CHAPTER 6I. A Strong Start for

the New Nation

A. The Country Gets Started1. Washington First President

a) Unanimously elected April 6, 1789

b) Why Washington? See below quote

The Powers granted to the president would not have been so great “had not many of the members cast their eyes toward General Washington as President; and shaped their Ideas of the Powers to be given to a President, by their opinions of his virtue” – Congressman Pierce Butler• What was Butler trying to say in this quote?• What do you think his opinion of Washington

was?

A. The Country Gets Started

c) Precedence – Washington knew each step would set a guide for the future

• What kinds of precedents can you think of that have been developed in the U.S government?

• In school? At home? Elsewhere?

A. The Country Gets Started2. Early Challenges

a) Bill of Rightsb) Judiciary Act of 1789 – allowed for creation

of lower courts and defined judicial powerc) Cabinet –

• Group of President’s closest advisers• Three departments created by Congress – State

(Jefferson), Treasury (Hamilton), and War (Knox)• One appointed by Washington – Attorney

General (Justice Dept., Edmund Randolph)

B. Restoring the Nation’s Credit

1. Secretary of the Treasury – Hamiltona) Another precedent

• Congress sought help from the executive branch by asking Hamilton for economic advice

b) Hamilton’s belief • The nation’s future depended on strong federal

government controlled by wealthy

c) Adam Smith• Scottish economist who wrote The Wealth of

Nations, supported idea of capitalism

d) Capitalism• economic system in which private businesses run

most industries and competition determines how much goods cost and workers are paid

B. Restoring the Nation’s Credit

2. National Debta) Congress needed to pay off national debt to

gain any kind of respectabilityb) Hamilton proposed paying off the entire debt

plus state debts• He said it was necessary to do this in order for

country to grow

U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK http://www.usdebtclock.org/

C. Hamilton’s Bank Proposal

1. Bank of the United Statesa) A central bank with branches in major US

cities that would provide a safe place to put government funds and create one uniform currency

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse (generously) from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public  treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal  policy, always followed by a dictatorship."

- Alexander Tyler 1787 -

http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/cowen.banking.first_bank.us

C. Hamilton’s Bank Proposal

2. Debate over the Banka) Jefferson’s claim – Bank was illegal because

it was not included in the Constitution

b) Strict Construction – Belief that the gov’t can only do what is specifically allowed by the Constitution (Jefferson)

c) Loose Construction – Belief that the elastic clause allowed the gov’t to do anything not banned by the Constitution (Hamilton)

d) Result – Washington sided with Hamilton, Bank got approved for 20 years

D. Domestic Difficulties1. Whiskey Rebellion

a) Congress passed excise tax in 1791 on whiskey, which was farmers made from their surplus grain to trade for supplies

b) Reaction – Protesters in western Pennsylvania attacked federal officials and intended to march on Philadelphia

c) Result – Washington calls up militia from four states, protesters scatter quickly

• 13,000 soldiers report, larger army than during the Revolution

d) Legacy – New government can stand up to a challenge

Do you see any similarities between the 1791 tax on whiskey and a so-called vice tax of today? If so, how?

Section 2Dealing with a

Dangerous World

A. French Revolution1. Background

a) Storming of Bastille prison on July 14, 1789

b) 1792 – Rest of Europe including Britain goes to war with France, fearing spread of the revolution, U.S. tries to stay neutral

c) Reign of Terror (1793-94) – Radicals behead thousands of people

B. More Problems with the British

1. Impressment of American sailors –

Seizure of American ships and cargo; act of war by the British

Why did the British resort to impressment?

C. Jay’s Treaty

1. Washington’s dilemma:

War or Diplomacy

3. Action very unpopular with many Americans; people thought we sold out to British• Did increase American

trade

2. John Jay sent to negotiate new treaty

D. Hamilton v. Jefferson1. TJ and AH disagreed on almost

everything about how the government should be run

2. Their disputes led to the formation of the nations first political parties

3. The Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans

4. Sectionalism – divisions along regional lines

The Political Division

The Federalists:• Pro-industry• Pro-England (due to

trade needs)• High tariffs and excise

taxes (i.e. whiskey)• Strong centralized

government• Favored the wealthy• New England and Mid-

Atlantic

The Democratic-Republicans:

• Pro-agriculture• Pro-France• Opposed to taxes• Strong State

governments• Favored the middle and

lower classes• South and West

E. Election of 17961. Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans

a) Washington doesn’t run again – sets new precedent (only two terms)

b) Adams and Pinckney (F) vs. Jefferson and Burr (D-R)

c) Result – Adams was elected President with 71 electoral votes, Jefferson second with 68 votes, became VP

– President and VP are from different parties2. Washington’s Farewell Address

– See next slide

Farewell Address• Praises the benefits of the federal government. "The unity of

government...is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence...of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize."

• Warns against the party system. "It serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration; kindles the animosity of one....against another....it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption...thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."

• Wants U.S. to stay neutral in foreign affairs. "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world..."

Why do you think Washington’s farewell address is one of the most famous speeches in American history?

F. Issues with the French

1. Condemned Jay’s Treaty as an initial step towards alliance with Britain

2. Wanted U.S. to honor alliance from the American Revolution

3. French warships began seizing U.S. merchant vessels (about 300 by mid-1797)

4. Refused to receive America's newly appointed envoy; threatened him with arrest

G. The XYZ Affair1. American diplomats extorted for a bribe

from unknown French diplomats

2. US rejects demands, leave France

H. Reaction to the XYZ Affair1. Federalists pressure Adams to pursue war2. Adams resists, but unofficial war (called the

Quasi-War) breaks out in the Caribbean; two year conflict with France begins

I. Significance

1. Convention of 1800 - Major war with France avoided

2. Made it possible to complete the Louisiana Purchase 3 years later

3. If war had occurred, Napoleon would not have sold Louisiana

4. Adams felt this to be his finest achievement

J. The Alien and Sedition Acts

Passed by Federalist Congress

1. The Alien ActsDeports nonresidents

supportive of the French

Aimed at newly arrived immigrants, primarily DR supporters

Question: Who was Luther Baldwin?

2. The Sedition ActsMade criticism of the war,

the President, or the Congress illegal

Aimed at DRs, incl. Jefferson and Madison

Representative Matthew Lyon of Vermont, arrested under the Sedition Act of 1798, attacking a fellow congressman

K. Controversy over the Acts

1. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions– Proposed by Jefferson and

Madison to oppose A & S Acts

– Doctrine of nullification: States can counteract or not enforce federal laws

Section 3The Nation Expands

A. The Election of 18001. Rematch of 1796 – Jefferson and Burr

(R) vs. Adams and Pinckney (F)

2. Tie vote – a) What happened? Jefferson and Burr finished

with same number of votes, House picks winner

b) Jefferson wins in House • Hamilton convinced some Federalists to vote for

Jefferson• Why? Hamilton thought Burr was “unprincipled

and dangerous”

A. The Election of 18003. 12th Amendment – Separate ballots for

President and VP

4. Hamilton vs. Burr – rivalry continued until July 1804 duel in Weehawken when Burr killed Hamilton

– Burr was upset because he lost governor’s race in New York

– Burr disgraced two years later when he was accused of treason in a plot to take over part of Louisiana Territory

B. Revolution of 18001. What was it? Jefferson’s name for his

take over of the presidency

2. Left some Federalist programs untouched (National Bank and debt payment program)

3. Tried to remain neutral in foreign policy and increase U.S. landholdings to help Republican farmers

– Republicans also gained control of Congress for the first time

C. John Marshall and the Supreme Court

1. John Marshall – Named Chief Justice in 1801

2. Judicial review – the power of federal courts to declare an act of Congress to be unconstitutional

3. Marbury v. Madison (1803)– Significance – First time Congress

used judicial review to declare something unconstitutional

D. Louisiana Purchase1. U.S. wanted to buy New Orleans and

west Florida, French offered all of Louisiana, U.S. quickly said yes

2. Largest land deal in history – $15 million – 4 cents an acre

3. Why Napoleon wanted to sell – He decided to spend money instead on his army in Europe– Was this purchase constitutional?

D. Louisiana Purchase4. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

a) Who were they? Frontiersmen who traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back to survey the new land for Jefferson

b) How long did they take? 2 years

c) Sacagawea – Shoshone wife of a French Canadian fur trader, helped Lewis and Clark along the way

D. Louisiana Purchase5. Importance –

a) Added all or part of 13 states

b) Increased size made U.S. feel more important to other countries

c) Jefferson departed from strict constructionist beliefs to do what was best for country

d) Removed French threat to U.S. and opened interior for expansion

e) Promoted national identity

Section 4The War of 1812

A. Perils of World Trade1. Barbary States –

a) North African pirates demanded money from U.S. ships

b) U.S. sent warships to protect merchant ships• USS Philadelphia ran aground but sailors snuck

on board and burned it before the pirates could get to it

2. Disrespect – U.S. ships seized by both Britain and France; impressment of American sailors by British navy

– Why did the United States receive little to no respect from European powers?

A. Perils of World Trade3. Orders in Council –

– British law tried to prevent neutral countries from trading with France

4. Embargo Act– Stopped shipments of food and other

American products to all foreign ports– Value of U.S. trade exports fell by 80

percent from 1807 to 1808

B. Confrontation in the West

1. Expansion – a) Rapid movement westward by settlers

creates tension with American Indians

b) British add to tension by keeping forts on American soil and giving weapons to Indians

2. Tecumseh – Shawnee chief wanted to unite Indian nations in a military alliance

C. Congress Declares War1. Doves – Anti-War

– Mostly Federalists merchants who feared a British blockade of the coast

2. War Hawks – Pro-War– Mostly Democratic-Republicans farmers

who blamed British for trouble with Indians

– Examples – Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun

C. Congress Declares War1. Declaration of War

a) Vote went along sectional and party lines –

b) Reasons for war – • Impressment of U.S. sailors• Violations of neutrality• British support of American Indians • Economic issues in South and Midwest• Republican fears of losing power back to

the Federalists

D. War of 18121. First two years doesn’t settle much

2. British invade Washington – Aug. 24, 1814 – White House burned to the ground

3. Dolley Madison – First Lady saved many important items

4. Fort McHenry (9/13-14) – U.S. holds on to Baltimore

5. Star-Spangled Banner – Francis Scott Key

6. Treaty of Ghent (12/24) – end of the war

7. Battle of New Orleans (1/8/1815) – 2 weeks after treaty signed, major U.S. win

Battle of Baltimore –Assault on Fort McHenry

Battle of New Orleans

D. War of 18128. Hartford Convention

a) Dec. 1814 meeting of Federalists who were opposed to the war and threatened to secede [withdraw] from Union

b) Result – Many thought it was treasonous act and ultimately led to the end of the Federalist Party