The Electoral College

When you vote for the President you are actually voting for an ELECTOR to vote for you

Each state has a determined number of electors

A state’s number of electors is the total number of Senators and Representatives in the HouseTexas

2 senators36 representatives

Total 38 electorsThe Electoral College

48 out of the 50 states have a “winner takes all” method

If you get the most votes in that state you get ALL of their electoral college votes

Nebraska and Maine divide their votes

A candidate must have 270 electoral votes to win the Presidential election

There are a total of 538 electoral votes

First Presidential Election

• George Washington was elected the first President of the United States in April 1789

• At the time each elector cast two votes. Washington was the first vote by every single voter. For their second vote the voters selected many different people but the winner was John Adams.

• So John Adams became the nations first Vice-President

Washington’s Inauguration in New York

The President’s Cabinet• Congress had the task of creating

departments to help the President run the nation. It created 3 departments – Secretary of War, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Treasury. These departments became known as the Presidents Cabinet.

• He choose Henry Knox as Sec of War• Thomas Jefferson as Sec of State• Alexander Hamilton as Sec of Treasury

Economic Problems of the New

Government• The States and the national debt totaled

$52 million dollars• The money was borrowed from foreign

nations (like France) and merchants (and other private American citizens) to finance the American Revolution.

• It was in the national interest to repay the debts in order to gain the respect of foreign nations and citizens.

Alexander Hamilton

• Hamilton and His Objectives– Sec. of treasury– A genius, born to very humble

beginnings in the Caribbean– Emerged as the leading figure in

Washington’s administration (Washington thought of him like a son)

– Believed in a STRONG central government

– Little faith in the common man, believed that the educated should rule

Alexander Hamilton’s Financial Plan

1. Paying off all war debts. This meant combining all of the states debt together with the national debt. Federal Government would pay it off.

2. Raising government revenue (money). Wanted tariffs (taxes) on imported goods. To protect American industry

3. Creating a national bank. Hamilton and Jefferson argued over this issue, but eventually the national bank was established in 1791. The bank loaned money to businesses and improved the economy.

Hamilton was the Sec. of Treasury and it was his job to fix the financial problems of the nation.

A New Capital• The Constitution called for a new capital

city.

• A site was chosen on the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland. The new “Federal City” would later be renamed Washington

Washington himself never lived there, but it was near his home, Mount Vernon in Virginia. John Adams would be the first President to live in the White House

Creating the Court System

• Federal Judiciary Act: (1789) Helped establish the Federal Court System. The act gave the Supreme Court 6 members. (A Chief Justice and 5 Judges)

• Our current supreme court has 9 members.

• The act also established the lower, less powerful, federal courts.