Presidencies of George Washington and John Adams

1. Presidencies of George Washington and John Adams SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution. e. Explain the importance of the Presidencies of George Washington and John Adams; include the Whiskey Rebellion, non-intervention in Europe, and the development of political parties (Alexander Hamilton).

2. Party Affiliation: Federalist

3. Judiciary Act of 1789 • Passed by Washington establishing the Federal Court System • Created a Supreme Court • Set up federal circuit courts and district courts • Most Important: It allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a Federal Court when constitutional issues were raised. This guaranteed that the Federal law was the supreme law of the land.

4. Whiskey rebellion • A new tax placed on whiskey • Hurt farmers because this was their main source of income (corn growers) • Protestors in Pennsylvania refused to pay the tax and threatened to secede from the union • Washington and Hamilton sent an army to end the rebellion • **Showed the US was committed to enforcing its laws

5. Foreign policy during the French revolution • The Neutrality Proclamation: a statement made that took a position of neutrality toward the war between France and Great Britain • US remained neutral and Britain and France seized US ships and sailors • US sent John Jay to work out a treaty • Jay’s Treaty was negotiated between the US and Britain… British evacuated their posts in the Northwest Territory

6. Hamilton & Jefferson: the birth of political parties • Alexander Hamilton: • Federalists... Strong central government led by upper class citizens • Secretary of the Treasury • Supported a friendly relationship with the British • Assumption Bill: Federal government would assume the war debts of the states… to be equally shared

7. Thomas Jefferson • Anti Federalist… strong state and local governments, national government with limited power, all citizens to participate • Secretary of State • Supported a friendly relationship with the French • Believed that each state should be responsible for their own war debt

8. The birth of political parties • The beliefs of Hamilton and Jefferson grew into the first political parties of the U.S. • Those who supported the views of Hamilton were called Federalists • Those who supported the views of Jefferson were called the Democratic-Republicans

9. Washington’s farewell address • Due to continued fighting between Hamilton and Jefferson, Washington decided not to run for a third term. • In his farewell address he urged the nation to: • Not become involved in affairs of other countries where we have no business • Stay away from political parties

10. John Adams • 2nd President • 1797- 1801 • Party Affiliation: Federalist

11. John Adams • Election of 1796: Adams v. Jefferson • Adams won the electoral vote and became President • Based on the Constitution, Jefferson became Vice President because he came in second place • The nation had a Federalist President and a Democratic-Republican Vice President

12. Adams: xyz affair • France did not like Jay’s Treaty and wouldn’t talk to the US ambassador and seized US cargo ships • Americans went to talk to the French and were forced to speak with 3 low level officials: XYZ • France wanted a bribe to speak with Napoleon • Provoked anti-French feelings US Navy seized French ships • Adams wouldn’t declare war and it hurt him in the next election

13. Adams: alien & sedition acts • Adams did not like the Democratic-Republicans (gaining strength) and felt they were a danger to the country since many were immigrants • Naturalization Act: raised the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years • Aliens Act: allowed the president to deport or jail any alien considered “undesirable” • Sedition Act: set fines and jail terms for anyone expressing opinions considered damaging to the government