Issues Facing the New Government

George Washington’s Presidency 1789 - 1797 No political party affiliation Won 100% of electoral vote in both elections Established precedent of serving only 2 terms as president

Alexander Hamilton Washington’s Treasury Secretary Federalist Party Wanted to build a financially strong and independent US, especially for US industry and business

Thomas Jefferson Washington’s Secretary of State Democratic-Republican Party Wanted to protect states’ rights, US-French relations Resigned in 1793

Henry Knox Washington’s Secretary of War Famous hero of the Revolutionary War Ft. Knox (in Kentucky) is named after him: Forts are used in WAR Died from swallowing a chicken bone

Edmund Randolph Washington’s Attorney General Later became Secretary of State after Jefferson’s resignation, but had to resign himself in 1795 after a scandal where he had been providing insider advice to the French government on how to deal with Pres. Washington

Judiciary Act of 1789 Established the Federal Court system Made the Supreme Court the highest court in the U.S. President George Washington appointed John Jay the 1st Chief Justice

John Jay First Chief Justice (1789-95) Federalist Sent to England in 1794-5 and negotiated Jay’s Treaty (more on that in a couple of days!) Resigned from the court in 1795 to become governor of New York

Hamilton’s Economic Plan Most states had many debts left over from the Revolution Hamilton wanted US to assume the states’ debts US would pay debts by taxing whiskey and imported goods Hamilton also wanted to establish a national bank

Constitutional opposition to Hamilton’s Plan Thomas Jefferson argued government did not have constitutional power to create a bank (strict interpretation of Constitution) Hamilton argued that the “necessary and proper” clause allowed the government to do what was necessary to perform its functions (loose interpretation)

Southern opposition to Hamilton’s Plan Taxes on imported goods would hurt southern farmers Many southern states had paid their war debts already South agreed to support Hamilton’s plan when US capital was moved from NY to the Potomac River

Frontier opposition to Hamilton’s Plan Didn’t like tax on whiskey because that was how they made a living Led to Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

Whiskey Rebellion Pennsylvania farmers refused to pay whiskey tax and took up arms Pres. Washington responded by leading an army which put down the rebellion US demonstrated it could enforce its laws

Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans Led by Alexander Hamilton Favored strong national government Favored large landowners and merchants Favored tariffs and government regulations that supported business Loose interpretationists More popular in the North Pro-business Favored neutrality in the war between Britain and France Democratic-Republicans Led by Thomas Jefferson Favored strong state governments Favored small farmers Favored a “laissez-faire” approach where government did not regulate the economy Strict interpretationists More popular in the South Pro-farmers Favored France in their war against Britain

Washington’s Farewell Address 1796 US should stay neutral and avoid “foreign entanglements” Good government is based on religion and morality Political parties are divisive and dangerous to national unity

John Adams’ Presidency 1797 – 1801 Federalist Had been Washington’s Vice-President Beat out Jefferson in 1796 election by only 3 electoral votes, but lost to Jefferson in 1800 election

Alien Acts of 1798 Allowed government to arrest and deport foreigners deemed “untrustworthy” Prevented poor immigrants (who tended to vote Democratic-Republican) from voting

Sedition Act of 1798 Limited free speech by making it illegal to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government or its officials Used to silence critics, who were usually from the other party: Democratic-Republicans

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Written in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts by Jefferson and James Madison Stated that states do not have to obey or enforce federal laws that they believe to be unconstitutional – they can “nullify” the law: the Doctrine of Nullification

Election of 1800 Presidential election won by Democratic-Republicans, but it was a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burr Federalists had to choose which Dem.-Rep. to support; Hamilton decided on Jefferson over Burr Sometimes called the “Peaceful Revolution”

Burr-Hamilton Duel July 1804 Vice-President Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel in which Burr shot and killed Hamilton Burr was charged with murder, but acquitted and finished his term as VP

The Midnight Judges Adams appointed a bunch of Federalist judges to life terms just before leaving office Jefferson ordered his Sec. of State James Madison to withhold their commissions, preventing them from taking office These denied judges sued in federal court

John Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801-1835) Federalist Longest serving Chief Justice in US History

Marbury v. Madison Court found that, while the judges had a right to be seated, the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction in the case Declared the Judiciary Act of 1789, which had given the Court jurisdiction, to be in conflict with the Constitution and therefore unconstitutional Established precedent of judicial review – the Supreme Court decides whether laws violate the Constitution

Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency 1801 – 1809 Democratic-Republican Both he and John Adams died on July 4, 1826 – 50 years to the day after signing the Declaration of Independence!

The Louisiana Purchase US acquired 828,800 square miles for a total purchase price of $23,213,568 About $0.03 per acre! Napoleon’s France needed the $$$ Begins US policy of pursuing economic prosperity through territorial expansion 26

The Decline of the Federalists Federalists opposed the War of 1812, and staged a formal protest in 1814 Unfortunately, they protested just as news arrived that the US had won the war, causing them to lose popularity and fade from the political scene.