Launching the Nation

 What important events occurred during the terms of the first two U.S. presidents?

Honest leader and hero of the Revolution Electoral College : a body of electors who represent the people’s vote in choosing the president – Washington unanimously selected as President – John Adams chosen Vice-President

Everything Washington was doing was a precedent: an action or decision that later serves as an example Created the Cabinet (department heads) Judiciary Act of 1789: created federal courts and defined their powers

 Most Americans lived in countryside and worked on farms – wanted fair taxes, settle western lands, and no interference from government in daily lives  Merchants wanted simpler trade laws  Manufacturers wanted protection from foreign competition  New York City = first capital

Alexander Hamilton : brilliant Secretary of the Treasury Needed to control the national debt : money owed by the United States and bonds: certificates of debt that carry a promise to buy back the bond at a higher price

Hamilton wanted to pay off foreign debt immediately and gradually pay off the total debt of the bonds Pay off state debts for Revolutionary War expenses to increase business and trade, and put money back into economy – southern states did not like this Move the capital to the South in what is now Washington, D.C.

 Hamilton  Strong central government  Did not trust “the masses”  Bank of the United States  Wanted to promote manufacturing, business, high tariffs, Bank of the U.S.  Loose construction of the Constitution  Jefferson  Protect powers of the states  More trust in the people  Wanted to promote farming because they didn’t depend on others to make a living  Strict interpretation of the Constitution

 1789 – French Revolution – rebellion of French people against their king  France and Great Britain went to war  Neutrality Proclamation: United States would not take sides with any European countries that were at war – issued by Washington  Jefferson was pro-French – Hamilton was pro- British – Jefferson resigns in 1793

 Jay’s Treaty (1794)  Washington wanted to avoid war with Britain – send Chief Justice John Jay to negotiate treaty  In the treaty, the British would pay damages on seized American ships and Americans would pay debts owed by Britain  Not well liked by American people  Pinckney’s Treaty (1795)  Spain shut off New Orleans to American trading, hurting American businesses and had border dispute in Florida  In the treaty, Spain and U.S. agreed to southern border and reopened New Orleans  Very well liked by American people

 Conflicts with Native Americans over settling Northwest Territory (Ohio)  Washington sent General Anthony Wayne to settle disputes – defeats Native Americans at Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794)  Treaty of Greenville: gave the U.S. claim to most of the land in the Northwest Territory

 Whiskey tax – created by Hamilton – to raise money to pay off national debt  Western Pennsylvania farmers were angry at the tax because whiskey was used as a form of money – protests and fighting began  President Washington feared the rebels threatened federal government authority – personally led an army to put down rebellion  Rebellion ended without a battle in 1794

 Washington chose not to run for President in 1796 – “tired of public life”  In farewell address, he warned about political conflicts, forming permanent ties with foreign nations, and too much public debt.  All of which we have today.

 Despite Washington’s warning, political parties developed in 1796 election  Federalists: wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and trade – John Adams and Thomas Pinckney  Democratic-Republicans: wanted to limit the federal government’s power – Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr

 City and business people supported Federalists – Farmers and rural areas supported Democratic-Republicans  Adams elected President, Jefferson became Vice-President even though they were two different political parties

 Adams’s first goal was to better relations with France – sent diplomats to negotiate a treaty to protect American shipping  Talleyrand, the French foreign minister, wanted a $250,000 bribe and $12 million loan to discuss treaty – diplomats were outraged  Federalists in Congress wanted war with France

 Adams asked Congress to increase size of the navy and begin keeping a peacetime army, but he wanted to avoid war  Federalists not happy with Adams for not going to war – French signed treaty with Americans and further fighting was avoided

 In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts: laws were intended to crush opposition to war  The Sedition Act forbade anyone from publishing or voicing criticism of federal government, canceling freedom of speech or press

 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison viewed these acts as a misuse of government power  They wrote resolutions in 1798 and 1799 known as Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions: argued the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional and interfered with state government – first time states challenged federal government