1. The Presidency of George Washington

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

3. Creating the First Cabinet & Establishing the Supreme Court

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

5. Thomas Jefferson Washington’s Secretary of State
Former governor, congressman, and ambassador to France
Wanted to protect states’ rights, US-French relations
Resigned from the cabinet in 1793 due to his disagreements with Hamilton

6. Henry Knox Washington’s Secretary of War
Tasked with building America’s ability to defend itself
Memorization device: Ft. Knox (in Kentucky) is named after him; forts are used in WAR)
Supposedly died from swallowing a chicken bone

7. Edmund Randolph Washington’s Attorney General
Later became Secretary of State after Jefferson’s resignation, but then forced to resign in 1795, due to scandal; he had been coaching the French government on how to manipulate President Washington, potentially an act of treason

8. The Judiciary Act of 1789 Passed by the First Congress
Established the Federal Court system
Made clear that the Supreme Court was the highest court in the U.S.
President Washington appointed John Jay to be the first Chief Justice

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

10. Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson

11. 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

12. 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)

13. 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 a site on the Potomac River (Washington DC)

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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