Launching the New Nation

1. Launching the New Nation • Chapter 2 • Section 4 • Page 74

2. George Washington • Hero of the Revolution • Unanimous choice in nation’s first presidential election • Daunting task of creating a new government • The Constitution had laid the foundation, but there was no detailed blueprint for governing

3. Judicial System • One of the first tasks faced by Washington and Congress was to create a judicial system • Judiciary Act of 1789 • Provided a Supreme Court and federal circuit, as well as district courts • Allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a federal court when constitutional issues were raised • Federal Laws  supreme laws of the land

4. Executive Branch • Washington shapes the executive branch • Congress created three executive departments to help the president govern

5. Cabinet • Department of State • Dealt with foreign affairs • Thomas Jefferson • Secretary of State • Department of War • Handled military matters • Henry Knox • Secretary of War • Department of the Treasury • Managed finances • Alexander Hamilton • Secretary of the Treasury

6. Jefferson vs. Hamilton • Different political ideas • See p. 76 for more

7. The First Political Parties • Differences in Washington’s cabinet led to a two-party system • Federalists  shared Hamilton’s view of a strong central government • Mostly Northerners • Democratic-Republicans  shared Jefferson’s view of strong state and local governments • Mostly Southerners

8. Whiskey Rebellion • Protective tariff  import tax placed on goods from abroad • Why would Hamilton want to use a protective tariff? • Excise tax also placed on the sale, manufacture, and distributing of whiskey

9. Whiskey Rebellion • 1794 • Furious whiskey producers in Pennsylvania refused to pay tax and attacked the tax collectors • Federal government sent 13,000 militiamen to end the conflict • 1st use of armed force to assert federal authority

10. Foreign Affairs • 1789 • French Revolution ended the monarchy in France • 1793 • France was engaged with a war with Great Britain • Parties split: • Democratic-Republicans wanted to back the French • Federalists wanted to back the British

11. Declaration of Neutrality • Washington declared neutrality • The U.S. would not support either side in the conflict • Washington remained wary of foreign involvement throughout his tenure as president

12. Treaty with Spain • Thomas Pinckney • Negotiated a treaty with Spain • Spain agreed to open the Mississippi River to American traffic • Also allowed U.S. traders to use the port in New Orleans • Paved the way for U.S. expansion west of the Appalachian Mts.

13. Battle of Fallen Timbers • 1794 • U.S. military under General Anthony Wayne • Defeated confederacy of Native Americans on the western border • Established the settlers’ supremacy in the region

14. Jay’s Treaty • John Jay • Chief Justice of the Supreme Court negotiated with the British • British agreed to evacuate posts in the Northwest Territory • Gave the U.S. more control of the land west of the Appalachians • British maintained the right to continue fur trading in the U.S.

15. Jay’s Treaty • Many Americans angered • Western fur traders angered that British were still allowed to fur trade • Treaty did not resolve dispute over neutral trade in the Caribbean • Britain had seized U.S. ships and cargo in the Caribbean

16. Washington • Washington decides not to seek a third term as president • Due to political fight over Jay’s Treaty • Growing division between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans • Why else might Washington have decided not to seek a third term?

17. Election of 1796 • Different from previous election where Washington was elected unanimously • Federalists nominate John Adams • Served as Vice President under Washington • Democratic-Republicans nominate Thomas Jefferson • Secretary of State under Washington

18. Election of 1796 • Adams wins the election • 71 to 68 electoral votes • Constitution states that the runner-up should become the VP • U.S. has a Federalist president and a Democratic-Republican vice president • Thomas Jefferson becomes the VP

19. Election of 1796 • Election underscored sectionalism that existed in the United States • Placing the interests of one region over the interests of another • South  voted primarily for Jefferson • North  voted primarily for Adams

20. Looming War with France • French government saw the U.S.-British agreement over the NW Territory as a violation of the French-American alliance • France began seizing U.S. ships bound for Britain • Adams sends a negotiating team to Paris to find a peaceful solution

21. XYZ Affair • Future Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall planned to meet with French foreign minister, Talleyrand • Instead, France sent 3 low-level officials who Adams referred to as X, Y, and Z • France demanded a $250,000 bribe to see Talleyrand • Insulted, the U.S. began feeling anti-French sentiment

22. XYZ Affair • 1798, Congress creates a naval department • For the next two years, an undeclared naval war raged between France and the U.S. • Adams refused to wage an all out war, much to the dismay of many Americans

23. Alien and Sedition Acts • Pushed through Congress by the Federalists in 1798 • Alien Acts • Raised residence requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years • Allowed the president to deport or jail any alien considered undesirable

24. Alien and Sedition Acts • Sedition Act • Set fines and jail terms for anyone trying to hinder the operation of the government • Also outlawed the use of “false, scandalous, and malicious statements” against the government

25. Alien and Sedition Acts • Many Democratic-Republicans jailed as a result • Outraged! Claimed it was a violation of their First Amendment rights • Democratic-Republicans: Jefferson and Madison • Wrote resolutions against the acts calling for nullification* • *states could nullify (void) acts of Congress deemed unconstitutional • Unsuccessful