Setting the Pace: George Washington Administration

Arleen Salas, Lorena Gonzalez, Kristy Pichardo, Kimberley Ramirez

Question Explain the precedents set by George

Washington’s presidential administration

Establishing the Cabinet

A precedent set by George Washington was establishing the Cabinet within the Executive Branch.

Executive branch: the Branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state.

George Washington established the Cabinet by appointing Thomas Jefferson Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton Secretary of Treasury.

This body of government was not outlined within the constitution.

http://youtu.be/GpKFva413A8

A Policy of Neutrality

Another precedent set by George Washington was introducing a policy of neutrality pertaining to foreign wars that was followed up until WWI.

The U.S. Congress passed the Neutrality Acts, which is a series of laws banning arm sales and loans to other countries to prevent the U.S. from going to another war and as an outcome of foreign wars, President Franklin D. invoked the Neutrality Acts.

Innovative Fiscal Concepts

Another precedent set by George Washington was that he supported innovative fiscal concepts such as the Bank of America and a national debt, which would be later adopted.

A major problem facing the federal government was how to deal with the financial chaos created by the American Revolution. States had huge war debts.

Economic hard times were a major factor creating the sense of crisis that produced the stronger central government under the new Constitution.

George Washington chose the talented Alexander Hamilton, to take on the challenge of directing federal economic policy as the treasury secretary.

Hamilton issued a proposal, the federal gov. should pay off all confederation (state) debts at full value.

Hamilton’s vision for reshaping the American economy included a federal charter for a national financial institution. He proposed a Bank of The United States.

Setting a limit Another precedent set by George Washington was

setting a two term limit of Presidents that was followed until Franklin Delano Roosevelt and then turned into the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1797.

In 1940 Roosevelt ran for and was elected to a third term. He was the first to serve more than eight years, and his success resulted in the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment limiting presidential service.

Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Andrew Jackson were all twice elected president and each declined to seek a third term.

Jay’s Treaty Another precedent was that he was able to

establish relations with Great Britain with Jay’s Treaty.

Jay’s Treaty was an agreement that resolved antagonisms between the U.S. and Great Britain, it established a base upon which America could build a sound national economy, and assured its commercial prosperity in Nov. 19, 1794.

Negotiations were undertaken because of the fears of Federalist leaders that disputes with Great Britain would lead to war.

Presidential Farewell Address

Another precedent created was the establishing the tradition of a Presidential farewell address, an excerpt.

The Farewell Address is a letter written by George Washington to the U.S. In this letter includes a statement of republicanism, warning Americans of the political dangers they can and must avoid if they are to remain true their values.

http://youtu.be/gtlNf3DmbM4