The Early Nation
1789-1801
Washington through Adams
George Washington’s
Presidency
1789-1797
A REAL
American
Hero…..
Events at Home
 Creation of Three
executive departments:
– State: foreign affairs; headed by Thomas
Jefferson
– Treasury: money; headed by Alexander
Hamilton
– War: defense;
-headed by Henry Knox
More Events at Home
 Judiciary Act of
1789 created the
Supreme Court &
other Federal Courts
Yes, Even More Events at Home
 Alexander Hamilton’s
Financial Plan
– created protective tariffs to promote
industry
– established the National Bank to provide
the nation with stable currency
– created an excise tax on whiskey to raise
revenue
No More Events at Home,
After This One
 Whiskey Rebellion
– Farmers in western Pennsylvania refused
to pay the federal excise tax on whiskey
and attacked tax collectors. Washington
made 15,000 militia men into federal
troops and put down the rebellion. As a
result, the Federal government showed its
new power.
Foreign Affairs….
 Neutrality Act of 1793
–The United States would not get
involved in a war between the French
and the British
Ok, I lied, but this is really
the last event at home
Washington’s Farewell
Address (1797)
– George Washington’s final advice to the
United States was that the US should
•
•
•
•
(a) be neutral
(b) remain united
(c) avoid permanent alliances
(d) not have political parties
Political Parties
First Political Parties
Federalists
DemocraticRepublicans
Thomas Jefferson
Leaders
John Adams and
Alexander Hamilton
National
Govt
Believed in a strong Believed in a weak
national government national government
Economy
Industrial economy
Agricultural economy
Supporters Bankers and
Farmers, artisans,
business interests in and frontier settlers
the Northeast.
in the South
John Adams’s Presidency
(1797 --1801)
In the election of
1796, John Adams
defeated Thomas
Jefferson for the
presidency, and
Jefferson became the
vice-president.
Adams had Issues
Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)
– The President could
imprison or deport aliens
(citizens of other
*Used to silence
countries). People who
critics of the
wrote anything of “a
Federalist party (i.e. scandalous and malicious
the Democraticnature” against the
Republicans) *
government could be
imprisoned.
Adams has Issues
 The Virginia and Kentucky
Resolves
• Virginia and Kentucky
declare the Alien and
Sedition Acts “null”
because they violated the
Bill of Rights
• XYZ Affair
• XYZ Affair: Part 2
You’re gone before we
knew you….
Election of 1800
John Adams (Federalist) -vThomas Jefferson
(Democratic-Republicans)
The election of 1800, won by Jefferson, was the
first presidential election in which power was
peacefully transferred from one party to another.