Washington Heads the New Government

Mr. PagliaroSeymour High School

Key objectives

1. Explain how the United States confronted the difficult task of forming a new government.

2. Show how the political ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson differed.

3. Describe how political differences evolved into a two-party system.

1788 Election

• Washington defeated 11 opponents• Swept electoral

college

Washington Shaped Executive Branch

• VP-John Adams• GW chose America’s

Best/Brightest for cabinet• Sec. of State-Thomas Jefferson• Sec. of Treasury-Alexander

Hamilton• Sec. of War-Henry Knox• Attorney General-Edmund

Randolph

What were their backgrounds?

Jefferson:Washington’s Secretary of State

Plantation owner and slaveholder fromVirginiaFavored farming and rural lifeBelieved America “lived and died” with itsfarmers (the agrarian class).

What were their backgrounds?

Hamilton:Washington’s Secretary of the Treasury

An orphan from the West IndiesSelf-made manOne of New York’s richest and most respectedcitizensBelieved businesses and strong centralgovernment would aid the new USA

The power of the federal government...

• Jefferson• Power belonged to

the states and the people

• REPUBLICANISM

• Hamilton• Power belonged with

a strong central government

• FEDERALISM

Whose interests should the federal government represent?

• Jefferson• “The Common Man”• Farmers

• Hamilton• The elite and the

educated business man

The National Debt

• Jefferson• Should only included

money owed by the Continental Congress, and not state debts

• Hamilton• Should include state

debts, and all states should pay it off equally

The U.S. economy...

• Jefferson• Based on agriculture

• Hamilton• Based on trade and

business

The U.S. Constitution...

• Jefferson• “Strict”

interpretation

• Hamilton• “Loose”

interpretation

“A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.”

Hamilton on “assuming the national debt”

“When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.”

“I was duped ... by the Secretary of the treasury [Alexander Hamilton], and made a fool for forwarding his schemes, not then sufficiently understood by me; and of all the errors of my political life, this has occasioned the deepest regret.”

Jefferson on “assuming the national debt”

The Bank of the United States (BUS)

• Paid for by the government and private investors.• Tax receipts• Paper $$$$$$

• Hamilton wanted to get the wealthy involved in American politics

• Split the politics of the United States

The beginning of America’s 2 party system of government:

Followers of Jefferson

Followers of Hamilton and Washington

Domestic Policy

• Judiciary Act of 1789• Attorney General• Federal court system

• District courts-general trials• Appelate court-geographically based• Supreme Court Appointments

• John Jay-Chief Justice• James Wilson• William Cushing• John Blair• John Rutledge

Domestic Policy

• Northwest Indian War (1790-1795)• Continued issues since Rev.• Ohio & Indiana areas of NW

Territory• Western Lakes Confederacy

• the Shawnee, Miami, Ottawa, Chippewa, Iroquois, Sauk, and Fox

• Little Turtle, Tecumseh, Blue Jacket

• High casualties among Americans

• Gen. “Mad Anthony” Wayne• Quick rout

• Treaty of Greenville & Jay’s Treaty

Economic Policy

• Whiskey Rebellion 1791-94• Excise tax on liquor-W. PA

farmer’s revolted• Militia Law, 1792• Aug. 7, 1794-Washington

commanded 13,000 troops to stop rebellion

• Arrested then pardoned tax offenders

• Hamilton’s Economic Program• Assume state debts,

National Bank & currency, encourage industry

Foreign Policy

• July 14, 1789-French Revolution erupted• Help French?-Francophiles• Citizen Genêt

• Proclamation of Neutrality, 1793• Neutrality Act, 1794

• Anglophiles???

• GB remained in NW Territory• Naval Act, 1794-6 warships

• Pinckney’s Treaty, 1795• Treaty of Tripoli, 1796

Washington’s Farewell Address

Farewell Address

• Dangers of Sectionalism• Dangers of Political Parties• Dangers of Entangling Alliances

Cabinet upon leaving office

• State: Timothy Pickering (3rd S. of. S.)• Treasury: Oliver Wolcott (2nd)• War: James McHenry (3rd)• Att. General: Charles Lee (3rd)

The Adams Administration

Election of 1796

• Adams def. Jefferson: 71-68 electoral votes• Jefferson=VP

• Sectionalist vote

Foreign Policy

• Issues:• British seizing American ships in Caribean• French attacking American ships headed

to England

Policy with France

• French upset over Jay’s Treaty• XYZ Affair-

”Millions for defense, not a cent for tribute”

• Quasi War-1798-99• Completed 6 frigates approved in 1794

• Treaty of Mortefontaine

Domestic Policy

• Alien & Sedition Acts-1798• Recent immigants=active Republicans

• Anti-administration???

• The Naturalization Act• The Alien Act• The Alien Enemies Act• The Sedition Act

Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions

• State opposition to Alien & Sedition Acts• Violation of 1st

Amendment• Jefferson (KY) &

Madison (VA)• Passed by state

legislatures

• Kentucky Resolution• Principle of

Nullification

Election of 1800-Mudslinging

Against Adams• Tool of the rich• Anglophile• monarchist

Against Jefferson• Atheist• Franco-phile• Revolutionary• adulterer

Election Results

Presidential Candidate

Party Home State

Popular Vote(a), (b), (c)

Electoral VoteCount Percentage

Thomas Jefferson

Democratic-Republican

Virginia 41,330 61.4% 73

Aaron Burr

Democratic-Republican

New York — — 73(d)

John Adams

Federalist

Massachusetts

25,952 38.6% 65

Charles Pinckney

Federalist

South Carolina

— — 64

John Jay Federalist

New York — — 1

Total 67,282 100.0% 276

Needed to win 70

Jefferson Burr no result

1st 35 ballots

8 6 2

36th ballot

10 4 2

Results

•Federalist HofR broke tie in 1801

•Hamilton supported Jefferson over Burr