Do Now- George Washington
The Constitution was officially ratified by all states in 1790. Months
before that, the electoral college had already chosen its President
for the new government. GW won the popular vote with 93% of
the vote of the people. He won 8 out of 10 states, but the
electoral college unanimously picked him to be the 1st President.
GW took office in April 1789, in NYC (Wall Street), and at his
inauguration he spoke of the virtues of a republic form of
government.
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What oddities do you notice about GW’s election?
Why do you think NYC was chosen as the 1st capitol of
the country?
Why do you think GW spoke of a “republican” form of
government as he was being sworn in as the leader of
the executive branch?
What problems do you think GW will face in becoming
President?
What differences do you notice between
the 2 painting?
 How does this show the fear that some
had of Washington becoming President?
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Aim: How did GW’s Domestic
Policy effect the US?
GW Background
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Rich plantation owner (one of the FFV’s)
 Owned
318 slaves
Revolutionary War general
 No political party affiliation
 Served in House of Burgesses, but never
wrote any major laws
 President at Constitutional Convention, but
only spoke once and very limited political
experience
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 Based
on this background, was GW the right
choice to be the 1st President of the US?
GW DOMESTIC POLICY
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DOMESTIC- AT HOME
The Cabinet
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Group of advisors…. Why called the
cabinet???
 Organize
the various levels of bureaucracy
 VP- Adams Sec. State- Jefferson TreasuryAlexander Hamilton War- Henry Knox
Attorney General- Randolph
Judiciary Act 1789
Establishes Supreme Court with 6 judges
 13 Judicial Districts and circuit courts
within each district
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Economic Woes
National government under the Articles
were $54 million in debt
 Individual States owed $21 million
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 Should
the new government absorb the debt
of the old government?
 Should the national government assume the
debt of the states?
Hamilton’s Financial Plan
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Assumption- Hamilton decides to assume the debt of
the old government and offer bonds in the new
government and pay off the state debts…. Why???
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Makes the new government look strong
Paying off the states debt would tie them to the national
government
Any creditors that helped in paying off debt would be linked to
the success of the new government (merging of the rich and the
politicians?)
Different states owed different amounts!!! Most southern
states had already paid off their debts!!! So to appease
them, Hamilton convinced TJ to accept moving the
capitol to the South.
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Federal City (later Washington D.C.) located on Potomac River
Hamilton and the Bank
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Hamilton persuades the government to
create a National Bank
 Positives
 Sound
currency
 Place to store newly collected tariffs
 Get the rich on their side
 Negatives
 Business
and gov’t tied together
 Self interest??
 Corruption??

Bank Charter to operate for 20 years
Is the Bank Legal??
Jefferson vs. Hamilton
 TJ says nothing in Constitution about a
National Bank
 Hamilton uses the elastic clause

 Congress
can make “any laws it feels is
necessary and proper”
Loose Constructionists vs. Strict
Constructionists!!!!
 Start of the 2 original political parties
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 Federalists
 1st
vs. Anti-Federalists
political party system
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
(Hamilton)
(Jefferson)
strong central govt
power in state and local
Educated, rich elite rule
democracy of virtuous farmers
Fear or mob rule
fear of absolute power
Loose interpretation <Constitution>
Strict interpretation
Pro-Bank
Bank is illegal and favor rich
Manufacturing society
Agriarian Society
Bankers, lawyers, NE <Supporters> farmers, small tradesmen
Whiskey Rebellion
Hamilton tried to start reducing the debt by
collecting tariffs
 1st tax was on whiskey
 Pa. farmers complained about the tax and
started protests and refused to pay
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If you were in charge, what would you do????
Hamilton convinced GW to send in the military!!
13,000 troops (led by GW himself) sent to crush
rebellion
 Most scattered when they saw huge army
 3 killed
 Was this the right move by the government????
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Shows strength of govt
If they let this tax go, they will just whine about the next one
George Washington’s Domestic
Policy
WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT IS ODD
ABOUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY REGARDING GW’S
DOMESTIC POLICY????
 HAMILTON BASICALLY IS THE DOMESTIC
POLICY
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Washington Foreign Policy
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Foreign policy- relations with other nations
French Revolution
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How do you think the Rev. will affect the
US?
Divided country
a. Federalists wanted to aid England
b. Anti-Federalists supporting their
“eternal friendship”
US pride that they are using our
“model”
Reign of Terror and European War
More people in US started to side with
England
Affect on trading?
GW’s Proclamation of Neutrality
o US will stay neutral from all
foreign affairs with Europe
o Why he issues it?
o US IS WEAK!!!!!!!!
o We got our own issues
o England would’ve just
blockaded us, preventing us
from trading
Problems with England
 Instigating
the natives
 Still on our western lands
 Disruption of trade?
 Impressment and Seizures
 taking US soldiers and ships,
claiming they are runaway British
sailors
US
gets
Jay’s Treaty
 Repayment
of previously damaged
ships
 Promise to leave the western forts
 Recognition
• England
• Still
gets
owed $$$$$ from past debts
Effect of Jay’s Treaty
 England never leaves the forts
 England continues to seize US
ships
 England threatens blockade of
West Indies
 GW popularity suffers
Pinckney’s Treaty
• US and Spain
• US gets
• Rights to Mississippi River
• Use of Port of New Orleans
• Clear border of Florida
• Why US gets such a good deal???
• a. Spain afraid of US-England alliance
• b. Shows deterioration of Spain’s power
Washington’s Farewell Address
Policy of Isolation and Neutrality
 Steer clear of permanent alliances
 2 term precedent
 US gov’t shouldn’t borrow $$ from other
countries and have any debt
 Beware of political parties/ factions
 Avoid sectional conflicts in the US
 Importance of Constitution/ checks and
balances/separation of powers
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