4.1 launching the new nation
DESCRIPTION
Notes 1/18TRANSCRIPT
LAUNCHING THE
NATION
Inauguration – swear in
George Washington – 1st president
John Adams – VP
New York City – April 1789
precedent – example that becomes standard practice
JUDICIARY ACT OF 1789set up 3 levels of courts
district courtsfederal courtsthe Supreme Court
5 justices + Chief Justice (John Jay)
today – 9
Cabinetpresident’s advisors
Department of State – Thomas Jeffersonhandles relations with other countries
Department of War – Henry Knoxmilitary matters
Treasury Department – Alexander Hamiltonraising $ & handling gov’t finances
Attorney General – Edmund Randolphadvise gov’t on legal mattersToday – 15 positions
Economics national debt – all $ owed by gov’t
$11.7 million to foreign countries
Bonds – certificates promising to repay $with interest – extra $ in return for using $
CapitalismAdam Smith – Scottish
economistMost businesses are privately
owned & operatedCompetition & free market
determine product & price
Keep the gov’t out of it & it will work!
Hamilton’s Financial PlanRepay foreign debt immediatelyRepay bonds over time (full value)
Some southern states had little debtThis would benefit northern states
that still had debtJefferson AGAINST plan
CompromiseJefferson offered his
support IF new capital built in the South
Ergo the District of Columbia
Land donated by Maryland & Virginia on Potomac River
Pierre L’Enfantarchitect who designed WDCremoved because of his temper
Benjamin Bannekerself-educated, son of former
slave, mathematician, surveyorrecreated plan from memory finished building DC when
L’Enfant left
Strict constructiongov’t had only powers that
Constitution gives itJefferson & MadisonLoose constructiongov’t can do anything
Constitution doesn’t say it cannot do
Hamilton (Washington ?)
Hamilton established bankswanted protective tariff
tax on imported goods in order to raise funds to put into
banksestablished Bank of the United
States (1791)
Differences between Jefferson & Hamilton1) interpretation of Constitution
2) national finances
3) Jefferson favored France
Hamilton favored Britain
4) Jefferson = small, independent farmers
Hamilton = manufacturing, industrialization, cities
1793 Jefferson resigns as Sect. of State Forms Democratic-Republican Party
French Revolution was inspired by our revolution
France & Great Britain went to war
Neutrality Proclamation U.S. would not take sides in European conflict
Trouble w/ BritishTrouble w/ British
1) British were seizing Am. ships 1) British were seizing Am. ships
2) encouraging Indian raids on 2) encouraging Indian raids on frontierfrontier
Jay’s TreatyJay’s Treaty (compromise) (compromise)1) Br. pay damages to ships, 1) Br. pay damages to ships,
let US ships trade in W. Indieslet US ships trade in W. Indies2) abandon frontier forts if U.S. 2) abandon frontier forts if U.S.
pay pre-Rev. War debtspay pre-Rev. War debts
Border disputes w/ Spanish along Florida & Louisiana
Spain closed New Orleans (1784)
Pinckney’s Treaty
Feared our siding w/ G.B.
Spain recognized U.S. borders at the Mississippi and the 31st parallel
Spain granted Americans the right of deposit
(allowed temporary storage w/out fees)
DOMESTIC AFFAIRSLittle Turtle had defeated U.S.
forces in NW Territory“Mad” Anthony Wayne sent to put
down Indian uprisingBattle of Fallen TimbersIndians fasted before battleWayne waited 3 daysTreaty of Greenville – gave US
access to NW Territory
Whiskey Rebellion (Pennsylvania)
Congress taxed American-made whiskey (used as $)
Farmers refused to pay taxWashington led 13,000 troopsEnded the rebellionProved 2 things:1) Gov’t CAN enforce their laws2) Citizens cannot pick & choose
which laws they will obey
Washington’s Farewell Washington’s Farewell AddressAddress
Wanted only 2 termsWanted only 2 termsReminded us he was a Reminded us he was a president - not a kingpresident - not a king
Warned:Warned:
1) avoid political parties1) avoid political parties
2) foreign alliances2) foreign alliances
3) public debt3) public debt
UniqueTransfer of power peacefullyPrior to this by bloodBlood lines or
by shedding blood
Election of 1796 John Adams & Thomas Pinckney
(Federalists) Thomas Jefferson & Aaron Burr
(Democratic-Republican Party) not the parties of today
Adams won 71 electoral votes Jefferson won 68 electoral votes Result: only time in history to
have a president from one party & VP from another
XYZ Affair Pres. Adams sent 3 diplomats to
France to improve relations Talleyrand (Fr. Foreign Minister)
would not meet w/ them 3 French agents secret visit (X,Y,Z) Talk w/ Talleyrand for $250,000! France wanted a loan of $10 million!
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!”
ALIEN & SEDITION ACTSPassed by Federalists in
CongressAlien Act - President could
remove foreign residents if involved in plots
Sedition Act – US citizens could not speak out against gov’t
Arrested 25 Republican newspaper editors
States’ rights – states had right to ignore a law if they thought it was unconstitutional