LAUNCHING A NATION: DECISION-MAKING Essential Skill: State and explain goals and purposes

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER (& PRESENT ANSWERS TO THE CLASS)  1) What characteristics would you look for in electing the first President? Why?  2) What Executive Departments would you create? What issues might face the new country?  3) What 4 Cabinet positions did GW create? Who were the Secretaries? What big issues did the new nation have to address?  4) In creating a new Republic, what tensions might arise between the first Congress and the first President? List several.  5) What traditions, or precedents, might the new President set?

TRAITS OF GEORGE W?  Political and leadership experience  Military experience  Honest and principled  Had a popular following; charismatic leader  Able to unite people for the country’s benefit

CABINET & EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS  The Purpose of the Cabinet? Act as Advisors to the President and to carry out his orders  Treasury Dept. – Sec. Alexander Hamilton Why? War Debt, Economy, Single Currency, Manage Govt. Budget  War Dept. – Sec. Henry Knox Defense against foreign power; Build up military (Britain? Spain?)  State Dept. – Sec. Thomas Jefferson Foreign Relations Policy; Maintain Allies; Diplomacy  Attorney General – Edmund Randolph Nation’s Lawyer; Interpretation of the Constitution

TENSIONS BETWEEN CONGRESS & PRESIDENT  Disagreements between the branches  Treaties & Public Appointments made “with the Advice and Consent of the Senate”  Veto Power  VP Presides over Senate?

TRADITIONS/PRECEDENTS SET BY GEORGE W.  Cabinet – Act as Advisors and carry out President’s orders  “Mr. President” as Title  Stepping Down after 2 Terms  National Bank