Transcript Ch 4 Notes
CHAPTER 4: FEDERALISTS AND
REPUBLICANS
Lesson 1: Washington and Congress
CREATING A NEW GOVERNMENT:
April 6, 1789: George Washington became the 1st
President of the United States.
Reluctant: “The event which I have long
dreaded.”
Washington and the newly elected Congress had
the task of shaping the new government.
The 1st task was to select a group of advisors to
the President. This is called the Cabinet.
THE CABINET:
1789: Congress created the Department of State,
Department of Treasury, Department of War,
and the Office of Attorney General.
Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of State,
Alexander Hamilton was Head of the Treasury,
General Henry Knox was Secretary of War, and
Edmund Randolph was Attorney General.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURT SYSTEM:
Judiciary Act of 1789: Congress established 13
district courts, 3 courts of appeal, and the
Supreme Court.
John Jay became the 1st Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court.
FINANCING THE NEW GOVERNMENT:
James Madison: Felt that the government should
raise money by taxing imports from other
countries.
Tariff of 1789: Made all importers pay %5 on the
value of their cargo and required shippers to pay
a tax on what they carried.
Many Southern Planters felt that the national
government didn’t have their best interest in
their region.
Alexander Hamilton: Supported the tariff but felt
that the government needed the ability to borrow
money.
He wanted the national government to assume
all debts at full value that were left from the
American Revolution.
Madison felt that this plan hurt farmers and
veterans who sold their bonds to speculators.
DEAL
July 1790: Hamilton, Madison, and Jefferson
struck a deal.
Southern Congressmen agreed to accept
Hamilton’s plan with 1 clause.
Relocation of the Capital: Moved from NYC to a
section along the Potomac River. Eventually
Washington DC.
Moving the capital would offset the power of the
northern states.
BANK OF THE UNITED STATES:
Hamilton asked Congress to create a National
Bank.
He believed that it was necessary to collect taxes,
regulate trade, and provide for the common
defense.
Bank would also give loans to individuals and
issue paper money.
Madison felt that Congress could not establish a
bank because it was not specifically listed in the
Constitution. This is what is called enumerated
powers.
1791: Bank of America was passed after
Hamilton argued that the “necessary and proper”
clause of the Constitution created implied
powers.
Implied Powers: Not specifically listed in the
Constitution.
Bank was given a 20 year charter.
WHISKEY REBELLION:
1791: To make money, Hamilton proposed a tax
on whiskey.
Congress passed the tax which angered many
farmers because it was a direct tax on the people.
Western Region: Whiskey was used as currency
on the frontier.
1791 to 1794: Farmers continued to complain
about the tax.
Summer 1794: PA farmers terrorized tax
collectors, stopped court proceedings, robbed
mail, and destroyed the stills of those who paid
taxes.
August 1794: Washington sent 15,000 troops to
stop rebellion.
The use of troops against citizens worried many
Americans.
The huge army caused the rebels to disperse
without o fight.
RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES:
1.
2.
During the Washington Administration, the
debate over financial programs split the Congress
into two factions.
Federalists
Democratic - Republicans
FEDERALISTS:
Led by Alexander Hamilton and his supporters
[Adams was a Federalist President].
Favored a strong central government.
The distrust of the common people led them to
believe that power should be put in the hands of
the “rich, well born, and able.”
Manufacturing and trade were the basis of
wealth and power.
They were in favor of a loose interpretation of
the Constitution.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS:
Madison was the leader in Congress, but
Jefferson emerged as the national leader of the
party.
They believed that the strength of the nation was
with independent farmers.
Favored agriculture over trade/commerce
[Agrarianism].
Jefferson: Owning the land made people
independent. If people owned land, they would
fight to preserve the Union.
Strict interpretation of the Constitution.
They believed that the wealthy would corrupt the
government and eliminate individual rights.
LESSON 2: PARTISAN POLITICS
Chapter 4
WASHINGTON’S FOREIGN POLICY:
Following his inauguration, the French
Revolution began.
Federalists opposed the revolution because of the
violence [Reign of Terror].
Republicans supported it because of the fight for
liberty and freedom [American Revolution].
1793: France declared war against Great Britain
April 22, 1793: Washington issued a
proclamation stating that the U.S. would remain
“friendly and impartial” to both nations.
JAY’S TREATY:
British navy began intercepting American ships
headed to France.
To avoid war, Washington sent John Jay to GB to
find a solution.
Treaty allowed British ships to intercept U.S.
ships headed to French ports.
GB agreed to give the U.S. most favored trading
status which meant that U.S. merchants
wouldn’t be discriminated against when trading
with Britain.
Treaty prevented war and protected U.S.
merchants.
PINCKNEY’S TREATY:
1795: Spain joined with France in war against
the British.
Spain was worried that the U.S. would ally itself
with GB and attempt to take over its North
American territories.
Treaty of San Lorenzo [Pinckney’s Treaty]: Gave
the U.S. the right to navigate the Mississippi
River and the use the port of New Orleans.
Western farmers were happy with treaty.
WESTWARD EXPANSION:
By 1790 the land west of the Appalachians began
to grow.
Americans moved to the area because of fertile
soil, abundant land, wide rivers, and a variety of
game.
The increase of white settlers led to tension with
the natives.
DISPUTES WITH NATIVES:
Battle of Fallen Timbers [Aug 1794]: Natives
attacked General Anthony Wayne’s troops near
Toledo, Ohio.
Wayne’s forces inflicted heavy loses to natives.
August 1795: Treaty of Greenville: 12 native
tribes gave up parts of Ohio and Indiana in
exchange for yearly payments of $10,000 from
U.S. government.
Significance: Larger flow of Americans into the
region [1803: Ohio becomes a state].
WASHINGTON LEAVES OFFICE:
Washington retires from office after being
irritated by party politics and attacks on his
character.
He sets the standard of the two term limit.
Farwell Address: He gives three pieces of advice.
1.
Avoid Sectionalism: dividing the country
geographically.
2.
Be wary of political parties.
3.
Avoid foreign entanglements [Europe].
ELECTION OF 1796:
This was the 1st openly contested Presidential
Election.
Federalists: Supported John Adams [MA].
Republicans: Supported Thomas Jefferson [VA].
In a close Electoral Vote, Adams wins by a vote of
71 to 68.
Jefferson will become Vice President.
ADAMS’S POLITICAL PROBLEMS:
He will encounter both domestic [Home] and
foreign problems.
Quasi War [Late 1790’s]: War at sea with the
French where both nations seized each others
ships [Not an official war].
XYZ Affair: French attempt to bribe American
diplomats sent to negotiate peace between both
nations.
Convention of 1800: US gave up claims against
the French for damaging U.S. ships, and France
released the U.S. from the Treaty of 1778.
1798: Alien and Sedition Acts were passed. 4 parts.
The first three were aimed at aliens [people living in
U.S. who were not citizens]. Laws stated that aliens
couldn’t be citizens for 14 years and gave the
President the power to deport any dangerous alien.
4th Part: Prevented sedition which made it illegal to
say or print any false or scandalous responses against
the government.
Virginia Resolution: Created Interposition: If the
Federal Government did something unconstitutional,
the states could interpose and stop the illegal action.
Kentucky Resolution: Created Nullification: Theory
claims that if the Federal Government passed an
unconstitutional law, the states had the right to
nullify the law.
ELECTION OF 1800:
Election was closely contested and revealed a
flaw in the system.
Adams hoped to win reelection but his
administration suffered too many setbacks.
Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr[VP candidate]
ended up with 73 electoral votes each.
Constitution states that the House of
Representatives would then decide.
Alexander Hamilton urged his followers to
support Jefferson.
February 1801: Jefferson won the Presidency by
one vote becoming the 3rd President of the United
States.
LESSON 3: JEFFERSON IN
OFFICE
Chapter 4
JEFFERSON TAKES OFFICE:
Jefferson felt that Washington and Adams acted
too much like royalty.
He developed a less formal style as President
(Rode horses not carriages, Entertained at the
White House).
He tried to integrate Republican ideals into
Federalist policies.
He began paying off the National Debt, cut
government spending, and did away with the
Whiskey Tax.
RISE OF SUPREME COURT:
Judiciary Act of 1801: Passed by Adams right
before he leaves office (Last minute).
Act created 16 new Federal Judges (All
Federalists).
Jefferson and Congress will repeal the act, doing
away with the “Midnight Judges”.
John Marshall: Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court for 34 years who made the court a powerful
independent branch of government.
Marbury v. Madison: Supreme Court decision
that strengthened the power of the Supreme
Court.
Found a section of the Judiciary Act of 1789
unconstitutional.
Judicial Review: Gave the SC the power to decide
whether laws passed by Congress were
Constitutional and to strike down laws that were
not.
LOUISIANA PURCHASE:
Jefferson supported westward expansion
(Believed all Americans should own land).
1800: Napoleon Bonaparte (France) convinced
Spain to give Louisiana back to France.
Jefferson was worried about control of the
Mississippi.
1801: Jefferson orders Robert Livingston to block
the deal and negotiate with France.
1801 – 1803: Negotiations were ineffective.
1803: Napoleon is in search of $$$ to fund his
war. He will offer Territory to the U.S.
Jefferson is unsure about the legality of
purchasing land (It is not listed in Constitution).
April 30, 1803: United States purchased
Louisiana from France for $15 million.
The purchase doubled the size of the nation and
opened territory west of the Mississippi.
Problem: Little was known about the territory
(Land, People, and Resources).
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION:
Even before the purchase, Jefferson convinced
Congress to fund a trip into the territory.
Hopes: Find a Northwest Passage.
February 1803: Congress Approved the
expedition.
Party was led by Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark.
May 4, 1804: The Corps of Discovery headed up
the Missouri River.
Sacagawea (Shoshone Indian) joined up with the
group and served as an interpreter and guide.
Goal: Get a better understanding of the territory.
Results: Increased our knowledge of the west and
gave the U.S. a land claim called Oregon
Territory.
WESTERN EXPLORATION:
1805: Zebulon Pike explored much of the upper
Mississippi, Arkansas, and Colorado Rivers.
Gave the 1st detailed description of the Great
Plains and the Rocky Mountains.
ESSEX JUNTO:
While the south and west were gaining political
strength, many NE Federalists felt their region
was loosing influence.
Some Federalists wanted NE to leave the Union.
They attempted to convince Aaron Burr (Vice
President) to run for Governor of NY.
Outcome: July 11, 1804: Alexander Hamilton
publicly criticized Burr.
Results: Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel.
Hamilton refuses to shoot and is killed by Burr.
1807: Burr accused of plotting to create a new
country in Western United States.
INTERNATIONAL TENSION:
Jefferson focused on keeping us out of war with
France and GB.
Policy of Impressment: British policy which made
kidnapping legal and forced military service on
sailors who were captured.
1807: The British warship Leopard stopped the
U.S. Chesapeake to search for British deserters.
Chesapeake refused and 3 Americans were killed.
Reaction: Jefferson placed a trade embargo on
Europe (Hurt the U.S.).
LESSON 4: THE WAR OF 1812
Chapter 4
DECISION FOR WAR:
1808: Presidential candidate James Madison
defeated Charles Pinckney becoming the 4th
President.
He took office in the midst of international
tension with Great Britain.
ECONOMIC PRESSURES:
Madison wanted to avoid war with Europe.
Problems with trade caused tension
(Impressment).
Non Intercourse Act: Passed by Congress, it
banned trade with France and England and gave
Madison authority to open trade with whichever
country removed restrictions first.
Macon’s Bill Number Two: Stated that if either
nation dropped the trade restrictions on U.S.,
then we would stop importing goods from the
other nation.
France: Napoleon lifts U.S. restrictions.
1811: U.S. placed a Non Importation Act on GB.
June 1812: GB ended all restrictions on
American Trade.
DECLARATION OF WAR:
June 1812: Congress contemplates war.
War Hawks: Nickname for those that favored
war with GB.
Why: (2 Reasons):
1.
They felt that trade restriction hurt farmers
and planters.
2.
They blamed GB with clashes between Western
settlers and Native Americans.
NATIVE DISPUTES:
Tecumseh: Leader of the Shawnee who wants
tribes to unite to protect their lands.
William Henry Harrison: Governor of Indiana
Territory who will use force against Tecumseh.
Battle of Tippecanoe: Clash between settlers and
natives with no clear victor, but it shattered
natives confidence.
Results:
1.
Tecumseh and other natives fled to British
Canada.
2.
June 1812: Madison asks Congress to declare
war against GB (Northeast was against the
war).
INVASION OF CANADA:
June 1812: The U.S. was not ready to fight.
Fewer than 7,000 troops, 16 Naval ships, and
little supplies.
NY and NE citizens referred to the war as “Mr.
Madison’s War.
NE bankers refused to loan money to the
government (National Banks charter ran out ,
1811).
EARLY FIGHTING:
U.S. military leaders planned to attack Canada
from 3 directions (Detroit, Niagara Falls, and up
the Hudson River).
All 3 attacks failed.
September 1813: Commander Oliver Perry
secretly arranged for the construction of an
American fleet on Lake Erie.
The fleet was victorious giving the U.S. control of
Lake Erie.
U.S. was not able to follow up on the victory.
Late 1813: U.S. had not conquered an British
Territory.
WAR ENDS:
1814: GB’s war with France ends and they could
now focus on War of 1812.
British Strategy (3 Parts):
1.
Attack U.S. cities along the coast.
2.
Capture NYC and cut off NE from the rest of
the country.
3.
Seize New Orleans and control the Mississippi
River.
BRITISH ATTACK:
Aug 1814: British land near Washington.
They captured the U.S. capital with little
resistance and burn both the White House and
the Capital (Madison fled).
September 1814: British try but fail to capture
Baltimore. Fort McHenry attacked, Francis Scott
Key writes the Star Spangled Banner.
AMERICAN VICTORIES:
Battle of Lake Champlain (Sept 1814): American naval
forces defeat the British. 15,000 troops retreated to
Montreal.
Battle of New Orleans (Jan 1815): Decisive U.S. victory
which makes General Andrew Jackson a national hero
(Fought after peace treaty).
After the battle, strong feeling of patriotism swept the
nation (Downfall of the Federalists).
Treaty of Ghent: Signed on Dec 24th 1814, it officially ended
the war.
Results:
1.
Restored prewar boundaries (no territory exchanged).
2.
Increased the nations prestige (Stood with British forces
again).
3.
Generated national unity and patriotic feelings.