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Chapter 6
Launching the New Nation
G. Washington took office as the 1st president of the U.S
In charge of an experimental political system Never before had a nation tried to base its gov’t on ideas of
republican rule and individual rights (Enlightenment ideals)
No one knew if a gov’t based on the will of the people could really work
Constitution provided a strong foundation BUT not at detailed blueprint for governing
Washington and Congress had to make decisions on how to raise revenue and provide for defense
New Government Takes Shape
First task of Washington and Congress was to create a
judicial system
Judiciary Act of 1789: law that provided for a Supreme Court with chief justices and est federal circuit and district courts throughout the country
Also allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a federal court when constitutional issues were raised
Guaranteed federal laws remained “supreme Law of the Land”
Judiciary Act of 1789
Washington needed to build an executive branch to
help him make policies and carry out laws
Congress created three executive departments to help: Dept of State: deal with foreign affairs (T. Jefferson) Dept of War: handle military matters (H. Knox) Dept of Treasury: manage finances (A. Hamilton)
These dept heads eventually became known as president’s Cabinet
Washington Shapes the Executive Branch
Hamilton v. Jefferson
Hamilton
Believed in strong central gov’t led by a rich, upper-class citizen
Commerce and industry were key to a strong nation
Jefferson Favored strong state
and local gov’t rooted in popular participation
Society of farmer-citizens
As secretary of the treasury, proposed a plan to manage the country’s debt
and est a nat’l banking system Most of debt came from Rev War
Hamilton believed nat’l gov’t responsible for about 2/3 of debt and states responsible for the rest
Country also owed money to foreign countries and citizens who received bonds as payment for their service in the war
Hamilton proposed: Paying off foreign debt Issuing new bonds to replace old ones Take over debt of the states (incentive to support fed gov’t)- made many in
the Southern states furious b/c already paid off debt and saw it as gov’t paying Northern debts
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
The split in Washington’s cabinet between Hamilton
and Jefferson led to the country’s first political parties Main issue debated: size of federal gov’t vs. smaller
state/local governments
Two-party system formed
First Political Parties
Federalists Democratic-Republicans
Agreed with Hamilton- believed in strong central government
Agreed with Jefferson- believed in strong state governments
1789 Congress passed protective tariff: import tax on
goods produced in Europe Meant to encourage American production & brought in
revenue
Secretary Hamilton wanted more so pushed through exercise tax: tax on product’s manufacture, sale, or distribution Levied against manufacture of whiskey
Most whiskey producers were small farmers and it was their main source of cash
Whiskey Rebellion
Hamilton knew the tax would make the farmers furious
and it did 1794: farmers in western PA refused to pay the tax, beat up
federal marshals and threatened to secede from the Union
Hamilton saw this rebellion as an opportunity for the federal government to show it could enforce laws on the frontier 15,000 militiamen were called up and scattered the rebels
without any causalities
The Whiskey Rebellion was a milestone in the enforcement of federal powers in domestic affairs
Whiskey Rebellion
Most Americans initially supported the French
Revolution because, like the American Revolution, it was inspired by the ideals of republican rule
Alliance between France and the U.S. (Treaty of 1778) served as an additional bond between the nations
U.S. Response to Events in Europe
When the Reign of Terror broke out in France, the French
expected the Americans to help Democratic-Republicans wanted to honor the treaty and
support France (Jefferson and Madison) Federalists did not & wanted to support British (Hamilton)’
President Washington took a middle side April 22, 1793 he issued a declaration of neutrality:
statement that US would not support either side
Hamilton and Jefferson came to an agreement and decided entering a war was not in the nation’s best interest
Reactions to the French Rev
U.S. wanted to secure land claims west of the Appalachian
Mtns and gain shipping rights on the Mississippi R. Needed to come to an agreement with Spain
Negotiations stalled because of issues in Europe Spain signed a treaty with France and then feared England
would retaliate against them and attack the Louisiana Territory
Spain agreed to meet with U.S. minister to England, Thomas Pinckney, and signed Pinckney’s Treaty on October 27, 1795
Treaty with Spain
Pinckey’s Treaty
Spain gave up all lands east of the Mississippi (except Florida)
Recognized the 31st parallel as the southern boundary of the U.S. and the northern boundary of Florida
Spain agreed to open up the Mississippi River to traffic by Spanish subjects and U.S. citizens
Allowed American traders to use the port of New Orleans
Political battle over Jay’s Treaty and division between the two political
parties led Washington not to seek a third term in office
In his “Farewell Address” he urged the U.S. to “steer clear of permanent alliances” with other nations
Election of 1796: John Adams wins presidency with 71 electoral votes T. Jefferson received 68 and because the Constitution stated that the runner up
should be VP the U.S has a Federalist Pres and a Democratic-Republican VP
This rule seemed sensible when the Constitution was written but unexpected rise of political parties had become a problem
Election also illustrated danger of sectionalism: placing the interests of one region over those of the nation as a whole Southern states voted for Jefferson, Northern states for Adams
Adams Provokes Criticism
After taking office Adams faced first major issue:
possible war with France French gov’t saw the Jay treaty as a violation of the
French-American alliance and began to seize American ships bound for Britain
Adams sent Charles Pinckey, John Marshall and Elbridge Gerry to Paris to negotiate a solution Planned to meet with French foreign minister but instead
gov’t sent 3 low-level officials that Adams described as “X,Y, and Z” in his report to Congress
French officials demanded a $250,000 bribe as payment for seeing the foreign minister
Adams Tries to Avoid War
News of this bribe caused a wave of anti-French feelings
at home- known as the XYZ Affair
1798 Congress created a Navy dept and authorized U.S. ships to seize French vessels
1,200 men marched to Washington D.C. to volunteer for war and Congress authorized the creation of 50,000 troops
War was never officially declared but, for the next 2 years, naval war raged between France and the U.S.
Adams Tries to Avoid War
Louisiana Purchase
Napoleon Gets Involved
1800- Napoleon Bonaparte persuaded Spain to sell back the Louisiana Territory that it received from France in 1762 (secret deal)
French intended to use the land to create an empire in North America
Jefferson worried that French and Spanish may stop goods from going through New Orleans
Also feared strong French presence in the continent would force an alliance with Britain
Jefferson’s Plan
Try to buy New Orleans and western Florida from the French
He knew Napoleon was fighting wars with other nations in Europe and needed money
Sent James Monroe and U.S ambassador Robert Livingston to Paris
BUT before they arrived in Paris Napoleon had already abandoned his vision of a North American empire
France Sells
Slave revolt in Haiti and impending war with Britain led France to abandon plans and sell the entire territory to the United States
U.S. originally intended only to seek the purchase of New Orleans and its adjacent lands
Specifics of the Deal
Monroe and Livingston closed the deal at $15 million dollars
828,000 square miles
Less than 3 cents per acre
Today: $233 million dollars- less than 42 cents per acre
Was it Constitutional?
Jefferson began to worry whether purchase was constitutional (within his power)
On other hand, new lands could form “empire of liberty” he envisioned for the nation
After short delay, submitted the treaty finalizing the purchase and Senate ratified it (October 1803)
By December- U.S had control of land which doubled country in size
Mixed Emotions
Some felt purchase was a positive and gave the U.S room to grow
Others worried that U.S would get too big to rule and land was just worthless forests and mountains
Causes of the War of 1812
Impressment Practice of seizing Americans at sea and “impressing” (drafting them into the
British navy
Chesapeake incident (June 1807) Commander British warship demanded the right to board and search U.S naval
ship Chesapeake for British deserters When U.S. captain refused, British opened fire killing 3 Americans and wounding 18
Tecumseh Shawnee chief that refused to sign land over to U.S and went from tribe to tribe
encouraging them to do the same Tecumseh began negotiations with British for assistance (weapons) against U.S. Battle of Tippecanoe: U.S. troops burned Shawnee capital to ground but also
suffered heavy losses When it was discovered Native Americans were using arms from the British, young
Congressmen from the South and West called for war against England (War Hawks)
The War Brings Mixed Results
James Madison (Election of 1808) is president
By Spring of 1812, Madison decided to go to war against England Believed that England was trying to strangle American
trade and cripple American economy
U.S was not prepared for war Low taxes reduced military
The War in Canada
Detroit was captured shortly after the war was declared and Americans suffered numerous setbacks including failed attempt to take Montreal
The following year was better (1813) American fleet defeated British on Lake Erie and retook
Detroit Also won several battles
The War at Sea
War of 1812 was opportunity for young U.S. Navy to test out its ships
Aided by its three 44-gun warships: the President, the United States and the Constitution Known for speed and ability to
sail close to enemy vessel
As the war went on the British forced a blockade of the entire east coast By 1813 most U.S. ships were
stuck in a port
British Burn the White House
British Attack DC- 1814 Burn Capitol and
President’s Mansion (later repainted white)
Only time since Revolutionary War capitol invaded by foreign power (until 9/11)
Dolley Madison escapes bringing many important docs, art, ect from being destroyed
Battle of New Orleans
January 1815
General Andrew Jackson gathered troops
Most decisive U.S. victory- over 2,000 British killed
Battle took place after the peace treaty was signed but communication slow
Treaty of Ghent
December 24, 1814
Set boundary between U.S. and Canada
Failed to solve problems of embargoes and impressments However, eager for peace so welcome treaty
War 1812: confirmed American independence and strengthened nationalism