4-1: Washington and Congress

Washington’s Mission: 1. Create a bureaucracy (cabinet) to help

the President carry out laws.2. Provide for a judicial system.3. Devise a way for the country to raise money to pay its debt.4. Establish positive relations with foreign nations.

Washington's Cabinet: • Sec. of State: Thomas Jefferson

• Sec. of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton

• Sec. of War: General Henry Knox

• Attorney General: Edmund Randolph

Objective 1.01: Identify, investigate, and assess the effectiveness of the institutions of the emerging republic.

Why is it important?Although, not mentioned in the Constitution, the President's cabinet has met to advise the President since its creation by Washington.

Judiciary Act of 1789

• Definition: 1789 law that created the Judicial Branch of the federal government. Among the things provided for in the Act: – the number of members of the Supreme Court

(6) – later increase to 9– the number of lower district courts (13) – the idea that the Supreme Court can settle

disputes between states – the idea that a decision by the Supreme Court

is final.

Hamilton’s Economic Plan1. Pay off National and State debts.• Hamilton wanted Congress to pay back

the bonds they had issued to fund the Revolutionary War.

• Critics argued that his plan did not benefit the original purchasers of the bonds but speculators.

• Southerners were upset because Northerners owned most of the bonds, while most of the taxes to pay off the bonds would come from the South.

What was the compromise?

• Southerners in Congress voted for the plan in exchange the capital was moved from New York to Washington, D.C.

2. Levy (Pass) Taxes to Raise Money•Tariff of 1789: raised money for the federal government by taxing imports. •Southern planters disliked the tariff because it made it more expensive to ship crops to Europe, and made imported goods more expensive.

The Whiskey Rebellion

• The protective tariffs were not producing enough money so Hamilton suggested an Excise Tax (sales tax) on whiskey.

• Who would this effect?– Frontier farmers, especially in

western PA• What happened?

– Farmers refused to pay the taxes, beat up federal marshals, and threatened to secede from the Union.

– 15,000 militia were called up, led by Washington and Hamilton, and dispersed the rioters without the loss of a single life.

• So what?– The Federal Gov’t showed that it could enforce laws

without the help of the States.

3. Establish a National Bank

• Jefferson/Madison argued that Congress could not establish a bank because it was not an enumerated (expressed) power specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

• Hamilton argued that the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution allowed Congress to use implied powers.

• The debate over Hamilton’s financial plan split Congress into two sides, becoming the nation’s first political parties.

Federalists Democratic-Republicans

Leaders Hamilton Jefferson

(Main)

& Madison

Gov’t Strength National Gov’t Supreme State Gov’t Supreme

Ruling Power/Voting Wealthy & Educated All Landowners

Economic Interests Manufacturing Agrarianism/Agriculture

Interpretation of Constitution

Loose Int. (Implied Powers)

Strict Int.

(Expressed Powers)

Regions Northeast South & West

Alliances Pro British Pro French

4-2: Partisan Politics

Washington’s Foreign Policy: • Right after Washington took office in 1789,

the French Revolution began.• Initially there was much American public support, but the

bloodiness of the revolution soon turned many away• 1793 – France declares war on Britain.Divided Opinions:•Pro-British (Federalists)

– Feared French leaders were out to destroy all authority– Felt we had no choice but to support the “parent country”

•Pro-French (Dem-Republicans)– French were influenced by American Revolution– Felt we should help France since they were key in helping us gain our independence– We should honor the alliance we signed with the French in 1778

Objective 1.03: Assess commercial and diplomatic relationships with Britain, France, and other nations.

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

• Washington did want to fight for Britain, but since the French started the war with Britain, he felt that we did not have to honor our treaty. So, he declared neutrality

1795 Jay’s Treaty - Britain• Although, the U.S. was

neutral the British were seizing neutral ships carrying goods to France.

• Also, British soldiers were reported to be inciting Native Americans to attack American settlers.

• Mostly unsuccessful Did:

– Remove western British forts

– Paid $$ in Revolutionary War compensation

Did NOT:– Open the Caribbean to

trade– Compensate loyalists– Address Impressment

• Unpopular in the US

Reaction to Jay’s Treaty

1795 Pinckney’s Treaty - Spain• Spain joined France against

Britain. Spain was afraid that Britain and the U.S. would seize its land holdings in North America.

• Spain gave up all lands east of the Mississippi and north of Florida.

• Spain gave us use of the Miss. R. and the right of deposit at New Orleans.

Thomas Pinckney

Westward Expansion:Battle of Fallen Timbers/ Treaty of Greenville

• In the Northwest Territory, a confederacy of several Native American groups defended their lands against settlers.

• Washington sent troops to put down the resistance. They killed many Native Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

• As a result, the Native Americans signed the Treaty of Greenville. They gave up part of present-day southern Ohio and Indiana. This allowed the U.S. access to Lake Erie.

Washington’s Farwell Address:• After two 4-year terms, Washington decided

he would not run for President again. Federalist candidate John Adams became the nation’s second president.

• In his farewell address, he warned against:– sectionalism– foreign alliances– political parties

• Why would he say this?

XYZ Affair (1797)& the Quasi-War• Jay’s Treaty with the British was seen as betrayal of

the 1778 French-American Alliance by the French– The French began seizing American ships. Adams averted

formal war by sending a 3 man team to France.– France wanted a bribe before they would negotiate with the

U.S. ambassadors and wanted us to pay a tribute to sail the high seas.

• Adams refused to pay the tribute, and in response built a navy and started seizing French vessels. This unofficial war at sea (known as the Quasi-War) continued for two years.

• Ended with the CONVENTION OF 1800. The U.S. gave up all claims against France for damages to American shipping while the French released the U.S. from the Treaty of 1778.

The War Between Parties:Alien and Sedition Acts(1798)• Passed by President Adams/Federalists because

of the threat of war with France.Alien Acts: Limits Immigrants Rights• Raised the residence requirement for American

citizenship from 5 to 14 years. President could order any alien out of the country in peacetime or jail any alien in wartime for any reason.

Sedition Act: Limits 1st Amendment Speech/Press

• Sedition- crime to say or print anything against the government. Federalists wanted to silence political opponents (Democratic-Republicans).

– They didn't want people to criticize how they were handling the U.S. stance in the war between Britain and France. We were currently fighting Quasi War with France.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions:• Democratic-Republicans opposed the Alien and

Sedition Acts by passing resolutions through State legislatures:– Madison in Virginia– Jefferson in Kentucky

• Both resolutions said states had the power of nullification.– States could decide whether Federal laws

were constitutional.

Election of 1800• President Adams faces

Thomas Jefferson and his vice-presidential candidate, Aaron Burr.

Jefferson and Burr tie for president each receiving 73 electors. Jefferson won the election by a slight margin, in a vote in the House of Representatives. Federalists step down and uphold the Constitution in a peaceful transfer of power.

In 1804 the 12th Amendment is adopted, providing for separate presidential and vice-presidential ballots.