The Early Republic: 1788-1800

The Early Republic: 17881800 Chapter 4 Sections 1 and 2

Early Republic: Washington and Adams Presidencies How would the new government work?

Many day-to-day issues weren’t explicitly talked about in the Constitution Many important precedents established during this time

Washington 1789-1796 Constitution took effect: 1788, first Presidential election 1789

Washington won unanimously=1st President, John Adams finished second=1st Vice President Important precedents of the Washington administration The cabinet: President’s advisors, head the major executive departments 1st fourcabinet members: Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson Secretary of War: Henry Knox Secretary of the Treasury: Alexander Hamilton Attorney General: Edmund Randolph

The federal courts: District courtscircuit courtsSupreme Court John Jay=1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Finances and interpreting the Constitution. . . .

Washington Presidency: Hamilton and his Policies Alexander Hamilton: quintessential Federalist Secretary of Treasury, had to fix the country’s finances States and Congress couldn’t pay off debts under the Articles, nobody trusted the financial problems of the US

Hamilton’s economic policies, pay off the debt, get people to trust the credit of the US government Pay off all government debt “at par”, controversial, why? Pay off all state debt left over from the revolution (assumption of state debt), controversial, why? Debt could be a good thing. . . . how? Controversial, why?

Southern States didn’t like Hamilton’s policies: DC bargain

Hamilton’s Policies: Paying for the Debt 3 part plan to pay for the debt/fund the government/restart economic activity Part 1: Tariffs Tariff=a tax on imports, would raise money, and would raise the price of imported goods (would it raise the price of goods made in the US?)

Part 2: Excise taxes Excise tax=a tax on goods produced/sold inside a country Excise tax on whiskey=major money maker

Part 3: The National Bank Private bank chartered by the federal government, with major government investment Would provide loan money to help stimulate economic growth Would provide paper currency backed up in gold to help stimulate economic activity

Debate over Hamilton’s Policies: The Bank Debate Bank Debate: was it constitutional? No: nowhere in the Constitution did it authorize the federal government to charter a bank What’s the big deal? If the government could ignore the Constitution on a seemingly unimportant issue like the bank then it could ignore the Constitution on bigger issues

Yes: Article I Sect 8 Clause 18 (elastic clause) gave Congress (the federal govt) the power to make all laws “necessary and proper” for carrying out its other powers (taxation, coining money, etc) Strict (or narrow) vs Loose (or broad) interpretation of the Constitution

Washington approved the Bank: important precedent!!!!!

Debate over Hamilton’s Policies: The Whiskey Rebellion Farmers in Pennsylvania produced a lot of whiskey

Excise tax hurt them 1794 farmers refused to pay the tax, harassed tax collectors, took up arms, threatened to march to Philadelphia Sound familiar?

Washington and Hamilton assembled a massive federal army rebellion defeated easily Why the different reaction from 1765 (Stamp Act) to 1794 (Whiskey Excise Tax)? What had changed in that time?

Political Parties Emerge Another important precedent of the Washington administration

Divide centered around Hamilton’s policies: some in favor, some opposed—(broad interpretation of Constitution, assumption of states debts, national bank, tariffs, excise taxes, strong govt response to Whiskey Rebellion) Those in favor: Federalists Hamilton, Washington, Adams New England, cities, merchants, factory owners, wealthy

Those opposed: (Anti-Federalists) (Democratic-Republicans) Republicans Jefferson, Madison South, West, rural areas, farmers, poor

Foreign Policy Under the Constitution Jay’s Treaty 1795 US-Britain What did the US get? What did the British get? What was the opinion of the treaty in the US?

Pinckney’s Treaty 1795 US-Spain What did the US get? What did the Spanish get? What was the opinion of the treaty in the US?

Treaty of Fort Greenville 1795 US-Indians What did the US get?

Constitution Successes/Criticisms: Recap Domestic Problems International/interstate trade problems Internal rebellions Worthless money Defaulting on state/federal debts

Foreign Problems British occupation of Northwest Spanish occupation of Southwest/lack of access to Mississippi Indian attacks

Criticisms Constitution was undemocratic Constitution favored the wealthy/powerful

Problems with France French Revolution 1789-1815 France at war with Britain 1793 US still technically allied with the French (Revolutionary War 1778), what should the US do?

1793—Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation US would not get involved

1796—Farewell Address Washington leaves office after 2 terms (another precedent) Farewell address warns about “entangling alliances” Us won’t want to get involved in international affairs until WWI-WWII

John Adams as President Adams wins election of 1796 becomes 2nd President Jefferson finished 2nd, becomes VP What party was Adams from? Jefferson??

More Problems with France Quasi War—French/American ships shooting at one another XYZ affair—French diplomats insulted US ambassadors Full-scale war with France seemed likely

Preparations for War: Federalist Mistakes Adams/Federalists in Congress voted to increase the size of the navy and the army

Problems—money? Problems—philosophically? (Why might a standing army look bad?)

Alien and Sedition Acts What excuse/reason did the Federalists give for passing these acts? What did they allow the government to do? In reality how were these acts actually used? To protect the country during a war, or for something else . . . .?

Election of 1800: Jefferson Elected Federalists looked bad by 1800, why? High taxes for army and navy Alien and Sedition Acts

Republicans elected 73 electors in the election of 1800, Federalists only 65 All 73 Republican electors cast their 2 votes for Jefferson and Aaron Burr—who had the most electoral votes? What happens in the event of a tie in the electoral college?

Jefferson won the tie breaker, became President, Burr=VP 12th Amendment made separate elections for President and VP