The Federalist Era: Shaping American Politics and Government Expansion

1. Characteristics of the Federalist Era • Shape American politics • Adoption of U.S. Constitution- expansion of federal government • Foreign tensions: France and England • Internal oppositions • Creation of Federalist/Anti Federalist Split • Constitution ratified in 1789: supporters called Federalists • Opponents of the Constitution: anti-Federalists: • Lacked Bill of Rights • Central government at expense of state sovereignty and personal liberties • Key Points • Federalists: good trading relations with Great Britain (legitimize and stabilize). Alexander Hamilton • Democrat-Republicans: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison • Independent yeoman agriculture-backbone to economy • Self reliance through internal resources The Federalist Era: 1789-1801

2. George Washington • Vice President John Adams • Two terms: 1789-1797 • The First Congress • Skeleton framework • New York March 1789: judicial, executive and set legislative agenda • Met popular demand for a bill of rights • Creating the Courts • Judiciary Act of 1789 • 1796: Supreme Court • Building a Cabinet • 1789 establishment of the Cabinet: three executive posts (Secretary of State, Secretary of War, and of Treasury….and Office of Attorney General) • Thomas Jefferson: Secretary of State • Alexander Hamilton: Secretary of Treasury • Henry Knox: Secretary of War • Edmund Randolph: Attorney General The Federalist Era Begins

3. Historical Background • Concession made by the Federalists to anti-Federalists • Concern that government would usurp rights of individuals and states • James Madison and group drafted • State legislatures ratified in December 1791 • Opposition to Bill of Rights: Federalists • A bill of rights would undermine the idea of a government with limited powers. • Could not sufficiently define the rights that individuals possess by nature and those rights and privileges which governments are obliged to secure to citizens. Due to the impossibility of defining all of the rights which government must respect, a bill of rights would leave a window open for government to infringe upon the rights of its citizens. • A bill of rights might confuse people about the ultimate source of their rights. Many Federalists thought there was no need for a declaration of rights in 1787, because the work had already been done in 1776. • Significance • Protection of liberties from Federal government • Symbol and Foundation for individual liberty, limited government, rule of law The Bill of Rights

4. Problems with the Articles of Confederation • National government to weak to regulate • Wanted to produce new document outlining federal government • Interpreted as treaty between a sovereign state rather than a constitution • Meeting • Constitutional Convention, PA 1787 • Men of property • Committed to reforms that would balance sovereignty • Adopt efficient system of federal representation • Federal government: mediate interests of society/provide stability • Several proposals: drew upon English Common Law, writings of Enlightenment political philosophers. • 3/5 Compromise • Executive Office: single individual elected for a fixed term • Debates • Virginia v. New Jersey Plan • Connecticut Compromise The Structure of Government

5. The Conflict • Shaped early political debate • Federalists: led by Sec. of Treasury Alexander Hamilton: strong central gov. • Northeast mercantile interests • Anti-Federalists: Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson: states rights • Limited gov. in national defense and interstate commerce • All powers left to state • Mainly Southern and agrarian • Debate over National Finances • 1790: Hamilton proposal: national gov. assume unpaid state war-debts. • Anti-Federalists: Federal gov. economic control over states. • Plan passed: Concession by the North to South: 1800 removal of state capital from New York to Washington D.C. • Controversial Hamilton Plan: The National Bank • Opposition: Thomas Jefferson: tie private individuals to close to gov. instit. • Constitution: did not give federal government power to grant charter • Strict Constructionists: James Madison and Thomas Jefferson • Loose Constructionists: Alexander Hamilton, “Elastic clause” • Tariffs • December 1791 Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: The Conflict

6. Ideology • Strong central government/expansion of executive power • Civic virtue/republican values • Retained Federalist-dominated cabinet members • Management Style: avoided war: push for peace with Quasi-War • Combative Spirit: internal and external upheavals/conflicts • Early Events During Presidency • XYZ Affair: U.S. leaked info about French bribes • Problems with French: seizure of private American ships • Quasi War: July 1798 • The Alien and Sedition Acts • Four Bills: outlawed speech critical of government • Naturalization Act • The Alien Act • The Alien Enemies Act • The Sedition Act • Prosecution and Resistance • Legacy The Presidency of John Adams

7. Key Points: • Expansion: war, treaty, land deals, and settlement • With each Presidency: Washington, Adams, Jefferson • Westward and Southern Expansion • Territorial Acquisition: southwest, Texas, Oregon Country, California territory, Alaska, Hawaii • Territorial Evolution: following War: U.S. dominated project • Expansion • The Wilderness Road: Virginia through the Appalachian mountains/ Daniel Boone • The Frontier: The Northwest Indian War (1785-1795) • Treaty of Paris (1783) • Conflict with Western Confederacy • Refused to recognize U.S. claims to area northwest of Ohio River • Battle of Fallen Timbre • Treaty of Greenville: cede all lands to Northwest Territory • The Northeast Indian War • Washington and Knox: General Josiah Harmar: offensive into Shawnee and Miami country. Expansion of U.S. Territory

8. Haitian Revolution • 1789 French Revolution • Publication of “Rights of Man” • Racial tensions=enslaved insurrection • Southern planters feared uprising • Increased severity of Black Codes • Rebellions in North America • 250 + (Herbert Aptheker. Eugene D. Genovese) • Gabriel’s Rebellion • Richmond Virginia. 25 men to capture Governor James Monroe. Failed. Snitch. • Literate, enslaved blacksmith. Free blacks challenged condition of enslavement. • Potential to cause mass chaos and violence • Ratio of enslaved to planters: similar to Haiti • Affects of Gabriel’s Rebellion • Treatment of enslaved • Stricter emancipation laws • Limited relaxed time between plantations • Legislation designed to limit growing free-Black population • Anti-slavery supporters: incompatibilities between slave system and republican nation. Black Resistance and Fear in the South

9. Alien & Sedition Acts • Targeted political opponents • Campaign strategy in the 1800 election • Direct assault on freedom of speech and organized legislative opposition • The Revolution of 1800 • John Adams and Charles C. Pinckney vs. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr • Slander and personal attacks on both sides • Defeated Federalists: • Better organization by Republicans • Internal fighting between Adams and Hamilton supporters • Controversy with Alien Sedition Acts • Jefferson’s popularity in South • Effective campaigning by Burr in New York • Peaceful transfer of power • Federalist policies remained • Resulted in 12th Amendment (1804) Collapse of the Federalist Era