The federalist era

The Federalist Era

The Domestic Policy of Washington, Hamilton and

Jefferson

Why does GW become the first president?

What qualities did he have?

What is so important aboutbeing the first?

How did Washington define the Presidency?

• Washington wanted to keep the presidency formal and thus set precedent by establishing Presidential protocol.

• Washington’s other precedents included running for two terms, the creation of a cabinet and a foreign policy of neutrality.

Washington’s Cabinet

• Henry Knox- Sec. of War

• Thomas Jefferson- Sec. of State

• Alexander Hamilton- Sec. of Treasury

What was Hamilton's economic plan (Report on Public Credit)

• Funding – Hamilton would re-issue bonds sold by the Constitutional Convention.

• Who held these bonds?

• Why was it seen as unfair?


• Assumption of State Debt

• Who benefited from this?


• Build a New Capital

• Establish a National Bank

• Excise (sales) Tax on Whiskey

National Bank

• 80% owned by private investors

• Why did Jefferson challenge the idea of a bank?

• He didn’t think it was constitutional

It is objected that none but necessary and proper means are to be employed; and the Secretary of State maintains that no means are to be considered as necessary but those without which the grant of the power would be nugatory...

A bank has a natural relation to the power of collecting taxes - to that of regulating trade - to that of providing for the common defense...

[Therefore] the incorporation of a bank is a constitutional measure...

Interpreting the Constitution

• Jefferson (Anti-Federalist) wanted strong state governments

• He was a “strict constructionist”

• Read the Constitution as written, no more, no less

Back to the Bank

• So was a National Bank legal?

• Did Congress have the explicit power to make a bank?

• NO!

• So how to do it?

National Bank

• Hamilton argued that the bank was legal under the Elastic Clause

• Washington agreed

• Viola, one bank!

National Capital

• In exchange for supporting the Bank, Jefferson’s supporters would get the capital in the “south”

• Washington D.C.

Significance

• Showed the government could/would compel

• System worked better this time

What were some of the differences

between Hamilton and Jefferson? • Hamilton:• 1. Hamilton wanted a powerful nation with a

balanced economy of agriculture, trade, finance, and manufacturing

• 2. He thought that the major weakness of the Confederation had been its inability to raise money. He wanted to gain the support of financial leaders for the new governments.

• 3. Hamilton believed that people in the masses were not to be trusted because they acted “foolishly and needed a strong government to tell them what to do.

What were some of the differences between Hamilton and Jefferson?

• Jefferson:• 1. Jefferson had a deep faith in the common people:

“those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.”

• 2. Felt that city life corrupted people through ignorance and poverty.

• 3. Favored a weak central government and strong state governments

• 4. Viewed the American nation as a land of small independent farmers and educated leaders working together in perfect harmony.

• This battle of values and ideas (ideology) leads to the creation of the first political parties:

• Federalists

• Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)

Political Parties and their effect on

America

How did parties first form? • 1. Jefferson and Madison toured New

England to gain support.

• 2. October 1791: Madison and Jefferson established the National Gazette, which aimed to criticize Hamilton’s views. They then established the Democratic-Republican Party —those who supported their views

• 3. Hamilton began setting up his party—the Federalists.

Federalists: • People whose opinion

were closest to those of Hamilton.

• They were considered "loose constructionists“

• Government support of manufacturing/industry

• They supported strong central government

Democrat - Republicans: • People whose views

were closest to Jefferson and Madison.

• They were considered "strict constructionists"

• proponents of states rights.

• They supported the idea of nullification, or the notion that a state could declare a federal law "null and void."

Jay’s Treaty

• Problems with GB

• England has not left western US

• Are still harassing American settlers

• Eng land was taking US merchant ships

• The treaty did very little for the US

• Hamilton sabotaged it…Why?

Jay’s Treaty

• England would leave forts in the US…Not really

• US Ships allowed into some British ports

• NO mention of British taking US ships

• This treaty was probably the best we could do.

Washington’s Farewell

• Political factionalism

• Foreign alliances

• Religion and Morality– Did Washington support religion with

government?

What was the result of the election of 1796?

• The Republicans saw the election of 1796 as their first opportunity to gain control over national policy. The chose Jefferson as their candidate and Aaron Burr as their candidate for vice-pres.

What was the result of the election of 1796?

• Adams received 71 electoral votes and Jefferson 68.

• Why might this be a problem?

Questions to Consider

• What are the differences between Democratic-Republicans and Federalists?

• What were the effects of party politics on the US?


• How do we really know what the Founding Fathers meant?

• We don’t!

• Do we read the Constitution as written or do we stretch the meaning of things?


• What are the dangers in “stretching” the Constitution?

• What is the downside to reading it word for word?

Interpreting the Constitution• Those that believed in interpreting the

Constitution were known as “loose constructionists”

• Hamilton (Federalist) was one of these

• Believed in a strong central government

• interpreting the Constitution would allow for this because it would allow the government to do more

What was the basic foreign policy of Adams?

• Adam’s administration began with a crisis with France

• Adams chose to send a three-man team to Paris to negotiate

• Three Frenchmen explained that there could be no negotiations unless a bribe was paid.

X,Y,Z Affair• The Americans that returned home referred to

the three Frenchmen as X, Y, and Z.

• Congress created a navy department and authorized American ships to seize French vessels. For the next 2 years, and undeclared naval war raged on.

• “Millions of defense, but not a penny for tribute!”

• Problems with France and the Democratic-Republicans lead to partisan politics

• Dem-Rep. are supported by immigrants and are the biggest critic of the Federalists (Adams)

• What would you do?

How did party politics effect the Adams administration?

• The high federalists decided to crush the criticism that Adams was receiving from the Republican press.

• The Alien Act—gave the president power to in peacetime to order any alien out of the country


• The Enemies Act —permitted the president in wartime to jail aliens at his pleasure. (No arrests were made under either act but many frightened French refugees left the country)


• The Sedition Act —provided fines and jail penalties for anyone guilty of sedition—speaking or writing “with the intent to defame…or bring into contempt or disrepute” the president other members of the government.


• So why did the Federalists do all this?

• How was it going to hurt the Democratic-Republicans?

• Does this work?

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

• According to the resolutions, states could "interpose" their views on federal actions and "nullify" them.

• The doctrine of nullification would be used later for the Southern states' defense of their interests against the North on the question of tariffs, and, more ominously, slavery.

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The federalist era