George George WashingtoWashingto

nnForeign & Domestic Disputes during the Foreign & Domestic Disputes during the first Administrationfirst Administration

Initial Issues for the Initial Issues for the GeneralGeneral

• Sets up the Executive Branch into Sets up the Executive Branch into departmentsdepartments– Forms the first cabinet

• Congress sets up the Federal Court Congress sets up the Federal Court SystemSystem

• Financial Program for the countryFinancial Program for the country– Debt– Tariffs and excise taxes– National Bank

• Controversy over “necessary and proper” clause that Federalists use to justify creation of the bank

Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs

The French RevolutionThe French Revolution• U.S. alliance with France still in place, but U.S. alliance with France still in place, but

had been with the French monarchyhad been with the French monarchy• Most Americans supported the idea of a Most Americans supported the idea of a

French republic, but many dismayed by French republic, but many dismayed by the mob violence of the Reign of Terrorthe mob violence of the Reign of Terror

• Thomas Jefferson argues for U.S. support Thomas Jefferson argues for U.S. support of the revolutionariesof the revolutionaries– Especially since Britain had been seizing

American ships bound for France

• What’s a president to do?What’s a president to do?

NeutralityNeutrality

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)• Washington doesn’t believe the country is Washington doesn’t believe the country is

strong enough to get involved in European strong enough to get involved in European conflictsconflicts

• Thomas Jefferson resigns as Secretary of StateThomas Jefferson resigns as Secretary of State• French Ambassador “Citizen” Edmund Genet French Ambassador “Citizen” Edmund Genet

appeals directly to American peopleappeals directly to American people– Washington outraged, requests French gov’t

remove him, even Jefferson agrees

• Genet stays and eventually becomes U.S. Genet stays and eventually becomes U.S. citizencitizen

TreatiesTreaties

The Jay TreatyThe Jay Treaty• Chief Justice John Jay goes to Britain to try Chief Justice John Jay goes to Britain to try

and stop seizing of U.S. ships, and stop seizing of U.S. ships, impressingimpressing sailorssailors

• Jay gone for a year, comes back with treatyJay gone for a year, comes back with treaty– British agree to evacuate western frontier ports– No agreement on seizure of ships

• Extremely unpopular, angers France Extremely unpopular, angers France supporters, only narrowly approved by supporters, only narrowly approved by SenateSenate

• But, But, NEUTRALITYNEUTRALITY preservedpreserved

The Pinckney TreatyThe Pinckney Treaty

• Spain sees Jay Treaty as sign that U.S. Spain sees Jay Treaty as sign that U.S. might be getting closer to its foe, Britainmight be getting closer to its foe, Britain

• Ambassador Pinckney negotiates treaty Ambassador Pinckney negotiates treaty opening lower Mississippi and New opening lower Mississippi and New Orleans to U.S. tradeOrleans to U.S. trade– U.S. no longer has to pay duties to Spain for

transferring cargo in N.O.

• Boundary of Florida set at the 31Boundary of Florida set at the 31stst parallelparallel

Pinckney TreatyPinckney Treaty

Domestic ConcernsDomestic Concerns

Native AmericansNative Americans• American settlers moving farther west, American settlers moving farther west,

encroaching on Indian landsencroaching on Indian lands• British had been supplying some of the British had been supplying some of the

tribes with arms to attack new settlerstribes with arms to attack new settlers• 1794--Battle of Fallen Timbers1794--Battle of Fallen Timbers

– U.S. Army led by General Anthony Wayne defeats Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware and others in Ohio

• 1795--Treaty of Greenville– Tribal chiefs surrender claims to Ohio

Treaty of GreenvilleTreaty of Greenville

The Whiskey RebellionThe Whiskey Rebellion

• Farmers in western Pennsylvania refuse Farmers in western Pennsylvania refuse to pay the federal excise tax on whiskeyto pay the federal excise tax on whiskey– couldn’t afford to pay the tax on whiskey

they made from their excess corn

• Defended their “liberties”, defied the Defended their “liberties”, defied the federal government by attacking federal government by attacking revenue collectorsrevenue collectors

HUGE test for WashingtonHUGE test for WashingtonWas the new federal government Was the new federal government

strong enough to deal with a rebellion strong enough to deal with a rebellion against its own laws?against its own laws?

The Whiskey RebellionThe Whiskey Rebellion

• Washington responds to the crisis by Washington responds to the crisis by federalizing 15,000 state militiafederalizing 15,000 state militia– Placed under the command of Alexander

Hamilton, with GW at his side• Show of force is successful: Rebellion Show of force is successful: Rebellion

collapses without any bloodshed on either collapses without any bloodshed on either sidesideMany Americans applaud Washington, say its better than the

helpless gov’t during Shays’ Rebellion

Westerners resent Washington, say action was unwarranted force against common people

Thomas Jefferson emerges as the champion of the western farmer

Western LandsWestern Lands

• The 13 states surrendered their western The 13 states surrendered their western land claims to the federal governmentland claims to the federal government

• Congress encourages the rapid Congress encourages the rapid settlement of land by passing the Public settlement of land by passing the Public Land Act in 1796Land Act in 1796– Orderly sale at reasonable prices

• During Washington administration, three During Washington administration, three new states added:new states added:– Vermont (1791)– Kentucky(1792)– Tennessee (1796)

Washington’s FarewellWashington’s Farewell

In his farewell address, In his farewell address, Washington warns Washington warns Americans NOT to:Americans NOT to:

• get involved in get involved in EuropeEurope

• make “permanent make “permanent alliances”alliances”

• form political partiesform political parties• put their section put their section

before the good of the before the good of the countrycountry

• But, parties had But, parties had already been forming, already been forming, and sectional and sectional interests continue to interests continue to be a key feature of be a key feature of American politicsAmerican politics

• Wasington sets Wasington sets precedent of only precedent of only serving two terms, serving two terms, even though there is even though there is no constitutional limitno constitutional limit