Chapter 8Launching a New Nation

Section 1Washington Takes Office

George Washington – inaugurated 30 April 1789 New York City Washington would set precedent Constitution gave general outline of the office of

President Government included:

◦ 75 post offices◦ Few clerks◦ Army of 672 soldiers◦ President, Vice President, 26 Senators, 66

Representatives

The First President

Congress passed laws to set up:◦ Department of State – Thomas Jefferson◦ Department of Treasury – Alexander Hamilton◦ Department of War – Henry Knox

President appointed:◦ Edmund Randolph – Attorney General

◦ Began meeting regularly - Cabinet

First Job of President/Congress

Supreme Court – 6 Justices 3 Circuit Courts 13 District Courts Main job of federal courts – hear appeals

from state courts John Jay – Chief Justice of the Supreme

Court

Judiciary Act of 1789

US - $52 Million in debt Bond – certificates issued by government

that it promises to pay back with interest Americans/foreigners invested Speculators – people who invest in risky

ventures in hope of big profit Would Federal government pay back state’s

debts

First Economic Crisis

US Government would pay all federal and state debts US would charter a national bank for

depositing government funds US impose a high tax on imported goods

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

Hamilton wanted to show the world that the US would not renege on debts

Wanted people to be willing to invest again South opposed plan to pay off debts Southern states had already paid some off Congress debated for 6 months Compromise

◦ The new US capital city would be built in the South◦ Along the banks of the Potomac/Maryland, Virginia◦ South agreed

Paying the Debt

Privately owned bank of the US◦ Safe place to deposit money/issue paper money

Jefferson opposed◦ Argued that the Constitution didn’t allow a bank◦ Strict interpretation of the Constitution

Hamilton argued◦ Art. 1 Sect.8 gave Congress power to make laws

necessary and proper to fulfill its duties◦ Loose interpretation of the Constitution

1791 Congress passed law◦ Washington signed it

National Bank

Raise money for government Protect US manufacturing Congress did not pass it

◦ Southerner opposed◦ North had more industry◦ South would pay more for goods they bought

High Tariff on Imported Goods

1791 – Congress placed tax on whiskey made/sold in US

Raise funds for gov’t Led to a revolt

◦ Backcountry farmers made extra $ making corn whiskey

◦ Sensitive to taxes◦ Organized protests, refused to pay tax

The Whiskey Rebellion

Officials in western Pennsylvania tried to collect taxes

Farmers rebelled – burned house of tax man Large, angry mob marched on Pittsburgh Washington sent a militia – 13,000 troops Rebels backed down Washington later pardoned the leaders Showed the nation - armed rebellions would

be dealt with by the gov’t

The Whiskey Rebellion

Section 2The Birth of Political Parties

Framers thought people would rise above personal or local interests

People talked of factions Washington, Jefferson & Hamilton hated

factions Madison thought they were selfish By 1790s two political parties were forming

Political Parties Emerge

Republicans Against Federalists Republicans Led by Jefferson People have political

power Strong state gov’t Strict interpretation Pro-French Opposed National

Bank Opposed tariffs

Federalists Led by Hamilton Wealthy, educated

have political power Strong central gov’t Loose interpretation Pro-British Favored National Bank Favored tariffs

Political Parties Republicans Named after political

clubs Southern planters Northern farmers Madison/Jefferson Jefferson resigned as

Secretary of State 1793

Federalists Named after people

who supported Constitution

Merchants, Property owners/ordinary workers

Strong in the North Hamilton Washington favored

Hamilton’s policies

Washington refused to seek a third term Republican’s candidate – Jefferson Federalist’s candidate – John Adams Did not elect President/Vice President together Adams finished first/Jefferson finished second Serious tensions during the Adams’s

presidency

The Election of 1796

Section 3Troubles at Home and Abroad

British had promised to remove troops from forts in NW Territory within a reasonable time

10 years later – troops were still there

Supplying guns to Native Americans

Conflicts in the Northwest Teritory

Native Americans wanted to keep lands Attacked settlements American leaders thought settling western

lands would be important to nation Government tried to pay the Natives for

land Successful in Kentucky and Tennessee North of the Ohio River Natives refused

A Struggle Over Lands

1790 Washington sent troops to end attacks Natives led by Little Turtle (Miami) and Blue

Jacket (Shawnees) Troops defeated – 900 soldiers killed/wounded Washington sent Anthony Wayne (war hero) Defeated Natives at Battle of Fallen Timbers

1794 Battle defeated Native American nations Treaty of Greenville

◦ Gave most of Ohio to US

A Series of Battles

Began 1789 – most Americans supported Became controversial

◦ More violent – peaked in 1793 – Reign of Terror◦ Revolutionaries executed 17,000 people◦ Included King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette◦ Beheaded by guillotine◦ Federalists denounced◦ the violence◦ Jefferson argued that ◦ in fight for freedom some◦ in justices are expected

The French Revolution

1793 – France and Britain were at war Washington declared the US as neutral US needed to trade with both sides France/Britain feared that trade would

benefit the other Began to stop US ships and seize cargoes British made it worse – impressment of

sailors – seized sailors and forced them to serve in British navy

British and French Problems

Hamilton – stay friendly with Britain◦ Britain bought 75% exports◦ Britain supplied 90% imports

Washington agreed◦ Sent John Jay to London

French/British Problems

US will pay all debts to British merchants British agree to pay for all ships they seize British agreed to remove troops from NW

Territory and stop aiding Native AmericansBut: Refused to recognize right to trade with

France Refused to cease impressment of US sailors

Jay Treaty of 1795

Republicans◦ Angered◦ Claimed US gave away too much

Federalists◦ Like the treaty◦ Kept peace with Britain◦ Had control of Congress◦ Approved the treaty

Jay Treaty of 1795

Published a letter to the American public◦ Farewell Address made two points

Warned against political divisions Feared violent divisions might tear nation apart

Accomplishments◦ US had a functioning gov’t◦ Economy was improving◦ Avoided war◦ British now had to leave forts in NW Territory

Area safe for settlement

Washington Retires From Public Life

Section 4The Presidency of John Adams

2nd President of the United States March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 Federalist Former Ambassador to Great Britain Quincy, Massachusetts Married to Abigail Adams New States admitted under Washington

◦ Vermont – March 1791 ◦ Kentucky – June 1792◦ Tennessee – June 1796

John Adams

President Adams faced immediate crisis French - angry about neutrality Hadn’t the French supported the colonists? Jay Treaty increased tensions

◦ Put US on Britain’s side◦ French reacted by snubbing a US diplomat◦ Continued to attack American merchant ships

Troubles With France

1797 – Adams sent 3-person mission to France

Met with agents from France French agents demanded a bribe of $250,000 They also wanted US to loan France money Became public – caused a sensation Kept the names secret so they were called

X,Y,Z

The XYZ Affair

XYZ Affair stirred war fever Federalists demanded Adams ask Congress

to declare war on France Adams asked to increase size of army/navy Created separate department of the navy Fought undeclared naval war with France

War Fever

Opposed full-scale war Sent a new mission to France to negotiate Napoleon Bonaparte busy with war in

Europe Agreed to stop seizing American ships

◦ Agreement angered Federalist Party leaders especially Hamilton (pro-British)

◦ Weakened Adams politically

Adams and Views of War

War fever deepened mistrust between Federalists and Republicans

Federalists fear of revolutionary France spread to a fear of immigrants

Feared that immigrants would become Republicans

Needed to destroy political opponents Passed the Alien Act

◦ Lengthened time to become a citizen from 5 to 14 yrs◦ President has power to deport or imprison any alien

he considers dangerous

The Alien Act

Sedition - an activity designed to overthrow a government

Sedition Act limited free speech Strongest limit of free speech ever passed Made it a crime to write or say anything

insulting or false about the President, Congress or the government in general

1798-1799 – 10 convicted under the act Most were Republican editors and printers

Sedition Act

Republicans denounced the Alien and Sedition Acts

Charged that the Sedition Act violated the First Amendment

Unclear if the Supreme Court could declare a law unconstitutional

Expressed opposition in state legislatures

Opposition to the Acts

Wrote resolutions suggesting that states could overrule federal law

Declared that states has the right to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional

Madison’s resolution passed in Virginia Jefferson’s resolution passed in Kentucky Resolutions themselves had little impact Sedition Act expired at end of two years 1802 – time for immigrants to become

citizens restored to 5 years

Jefferson/Madison lead the attack against the Alien/Sedition Acts

Resolutions were more important for what they symbolized

Claimed that states could nullify a law passed by Congress

Boosted ideas of ‘States Rights’◦ Idea that the union binding “these United States”

is an agreement between the states and that they can overrule federal law

◦ In the future, states will refuse to obey certain federal laws

States Rights