, Tecumseh did just what Harrison feared & made an alliance with the British in Canada.

When it was revealed that the British had supplied the Indians with guns, the rallying cry for war & taking Canada sparked a desire to expand under a plan of nationalism.

Henry Clay of Kentucky & John C. Calhoun of SC were the leaders of the war hawks & westerners wanted the fertile lands of southern Canada while southerners wanted Spanish Florida for cotton.

Ironically the US declared war at the same time Britain decided to end its policy of searching & seizing American ships but once it was declared war was inevitable.

The war started when General William Hull attacked from Detroit & moved into Canada & there he was met by Tecumseh’s warriors.

Hull feared a massacre by the Indians and surrendered Detroit to a small British unit & General William Henry Harrison could do no better & figured Canada was out of reach as long as the British controlled Lake Erie.

Oliver Hazard Perry’s fleet was sent to take Lake Erie away from the British Navy.

Sept 10, 1813 Perry defeated the Brit navy & sent Harrison the message “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

As the Brits & Tecumseh’s warriors tried to pull out of Detroit Harrison’s forces cut them off & at the Battle of the Thames on Oct 5th Tecumseh was killed.

Even though the US burned much of York (Toronto) Canada would not be taken.

Tecumseh had talked to the powerful Creek Indian nation of the Mississippi about an alliance but Andrew Jackson from Tennessee ruined that plan as he slaughtered 550 Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.

The Creeks were forced to give their lands along the Mississippi to the Americans & set the stage for a later battle at the mouth of the Mississippi River & helped the US win.

Once Napoleon was defeated, the Brits could concentrate solely on the Americans and sent an invasion fleet sailing into Chesapeake Bay with designs on destroying everything in their path that was connected with the US government, including the White House & related structures.

Madison watched as the Capitol and the white house burned from outside the city.

Dolly was born near Greensboro, North Carolina & moved to Philadelphia & after her first husband died she married James Madison & became the unofficial first lady to Thomas Jefferson who was not married.

When Madison became president, she saved many treasures, documents, & paintings while the white house burned during the assault by the British & became a heroine.

A violent thunderstorm saved the buildings from burning to the ground & the British troops moved to take over Baltimore.

Baltimore was ready with a constant bombardment from Fort McHenry & 13,000 militiamen defending the city.

Francis Scott Key witnessed the battle & wrote the poem that became The Star Spangled Banner our National Anthem.

As the British were turned back at Baltimore, an invasion force from Canada was defeated at Lake Champlain & the Brits felt it was a waste of time trying to take America.

The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Dec of 1814 but word did not reach the US before a final Battle of New Orleans where Andrew Jackson led a victory where hundreds of Brits were killed & helped Jackson become president 13 years later in 1828.