A NEW NATION (1789-1800)
CHAPTER 6
SECTIONS 2-4
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

The meeting in Philadelphia resulted in a new
Constitution.

Moving forward: The task ahead of Washington
and Congress was to build a government
around the ideas of the Constitution
KEY CONCERNS

Establish federal laws, courts, & law
enforcement officers

Solve financial problems, establish a federal
treasury, & a method for collecting taxes
WASHINGTON

George Washington was
elected the first U.S.
President & served two
terms

Was their a term limit
established by the U.S.
Constitution at this time?

John Adams became
Vice President
PRESIDENT

Amendment 22 (1951)
established the twoterm limit of a president

What U.S. President
was elected to the most
terms prior to this
Amendment?
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)
INAUGURATION

Inauguration ceremonies were held in NYC on
April 30th 1789

After this Presidential Inaugurations were held
in March

Amendment 20 (1933), also known as the
“Lame Duck” Amendment changed
Presidential Inaugurations to January 20th
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What is a Lame Duck?
Why may the framers of the
Constitution have specified a
longer lame duck period?
Hint: think technology and transportation
Transportation and Technology were less advanced
causing information to travel slower
Political office holder
reaching the end of
their term either
because of a lack of
desire to run again, a
loss in re-election, term
limits, or the
termination of their
office. They often have
less political power at
this time.
BUREAUCRACY
•

In 1789, Congress recognized a
need for a bureaucracy
Congress create the following
Departments:
 The
Department of State
 The Department of the Treasury
 The Department of War
 The office of the Attorney General
SELECTING LEADERS

Washington wanted men who were “disposed
to measure matters on a continental scale”
rather than their home states to head the
departments.

What does this quote mean?
-Disposition-inclination or a tendency
-Washington wanted men who acted in interest of the country
rather than their own individual state.
THE CABINET



Washington chose the following men to lead the Departments:
 Secretary of State-Thomas Jefferson
 Secretary of the Treasury-Alexander Hamilton
 Secretary of war –General Henry Knox
 Attorney General –Edmund Randolph
These department heads became known as the cabinet
Cabinet- a group of advisers to the president
PRESIDENTIAL CABINET
(INCUMBENTS)
State
Treasury
Defense
John Kerry
Jack Lew
Ashton Carter
IMPORTANT MEASURES TAKEN BY
CONGRESS

Other Cabinet Posts:
 Attorney General –
heads the
Department of Justice
today & the first was
Edmund Randolph
Edmund
Randolph
Eric
Holder
FEDERAL JUDICIARY

Congress passed the Judiciary
Act of 1789



13 district courts
3 courts of appeal
1 Supreme Court

Washington selected five
associate judges and one chief
justice


Appointed John Jay to Chief Justice
Stressed the power of Judicial
Review (constitutionality of
legislation)
JUDICIAL STRUCTURE
(1) Supreme Court (1)
(3) Courts of Appeal (12)
(13) District Courts (94)
TODAY
 President
appoints Supreme Court justices if one
retires or is removed from office
 However,
the Senate must approve the president’s
choice
How many Supreme Court justices are their today?
http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/memb
ers.aspx
BILL OF RIGHTS

•
•
•
James Madison- Pushed for the passage of a
Bill of Rights
-Drafted the Bill of Rights
Congress agreed on 12 amendments
-States ratified ten of twelve
One through eight protect individuals from certain
government actions
Nine and ten limit the powers of the federal
government
 Which
two rights are the only ones
unique to the American Bill of Rights,
and why do you think that is?
1789

Problems solved:
 Federal
courts (the Supreme Court, 3 courts of
appeal, 13 district courts)
 Bill of Rights (ten amendments)
 Cabinet (to advise president)

Existing problems:
 Revenue
-a source of income
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

The American revolution cost the newly
independent U.S. government about 50 million
dollars

$40 million to American citizens (Bonds)
 Bonds-a
piece of paper/document that promises to repay
borrowed money by a certain time with interest
$11.7 million to France, Spain, and the Netherlands
 21.5 million state debt the federal government agreed
to pay (gain trust)


Note: There was an annual interest on these debts
TARIFF OF 1789
Hamilton suggested taxing imports to raise
money & protect American businesses from
unfair foreign competition
 Congress passed the Tariff of 1789

 Required
•
importers to pay a rate/percentage of the
total value of goods brought into the United States
 Shippers paid tonnage –tax on amount their ships
carried
Also, levied an excise tax on distilled liquors, which led
to the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania
SOUTHERN RESPONSE

Southern planters were angry because:
 Tariff=
raise prices of European and other goods
that Southerners either wanted or needed

Tonnage tax= more expensive to ship their rice,
tobacco, and other common cash crops
FINANCES,1792
HAMILTON’S ECONOMIC PLAN

Pay off national debt ($50 million):
 Incurred by the Revolutionary War
& debts owed to private citizens

Pay off state debts ($24 million):
 Compromise between Hamilton &
Jefferson
 Nation’s capital was moved to the
banks of the Potomac River
 Washington, District of Columbia
HAMILTON’S ECONOMIC PLAN
Create a National Bank
 Hamilton argued to congress a national bank was
necessary to:
 Manage debts
 Establish a national currency - Bank notes-paper
money
Promote trade
Encourage investment
Stimulate economic growth

OPPOSITION

Southerners opposed plan


Felt Northern merchants would
own most of bank’s stock
James Madison argued
congress could not create a
national bank

It was not among the
enumerated powers
 Powers
specifically mentioned in
the Constitution
THE NATIONAL BANK
Hamilton
argued that the elastic clause
(AKA necessary and proper clause, art.1
sect.8 ) gave Congress this power
Washington knew his choice to veto or sign
this bank bill set a precedent
Created
implied powers
THE RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Group of people that share the same ideology
(platform)
 Two-party system-two main political parties of
today (Democrats and Republicans)
Can we name some of today’s political parties?

Democratic, Republican, Boston Tea Party,
Libertarian, Prohibition Party, many others
CHOOSING SIDES
Washington’s first term in office
 Hamilton’s financial plan

 Congress
divided based on view of federal
governments role

Nation’s first political parties
 Hamilton’s
supporters-Federalists
 Madison and Jefferson –Democratic-Republicans
HAMILTON AND THE FEDERALISTS

Favored strong national government
 “democracy
was dangerous to liberty”
 Distrust
of “the people”
 Wanted government in hands of the elite (“rich, well-born,
and able”)
 Loose
construction of Constitution
FEDERALISTS (ECONOMICS)

Manufacturing and trade = national wealth and power
 Federalists supporters- often artisans, merchants,
manufacturers, and bankers
 Some urban workers and eastern farmers (trade
benefit)
JEFFERSON AND THE REPUBLICANS

Jefferson led the Democratic-republicans
 Called
Republicans (not the same as today’s
republican party)
 Thought Hamilton’s policies favored the North
 Became party that protected right of states vs.
federal government
REPUBLICANS (ECONOMICS)
Believed strength of U.S. was independent farmers
 Most people own land they would fight to keep
preserve republic (agrarianism-favored rural
farming over urban industry)
 Believed North’s industries= sharply divide rich
and poor

And wealthy would corrupt government and threaten
ordinary people’s liberties
 Thought Hamilton’s policies favored the North

A GEOGRAPHIC DIVIDE
Rural South & West supported the Republicans
 More Urban Northeast typically supported the
Federalists
 Conflict between France and Britain would
widen the divide

DEVELOPING THE
NATION’S FOREIGN
POLICY
FRENCH REVOLUTION – FRANCE OR GREAT
BRITAIN?
REVOLUTION

1789, the French Revolution began
 At

first most Americans supported the cause
1793, more radical group seized power
 Took
property from wealthy, executed
1000’s(including king and queen )
Federalist-horrified by chaos and violence
 Republicans-many still supported revolutionaries because it
seemed to be for freedom and liberty

FRANCE VS. ENGLAND
In 1789, the French people revolted against their
King, England attacked France, and France
asked for assistance from the United States.
What is Britain concerned about?
At this time, Britain and France were both monarchs and the
British Crown hoped to prevent any future rebellions within their
own borders.
North (Hamilton) favored England because both were
industrial and had strong economic ties
South (Jefferson and Madison) favored France
because both were agricultural, and also to repay
the help they lent during the American Revolution
(Yorktown)
NEUTRALITY
Washington issued the Proclamation
of Neutrality of 1793.
-Impartial to Britain and France
Why would someone (in this case
Washington) choose to be neutral?
Both Britain and France traded with the United States
(economic interests)
JAY’S TREATY (BACKGROUND)
Congress almost declared war because of
British aggression at sea and at home (“inciting
Native Americans”)
 Britain was at war with France but knew U.S.
relied on Britain for trade
 In an effort to avoid war Washington sent John
Jay to negotiate with Britain

JAY’S TREATY (CONTINUED)






Cons:
Jay had to agree that Britain had the right to seize American
Ships bound for France
Britain did not have to compensate U.S. Merchants whose
goods were seized
Pros:
Britain gave up forts in American territory
Granted U.S. most-favored nation status


Meant American merchants could trade without being subjected
to British discrimination
Note: Many Americans were angered by the conditions
PINCKNEY’S TREATY
Prior to Jay’s treaty Spain allied with France
 Spain feared U.S. would join Britain in order to
obtain Spain’s North American territories
(Florida)
 1795 Spain signed Treaty of San Lorenzo
(Pinckney’s Treaty)
 Americans happy-gained access to the
Mississippi River

Washington refused to serve a third term, retired at
Mount Vernon, and warned against foreign
alliances & political parties in the future.
ELECTION OF 1796




The 1st contested election
(Feds vs. Reps)
The Federalists nominate
John Adams despite
Alexander Hamilton trying
to gain the nomination for
Thomas Pinckney
The Dem-Reps nominate
Thomas Jefferson
Adams wins! But his Vice
President is Thomas
Jefferson
QUASI-WAR


France began seizing
American Ships as a
result of the U.S.
unwillingness to support
them in their war against
Britain.
Charles Pinckney, John
Marshall, & Elbridge Gerry
were sent by Adams to
secure a treaty with
France
VS.
“XYZ” AFFAIR



3 French agents (X, Y, Z) representing
French Foreign Minister Charles
Talleyrand requested a bribe of
$250,000 and a 10 million dollar
loan to initiate talks to end the war.
Americans called for war with the
rallying cry of “Millions for defense
but not 1 cent for tribute”.
In retaliation, U.S. Congress banned
trade with France & the U.S. Navy
began capturing French ships.
QUASI-WAR WITH FRANCE



U.S. & France began QuasiWar (undeclared) as a result
of France undermining U.S.
neutrality.
This war lasted from 17981800
A pro-war faction within the
Federalist Party led by
Alexander Hamilton that
called for a full-scale war
was resisted by Adams who
instead favored diplomacy.
CONVENTION OF 1800


Napoleon seized power in
France and quickly
reached an agreement
with Adams.
The Convention of 1800
released the U.S. from its
1778 defensive alliance
with France & in return the
U.S. gave up its claims to
French seizures of ships &
cargo
ALIEN & SEDITION ACTS

4 laws passed in 1798 by a Federalist (dominated) Congress
for the purpose of reducing the power of the DemocraticRepublicans.





1st – Naturalization Act – extended the # of years required to
become a citizen.
2nd – Alien Act – Gave the President the power to kick out of the
country any alien regarded as dangerous to public peace & safety.
3rd – Alien Enemies Act - made it a crime to attack the
government with "false, scandalous, or malicious" statements or
writings.
4th – Sedition Act – made it illegal print anything “false,
scandalous, or malicious” about the federal government.
Many immigrants were French and Irish (both anti-British
and voted for the Republicans)
OBJECTIONS TO THE ALIEN & SEDITION ACTS

Democratic-Republicans responded with the
Kentucky and Virginia resolutions
 Both
secretly written by Jefferson and Madison
 Both said that since the states formed the
Constitution they had the right to declare federal
laws unconstitutional (introduced the idea of
nullification & states right theory of government)

The states threatened secession if the Acts
were not revoked.
KEY TERMS

The Virginia Resolutions


The Kentucky Resolution


interposition ; if the federal government did something
unconstitutional the state could intervene for the
people and stop the illegal action
nullification; if the federal government passes an unconstitutional
law the states could declare the law invalid
Neither resolution is successful in 1800, however,
states used both of these to “defend regional
interests” in the future (i.e. Civil War)
ELECTION OF 1800




In 1800, Federalists controlled the army, presidency,
and the Congress
For Adams, the Alien and Sedition Acts angered too
many Americans
With a tie vote in the Electoral College (Jefferson &
Burr), the House of Representatives with help from
Alexander Hamilton(Federalist), chose Jefferson over
Burr on the thirty-sixth ballot
12th amendment (1804) – directed electors to vote
separately for pres and vice pres rather than the same
ballot. This solved the problems that resulted from the
elections of 1796 & 1800.
What made the election of 1800 so significant in
American political history & referred to as a
revolution?
The second contested election in U.S. history went through a peaceful
transition of power: the losing party accepted the choice of the people
despite often strongly opposing ideologies (views) between the
Democratic-Republicans and Federalists.
WEBSITE

http://www.glencoe.com/video_library/index_
with_mods.php?PROGRAM=9780078745218&
VIDEO=2839&CHAPTER=4
FIRST POLITICAL PARTIES