Transcript Politics and Society in the New Republic, 1787

The 1st 2 U.S. PRESIDENTS…FROM
1789-1801
“Father of our Country”
George Washington 17891797
John Adams
1797-1801
“His Rotundity”
“Finances”
• Inauspicious
Beginnings
• Finances Precarious…
– Revenue declining
– Debt Mountainous…
– Paper $$$ worthless…
Precious metals scarce…
• WHAT POTENTIAL!
• But…No nation has ever
attempted to erect such a
large republic…
– The eyes of the world are
on us!...
– Imagine what European
Kings & Queens are
thinking…
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• The First
US
Census
1790
Total US population:
4 million
Cities:
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Philadelphia: 42,000
Boston: 18,000
Charleston: 16,000
Baltimore: 13,000
New York 33,000
90 % rural
95% East of the Appalachians
Foreign visitors looked down at us! (They still do…)
Foreign agents stirring up trouble in the frontier…
• Washington
Chosen
Unanimously,
•
“MR.
PRESIDENT”
NEVER BEFORE in history…
– IS THIS “EXPERIMENT” GOING TO
WORK?
• Self-government
• 1st time for a Republican rule with individual
rights…Enlightenment Ideals
• From IDEA….To EXECUTION
“His Highness, President of
the United States, and
Protector of their
Liberties” --John Adams
– 1st…Build a Federal Court System
• Judiciary Act 1789
• Supreme Court, 3 circuit courts
”So help me God”……. Added by G. Washington
WASHINGTON SET THE PRECEDENT…
THE PRESIDENTIAL OATH
SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY
Alexander Hamilton
PRESIDENT
George Washington SECRETARY OF “WAR”
Henry Knox
SECRETARY OF STATE
Thomas Jefferson
ATTORNEY
GENERAL
Edmund Randolph
VP John
Adams
• The Bill of
Rights
• Constitution was ratified with the promise
of protection of individual rights…
• Basic Rights… Amendments 1-8
– Speech, religion, arms, property, seizure, cruel punishment
• Madison assures “States Righters”
– 9th Amendment – other rights besides 1-8 are protected
– 10th Amendments – Whatever the Fed does not declare, the rest go
to the States…
• Judiciary Act of 1789
• Establishment
of the Judicial
Branch
– Supreme Court (John Jay – 1st Chief Justice)
– Federal District & Circuit Courts
– Attorney General (Executive Branch)
 “Prime Minister” of Washington’s Cabinet
• Alexander
Hamilton
Secretary of the
Treasury
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Monarchical, but brilliant
Favored the rich… Hated the poor…
Prosperity would “Trickle down” to masses…
Improve national credit
The fed will assume all War debts…
“Funding at Par” : $54 M in debt plus interest
Plus… an additional $22 M in States debts!...
Why?
 The states debts regarded as a “National Obligation”
 Politically, it would “tie” the states closer to the Fed!...
 Great for States with big debts (MA), not for States w small debts
(VA)
 Negotiates for the location of new national capital!
 HAMILTON ESTABLISHES THE “BANK OF THE UNITED STATES”
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
(DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA)
THE NEW
CAPITAL CITY
Negotiated by Hamilton w/
Jefferson & Madison
Why is it good for the US to be in SO MUCH debt??
 The more people that you owe money to, the
more people want to see you succeed!
 RAISING REVENUE
TAXES
& DUTIES
 But… WE DO need to raise money..
THERE IS NO INCOME TAX!!!
 So…
 CUSTOMS DUTIES THROUGH TARIFFS
 Tax on “imported products… Why?
 To Protect US industry
 Loved by… DOMESTIC Manufacturers
 Hated by… Those that don’t make anything
 Southerners hate tariffs why?...
 EXCISE TAXES…
 Taxes on Mfg….Like whiskey in western PA…
$$$$ BANK OF THE UNITED STATES $$$$
GOVT IS
THE
MAJOR STOCK
HOLDER
WITH RICH
INVESTORS
GOVT.
TREASURY
DEPOSITS
ITS
“SURPLUS”
FEDERAL FUNDS
STIMULATE BIG
BUSINESS
GOVT.
PRINTS
PAPER MONEY
PROVIDES FOR A STABLE CURRENCY $$$$
Th. JEFFERSON vs. A. HAMILTON
Limited central government; led by
Congress
Strong State Governments.
Favored Planters and Farmers
Supported by the South, and West
Against the Bank of the U.S.
(unconstitutional) Only states had
the right to charter banks
Unhealthy alliance between rich and
the govt.
HAMILTON WINS
OUT, GETS
WASHINGTON’S
SUPPORT
Strong central government, led by a
strong President.
Led by elite & educated,
Commerce & Industry
Supported by New England,
Northern States
Federal debt was good
It kept creditors supporting the new
Federal Government
Bank of the US, funded by both the
govt. and wealthy investors
Tie wealthy investors to the country’s
welfare
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JEFFERSON
– Strict Constructionists
• WHAT THE CONSTITUTION
• JEFFERSON OMITTED, IT PROHIBITED
VS.
HAMILTON
HAMILTON
 Loose Constructionists
• Invoked the “Elastic Clause” (Article 1,
Section 8, par. 18)
VIEWS ON
CONSTITUTION• “Congress may pass any laws deemed
“necessary & proper” to carry out
AL
Government agency powers
POWER
• WHAT THE CONSTITUTION
OMITTED, IT PERMITTED
– “Implied powers”
•
Hamilton needs $$$$$ to pay US debts; he proposes
– “Protective” tariff on imported goods
– Excise tax on goods made in the US
• West. Pennsylvania farmers
Furious! WHY?
• The mfg of…WHISKEY!
• WHISKEY IS USED AS BARTER!
 “The Whiskey
Rebellion”
– Hamilton sees an Opportunity – Washington uses the
militia as a “SHOW OF FORCE”…
• What were the
similarities of …
• BACON’S REBELLION
• SHAY’S REBELLION
• WHISKEY REBELLION
• What were the
differences?....
WHAT WAS HAMILTON’S VISION
OF THE FUTURE? WHAT POLICIES
DID HE IMPLEMENT TO ACHIEVE
IT? HOW WAS JEFFERSON’S
Question
VISION #1
DIFFERENT?
 EMERGING
POLITICAL
PARTIES
FEDERALISTS
 Political rivalry turns into opposing groups
 Founding fathers did not envision political
parties
 They became the balance of power in
government
 Originally, opposition seen as disloyal
 “Loyal opposition” always balances
 Spread by propaganda in newspapers
DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLICANS
• IMPACT OF
THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION
– 1789-1793
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“One cannot be carried from
despotism to liberty in a featherbed”
“The tree of liberty must be watered
occasionally with the blood of
Patriots”
FR begins “peacefully”… but
descends into chaos
American
“Ultraconservatives” fear
“Leveling” and the
“Mobocracy”
Jeffersonians were joyous,
until…1792
Monarchs in Europe
trembled…
France declares war on
Austria in 1792…Britain is
drawn in…
Most Americans are rallying
to the side of French
citizens…but… The “Reign
of Terror”…
France says…BE MY FRIEND!
WE HELPED YOU!
Britain says… BE MY FRIEND!
YOU ARE OF BRITISH ROOTS!
THE U.S says…
NEUTRALITY!!
1793: Washington’s
“Proclamation
of Neutrality”
 NEUTRALITY!
• The European War is as much about
control of the seas…
• We are a small “player”…US is weak,
militarily, economically…
• Politically divided..but this issue held
us together
• Washington was playing for time while
we “populated for a generation”…
• 1793: Washington’s “Proclamation of
Neutrality”
– “Self interest is the basic cement of alliances”
– America was a better partner to France if it
remained neutral…
WHAT WERE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION IN AMERICAN LIFE
AND POLITICS?
Question #2
• Trouble With
Britain…
1790-94
•
Britain seizing US sailors at sea (“impressment”)
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Britain still has forts in Ohio Valley, Canada…
Won’t give up the “Fur Trade”
Supply weapons to Indians…
Little Turtle & the “Miami Confederacy” beats US in 2
battles…BUT…
Battle of Fallen Timbers 1794
•
– Gen. “Mad” Anthony Wayne
– NA’S SEEK PEACE – Treaty of Greenville 1795
– No more NA resistance in Ohio….
US WANTS PEACE…
 Great Britain…
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“Jay’s Treaty” – G. Britain
 Hamilton Fears war w Britain
 Sabotages by leaking US strategy to Britain
 Bad Deal!... Little concessions from GB!...
 Only “promise” to evacuate Forts in the Ohio
Valley
 Spain…
 AMERICAN’S FURIOUS!... JAY’S A
TRAITOR!...
 Hurts Washington’s popularity too…
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“Pinckney’s Treaty” (Treaty/San Lorenzo)
 Spain wants US friendship
 Grants US Navigation of Mississippi
 Disputed land N. of Florida (map p. 175)
WAS THERE ANYTHING THE
WESTERN INDIAN CONFEDERACY
COULD HAVE DONE TO LIMIT
WHITE EXPANSION AND
PRESERVE
INDIAN LANDS?
Question
#3
EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.
 Washington
Retires..
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS…
– Kept us out of war… “Walked that tightrope”
– Strong Central Government could work…
– Fiscally stronger US…
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LEGACIES OF THE WASHINGTON PRESIDENCY
– 2 terms… “Mr. President”… “Temporary
Alliances”…Annual address to Congress…Farewell
Address…
 Adams Elected
President
•
Close Election of 1796… 71 to 68 over T. Jefferson (VP
as “runner up”)… 1st Election with Political Parties…
•
His “Respectful Irritation”…
• Troubles with
France…
“Quasi War”
1798-1800
• Adams is now President…
• France is ticked off at “Jay’s
Treaty”…
• Violation of the 1778 “Franco
American Treaty”…
• Adams tries to make nice
– “XYZ Affair”
• War Hysteria in US… “Anti
French” Feeling…
• Navy builds new warships…
• Mostly naval engagements
• US eventually seeks peace
• The “Alien &
Sedition Acts”
• ADAMS TAKES ADVANTAGE OF
“ANTI FRENCH FEELING IN US
– To be an American Citizen goes from 5
to 14 years
– All immigrants suspected as “PROJEFFERSON”
– Law allowed President to deport
“undesirables”
– Many political opponents arrested
– Anti- Adams Newspapers closed
• VIRGINIA
& KENTUCKY
RESOLUTIONS
– Compact among the States
• The states created the FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT…
• So, who has more power?... The States?...
The Federal Government?
– “Nullification” -- Virginia/Kentucky
• States have right to ignore laws they feel
are unconstitutional
– Results? Few states joined in
agreement, but …
• Stage is set for states to “secede”…