The Early Republic
1789- 1828
Part 1: The Presidency of George Washington
• 1789- Washington is inaugurated as the nation’s first President
1:1: Washington’s Domestic
Policy
• The Constitution allows the President to choose officials in executive
departments
• This is known as the Cabinet
• This was one of Washington’s first precedents
• Precedent- an action taken for the first time which is followed by
others afterwards
Creating a Stable Economy
• The biggest problem in the new government is economic
• Government owes 54 million dollars
• The states owe another 24 million
• Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, has a plan
• 1. Repay the Debt
• The national government should pay off the debts of both the states and the national
government to establish good credit
• 2. Create a National Bank
• A national bank can be a place to deposit taxes, provide sound currency, and make national
loans
• 3. Whiskey tax
• To raise money from Western farmers
• 4. Protective Tariff
• To protect American businesses from foreign competition
• Tariff- a tax on imported goods
• Jefferson and Madison believed that the Constitution did not give the
federal government the right to a national bank
• This disagreement gave rise to America’s first political parties
• Political parties- associations that try to elect their members to
government offices so that they will pass laws favorable to their ideas
• Hamilton and his followers become known as Federalists
• Jefferson and his followers call themselves the DemocraticRepublicans
• The disagreement is made worse by the French Revolution
The First Political Parties
(foldable)
Defeat of the Protective Tariff
• All of Hamilton’s ideas are passed except for the tariff (Southerners
oppose high tariffs, it makes their crops harder to sell)
How tariffs work
The Whiskey Rebellion 1794
• Western farmers rebel against the new taxes on whiskey; they refuse
to pay their taxes and threaten tax collectors
• Washington leads the militia to put down the rebellion
• The rebels flee before any fighting takes place
1:2: Washington’s Foreign Policy
• War breaks out between Britain and France in 1793
• The Federalists support Britain
• The Democratic Republicans support the French
The Proclamation of Neutrality
• America is not ready for war, on either side.
• He adopts a policy of neutrality- The US will not take either side in any
European conflict
• Meanwhile, John Jay negotiated a treaty with the British over trade
• Thomas Pinckney negotiates a treaty with Spain
• The US can trade goods down the Mississippi River, all the way to
New Orleans
Washington’s Farewell Address
• Washington decides to retire, and writes a letter/speech to say bye
• He delivers some important advice to the country
Washington’s Farewell Address, primary
document