a new nation unit 4 american history. the federalist era a new nation unit 4
TRANSCRIPT
A New Nation
Unit 4
American History
The Federalist Era
A New Nation
Unit 4
Washington’s Inauguration
The Washington Administration
The Unwritten Constitution
During the nations first years, policies and procedures for running the government efficiently came about.
These have become traditions, and are referred to as the “unwritten constitution”
The Washington Administration
The Cabinet The President appoints individuals to run certain
parts of the Executive Branch The first 3 were the Secretaries of State,
Treasury, and War Together, these positions are known as the
President’s “Cabinet” The Two-Term Tradition
Based on Washington’s precedent, the office of the President was informally limited to two terms only
The Washington Administration Foreign Policy
Jay’s Treaty A U.S. agreement with Great Britain – U.S. agreed
Britain could stop U.S. shipments to France, in return for a “most-favored nation” status in trading with Britain
Proclamation of Neutrality Washington’s precedent of having the U.S. try to stay
out of alliances with foreign powers – he urged the nation to remain as independent as it could
The Washington Administration
Hamilton Financial Plan
Why?: The nation needed economic stability and an ability to raise funds and pay debt
The Washington Administration
Bank of the United States (B.U.S.)
To act as the central bank of the United States Dominated by New Englanders Its creation was an example of “implied powers”
Led to the Whiskey Rebellion
The Washington Administration
The Whiskey Rebellion
In western Pennsylvania
Farmers rebelled against an excise tax on corn
Washington sent troops as a show of force
Showed Federal govt. could pass laws that state citizens had to follow
The Washington Administration
Excise Tax
A tax on certain products Hamilton wanted a tax on whiskey
Assumption
Hamilton urged the new government to pay off all debt from the Revolutionary War.
He said this would give the nation a good credit and status with both Americans and foreign nations
The Washington Administration
Washington’s Farewell Address In leaving office, President Washington warned
Americans about the following issues:
Getting too involved with other counties’ issues
The states sectionalizing and dividing the “nation”
Political parties becoming too important and divisive
Washington’s Farewell Address - Clip
Political Parties Form
Our current “Two party system” began at this time
Over the struggle for ratification of the constitution
Started with Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
Federalists remained the Federalist Party, the Anti-Federalists became known as the Republican Party (which is most closely related to today’s Democratic Party).
The Adams Administration
Unit 4
American History
Alien and Sedition Acts
Attempts by the Federalist party to strengthen themselves and weaken the Republican party
Laws were passed making it harder for foreigners to become Americans
Also made it against the law to print anything against the U.S. government
What right does this violate??
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
These two resolutions were reactions against the Alien and Sedition Acts
They basically said that states could declare federal laws invalid if they were unconstitutional
Important Elections
Each of these two elections were important in establishing the early direction that the new U.S. government would go in – and if it would even survive or not
1796 Won by the Federalists (John Adams-President) Allowed the policies of Washington and Hamilton to
continue and strengthen the nation
Important Elections
1800
The “Jeffersonian” Republicans won – bringing the possibility of huge changes to the government and possible challenges to the U.S. Constitution
This election marked the first peaceful transition of power between two opposing groups in the history of the world. It set a precedent for the future of our civilized government.
Case Study: The Marshall Court
What about it: As Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John C. Marshall presided over some very important cases that established the Court as being equal in power to the other two branches of federal government and granted it the ability to interpret Constitutional law.
Marbury v. Madison - Clip
Marbury v. Madison
important because it gave the U.S. Supreme Court the right of “ judicial review”
Judicial review: the power to decide whether laws passed by Congress were constitutional or not, and to nullify laws that were not.
McCullough v. Maryland - Clip
McCullough v. Maryland
Extended the policy of “loose interpretation” of the constitution - strengthening the federal government over the states
A stronger federal government would be wanted by the Federalist party. **(Remember – Federalist = Federal Government)
Gibbons v. Ogden - Clip
Gibbons v. Ogden
Similar to McCullough v. Maryland’s results on interpretation – this time about the federal governments ability to regulate interstate commerce
Again, Federalist = Federal Government
The Democratic Republicans
Democratic Republicans:
Often called “Jeffersonian Republicans”
Opposed most of the policies and philosophies of the Federalists
The Jefferson Administration
Louisiana Purchase
Why: To create lands for expansion westward and gain control of the Mississippi River
The Purchase: $15 million (bought from France)
Lewis and Clark: Sent to explore the new territory and search for a passage to the Pacific
Results of the Louisiana Purchase
The size of the US doubled
Results of the Louisiana Purchase
More precedents and controversies over the powers of the federal government
Starts the theory of manifest destiny – the idea that the United States should expand from coast to coast
Embargo Act
In retaliation for British acts against US shipping, Jefferson proposed and Congress passed the Embargo Act of 1807
This act banned trade with other countries
Ended up hurting the US more than it punished Britain – repealed in 1809
Strict vs. Loose Interpretation
The argument over whether the Constitution should be interpreted strictly (do only exactly what the document says) or loosely (allows for “implied” interpretation of powers)
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists (Democratic-Republicans) begin this argument.
The Madison Administration
War of 1812
Causes: Continued British harassment of US shipping on
the seas and the practice of impressment Impressment is the capture of US citizens and
forcing them to serve in the British military Trade restrictions between Britain and the US
become common Southern and Western “war hawks” encouraged
war to allow for westward expansion Concerns over Native-American activities on the
western borders emgerge
Events Burning of Washington DC:
British troops entered and burned the White House and the Capitol
Star Spangled Banner: Written during the attacks on Baltimore harbor by
Francis Scott key
New Orleans: General Andrew Jackson defeated larger British
Army, became a national hero (defeated them after the signing of the peace treaty)
Star Spangled Banner
Results The Treaty of Ghent ended the war – Ghent,
Belgium, 1814
The US won the war, but it did not change many existing conditions
The victory gave the country more prestige (fame) overseas
Caused an increase in national pride and support for the new country by Americans
The Monroe Administration
Era of Good Feelings
Name given to the time after the War of 1812 when there were few political conflicts and the new nation had much support
Results of the Era of Good Feelings
Nationalism (War of 1812) – Victory over Britain caused new
feelings of national pride and support
One Party By opposing the War of 1812, the Federalists lost
power and then ceased to exist
The American System Henry Clay’s plan to strengthen the America
The American System
Created by Henry Clay
Creation of the Second Bank of the US Passage of tariffs to protect US industry and
businesses Improve internal transportation routes to
connect the nation together better (Erie Canal, National Road, development of railroads)
Internal Improvements
The National Road
The Monroe Doctrine
The US bravely declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European powers.
In return, the US promised to stay out of European colonial affairs
Monroe Doctrine – Political Cartoon
The Jackson Era
Jacksonian Democracy
National Convention
Instead of members of Congress choosing Presidential candidates (caucus system), national nominating conventions began – opening up the process to common citizens
Secret Ballot
Early forms of today’s secret ballots began under Jackson’s presidency
Jacksonian Democracy
No property requirement: By the mid 1820’s, most states had eliminated the
ownership of property as a requirement for voting, many more Americans could then participate
Spoils System: Jackson supported the idea of appointing loyal
party supporters to office Veto power:
Jackson used the checks and balances power to veto more than all previous Presidents combined
The Bank War
Background: Most Southern and Western states opposed the
idea of a National Bank. Jackson felt he had a responsibility to the people to bring and end to it.
What Happened: When the issue came up to extend the provisions
of the national bank for another 20 years, Jackson vetoed it and pulled all the federal money from it
Wildcat Banks – Jackson took deposits from the Bank of the US and put them in state banks – thus killing the Bank of the United States
The Nullification Crisis
A battle of a state’s rights to not obey a federal law
Tariff of 1828:
A tariff was placed on all imports into the country This cased an increase in the price of
manufactured products States hurt most by this called it the “Tariff of
Abominations” (South Carolina)
The Nullification Crisis
States’ Rights Argument
Led by John C. Calhoun South Carolina argued that a state had the right to
“nullify” (make void) any federal law that they saw as unconstitutional
They said that since they originally agreed to form a nation, they also then had the right to break away from or ignore the nation’s laws
The Nullification Crisis
Force Bill
Congress gave Jackson the power to use any means necessary to force South Carolina to pay the tariff
Resolution
Jackson eventually lowered the amount of the tariff
South Carolina withdrew it’s nullification
Social/Economic Issues
With the stability/expansion of a new nation, and the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, many socio-economic changes came about in the US and new issues arose.
Women’s Rights
The 1830’s marked an increase in women actively speaking out about the inequality of men and women
Seneca Falls, NY Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott,
this convention marks the beginning of the women’s rights movement
They created a document declaring that all men and women were considered equal (Declaration on the Rights of Women)
Public Schools
The first public schools were created at this time
The idea of having an educated population was seen as good for the nation
These were paid for by taxes and became mandatory in most places
Horace Mann His model was followed in many places: teachers
would be trained, students would be divided into grade levels, usually about 10 months a year (to allow for help with harvesting, etc.)
Mentally Ill/Prison Reform
Mentally ill patients were often just cast into prisons
Dorthea Dix
She led the movement to create state run hospitals for the mentally ill
Abolition
The issue of slavery again became very important at this time
Abolition means to get rid of something
Abolition
Underground Railroad A series of safe houses to hide escaped slaves as
they fled North to free states and Canada
Harriet Tubman She led 19 trips along the Underground Railroad
to free slaves
William Lloyd Garrison White abolitionist leader that was influential in the
development of the abolition movement
Case Study: Native Americans
Background
By the early 1800’s, white settlers were moving westward and coming into contact with Native American tribal lands
The Natives tried various methods to deal with the stress of cultural conflicts
Ways Native Americans tried to survive: Cultural Adaptation:
Some, like the Cherokee, tried to survive by combining European cultural elements with their own traditional cultural ways
Cultural Revitalization:
Handsome Lake urged the Iroquois to adopt a better lifestyle: education, temperance, farming, and peaceful living were encouraged
Ways Native Americans tried to survive:
Pan-Indian Movement:
An attempt to unite the natives of the Old Northwest Territory, it died with their defeats in the War of 1812
Resistance:
Creeks resisted and attacked settlers in Georgia and Alabama
They were defeated at Horseshoe Bend in Alabama, opening up the South to settlement by whites
Indian Removal Policy
In the 1830’s, President Jackson began the forced movement of native populations to the Great Plains area.
In the South, many natives died along the “Trail of Tears” on their way west
Worchester v. Georgia – the Cherokee went to the Supreme Court in order to prevent the state of Georgia from taking their land. They won the case, but Presidents Jackson and Van Buren ignored the ruling
The Trail of Tears
Essential Questions
How were each of the 3 presidential eras: The Federalist Era, the Democratic-Republican Era, and the Jackson Era, different from the others?
Why were the first few Presidential terms so important to the development of the United States?
In one sentence, tell why is the most meaningful aspect of each of these Presidencies: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson?