The New
Government
George Washington
• On April 30, 1789 George Washington took
the oath of office (the promise the
President takes to preserve, protect, and
defend the Constitution) as the first
President of the United States
Shaping the Executive Branch
• As the first President, Washington had to
make wise choices. His decisions would be
precedents (examples for others to
follow).
• The first Vice President was John Adams
• He set up the first Cabinet
• Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State
• Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of
Treasury
• Henry Knox – Secretary of War
New Laws
• Under Washington, new laws were passed
• The Judiciary Act of 1789 – created a
federal court system
• Neutrality Proclamation of 1793 – stated
the US would remain neutral and friendly
to both France and England during the
French Revolution
Hamilton vs. Jefferson
• Hamilton and Jefferson had very different ideas on how
the country should be run.
Hamilton
Jefferson
Government
Economy
War Debts
Constitution
strong central
manufacturing
industry
pay state and
national debt
loose interpretation
strong state
agriculture
pay national
debt only
strict
interpretation
Political Parties
• Hamilton and Jefferson’s ideas were the
basis for the two political parties that
developed during this era
• Federalist Party – supported Hamilton’s
ideas
• Democratic Republicans – supported
Jefferson’s ideas
Whiskey Rebellion
• To get money for the federal government
Hamilton suggested an excise tax (a tax on a
product’s manufacture, sale, or distribution)
• He proposed to add an excise tax on the
manufacturing of whiskey.
• This upset farmers because they made more
money on whiskey than they did on corn.
• Corn was hard to carry to market, but they could
distill it into whiskey which was easier to carry.
Whiskey Rebellion
• This excise tax made farmers angry!
• They refused to pay the tax
• Beat up federal marshals who tried to
enforce it
• Threatened to secede from the union
• Washington and Hamilton led militiamen
to put down the rebellion without one
death
• This was the first use of federal power for
a domestic issue
French Revolution and
America
• French Revolution – France declared war on
England to develop a government based on the
will of the people.
• Most Americans supported this because it was
like the Revolutionary War
• President Washington didn’t think America was
prepared to fight a war and declared that we
would remain neutral (Neutrality Proclamation
of 1793)
America’s Neutrality
• Britain and France did not respect America’s
decision to remain neutral.
• Both began to capture ships headed to the other
country
• The US lost hundreds of ships and cargo
• Britain even began to practice impressment
(taking American sailors and forcing them to
serve in the British navy)
• This greatly angered Americans
Jay’s Treaty
• Washington sent John Jay to England to
negotiate a treaty.
• Jay’s Treaty would allow the US to
continue to trade with England
• This angered France who believed Jay’s
treaty violated the alliance France and US
signed during the Revolutionary War
Pinckney’s Treaty
• Washington sent Thomas Pinckney to
Spain in 1795.
• The US wanted to secure land west of the
Appalachian Mountains and shipping
rights along the Mississippi River
• Spain agreed to these requests but
maintained their ownership of Florida.
Problems with Native
Americans
• Pioneers continued to settle farther west.
• The Native Americans claimed this as their
tribal lands
• They often attacked white settlers who
moved into the territory
Chief Little Turtle
• In 1790 US General Josiah Harmar and his
men fought Miami Chief Little Turtle and
his men
• The Native Americans won the battle.
• In 1791 US General Arthur St. Clair and his
men fought Chief Little Turtle and his men.
• The Native Americans won this battle as
well.
Battle of Fallen Timbers
• In 1792 Washington sent General Anthony Wayne to
battle the Native Americans
• Wayne defeated the Native Americans
• This victory ended the Native American resistance in
Ohio.
• In 1793 the Miami Confederacy signed the Treaty of
Greenville.
• This started a pattern of paying the Native Americans
much less for their land than it was worth.
Washington’s Farewell Address
• Washington served two terms.
• When he left office, he gave the country
some advice in his Farewell Address
Avoid foreign alliances (don’t promise to
support another nation while America is
still young and developing)
Avoid strife between political parties
(don’t develop political parties because
they cause problems between the
people)
End of Part 1

The 2nd President
• Washington warned against political
parties, but two had already developed
• The election of 1796 had one
representative from each party
 John Adams – Federalist
 Thomas Jefferson – Democratic
Republican
John Adams Wins!
• John Adams wins the election.
• Because he came in 2nd, Thomas Jefferson
becomes the Vice President
Foreign Troubles for Adams
• Adams was now faced with the reaction from
France of Jay’s Treaty.
• France was angry that America had entered a
treaty with Britain and they began to seize
American ships.
• This angered Americans.
• President Adams did not think America was
ready for war.
• He tried to negotiate with France first.
XYZ Affair
• President Adams sent delegates to France
to negotiate for better relations.
• The French sent three men (called X, Y and
Z) to the meeting.
• They refused to negotiate until America
had paid $250,000 to see French foreign
minister Talleyrand.
• The Americans refused to pay the bribe and
the event became known as the XYZ Affair.
War with France
• The XYZ Affair led to an “unofficial” war
with France.
• Both countries seized each others ships for
2 years
• Eventually they solved their problems
without declaring war.
Domestic Troubles
• President Adams had many critics.
• In an effort to stop them he pushed
through laws called the Alien and Sedition
Acts.
Alien and Sedition Acts
• The Alien and Sedition Acts allowed the
President to expel foreigners, whom he
considered dangerous to the nation or to jail
anyone who said bad things about the
government.
• Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans
opposed these acts and claimed they were
unconstitutional (First Amendment Freedom of
Speech)
• Jefferson urged states to nullify (refuse to obey)
the laws.
Election of 1800
• In 1800, Adams ran again as the Federalist
candidate and Jefferson as the Democratic
Republican (also called Republican)
candidate.
• Jefferson won the election and became
the 3rd President of the United States.
• This became known as the Republican Era.
Read your notes and answer the following questions.
_____1. Which event marked the way Washington reacted to the war in Europe between France and Britain?
A. Proclamation of Neutrality
B. Alien and Sedition Acts C. Jay’s Treaty
_____2. Who was the President when the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed?
A. George Washington
B. John Adams
C. Thomas Jefferson
_____3. Who was the 3rd President of the United States?
A. George Washington
B. John Adams
C. Thomas Jefferson
_____4. Which of the following was Jefferson’s political party?
A. Tory B. Federalist C. Republican
_____5. What was the practice of taking sailors off American ships for the British navy called?
A. Suffrage
B. Internment C. Impressment
_____6. Which of the following started a minor revolt among the frontier farmers called the Whiskey Rebellion?
A. Tarrifs
B. Excise Tax
C. Payment of Revolutionary War debts
_____7. What were the laws aimed at supporters of the Republican Party (many of whom were foreigners) called?
A. Alien and Sedition Acts
B. Navigation Acts
C. Neutrality Acts
_____8. Which was a result of the XYZ Affair?
A. American sailors were impressed
B. US navy attacked French ships in an unofficial war
C. US declared war on France
_____9. With which of these would Thomas Jefferson not agree?
A. Strong state government
B. Federal government paying all war debts
C. Strict Constitution interpretation
_____10. How many terms of office did George Washington serve?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
Read the following passage and answer the questions related to it.
There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the
government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true…..But
in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged.
From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary
purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion,
to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its
bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume. From Washington’s Farewell
Address
_____1. What is the author’s warning for the country in the future?
A. Not to form allegiances with foreign countries
B. Not to allow arguments between political parties to get out of control
C. Do not quench the spirit of liberty
_____2. What is a spirit not to be encouraged?
A. Political parties
B. Liberty C. Vigilance
_____3. Arguments between political parties are in constant danger of what?
A. Fire
B. Liberty C. Excess
_____4. How did Washington feel about political parties?
A. He supported them
B. He was worried about them
_____5. When was this speech given?
A. When Washington became President
C. He liked them
B. When Washington left the Presidency
C. On his birthday
Read “Life of the Upper Crust” on pages 182-183 in your book and answer the following
questions.
_____1. What was used to glue women’s hair in place?
a. Flour paste
b. Tape
_____2. Who wore shoes with laces?
a.
Federalists
c. Hairspray
b. Republicans
_____3. How long did people sit to have portraits painted?
a.
1 hour
b. 6 hours
c. Everyone
c. 15 minutes
_____4. People took baths every day.
A.
True B. False
_____5. How long had it been since Elizabeth Drinker had taken a bath?
a.
1 dayb. 28 weeks c. 28 years
_____6. What did it mean to own the latest and best tea set?
A.
You were wealthy b. You were poor
_____7. Who could have portraits painted?
a.
Everyone
b. The king only
c. You like tea
c. The wealthy only
_____8. What was the median age of Americans in 1800?
a.
61
b. 16
c. 6
_____9. What was the median age of Americans in 1993?
a.
13
b. 33
c. 63
_____10. On boys clothes, what kind of collar did they have?
a. Separate white ruffled collars
b. No collars
c. Plain collars