EARLY PRESIDENTS
American History I - Unit 4
Ms. Brown
Review
• What is the job of the president’s cabinet?
• To advise the president on certain issues
• What was the purpose of Hamilton’s economic plan? What were the 4
steps?
• To raise money to pay off debts
• Selling US treasury bonds, excise taxes, tariffs, creating a National Bank
• What did Federalists believe?
• Hamilton, strong central government, loose interpretation of the
Constitution
• What did the Democratic Republicans believe?
• Jefferson, strong state governments, strict interpretation of the Constitution
• What is a tariff?
• A tax on imported goods, designed to make people buy domestic goods
• How did Washington’s handling of the Whiskey Rebellion prove
the national gov’ts power?
• It showed the people that the president and the federal gov’t would enforce
federal laws and calm rebellions safely and quickly
4.2 – FOREIGN AFFAIRS
TROUBLE THE NATION
French Revolution
• began in 1789, rebellion in
which the French people
overthrew their monarchy and
attempted to make the country
into a republic
• At first, most Americans
supported the French
Revolution
• Inspired by the desire for liberty
from an oppressive government,
just like the American Revolution
• France = America’s ally in the
American Revolution (1778
treaty)
Reactions to French Revolution
• The Jacobins (a group of radical
French revolutionaries) took
control in France
• Beheaded King Louis XVI
• Started the Reign of Terror –
beheading of many French citizens
with the guillotine
• Declared war on all other
European monarchies (including
Great Britain)
• Because of alliance, French
rebels expected US support in
their war with GB.
• Some Americans concerned over
supporting these behaviors!
Reactions to French Revolution
Federalists
Hammy
DON’T SUPPORT!
Alliance ended when Louis XVI
was beheaded.
Democratic
Republicans
TJ
DO SUPPORT!
Treaty of 1778 = Alliance
Washington
DO NOTHING!
US should remain neutral (unbiased).
1793 – issued declaration of US neutrality.
Hammy and TJ eventually agreed.
Cabinet Battle #2
• TJ and Hammy debate supporting France during its war
with GB.
• Washington presides (MC’s)
Citizen Genet Affair
• France sent Edmond Genet to gain
American support for French
Revolution.
• Wanted Americans to support France
instead of Great Britain.
• Traveled the country recruiting support.
• Violation of American neutrality!
• Washington demanded France take Genet
back, but Genet’s friends in France were
no longer in power.
• Genet stayed in US, but could not recruit
for France.
• Made TJ look bad for supporting the
French Revolution in the first place.
Citizen Genet Affair
• The Citizen Genet
Affair lost American
support for France.
• Because TJ had
supported France,
Federalists called him a
radical!
• 1793 - TJ resigned from
cabinet.
Resigned as Secretary
of State in 1793.
Treaty with Spain
• Spain owned Florida and the Louisiana Territory.
• US needed shipping rights on Mississippi River.
GREAT
BRITAIN
AMERICA
SPAIN
Disputed b/t
Spain and
America
Treaty with Spain
• US-Spanish negotiations = big mess!
• Spain and France = allies
• US neutral in foreign affairs, but Spain THOUGHT the US would
side with the British, because they were angry with France over the
Citizen Genet Affair.
• Spain feared US and British would attack Spanish Louisiana
Territory.
• Spain quickly decided to meet with US official, Thomas Pickney, to
discuss Louisiana Territory.
Treaty with Spain
• Pickney’s Treaty – 1795
• US gained disputed area east
of Mississippi River, but NOT
Florida
• Made a new southern US
border
• Mississippi River open to US
shipping
• US can use port of New
Orleans
Troubles with Natives and British
• US owned land between Appalachian Mountains and
Mississippi River BUT…
• British still had forts set up in the Northwest Territory
• Natives still lived in these areas
Fights in the Northwest
• Native tribes in the Northwest Territory felt excluded in the
Treaty of Paris land-deal  were not consulted about the
hand-off of their land.
• Tried to demand direct negotiations with the US government
• Received encouragement from British troops still in forts
• Natives would attack American settlers in the Northwest
Territory.
Fights in the Northwest
• 1790 – Washington sent US
troops to Northwest Territory to
gain control over the area
• US troops clashed with the
Miami Confederacy, led by chief
Little Turtle
• Little Turtle won the first battles in
1790-91
Fights in the Northwest
• 1792 – Washington appoints new General to lead the
troops against Little Turtle
• Anthony Wayne – “Mad Anthony”
• Spent a year training US troops
• Little Turtle realized that a peace-deal would be the best
route
“We have beaten the enemy twice under different
commanders… The Americans are now led by a
chief who never sleeps… We have never been able
to surprise him… It would be prudent to listen to his
offers of peace.”
-Little Turtle in a speech to his allies
Battle of Fallen Timbers
• The Miami Confederacy did not agree with Little Turtle’s ideas
of peace  replaced Little Turtle with a less capable leader.
• 1794 – Battle of Fallen Timbers
• General Mad Anthony Wayne defeated the Miami Confederacy (near
present day Toledo, OH)
• Wayne’s troops proudly set up a US fort only 2 miles away from a
British fort in the area
Battle of Fallen Timbers
• Battle of Fallen Timbers
essentially ended the Native
American resistance against
US settlers.
• Eventually the Miami Confederacy
signed a deal with the US – sold
the land for less and less money.
Jay’s Treaty
• John Jay – Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court
(SCOTUS)  in London to negotiate a deal with the
British to get their troops out of US.
• Word got to London about the American victory at Battle of Fallen
Timbers
• Jay’s Treaty – 1794
• British troops would be removed from US soil but British
fur traders were allowed to stay
• angered Democratic-Republicans
Recap of US Foreign Affairs
France
• Divide over support for French in war with GB- 1789
• Federalists - NO!
• Dem. Reps. – YES!
• Washington - NEUTRALITY
• Citizen Genet Affair
Spain
Great
Britain
Native
Americans
• Pickney’s Treaty - 1795
• US gets Spanish land east of MI River (present day MI and AL)
• NOT Florida yet
• US gets access to MI River and New Orleans
• Jay’s Treaty - 1794
• All British troops removed from US, but fur traders can stay
• Felt excluded from land divisions
• British encouraged Natives to attack US
• Battle of Fallen Timbers - 1794
• Natives lose and US gains native lands in NW Territory
Washington’s Farewell
• 1792 – Washington reelected
• 1796 – declined 3rd term
• Getting old (~66 yrs)
• Didn’t want to seem like a king
Washington’s Farewell
• MANY achievements…
• Defeated Native Americans – opened land to western settlement
• Suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion – showed federal gov’t strength
and proved it could enforce national laws
• Kept US out of war with Europe (Spain, France, and England)
• Established policies that helped boost foreign trade and pay back
national debt.
Washington’s Farewell
• 1796 – Washington’s Farewell Address
• Future presidents shouldn’t serve more than 2 terms
• Stay NEUTRAL!
• Warned against creating alliances and entanglements with other nations
• Avoid “factions” (political parties)
• Will love the party more than the country
• Focus on compromises
• Avoid sectionalism – valuing one region’s interests over the
interests of the nation as a whole.
• Will make the nation less stable
Washington’s Precedents
• MANY precedents – an action that serves as an example
for all future similar situations
• Established the cabinet system
• “Mr. President” instead of “Your Highness” or “Your Excellency”
• Delivered a State of the Union Address
• Social life – hosted dinner parties
• Left office after 2 terms
• FDR – only president to serve more than 2 terms (4 terms!)
• 22nd Amendment – officially no more than 2 terms
• Delivered a Farewell Address