Transcript Chapter 02: Birth of a Nation

Chapter 02: Birth of a Nation
2.4 The First Presidents
(19 Note Cards Required)
SSUSH4
SSUSH5
The student will identify the ideological, military, and
diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution.
The student will explain specific events and key ideas
that brought about the adoption and implementation of
the United States Constitution.
George Washington
First president of the United States in 1789 and
again in 1792.
New York City
Served as the nation's capital for Washington's
first year in office.
The government then moved to Philadelphia.
Washington, D.C.
Built along the Potomac River between Virginia and
Maryland.
President Washington himself chose the site but,
ironically was the only president never to live there.
Cabinet
A body of department heads who serve as the
president's key advisors and/or representative
in specific areas.
• Thomas Jefferson- Secretary of State.
• Alexander Hamilton- Secretary of the Treasury.
• John Jay- Chief Justice
• Henry Knox- Secretary of War
Hamilton's Economic Plan
Proposed the federal government take on state
debts that were largely due to the war, place a
tax on whiskey, supported tariffs, and established
a national bank.
Whiskey Rebellion
Uprising of Pennsylvania farmers who refused
to pay the whiskey tax and resorted to violence.
Tariffs
Taxes on imported goods (from other countries.)
*Southerners opposed tariffs.
Washington's Proclamation of
Neutrality
The US would not take sides in the war between
Great Britain and France.
Impressment
Taking US sailors captive and forcing them to
serve in the British navy.
Washington’s Farewell Address
• President George Washington gave a farewell
address in 1796.
• First- Washington expressed his view that the
United States should stay neutral and avoid
permanent alliances with other
• nations.
• Second- Washington believed that good
government is based on religion and morality.
• Third- Washington spoke about the dangers of
forming political parties.
Federalist Party
Supported a strong national government.
Republicans
Favored stronger state governments and a
weaker national government.
XYZ Affair
Event in which French delegates insulted the US by refusing
to allow its representatives to meet with French leaders until
the US extended a bribe and the promise of a US loan to
France.
 It resulted in the US breaking off relations with France for
a time.
Convention of 1800
Meeting in which France and the United States
were able to negotiate some of their differences,
reopen trade, and re-establish diplomatic
relations.
The convention also formally ended the USFrench alliance that had existed since the
revolution, making the US officially neutral.
Naturalization Act
Required foreign immigrants to live in the United
States for fourteen years before they could be
US citizens.
Alien Act
Allowed the government to arrest, detain or
remove foreigners deemed untrustworthy.
Sedition Act
Severely limited free speech and expression.
Doctrine of Nullification
Idea that states can ignore federal laws they
believe are unconstitutional.
Election of 1800
John Adams (Fed) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Rep)
 The Republicans accused Adams of wanting to
be a king, a huge insult so soon after the
revolution.
 The Federalists proclaimed Jefferson to be an
anarchist, someone who is against any structure
of government.
Thomas Jefferson won making him the third
president of the United States.
Northwest Territory
The area lying north of the Ohio River and east
of the Mississippi River.
Northwest Ordinance
Law that divided
the area north of
the Ohio River into
smaller territories
and established
guidelines for
settlement in the
region.