Washington’s PresidencyProblems within and without

Problems

Debt owedNo cashUnsecure Frontier bordersNo armyForeign Wars raging

Nothing is easyProblems are tangled up in each other

In addition

The Boy Band Cabinet has problems.

Mostly: Alexander Hamilton (Treasury) and Thomas Jefferson (State) hate each other.

And disagree about EV-E-RY-TH-ING

So WashingtonHas to spend his time dealing with these two

prima donnas and their crap.

So whose team are you on?

Team Hamilton vs. Team Jefferson

Hamilton’s PlanHow to solve some of those problems

Revenue and CreditMoney and faith

#1 Pay off the Debtpay it all off (Fund it), and take over the

state’s debts (called: Assumption)

This does the following:

● Puts the govt. on sound footing financially● Enhances the govt. power● Makes wealthy people look to govt. not

states for sources of power

Revenue from taxesincrease in excise taxes, including 25% tax

on whiskey

Congress deadlocksHamilton has dinner with Jefferson and Madison and they break the deadlock.

Congress passes funding and assumption

Charters a Bank of the United States, to hold government deposits and issues banknotes.

Congress also oks some taxes

Tariff to encourage manufacturing and whiskey taxes approved.

Whiskey RebellionPoor people revolt against the taxes and

rebellion breaks out in western PA

Factions formMadison and Jefferson vs. Hamilton and

Adams.

Madison and Jefferson

● Fear government power-keep it low!● Treasury and the Bank corrupts● Narrowly interpret the Constitution● Agriculture is the way forward and is the

foundation of liberty● Faith in the people--individualism is the key● The West is the future of the country

Democratic-RepublicansJefferson’s party.

NOT the modern parties of those names.

Hamilton and Adams

● Natural Aristocracy-Upper class should rule● Individualism is dangerous● Government should regulate people for the

good of society● Govt. must invest in industry for the future● Loose interpretation of the Constitution● based in New England

FederalistsThe party of Hamilton and Adams and

Washington (but he’s reluctant)

Native AmericansWashington and Knox approach the issue

Knox believes

● in the ideals of the Revolution: liberty and natural rights & deals with NA in that light

● NA are sovereign nations of people who have a right to the soil.

● He negotiates treaties from that perspective with the Creek Nation in GA/FL and the Ohio Nation in...OH

Problems with southern nations

● White settlers defy treaty and encroach● Creek reach out to US, but Washington can’t

enforce the treaty● So Creeks turn to Spanish who agree to help

the Creeks defend their territory

Problems with northwestern nations

● Ohio NA tribes refuse to sell “surplus” land to white settlers.

● General St. Clair sent to deal with them, tries to start a fight. His command is decimated.

● Washington has to send a larger force and defeats the NA tribes, who are then forced to give up their lands.

Washington Serves Two Terms

Then he steps down, weary and upset at the way government has worked.

Washington’s last wordsHe gives a Farewell Address

Washington’s Farewell Address

Warning #1: Each region of the country needs the other.

Washington’s Farewell Address

Warning #2: In order to keep their liberty, people must live within the laws of the government.

Washington’s Farewell Address

Warning #3: If political parties are allowed to form and take root, they will harm the government, through their need for revenge.

Washington’s Farewell Address

Warning #4: Do not enter into “entangling alliances” with foreign powers. Europe is a mess--leave them be.

John Adams becomes the next President

Federalist. He doesn’t do a great job.

Problems abroad

● France and US end alliance & have an undeclared naval war.

● Britain impresses American sailors too.○ which means they attack US ships and take the

sailors and force them to join the British navy.● Adams can’t stop either from happening.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Adams & Federalists pass two laws1) Alien Act allows President to deport

foreigners suspected of “treasonous” actsa) lots of these were non-citizens who supported the D-

R party2) Sedition Act imposed punishments for

speaking or publishing anything “false, scandalous or malicious” about the govt.

Both target D-R

● Madison and Jefferson write laws passed in VA and KY

● These laws say that when the govt. exceeds its Constitutionally delegated powers, states have the right to impose their authority--They can nullify the federal government’s rules.