Transcript Supreme Court Cases

President George
Washington
What you need to know
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Uncertainty when Washington was elected
What Judiciary Act of 1789 did
Washington’s cabinet
Argument between Hamilton & Jefferson
Hamilton’s economic plan
Bank of the United States
2-party system
Whiskey Rebellion
The
st
1
presidential election
• After constitution was ratified,
USA had to pick its 1st
President
• Electoral College elected
Washington unanimously
What now?
• US was 1st country based on
new ideals
–Republic
–Individual freedoms
• Nobody knew if it would work
Washington’s
st
1
days
• Many practical choices to make
–Had to raise money
–Had to provide national defense
–Had to set up office of President
• No example to follow – had to
make it up as they went along
Judiciary Act of 1789
• Constitution only established
Supreme Court, no other courts
• Congress had to pass law to
–Set up how S.C. would work
–Set up courts below S.C.
Judiciary Act of 1789
• Supreme Court membership
– 1 Chief Justice / 5 associates
• Set up lower courts
– 3 circuit courts / 13 district courts
• Decisions from state courts could
be reviewed by federal courts
– If it also applied to the constitution
The Executive Branch
• Pres & VP were the only
members of executive branch
• Congress set up 3 departments:
–State Dept – foreign affairs
–War Dept – military
–Treasury Dept – national finances
The Cabinet
• Washington selected people he
knew to lead the departments
–Thomas Jefferson – Sec of State
–Alex. Hamilton – Sec of Treasury
–Henry Knox – Sec of War
–Edmund Randolph – Atty General
• Lawyer for the government
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
• Bitter rivals in Washington’s
administration
–Had very different beliefs on how
US should be run
Thomas Jefferson
• Wealthy planter
from Virginia
– Renaissance man
– Writer, scientist,
inventor, architect
– Founder of UVa
Thomas Jefferson
• Believed in “common man”
• Wanted weak natl gov & strong
state & local govs
–Regular people have more say
• Most of his support was from
south & west
Alexander Hamilton
• Born very poor on
Nevis (Caribbean)
• Orphaned at 13
• Worked way to NY
• Enlisted in army,
became aide to
Gen. Washington
Alexander Hamilton
• Didn’t trust the poor, believed
in the educated upper class
• Wanted strong natl gov
• Nation’s strength depends on
commerce & industry (wealth)
• Most support was from north
Hamilton’s economic plan
• Needed to pay huge natl debt
– Lots of money owed to soldiers
& foreign govs
–Some of debt owed by states
• Needed to set up bank system
Hamilton’s economic plan
• Wanted to pay off foreign debt
first – get rest of world off our
backs
–Also, US was too weak & poor to
fight another war
–Less chance they attack us if we
don’t owe them anything
Hamilton’s economic plan
• US owed lots of $, but nation
should absorb the debt of the
states
• Would make debt worse, but…
–Creditors wouldn’t get paid if the
US government fails
Reaction to Hamilton’s plan
• South HATED IT
–They’d already paid off their debt
–If US takes north’s debt, have to
raise taxes on everyone to pay it
• South would have to pay extra
Bank of the United States
• Would print money
• Would handle deposits from
wealthy investors
–Get more people involved in
making sure gov stays intact
• Would handle accounts of
national gov
Opposition to Bank
• James Madison was against it
–Scared of “unhealthy alliance”
between gov and wealthy people
–Constitution lists powers the natl
gov has, but a bank’s not on list
–In favor of Strict construction –
follow exactly what constitution
says
Defense of the Bank
• Loose construction –national
gov gets powers not
specifically listed in
constitution (Article 1, Section 8)
–Elastic clause – national gov has
powers if “necessary & proper”
– The Congress shall have Power - To make all Laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers,
and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the
United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Argument about the Bank
• Washington agreed w/Hamilton
• But Jefferson stood in Bank’s
way of getting established
The Compromise
• They made a deal:
–If Jefferson lends support to the
bank…
–US would build its capital city in
the south between VA & MD
Emergence of parties
• America broke into 2 parties
–Federalists backed Hamilton
• Wanted stronger national gov
–Democratic-Republicans backed
Jefferson
• Wanted states to have more power
• Became modern-day Democrats
Emergence of parties
• Since then, US has been
(basically) a 2-party country
• Other parties try, never catch
on in big enough numbers
Washington & parties
• Washington HATED fact that
his people were splitting up
• Remained out of the arguments
• He feared parties would harm
national unity
Whiskey Rebellion
• 1st big threat to new national
gov
• Congress passed tariff on
imported liquor – to help US
companies make money
• Later passed an excise tax (tax
on a specific item) on liquor
Whiskey Rebellion
• Many western and southern
people made & sold lots of
liquor – they were really mad at
excise tax
• Farmers refused to pay,
attacked federal marshals
Whiskey Rebellion
• Washington and Hamilton led
army of militiamen
• Militia disbursed rebels & no
one died
Whiskey Rebellion
• Washington and Hamilton led
army of militiamen
• Farmers disbursed rebels & no
one died
What you need to know
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Uncertainty when Washington was elected
What Judiciary Act of 1789 did
Washington’s cabinet
Argument between Hamilton & Jefferson
Hamilton’s economic plan
Bank of the United States
2-party system
Whiskey Rebellion