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The Federalist Era, 1789-1801 Theme: Led by Washington and Hamilton ,the first administration under the Constitution overcame various difficulties and firmly established the political and economic foundations of the new federal government. The first Congress under the Constitution, led by James Madison, also contributed to the new republic by adding the Bill of Rights. Theme: The cabinet debate over Hamilton’s financial measure expanded into a wider political conflict between Hamiltonian Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans—the first political parties in America. Federalists supported a strong central government, a “loose” interpretation of the Constitution, and commerce (business). (Democratic) Republicans supported states’ rights, a “strict” interpretation of the Constitution, and agriculture (farmers). Theme: The French Revolution created a severe ideological and political division over foreign policy between Federalists and Republicans. The foreign-policy crisis coincided with domestic political divisions that culminated in the bitter election of 1800, but in the end power passed peacefully from Federalists to Republicans. American isolationist tradition emerges as a result of Washington’s strong neutrality stance and his farewell warnings about foreign alliances.
I. Domestic Issues • Washington Administration, 1789-1796 • Challenges in American society in 1790 a. Population, finances, and foreign affairs • New government! • President WA and Cabinet-1789 • Bill of Rights, 1791 • Judiciary Act, 1789 and “writ of mandamus” • Hamilton’s Plan • Funding at Par • Assumption state debts and Federal district • Tariff (Revenue Act of 1789) • Excise taxes (“an Inland tax) • National Bank • States’ righters and 10th Amendment • Hamilton’s Implied Powers from the “elastic or necessary and proper clause” • Whiskey Rebellion, 1794
Memory Aid • B ank of U.S. • E xcise tax • F unding at par • A ssume state debts • T arrifs
I. Domestic Issues (cont.) • Election of 1796 • WA Farewell Address • Warnings • Adams Administration • TJ VP (“He is distrustful, obstinate, excessively vain, and takes no counsel from anyone.” TJ) • WA’s Cabinet
II. Foreign Policy • French Revolution • Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation, 1793 a. Citizen Genet • Jay Treaty, 1794 • Harassment American frontier and impressment • War averted but creation of D-R Party • Pinckney Treaty, 1795 • Right of deposit • Defeat of American Indians in Old Northwest • Battle of Fallen Timbers, 1794 • Treaty of Greenville, 1795
II. Foreign Policy (cont.) • “Quasi-War”, 1798-1800 • French condemned Jay Treaty • 300 warships • XYZ Affair, 1797 • Undeclared Naval Warfare • Military build-up • Suspension of trade • Alien and Sedition Acts, 1798 • VA and KY Resolutions • State right of “nullification” • Convention of 1800 a. End Franco-American alliance
Federalists Rule by “best people” (“those who own the country ought to govern it”) Distrusted democracy Pro British Strong standing army and navy Hamilton’s Plan BE FAT Loose Constructionists Support business but don’t interfere Strong Centralists Subordinate the state power Alien and Sedition Acts Strong Judicial Branch Judiciary Act, 1789 Jeffersonian-Democrats Support in S, SE, and W agrarian support in hinterland (“Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God”) Government for the people but not by all the people! Pro French Minimal army and navy State and local spending Strict Constructionists Strong State Rightists Central government at a minimum VY & KY Resolutions Weak Judicial Branch Strong state Judicial branches III. Election of 1800
Neutrality Proclamation of 1793 Alexander Hamilton Thomas Jefferson James Madison Supreme Court Funding and assumption Bank of the United States Whiskey Rebellion Federalists Republicans Sec of State who opposed Hamilton Body organized by the Judiciary Act of 1789. Brilliant administrator Body believed in the common people, no aid for businesses and pro-French President Washington’s statement of basic principles of American foreign policy. Body believed in a strong government run by wealthy. Skillful politician-scholar who drafted the Bill of Rights. Hamilton’s aggressive financial policies of paying off all federal bonds and taking on all state debts. Institution bitterly opposed by states’ rights advocates. A protest by poor western farmers. Matching
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