Chapter 6

The New Republic

Sec. 1 – Govt. & Party Politics

New York, 1789 – George Washington inaugurated into office

Unanimous vote of electoral college (John Adams – VP) Great dignity and strong personality Role of new government still not determined Capital - NY to Philadelphia for 10 years New capital – District of Columbia DC; L’Enfant

designed city to display power and authority Washington’s administration set precedents Cabinet: Jefferson (State), Hamilton (Treasury), Knox

(War), Randolph (Attorney General)

Hamilton’s Plan

Jefferson – domestic affairs; great diplomat and leader; distrusted govt.

Judiciary Act 1789 – Set up federal court system (13 federal courts, 3 circuit (appeals) courts and 6-member Supreme Court); John Jay (first Chief Justice)

Hamilton – favored strong national gov. – believed it could accomplish great things

Alexander Hamilton (Fed.) proposed plan to strengthen national power & develop a commercial and industrial economy

Hamilton’s Plan cont.

Pay off national & state debtsWould restore credit and establish

trustworthiness abroadProposed excise taxes and high tariffs Placed tax on whiskeyHoped to pay off slowly so countries would take

continued interest in U.S. (long term investment)Bank of U.S. established 1791

Hamilton’s Plan cont.

Loose construction of the Constitution – broad interpretation; could do anything unless it said you CAN’T!

Alarmed critics (Jefferson) – strict construction of Constitution – only those powers stated in Constitution; no “stretching” of powers

Believed Federalists had betrayed the Revolution

Opponents of Hamilton’s plan

Resented federal power & new taxes, tariffs, Bank of U.S.

Seemed like a return to the British monarchy – alarmed people

Jefferson eventually resigned his post

Whiskey Rebellion

Many farmers refused to pay whiskey tax Followed the tradition of Stamp Act and

Shay’s Rebellion – attacked collectorsWashington & Hamilton determined to stop

the rebellion; gathered troops and marched on W. Pennsylvania – rebellion dissolved

***Showed world that govt. would enforce the laws (unlike Shay’s Rebellion)***

Two Party System

Whiskey Rebellion highlighted tensionsEmerged into two parties:Federalists – Hamilton, Adams; northern

merchantsDemocratic-Republicans – Jefferson,

Madison; farmersBut supporters from all parts of country

Section 2 – Foreign Policy

British had kept forts – Ohio River, Great Lakes – made U.S. mad

Gave weapons to Indians to resist our expansion

Battle of Fallen Timbers – General Anthony Wayne defeated Native Americans

Treaty of Greenville - opened N.W. Territory

French Revolution - 1789

Liberty, Equality, FraternityDeteriorated into a “reign of terror” where

thousands lost their lives, including King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Divided U.S.Federalists opposed it as extremist;

anarchists who would destroy society

French Revolution cont.

Democratic Republicans supported it as an extension of the Am. Rev., Republican ideals; applauded its rejection of kings

Americans torn between British who ruled the seas, or France who had helped us in the Revolution

Chose neutrality – remained U.S. policy for a century

Treaties with Britain and Spain

Washington decides to improve relations with Britain

Jay Treaty - Removed remaining British troops/forts in NW territory, expand trade w/GB

Americans furious – a betrayal of France, sell-out to British

Pinckney Treaty – with Spain; guaranteed shipping rights on Miss. River; established northern boundary of Florida

Washington’s Farewell

After 2 terms set precedent and stepped downAchievements: Indian defeat, western lands

opened for settlement, Whiskey rebellion suppressed, kept nation out of war, improved economy and foreign trade, helped pay national debt

Farewell Address – warned against “entangling alliances” and political parties

Foreign Policy

John Adams – 2nd Pres (Federalist) lacked prestige of GW; faced growing divisions in U.S.

Drift towards war w/France – angry over Jay’s treaty w/Britain; began seizing Am. ships

XYZ Affair – Adams sent officials to Paris, met by officials demanding bribe ($250K) and loan of $10 million; outraged Americans, “Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute.”

Undeclared war, fired on, seized shipsAdams keeps us out of major war w/France

Alien and Sedition Acts

Alien – Pres. could imprison or deport immigrants who criticized govt.– Most immigrants supported Dem-Rep.(why?)

Sedition – Made it a crime for citizens who published or said anything false, scandalous about the govt.

Silenced much Republican opposition with this

VA and KY Resolutions

Response to A & S acts – Rep. believed they violated Constitutional right to free speech

VA & KY Resolutions declared the Sedition Act unconstitutional

Nullification is a defiance of federal powerGrowing tensions in U.S. – State power vs.

Federal power is a sign of things to come...

Election of 1800

Jefferson wins election against AdamsAaron Burr, running mate got same

number of votesWent to the House to decideHamilton (congressman) preferred

Jefferson so swayed vote to himLater Burr killed Hamilton in a duel for

slandering him

Section 3 - Jefferson

Election of 1800 a “revolution” in government principles according to Jefferson

Known now as Jeffersonian Republicans or Republicans (NOT the modern Republican party)

Reduced military, streamlined government bureaucracy, increased trade, sale of western lands

More common style than the aristocratic Federalists, but Jefferson was wealthy, educated and refined

The Marshall Court

John Marshall new Chief JusticeHelped build prestige and power of CourtEstablished judicial review in Marbury v.

Madison – courts can determine constitutionality of laws

Established federal authority over state authority– Gibbons v. Ogden, McCulloch v. Maryland

Loose constructionist - increased power of court tremendously; not stated anywhere in Constitution

Louisiana Purchase - 1803

Napoleon sold all French claims to U.S. for $15 million – Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson concerned over the purchase and spending public funds

Contradicted his principles about govt. power but signed anyway; doubled size of the U.S.

Lewis & Clark expedition; 2 years, reached Pacific; helped by Sacajawea

Foreign Troubles

British began kidnapping American sailors to serve in British military – impressment (at war with France); interfering with trade also

Embargo of 1807 as punishment – outlawed trade w/ foreign countries

New Englanders hated embargo; bankrupted merchants, hurt farmers who couldn’t export

Embargo backfiredHurt his 2nd term, retired to Monticello unpopular

Section 4 – War of 1812

More battles w/Native Americans; Americans believed GB supplying weapons

Tecumseh defeated at TippecanoeWar Hawks – Clay and Calhoun called for

war against GB (impressments of American sailors) to restore national honor

Federalists don’t want war with GB (why?)

War of 1812 cont

War breaks out 1812 Early defeats for AmericansDisastrous invasion of CanadaNavy did surprisingly well thoughBattle of Lake Erie – victory for U.S.Andrew Jackson crushed Creek Indians of

Alabama, killed Tecumseh, invaded Florida and defeated Seminole Indians

War of 1812 cont.

Major attacks by British (including New Orleans)

Burned White House (Madison flees – Dolly saves picture of George) & Capitol

Ft. McHenry (Baltimore) – Francis Scott Key wrote Star Spangled Banner

Americans win on Lake Champlain

Cont.

Treaty of Ghent – ended war 1815Not all supported war (Federalists) – capital

burned, treasury depleted, trade stopped due to blockade (“Mr. Madison’s war”)

Andrew Jackson’s important battle of New Orleans – two weeks after treaty! Created illusion that this had led to British defeat

Hartford Convention 1814 – Federalists had looked weak & defeatist in opposing war; wanted to consider leaving nation (secession)

Post War - results

Surge of national pride (nationalism)Nation grows – settlement spreads westEnd of Federalist party (for favoring GB)Settlers going into Florida too, conflicts with

Seminoles; fugitive slaves heading to FloridaSpain cedes Florida to U.S. – Adams – Onis

Treaty of 1819; US now larger/strongerWar showed the nation would endure