Transcript Chapter 7 - Launching the Nation

Launching the Nation
1789-1800
What
important
events occurred
during the terms of
the first two U.S.
presidents?
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Honest leader and
hero of the Revolution
Electoral College: a
body of electors who
represent the people’s
vote in choosing the
president
–
–
Washington
unanimously selected
as President
John Adams chosen
Vice-President
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Everything Washington
was doing was a
precedent: an action or
decision that later
serves as an example
Created the Cabinet
(department heads)
Judiciary Act of 1789:
created federal courts
and defined their
powers
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Most Americans lived in countryside and
worked on farms – wanted fair taxes, settle
western lands, and no interference from
government in daily lives
Merchants wanted simpler trade laws
Manufacturers wanted protection from foreign
competition
New York City = first capital
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Alexander Hamilton:
brilliant Secretary of
the Treasury
Needed to control the
national debt: money
owed by the United
States and bonds:
certificates of debt
that carry a promise
to buy back the bond
at a higher price
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Hamilton wanted to pay off foreign debt
immediately and gradually pay off the total
debt of the bonds
Pay off state debts for Revolutionary War
expenses to increase business and trade, and
put money back into economy – southern states
did not like this
Move the capital to the South in what is now
Washington, D.C.
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Hamilton
 Strong central
government
 Did not trust “the
masses”
 Bank of the United
States
 Wanted to promote
manufacturing,
business, high tariffs,
Bank of the U.S.
 Loose construction of
the Constitution
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Jefferson
 Protect powers of the
states
 More trust in the
people
 Wanted to promote
farming because they
didn’t depend on
others to make a
living
 Strict interpretation
of the Constitution
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1789 – French Revolution – rebellion of French
people against their king
France and Great Britain went to war
Neutrality Proclamation: United States would
not take sides with any European countries
that were at war – issued by Washington
Jefferson was pro-French – Hamilton was proBritish – Jefferson resigns in 1793

Jay’s Treaty (1794)
 Washington wanted
to avoid war with
Britain – send Chief
Justice John Jay to
negotiate treaty
 In the treaty, the
British would pay
damages on seized
American ships and
Americans would
pay debts owed by
Britain
 Not well liked by
American people
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Pinckney’s Treaty (1795)
 Spain shut off New
Orleans to American
trading, hurting
American businesses
and had border
dispute in Florida
 In the treaty, Spain
and U.S. agreed to
southern border and
reopened New
Orleans
 Very well liked by
American people
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Conflicts with Native Americans over settling
Northwest Territory (Ohio)
Washington sent General Anthony Wayne to
settle disputes – defeats Native Americans at
Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794)
Treaty of Greenville: gave the U.S. claim to
most of the land in the Northwest Territory
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Whiskey tax – created by Hamilton – to raise
money to pay off national debt
Western Pennsylvania farmers were angry at
the tax because whiskey was used as a form of
money – protests and fighting began
President Washington feared the rebels
threatened federal government authority –
personally led an army to put down rebellion
Rebellion ended without a battle in 1794
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Washington chose not to run for President in
1796 – “tired of public life”
In farewell address, he warned about political
conflicts, forming permanent ties with foreign
nations, and too much public debt.
All of which we have today.
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Despite Washington’s warning, political parties
developed in 1796 election
Federalists: wanted a strong federal
government and supported industry and trade
– John Adams and Thomas Pinckney
Democratic-Republicans: wanted to limit the
federal government’s power – Thomas Jefferson
and Aaron Burr
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City and business people supported Federalists
– Farmers and rural areas supported
Democratic-Republicans
Adams elected President, Jefferson became
Vice-President even though they were two
different political parties
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Adams’s first goal was to better relations with
France – sent diplomats to negotiate a treaty to
protect American shipping
Talleyrand, the French foreign minister,
wanted a $250,000 bribe and $12 million loan to
discuss treaty – diplomats were outraged
Federalists in Congress wanted war with
France
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Adams asked Congress to increase size of the
navy and begin keeping a peacetime army, but
he wanted to avoid war
Federalists not happy with Adams for not
going to war – French signed treaty with
Americans and further fighting was avoided
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In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Congress
passed the Alien and Sedition Acts: laws were
intended to crush opposition to war
The Sedition Act forbade anyone from
publishing or voicing criticism of federal
government, canceling freedom of speech or
press
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Thomas Jefferson and James Madison viewed
these acts as a misuse of government power
They wrote resolutions in 1798 and 1799
known as Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions:
argued the Alien and Sedition Acts were
unconstitutional and interfered with state
government – first time states challenged
federal government