The New Republic1789-1824

The Presidencies of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James

Madison, and James Monroe

America in 1790

• 1790 census – 4 million• What percent lived on

farms?• Five biggest cities – – What did they have in

common?• Public debt in 1790– What is the big deal with

our currency?

Washington’s Administration

• Election• Cabinet– Where in the

Constitution does it mention the Cabinet?

– Who were the members of the first Cabinet?• State, Treasury, War,

Attorney General

Washington established many governmental precedents.PRECEDENT: an example that would become a standard practice.

• Shows use of “implied powers”• Created by Washington • First 4 departments 1) Secretary of State- Thomas Jefferson

foreign affairs 2) Secretary of Treasury- Alexander Hamilton

money 3) Secretary of War- Henry Knox

military 4) Attorney General- Edmund Randolph

justice/law

Establishment of the Court SystemFederal Judiciary Act of 1789

passed by Congress1. Created an independent federal court system with the

Supreme Court and lower level courts.2. US Supreme Court=a Chief Justice and 5 associate

justices. (Today we have 9).3. Washington appoints John Jay as Chief Justice.

Hamilton’s Economic PlanBelieved if government favored the wealthy, in the long run all would benefit=stronger country “trickle down” theoryAlso believed that support from the wealthy would create a strong central governmentAssumption Bill-wanted Congress to assume debts accumulated by the national government and statesBelieved tariffs needed to get money to pay off debt (taxed whiskey@ 7 cents a gallon) Favored a National Bank

Issue of Banks and ConstitutionHamilton v. Jefferson

• Said what the Constitution did not forbid it permitted

• Stated congress can pass any laws “necessary and proper”

• If the national gov. was to collect taxes and trade it needed a bank

• “loose construction”

• Said the constitution had no written authority to est. a bank

• Said it must then reside w/ states (10th Amendment)

• “Strict construction”

Political Parties Emerge• Political parties (fractions) emerge out of the new issues

facing the nation• Created in 1790 as Jefferson and Madison organize

opposition against a federal bank

Washington’s Administration

• Loose construction vs. strict construction– Define– “Elastic clause”

Washington leaves office

• Leaves after 2nd term (retires)• Federalists back John Adams (Washington’s

VP)• Democratic-Republicans back Thomas

Jefferson• Adams won 71 to 68 Electoral Votes

Adams Administration

• Aristocrat• Harvard Education• Did not appeal to the masses

1796• JOHN ADAMS ELECTED

2ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

• XYZ Affair – 1798 – French wanted bribes to negotiate with America

• Alien and Sedition Acts – 1798 – allowed the President to deport foreign citizens and made it illegal to criticize government policies.

XYZ Affair

• Adams sent an envoy to help fix relations w/ France headed by John Marshall

• Instead of meeting the French Minister he met X,Y and Z

• Asked for 32 million florins and another 250,000 dollars in order for the Americans to speak to Talleyrand.

• Marshall refused and the U.S. prepared for war

“Millions for Defense”

• Navy Department created (expanded from its 3 ships)

• Marine Corps reestablished• New army of 10,000 men

The Little man and America

• 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte becomes new French Minister

• Adams sends envoys to France• Treaty of Convention 1800- peacetime military

alliance between the two• U.S. agreed to pay damage claims of American

Shippers

Domestic Policy Under Adams

• Issue of immigration from Western Europe 1. raised residence requirements from 5 years to 14 2. Alien Laws: President could deport “dangerous” persons even in time of peace 3. Sedition Acts- those who spoke out against the gov. would be fined & imprisoned (set to expire in 1801)

The Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions

• Jefferson & Madison challenge the Alien & Sedition Acts

• Compact Theory- individual states were to be the final judges of the Federal gov. overstepping its “compact”

• Used as a platform for the election of 1800