Chapter 7

1. Chapter 7 Part 1

2. The First Administration • Constitution became law on June 21, 1788 • George Washington is now elected our first president • John Adams becomes our first vice president • First inauguration on April 30, 1789 • Washington developed the first cabinet

3. Alexander Hamilton’s Financial Plan • United Stated has huge debt due to the war and poor government we stated with • Treasury was empty • Alexander was Secretary of the Treasury so he was put in charge of finding the solution • He developed a plan: • Pay off $4,000,000 debt to France and Netherlands • Pay back all money to people in states $44,000,000 • Central government was take over state debt • Would issue bonds to raise money • Not a popular plan with congress, however got support and it passed • Hamilton also organized the National Bank of the U.S. • He set up a coin system that we still use today • He gave the country a sound financial foundation

4. Chapter 7 Part 2

5. The Government’s Progress • France declared war against England in 1793 • France expect America to help them fight, however we were in no condition to be helping anyone at this point • George Washington had to decide whether to remain neutral, not take sides, or help France • He decided that we needed to take care of our problems first and remained neutral

6. Trouble in the Western Lands • England and Spain continue to cause problems for America • They sold whiskey and firearms to the Indians • Settlers would claim Indian lands • Washington was trying to find a way to be peaceful with the Indians and British • John Jay went to London to discuss a treaty • English agreed to leave American soil, but left many issues unsolved

7. Spain Agrees to a Treaty • Washington needed to find a way to make peace with Spain and gain access to New Orleans and the Mississippi River • Spain agreed to free navigation of the Mississippi River, which opened the port at New Orleans • Florida was completely turned over to the United States

8. George Washington, The First President (1789-1797) • President Washington was asked to serve a second term as President, he accepted • Two second political parties began to emerge by the end of his second term • Washington refused to serve a third term, he wanted to return to his home in Virginia • He died two years later • The contributions that he made were of the most unique importance: • He had to lead with no example to follow • He was settling a new nation with all of its problems • Put the country on its feet politically and financially • Kept the nation out of further wars • Known as the “Father of His Country”

9. The Two-Party System • Alexander Hamilton’s plan brought about a second political party • Many people didn’t agree with his plan • Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were among these and they started the democratic-republican party • This party supported a strong state government • While the Federalist party supported a stronger central government

10. Chapter 7 Part 3

11. The Second President • John Adams • Very stubborn person that supported a strong central government • Thomas Jefferson was his vice president • So now we have a Federalist for president and a democratic-republican for vice president

12. Problems with the French • Several European countries were at war with France when John Adams took office in 1797 • America still wanted to remain neutral • This angered France so they started taking over American vessels • So John Adams tried to work a deal out with France • They would stop attacking American ships, however wouldn’t pay for any damage already done

13. Chapter 7 Part 4

14. The Decline of the Federalists • John Adams was not a popular president • He was honest and loyal • Papers didn’t support his policies • Immigrants joined opposing party because they didn’t like him

15. The Alien and Sedition Acts • Federalists wanted to take control back so they passed the Alien and Sedition Acts • These acts: • Immigrants had to wait 14 years to become citizens • Immigrants could be put in jail or deported it they were found to be dangerous • It was determined a crime to speak, write, or print articles that are against the government • Democratic-Republicans felt that this was against the constitution and their freedom of speech

16. The Election of 1800 • This election was the first that was a real contest between the two parties • Federalists supported John Adams • Thomas Jefferson was the democratic-republican candidate • Jefferson appealed to small business owners and farmers

17. Hamilton’s Influence • Congress struggled to pick the vice president • Alexander Hamilton helped to decide the outcome, didn’t support either candidate however through Jefferson was the lesser of two evils • So he persuaded others to follow him and that is when Thomas Jefferson became president and Aaron Burr became vice president • 12th amendment added to the constitution to prevent a tie from happening again

18. The Electors – An Explanation • Every state has a certain number of electors that vote on president • Due to the fact that they vote on all people running they can have a president and vice president from different parties • Today however this can not happen, those that run together are elected together • This prevents us from having different parties in power

19. Chapter 7 Part 5

20. Thomas Jefferson • Jefferson was president for 8 years • He was a strong leader and really got our country organized and in order • Large influence in the decline of the federalists • He was a rich land owner from Virginia • Even though he was rich he did not dress or act as such • Many thought he was untidy, unfriendly, however very intelligent

21. Jefferson as President • Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, had a different approach to government • He strongly thought the government should only do as the Constitution allowed • He moved the nation’s capital to from Philadelphia to the District of Columbia • He passionately pressed to unify the country no matter the party • He removed the Alien and Sedition Acts • Lowered residence requirements to 5 years • Lowered the federal debt • Established West Point military academy • Stopped slave importation • Acquired Louisiana as a state

22. The Louisiana Territory • Spain signed over a large amount of land to France, including New Orleans • America had an agreement with Spain to use it as a port • After France took control this agreement was withdrawn • This stopped a large part of the trade America had in that area • We wouldn’t go to war with the very strong France • So we needed to persuade France to sell us New Orleans

23. The Louisiana Purchase • Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris to buy as much land as he could for 10 million • Napoleon offered to sell the entire area for 15 million • America approved and the Louisiana Territory became part of the U.S. on December 20, 1803

24. Importance of The Louisiana Purchase • Doubled the size of the country • Now controlled the entire Mississippi River • Had a lot of new very rich, fertile land • Land got divided into 13 additional states: • Louisiana • Arkansas • Missouri • Iowa • Minnesota • North Dakota • South Dakota • Nebraska • Kansas • Oklahoma • Colorado • Wyoming • Montana

25. Chapter 7 Part 6

26. Jefferson’s Second Term • Hamilton decided to run against Burr for governor of New York • Hamilton said that Burr couldn’t be trusted • This angered Burr and he challenged Hamilton to a DUEL • Burr shot Hamilton and killed him

27. Jefferson Avoids War • During Jefferson’s 2nd term England and France were at war again • America wanted to continue to stay neutral • This angered both France and England • America prospered as we traded with both countries • France and England blocked America from trading with other countries • So America stopped all trade with England and France as well

28. The Embargo Act • No American ship would trade with foreign countries • Called the “peaceable coercion” • This angered Americans; and many broke the law due to the harm it was doing to their businesses • Act was a total failure and was repealed