Unit 3Launching the New Nation

George Washington – precedent setter

Washington was the unanimous choice

Strong national leader, war hero, respected by all

Reluctantly leaves Mt. Vernon 1789 for NY to take the oath of office

Washington’s Sense of Duty Washington’s task – create an entirely NEW

gov that works

“I bade adieu (farewell) to Mt. Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity (happiness); and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations then I have words to express, set out for New York….with the best dispositions (intentions) to render service to my country in obedience to its call…”

NO precedent or prior example

So many decisions to make Everything new

“We are in a wilderness without a single footstep to guide us.”

James Madison

Judiciary Act of 1789 Creates a judicial structure that has remained today

Supreme Court

Federal circuit and district courts

Federal law is “the supreme law of the land” (supersedes state law)

Washington Shapes the Executive

When Washington takes office - Exec consisted of only the Pres and VP (John Adams)

Congress creates the Cabinet – the President’s chief advisors Dept of State – foreign affairs – Thomas Jefferson Dept of War – military matters – Henry Knox Dept of Treasury – finances – Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton Versus Jefferson

Hamilton – had little faith in the common citizen and sided with interests with upper class Americans. More popular in North

Jefferson – even though he came from a privileged background, Jefferson was a strong ally of the small farmer and average citizen. More popular in the South and in rural areas.

Hamilton’s Economic Plan

Debt from Rev War (millions of dollars) – owed to foreign gov, private citizens, and soldiers who served in war

Hamilton proposes that the fed gov assume the state’s debts

AH reasons – that will give creditors an incentive to support the federal gov

Angers the South because many Southern states had already paid off their debts

Bank of the United States – national bank – funded by federal gov and wealthy private investors Bank would issue money, handle tax receipts, and other gov

funds

Controversy - Bank of the United States

Opponents (Jefferson and Madison) Bank would forge unhealthy alliance

between gov and wealthy business interests Congress doesn’t have right to create bank

(strict or loose interpretation?)

Hamilton = loose - Elastic clause?? – gives Congress right to do whatever is “necessary and proper”

Washington DC – Compromise for the Bank

To win support for his debt plan from the South, Hamilton offers to move the capital from NYC to a new city in the South on the banks of the Potomac River.

First Political PartiesTwo Party System

Washington feared and warned again political parties – saw them as a danger to national unity

Central issue = power and size of the federal gov in relation to state and local gov

Whiskey Rebellion Protective tariff – an import tax on goods produced in

Europe Hamilton also passes excise tax – on whiskey (tax on

the manufacture, sale or distribution of whiskey)

Small corn farmers in W. PA are furious – 1794 – refuse to pay the tax, beat up federal marshals, and threaten to secede from union

Fed gov calls up militia – Hamilton accompanies them all the way to PA – put down the rebellion and scatter the rebels without lose of a single life. Significant because shows the fed gov has sufficient power to maintain order and security.

Foreign Policy – French Rev??

French Rev late 1780s/early 1790s Should America support the Rev? One of

the most important foreign policy questions of the young nation

Jefferson and Madison – back French Hamilton – back British

Pres Washington – 1793 – issues declaration of neutrality

Washington’s Farewell Address Washington decides to NOT seek a 3rd term. Steps down in

1796 after 2 terms – unheard of for great leader with unlimited power to voluntarily give it up

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/multimedia#!3350

Farewell Address Urges U.S. to “steer clear of permanent alliances: with

other countries Warns against factions/political parties Warned against sectionalism as the destroyer of

national character

Washington’s Precedents http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/george-was

hington/videos/george-washingtons-precedents

Established the Cabinet 2 term limit (followed until FDR) Established relations with Great Britain (Jay’s

Treaty) – to this day England is our greatest ally

Policy of neutrality pertaining to foreign wars (followed until WW I)

Tradition of a Farewell Address

John Adams – wins election 1796

Adams had an impatient, opinionated personality – many who don’t know him well perceive him as cold

Runs against Thomas Jefferson

Election shows growing sectionalism – placing interests of one region over the interests of the nation

Adams Avoids War – XYZ Affair

After Adams takes office French gov (angry about a US treaty with Great Britain) refuses to receive the new American ambassador and begins to seize US ships bound for Britain

Adams sends 3 man delegation to France The French directory send 3 men X, Y, Z and demand a $250,000

bribe payment to meet with the French foreign minister

Wave of anti-French sentiment. Congress creates a Navy dept, creates an Army of 50,000 and calls Washington out of retirement. Official war never declared but for 2 years an unofficial naval war rages between US and French ships

How do you contrast the cartoon’s depiction of the American representatives with the French Directory? What did the cartoonist think of the French?

Alien and Sedition Acts 1798

Anti French feeling and suspicion of new immigrant arrivals in general

Are there French spies and agents among us?

A and S Acts Raises residence requirement for US citizenship

(5 to 14 years) Allows Pres to jail or deport any alien considered

undesirable Fines and jail time for anyone hindering the gov

or expressing “false, scandalous, and malicious statements” against the gov.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Under the A and S Acts – Gov prosecuted and jailed many Democratic Republican editors, publishers, and politicians.

Violation of free speech and press guaranteed by 1st amendment??

VA and KY Resolutions

Jefferson and Madison – two main Democratic Republican leaders see Alien and Sedition Acts as abuse of power by the federal gov.

Appeal to the states – series of resolutions Madison – VA Jefferson – KY Jefferson’s KY Resolution asserts principle of

nullification – do the states have the right to nullify/void/ignore any act of Congress they deem unconstitutional?

Jefferson’s Presidency 1800-1808

Bloodless Revolution – first peaceful change of power to a new party

Jefferson simplifies the presidency Walked to his own inauguration Took off powdered wig Often worse slippers in White House No formal receptions

Smaller gov Cut costs Reduced size of army Halted expansion of

NavyLowered expenses for

Gov social functions

Brilliant thinker Planter, architect,

lawyer, inventor, musician

Talented writer and philosopher

Founder UVA

John Marshall Marshall –

Federalist Chief Justice of SC for 30 years

Decisions that strengthen powers of SC and gov

Marbury V. Madison and judicial review

Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase

1803 – Napoleon offers to sale LA Purchase to the US for $15 million

Doubles the size of the U.S.

Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea

Jefferson appoints Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead the Corps of Discovery

St. Louis to Pacific Ocean Explore, map territory,

collect info about plants, Native Americans, resources, etc.

Native American interpreter and guide - Sacajawea

Jefferson’s Embargo France and GB fighting again

Blockade – block French ports – no goods coming in or out - Britain seizes American ships enroute to France and confiscates cargo

Impressment – GB stops American ships at sea and drafts (impresses) them into the British navy.

Jefferson’s response Embargo 1807 – banned exporting products to other countries

What do you think was Jefferson’s reasoning behind the Embargo?

How do you think it affected Americans?

James Madison’s Presidency Madison wins

election 1808

Another Virginian Democratic-

Republican Father of

Constitution

War of 1812Madison – war declared against GB

Pres Madison – war declared against GB

War of 1812

1814 – British burn the White House – Madison and other officials flee the White House

General Andrew Jackson – wins the Battle of New Orleans propels him to national fame

Treaty of Ghent Dec 1814 ends the war

Francis Scott Key