1. Issues Facing the New Government

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

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

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

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

6. Edmund Randolph Washington’s Attorney General
Later became Secretary of State after Jefferson’s resignation, but then had to resign himself in 1795, due to scandal; he had been advising the French government on how to deal with Pres. Washington, potentially an act of treason

7. 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 as the 1st Chief Justice

8. John Jay First Chief Justice (1789-95) Federalist
Sent to England in to negotiate Jay’s Treaty (more on that in a later lesson)
Resigned from the court in 1795 to become governor of New York

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

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

11. Southern opposition to Hamilton’s Plan
Taxes on imported goods would hurt southern farmers
Many southern states had already paid their war debts
South agreed to support Hamilton’s plan only after North agreed to move the capital from New York City to the Potomac River (Washington DC)

12. Frontier opposition to Hamilton’s Plan
Didn’t like tax on whiskey because that was how many frontiersmen made their living
This opposition led to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

13. Whiskey Rebellion
Pennsylvania farmers refused to pay whiskey tax and took up arms
Pres. Washington responded by leading the US Army in putting down the rebellion
Federal government demonstrated it could enforce its laws

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

19. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Written in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts by Jefferson and James Madison
Claimed 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

20. Election of 1800
Presidential election was 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 to support Jefferson over Burr
Sometimes called the “Peaceful Revolution”

21. 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

22. 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

23. John Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1801-1835)
A Federalist
Longest serving Chief Justice in US History
Established the Supreme Court’s authority to interpret constitutionality of laws

24. 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

25. 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!

26. 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

27. The Decline of the Federalists
Federalists opposed the War of 1812 (a war with Britain), 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.