The Washington Era

1. The Washington Era “I am …bringing the voice of the people and a good name of my own on this voyage; but what returns will be made of them, Heaven alone can foretell.” ~George Washington~

2. EXECUTIVE EXAMPLE • -National Hero • Led Continental Army • Led Constitutional Convention • -set many precedents for future leaders • Act/statement that becomes rule or tradition • Example to follow “About 10 o’clock I bade adieu to Mt. Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity; and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations than I have words to express, set out for New York…with the best intentions to render service to my country in obedience to its call, but with less hope of answering its expectations.” ~The Diaries of George Washington~

3. EXECUTIVE EXAMPLE • -developed Cabinet • Group of advisors appointed to help him run the nation • Alexander Hamilton – Treasury • Henry Knox – War • Edmund Randolfe – Attorney General • Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State • -defined appointment powers • President can put people in office with Senate approval • -expanded foreign affairs powers • -became legislative leader • Washington defined the role of the President To help Washington and Adams (VP) govern, Congress created three executive departments: the Dept. of State (foreign affairs), the Dept. of War (military affairs), and the Dept. of Treasury (financial affairs). Washington chose Jefferson, Knox, and Hamilton to lead those, and with Attorney General Edmund Randolph, he formed the first Cabinet.

4. 1ST CONGRESS • -Bill of Rights ratified • 10 Amendments • Guarantees personal rights; legitimized the Constitution • -passed Judiciary Act of 1789 • Supreme Court • Set up the federal courts with Supreme Court at the top • S.C. to settle all differences between state and federal law • John Jay 1st Supreme Court Chief Justice

5. FINANCIAL DEBATE • -nation had large war debt • From American Revolution • -Alexander Hamilton’s plan • -tariff(Tax on imports) • Excise tax on whiskey • pay all debts • Make one national debt out of state debt • Southerners angry about this (no debt) • Compromise on Washington, DC • -national bank system • To control all money and pool private investments • -debate over power to create a national bank • Hamilton – loose interpretation • Jefferson – strict interpretation • -implied powers? – “Necessary and Proper” clause

6. The Bank of the United States as established by Alexander Hamilton

7. POLITICAL AFFAIRS -British harassment in the west 1. Weapons to Indians 2. Impressment -French Revolution in 1789 Fight for democracy in France -British and French at war France want US help -U.S. neutrality Proclamation of Neutrality Not taking sides France is angry Because of their alliance with the U.S. after the American Revolution, the French expected help in their revolution. However, the American reaction split along party lines, with the Federalists against and the Democratic-Republicans for. Washington, however, declared neutrality.

8. To raise money for the new government, Hamilton passed a protective tariff and anexcise tax on whiskey. Most whiskey producers were small frontier farmers. Their major crop was corn, which was too bulky to carry across the Appalachian Mountains and sell in the areas along the Atlantic. Therefore, the small farmers distilled the corn into whiskey, which could be more easily sent to market on the backs of mules. Since whiskey was the main source of cash for these frontier farmers, Hamilton knew that the excise tax would make them furious, and it did. In 1794,farmers in western Pennsylvania refused to pay the tax. They beat up federal marshals in Pittsburgh, and they even threatened to secede from the Union.

9. POLITICAL AFFAIRS • -Whiskey Rebellion • -farmer’s rebellion over an excise tax on whiskey they produced • Whiskey critical to economy and farmers refuse to pay tax • -rebellion crushed by Washington and the army before it begins • -proves the strength of the new federal gov’t • Sends thousands of troops to stop rebellion Hamilton looked upon the Whiskey Rebellion as a way for the federal government to show that it could enforce the law. Accordingly, some 15,000 militiamen were called up. Accompanied by Washington part of the way, and Hamilton all the way, the federal troops hiked over the Alleghenies and scattered the rebels without the loss of a single life.

10. POLITICAL AFFAIRS • -Jay’s Treatymeant to avoid war with the British • -trade treaty with Britain • -highly unpopular b/c of the Revolution • Only agreed to leave forts in the West; still attacking American ships and impressing sailors • -Pinckney’s Treaty • -trade treaty with Spain • -access to the Mississippi R. • Agreed to control natives in FL while U.S. agreed to control those in GA • -Treaty of Greenville • -Battle of Fallen Timbers • -Ohio Valley area given up by natives The Treaty of Greenville granted the Ohio Valley area, also known as the Northwest Territory, to the United States. This was given up by the natives after the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

11. Reaction to Jay’s Treaty: According to this political cartoon, what do you think MOST Americans thought about the deal between the U.S. and Britain following Jay’s Treaty? Why?

12. WASHINGTON’S WARNING -served two terms but refused another Would not be another “King George” -political fighting had already begun Hamilton v. Jefferson -Farewell Warnings -no political parties -no involvement in foreign affairs “As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible.” ~George Washington~

13. Quotes from Washington’s Presidency “We are in a wilderness without a single footstep to guide us.” ~James Madison “A National debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing; it will be a powerful cement of our new nation. It will also create a necessity for keeping up taxation…which without being oppressive will be a spur to industry…” ~Alexander Hamilton “The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible.” ~George Washington “Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all.” ~George Washington

14. Analogies of Washington’s Presidency • Tax: Whiskey Rebellion • 2. Hamilton: Secretary of Treasury • 3. Cabinet: Washington • 4. Washington: Political Parties • 5. Jay’s Treaty: US and Britain