THE AGE OF JEFFERSON 1789-1824

1. THE AGE OF JEFFERSON1789-1824

2. THE PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

3. THE PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON GW was elected unanimously by Congress. He provided a much-needed symbol of national unity. Having retired to private life after the war, he was a model of republican virtue. His vice-president, John Adams, was widely respected as one of the main leaders in the drive for independence. GW brought into his cabinet some of the nation’s most prominent leaders.

4. THE PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON TJ was his his Secretary of State. AH was Secretary of the Treasury. Gen. Henry Knox was Secretary of War. GW also appointed a Supreme Court of six members, including John Jay. But harmonious govt., proved short-lived. Political divisions first surfaced over the financial plan developed by AH in 1790 and 1791.

5. HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PLAN Immediate Aims: To establish the nation’s financial stability. Bring to the government’s support the country’s most powerful financial interests. Encourage economic development. Long-term goal was to make the US a major commercial and military power. Model: Great Britain The goal of national greatness, AH believed, could never be realized if the government suffered from the same weaknesses as under the Articles of Confederation.

6. HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PLAN Part One: Establish the new nation’s creditworthiness – that is to create conditions under which persons would loan money to the govt., by purchasing its bonds, confident that they would be repaid. Part Two: Creation of a new national debt: the old debts would be replaced by the new interest-bearing bonds to the govt., creditors. This would give men of economic substance a stake in promoting the new nation’s stability.

7. HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PLAN Part Three: Called for the creation of a Bank of the United States: The goal of the BUS was to serve as the nation’s main financial agent. It would hold public funds, issue bank notes that would serve as currency, and make loans to the govt., when necessary, all the while returning a tidy profit.

8. HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PLAN Part Four: To raise revenue, AH proposed a tax on the producers of whiskey. Part Five: AH called for the imposition of a tariff and govt., subsidies to encourage the development of factories that could mfg., products currently purchased from aboard.

9. HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL PLAN AH also promoted an unsuccessful effort to build an industrial city at present day Paterson, NJ. He also proposed the creation of an national army to deal with uprisings like Shays’s Rebellion.

10. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION AH’s plan won strong support from American financiers, manufacturers, and merchants. But it alarmed those who believed the new nation’s destiny lay in charting a different path of development. AH’s plan hinged on close ties with GB, America’s main trading partner.

11. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION To TJ and Madison, the future lay in westward expansion, not connections with Europe. They had little desire to promote mfg., or urban growth or to see economic policy shaped in the interests of bankers and business leaders. Their goal was a republic of independent farmers marketing grain, tobacco, and other products freely to the entire world. Free trade would promote American prosperity while fostering greater social equality.

12. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION TJ and Madison quickly concluded that the greatest threat to American freedom lay in the alliance of a powerful central govt., with an emerging class of commercial capitalists, such as AH appeared to envision. TJ: Hamilton’s system “flowed from principles adverse to liberty, and was calculated to undermine and demolish the republic.” AH’s plans for a standing army was criticized as a threat to freedom. Critics feared that the national bank and assumption of state debts would introduce into American politics the same corruption that had undermined British liberty. AH’s whiskey tax seemed to single out whiskey producers. At first opposition arose entirely from the South. VA., had pretty much paid off its war debt; it did not see why it should be taxed to benefit states like MA., who had failed to do so.

13. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION AH insisted that all his plans were authorized by the Constitution’s ambiguous clause empowering Congress to enact laws for the “general welfare”. This clause is known as the Necessary and Proper Clause. AH took a broad constructionistview of the Const.

14. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION Opponents of the plan took a strict constructionist view – the federal govt., could only exercise powers specifically listed in the Const. TJ believed the new national bank unconstitutional since the right of Congress to create a bank was not mentioned in the Const.

15. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION Opposition in Congress threatened the enactment of AH’s plan. Behind-the-scenes negotiations followed. A compromise was reached during a dinner between AH and TJ. Southerners would agree to the fiscal program in exchange for the establishment of the permanent national capitol on the Potomac River between MD., and VA.

16. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION Pierre-Charles L’Enfant designed a grandiose plan for the “federal city” modeled on the great urban centers of Europe. Benjamin Banneker, the first African American scientist, performed the job of surveying the area.

17. THE EMERGENCE OF OPPOSITION When it came to constructing the public buildings in the nation’s new capital, most of the labor was done by slaves. The debate over AH’s financial plan was the first step in the development of political parties.

18. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

19. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Political divisions began over AH’s fiscal plan, but they deepened in response to events in Europe. 1789: The French Revolution began. It was welcomed by nearly all Americans. 1793: It took a more radical turn with the execution of King Louis XVI along with numerous aristocrats and other foes of the new govt., and war broke out between France and GB. Events in France became a source of bitter conflict in America. The French Revolution was the second step in the development of political parties.

20. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TJ and his followers believed that despite its excesses the Fr. Rev., marked an historic victory for the idea of popular self-govt., which must be defended at all costs. To GW, AH, and their supporters, the FR. Rev., raised the specter of anarchy. Americans, they believed, had no choice but to draw close to GB.

21. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION The “permanent” alliance between France and the US, which dated back to 1778, complicated the situation. No one advocated that the US should become involved in the European war. 4/1793: GW issued a Proclamation of Neutrality – the US would remain neutral in the French and English war.

22. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION But that spring, French Rev., admirers organized a tumultuous welcome for Edmond Genet, a French envoy seeking to arouse support for his beleaguered govt. When he began commissioning American ships to attack British vessels under the Fr., flag, the Washington admin., asked for his recall.

23. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Meanwhile, the British seized hundreds of American ships trading with the French West Indies. GB also resumed the hated practice of impressment – kidnapping sailors, including American citizens of British origin, to serve in their navy.

24. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION GW sent John Jay to London to negotiate a treaty and end the practice of impressment. Jay’s Treaty produced the greatest public controversy of GW’s presidency.

25. THE IMPACT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Jay’s Treaty contained no British concession on impressment or the rights of American shipping. GB did agree to abandon outposts on the American western frontier, which it was supposed to have done in 1783. In return, the US guaranteed favored treatment to British imported goods. In effect, the treaty canceled the American-French alliance and recognized British economic and naval supremacy as unavoidable facts of life. Critics of GW, charged that it aligned the US with monarchial GB in its conflict with France.

26. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLTIICAL PARTIES By the mid-1790s, two increasingly coherent parties had appeared in Congress. They called themselves Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Both parties laid claim to the language of liberty, and each accused its opponent of engaging in a conspiracy to destroy liberty.

27. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES THE FEDERALISTS: Supporters of GW Favored Hamilton’s financial plan. Favored close ties with Great Britain. Included prosperous merchants, farmers, lawyers, and established political leaders (especially outside the South). Outlook generally elitist. Broad constructionists. THE DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICANS: Led by TJ and JM. More sympathetic to France. Drew support from an unusual alliance of wealthy Southern planters and ordinary farmers throughout the country. Support also came from urban artists. Preferred the “boisterous sea of liberty.” More accepting of broad democratic participation as essential to freedom. Strict constructionists.

28. THE DEVLOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES The Federalist Party reflected the 18th century view of society as a fixed hierarchy and of public office reserved for men of economic substance. Freedom, to them, rested on deference to authority. It did not mean the right to stand up in opposition to the government. Federalists feared that the “spirit of liberty” unleashed by the Rev., was degenerating into anarchy and lacking moral discipline. The Federalists may have been the only party in American history to proclaim democracy and freedom dangerous in the hands of ordinary citizens.

29. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES Each party considered itself the representative of the nation and the other an illegitimate faction. The political debate became more and more heated. The Federalists called the DR’s French agents, anarchists, and traitors. DR’s called the Feds., monarchist intent on transforming the new govt., into a corrupt, British-style aristocracy.

30. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLTIICAL PARTIES Each charged the other with betraying the principles of the Rev., and American freedom. GW, himself, received mounting abuse over Jay’s Treaty. When he left office, a DR newspaper declared that his name had become synonymous with “political iniquity( wickedness and sinfulness) and “legalized corruption.”

31. THE WHISKEY REBELLION

32. THE WHISKEY REBELLION 1794: Backcountry PA., farmers sought to block collection of the new tax on whiskey. Their actions reinforced Federalists convictions over mob actions. The rebels invoked the symbols and language of 1776. GW dispatched 13,000 militiamen to quash the rebellion.

33. THE WHISKEY REBELLION GW accompanied the militiamen to the scene of the rebellion. The rebels offered no resistance. GW wrote: His vigorous response was motivated in part for “the impression” the restoration of public order “will make on others” – the others being Europeans who did not believe the American experiment in self-govt., could survive.

34. THE WASHINGTON PRESIDENCY 1792: GW won unanimous re-election. 1796: He retired from public life, in part to establish the precedent that the presidency is not a life office.

35. THE WASHINGTON PRESIDENCY In his Farewell Address, mostly written by AH and published in newspapers rather than delivered orally, GW defended his admin., against criticism, warned against the party spirit, and advised the country to steer clear of international politics by avoiding “permanent alliances with any portion of the world.”

36. THE ELECTION OF 1796

37. THE ELECTION OF 1796 GW’s departure unleashed fierce party competition over the choice of his successor. In the first contested presidential election, two tickets presented themselves. John Adams and Thomas Pinckney (SC) representing the Federalists. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr (NY) representing the Democratic-Republicans.

38. THE ELECTION OF 1796 In a majority of the 16 states (VT, KY and TN had been added to the original 13) the legislature still chose presidential electors. But in 6 states where the people voted for electors directly, intense campaigning took place. Results JA = 71 electoral votes TP = 59 e.v. – due to a split among Fed. TJ = 68 e.v. Thus JA became President and TJ became VP.

39. THE ELECTION OF 1796 Voting fell almost entirely on sectional lines: JA carried New England, NY., and NJ. TJ swept the south, along with PA.

40. THE PRESIDENCY OF JOHN ADAMS

41. THE PRESIDENCY OF JOHN ADAMS 1797: JA assumed leadership of a divided country. Brilliant but austere (stern), and self-important, he was disliked even by those who honored his long career of service to the cause of independence. AH, the leader of the Federalist Party, disliked him. JA’s presidency was beset by foreign and domestic crises.

42. THE XYZ AFFAIR

43. THE XYZ AFFAIR The country was dragged into the ongoing European war. As a neutral nation, the US claimed the right to trade nonmilitary goods with both GB and FR, but both countries seized American ships without impunity. 1797: American diplomats were sent to Paris to negotiate a treaty to replace the old alliance of 1778.

44. THE XYZ AFFAIR French officials presented the American diplomats with a demand for bribes ($250,000) before negotiations could proceed. When Adams made public the envoys dispatches, the French officials were designated XYZ. The “XYZ Affair” poisoned America’s relations with its former ally.

45. “QUASI-WAR” WITH FRANCE 1798: The US and FR were engaged in a “quasi-war” at sea, with FR ships seizing American vessels in the Caribbean and a newly enlarged American navy harassing the French. In effect, the US had become an ally of GB. Despite pressure from AH, who wanted a war against FR, JA in 1800 negotiated peace with FR.

46. FRIES’S REBELLION

47. FRIES’S REBELLION JA was less cautious in domestic affairs. Unrest continued in many rural areas. 1799: Farmers in SE PA., obstructed the assessment of a property tax that Congress had imposed to held fund an expanded army and navy. A crowd, led by John Fries, a local militia leader, released arrested men from prison. No shots were fired, but JA dispatched units of the federal army to the area. The army arrested Fries for treason and terrorized his supporters and whipped Republican newspaper editors. JA pardoned Fries in 1800 but the area never voted for the Federalist party again.

48. THE “REIGN OF WITCHES”

49. THE “REIGN OF WITCHES” The greatest crisis of the Adams Administration arose over the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Confronted with mounting opposition, some of it voiced by immigrant pamphleteers and editors, Federalists moved to silence their critics. A new Naturalization Act extended from 5 to 14 years the residency requirement for immigrants seeking American citizenship.

50. “THE REIGN OF WITCHES” THE ALIEN ACT: 1798 Allowed the deportation of persons from abroad deemed “dangerous” by federal authorities. Allowed the detention of any enemy aliens in the time of war. THE SEDITION ACT: 1798 Authorized the prosecution of virtually any public assembly or publication critical of the government. This meant that opposition editors could be prosecuted for almost any political comment they printed. Main target was the Republican Press.