Maintaining Political Harmony Creating a Working Government Station 4: Maintaining Political Harmony and Creating a Working Government

The first job of the President and Congress was to put a working government in place. Congress passed laws to set up four departments for the executive branch: Treasury 2) State 3) War 4) Justice

The heads (people in charge) of these departments made up the President’s Cabinet. In 1789, George Washington appointed (chose): Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of Treasury Henry Knox – Secretary of War Edmund Randolph – Attorney General

What do you already know about this man? Alexander Hamilton was the first man in charge of the economy: What do you already know about this man?

His face is featured on the ten-dollar bill and he was also the principle author of the Federalist papers.

Hamilton’s Plan: Pay off debt Create a national bank I know it sounds crazy, but the nation was already in debt when the cabinet met for the first time. Why? The federal government borrowed money from state governments to pay for the American Revolution (the war against Great Britain to win independence) Hamilton, however, had a plan. Hamilton’s Plan: Pay off debt Create a national bank Institute (put into effect) a protective tariff

Thomas Jefferson (Secretary of State) did not like Alexander Hamilton’s economic plan.

A Difference in Opinion Thomas Jefferson vs. Alexander Hamilton “Laissez-faire” (let-alone) Minimal government intervention Emphasis on agriculture Economic views Maximum Government Involvement Emphasis on manufacturing and trade Differences btwn these two men led to the first political parties!

First Political System: At first, Hamilton and Jefferson clashed in private. However, when Congress (legislative branch) began to pass many of Hamilton’s programs, Jefferson decided to organize public support for his views. Soon leaders in several states began organizing to support either Hamilton or Jefferson. First Political System: Jefferson’s supporters – Democratic-Republican Political Party Hamilton’s supporters – Federalists (for a strong federal government)

Political parties played a key role in all subsequent presidential elections and revealed that the nation was more divided than united.

It does not say anything? What does the Constitution say about political parties and the president’s cabinet? It does not say anything? And yet, since the federal government’s inception (when it was first created), the president has always had a cabinet and there have always been political parties. This is why political parties and the president’s cabinet are considered examples of the unwritten Constitution – aspects of our government that have always been present but are not actually written in the Constitution.