GEORGE WASHINGTON
THE PRECEDENT PRESIDENT 1789-1797
The First Presidency

George Washington

Chosen as first President in 1789

Washington would guide the new
government as it applied the ideas
in the Constitution to create a
nation

Washington faces many
challenges…
Challenges Facing the New Nation

Define authority of the national government

Create a stable economic system

Build a military (maintain national security)

Relationships with other nations

Relationships with Native Americans
#NewNationProblems
Defining the Role of the National
Government

The Constitution allowed the President to
appoint officials in charge of executive
departments

Washington appointed officials which became
the first Presidential Cabinet.
 Secretary
of State: Thomas Jefferson
 Secretary
of the Treasury: Alexander Hamilton
 Secretary
of War: Henry Knox
 Attorney
General: Edmond Randolph
Create a Stable Economic System
Hamilton’s
Plan
Jefferson’s
Response

Repay all debt

Would only benefit the rich

Create a National Bank

Federal government should
not have the power to
create a bank

Raise the government
revenue

Whiskey tax

Protective tariff
Major Issue Facing New Nation
 How
do we create a stable economic
system?

Pay debts

Should states be responsible for national debt?
Idea:
Tax Whiskey!
Whiskey Rebellion




Farmers living west of the Appalachian
Mountains often turned their extra grain into
whiskey
Because the government was so deep in debt,
they decided to put a tax on that whiskey to
raise money
Farmers refuse to pay tax and threaten tax
collectors
Washington sends 13,000 soldiers to settle the
rebellion, but the rebels flee before any fighting
takes place
QUESTION
 WHAT
WAS THE REBELLION THAT TOOK PLACE
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WAS TAKING
FARMER’S LAND?
SHAY’S REBELLION!
Two Rebellions Compared
 Major
difference:
 Shay’s
Rebellion scared the nation –
convinced many people that the
government was not strong enough
under the Articles of Confederation
 Washington
sent a message to the
nation by suppressing the Whiskey
Rebellion: the government has the
power to keep the nation secure
Issues with Native Americans

Basically, Americans wanted more land,
but the land was already settled by
Natives

American settlers would move into Native
American territory, fighting would break
out

Washington would then send soldiers to
settle the fighting

British urged Natives to destroy American
settlements
Little Turtle
Issues with Europe
 French
Revolution 1789

At first, Americans supported the French
in their revolution of freedom

Then the revolution became a
bloodbath…
 France
(1793)
 Should
and Britain go to war…again
the United States be involved
in European problems?
Issues with Europe

Proclamation of Neutrality


Prohibited Americans from fighting in the war
between France and Britain
Treaties


Jay’s Treaty – with Britain
(page 265 – 266)

British will leave American soil and pay for ships
they have damaged

British will allow Americans to trade with their
Caribbean colonies
Pinckney’s Treaty – with Spain

Americans can use Mississippi River and port of
New Orleans
Neutrality
Washington’s Farewell Address - 1796
Washington’s Farewell Address
No

No Political Parties


Washington worried about the nation
becoming divided
No Debt


P.D.A.
Washington warned against the
government borrowing too much
money
No Alliances (no permanent alliances)
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
QUESTION:
Why would Washington
warn America to avoid
strong alliances with other
nations?
Neutrality
Major Challenges

Define authority of the national government

Create a stable economic system

Build a military (maintain national security)

Relationships with other nations

Relationships with Native Americans
Political Parties Emerge
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Political Parties Emerge
Issue: United States needs a stable economy
Hamilton’s
Plan
Jefferson’s

Repay all debt


Create a National Bank


Raise the government
revenue

Whiskey tax

Protective tariff
Response
Would only benefit the rich
Federal government should not
have the power to create a bank
Political Parties Emerge

Hamilton’s supporters became
known as “Federalists”

Jefferson’s supporters became
known as “DemocraticRepublicans”
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Political Parties Emerge
Federalists
 Alexander Hamilton and John Adams
 Loose Constructionists (govt. should take all
necessary steps to govern)
 Favored a strong federal government
 Pro-British: Federalists feared the French
Revolution (feared mob rule)
 Merchants and Manufacturers
 Who should vote? – Only those meeting property
qualifications
Political Parties Emerge

Democratic-Republicans
 Thomas Jefferson and James Madison



Strict Constructionists (government should only
have powers expressly listed in the Constitution)
Favored states’ having power
Pro-French: Jefferson supported the French
Revolution

Farmers and craftsmen

Who should vote? – All adult males
CREATE A T-Chart comparing
Federalists and DemocraticRepublicans
John Adams
THE 2ND PRESIDENT
#HisRotundity
1797-1801
Hostility with
France
JOHN
ADAMS
Alien and
Sedition Acts
XYZ Affair
The
“Undeclared
War”
John Adams
 Hostility
with France

France and Britain are at war

Jay’s Treaty (US treaty with Britain) made
the French feel threatened

So, the French began to capture
American ships trading with Britain
John Adams
 The
“X-Y-Z Affair”

President Adams sends a delegation to
France to resolve the issue between U.S.
and France

The French sent 3 agents to the meeting
and demanded a bribe and a loan from
the Americans

The U.S. refused and were insulted by the
incident
John Adams
 Alien
and Sedition Acts

The threat of war with France made Americans
more suspicious of aliens (immigrants who were not citizens)

Congress passes laws to protect the nation’s
security

o
Made it more difficult to become a citizen
o
restricted speech which criticized the federal
government
Became known as the “Alien and Sedition Acts”
John Adams

The “Undeclared” War

U.S. and France have been
unofficially fighting

President Adams did not want
to enter another war, so he
avoided declaring war

In 1800, U.S. and France sign a
peace treaty
1797-1801
Hostility with
France
#HisRotundity
JOHN
ADAMS
Alien and
Sedition Acts
XYZ Affair
The
“Undeclared
War”