Early Presidents:The Federalist Era

The First Presidential Election• No political parties existed

at the time of the 1788/89 election.• Candidates were either

Federalists or Anti-Federalists.• Both groups were united

in supporting Washington for the presidency.• Washington was

enormously popular and was unanimously elected.

The First President of the United States• George Washington became the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789.• He was inaugurated in New York City, the nation’s first capital.• His vice president was John Adams.• Washington set the standard for how long a president should serve and for how the nation should relate to other nations.• George Washington Clip• Martha Washington Clip

The Cabinet• In the summer of 1789, Washington

chose leading political figures to help form his cabinet. • Washington’s cabinet had many important duties, and they gave advice to the president.• He appointed:

• Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State• Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of the

Treasury• Henry Knox – Secretary of War• Edmund Randolph – Attorney General

The Court System• The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a federal court system, which marked a first step in creating a strong national judicial system.• The states kept their own

laws and courts, but the federal courts had the power to reverse state decisions.• President Washington

chose John Jay to lead the Supreme Court as first chief justice.

The Bill of Rights• In December 1791, the first ten amendments were made to the Constitution. They are known as the Bill of Rights.• The Bill of Rights limits

the power of government and protects individual liberties.• The Tenth Amendment

says that any power not listed in the Constitution belongs to the states or the people.

The Economy of the New Nation• As a result of the

American Revolution, the new nation owed millions of dollars to other countries and to American citizens.• Alexander Hamilton proposed that the federal government take over and pay off the states’ wartime debts.• He argued this would

build national credit and make it easier for the nation to borrow money.

National Bank• Hamilton also asked Congress to create a national bank to hold government funds and make debt payments.• The national bank would also issue

a single form of money for use throughout the nation.• Some opposed this idea, citing the Constitution did not grant Congress the power to create a bank.• Washington sided with Hamilton however, and Congress created the national bank.

A New Capital• The Residence Act of 1790 specified that a special district be laid out between Virginia and Maryland on the banks of the Potomac River.• The act gave Washington

the authority to decide the exact location.• The result was Washington, D.C.

Whiskey Rebellion• In 1791, Congress passed a tax on the

manufacture and sale of whiskey.• Western Pennsylvania farmers were

especially upset by this tax.• In July 1794, the Whiskey Rebellion occurred when an armed mob attacked tax collectors and burned down buildings. • Washington sent federal troops to meet the challenge, and his action made it clear that the new government would use force to maintain order.

Washington Struggles to Stay Neutral• In 1793, Britain and France went to war. Many Americans wanted the United States to take sides.• Washington wanted the United States to stay neutral.• After the British captured American ships

that traded with the French, Washington sent John Jay to discuss a solution. The result was Jay’s Treaty.• Jay’s Treaty helped both sides achieve many objectives, although few Americans approved of the treaty.

Washington Leaves Office• After two terms in office, Washington decided not to seek a third term as president.• In his farewell

address, Washington warned about something he saw as a growing threat to the young nation: political parties.

Political Parties Emerge• By 1796, the nation’s first political

parties were beginning to form.• The Federalists were led by

Alexander Hamilton, and they favored a strong national government. They believed the Constitution gave the government “implied powers.”• The Democratic-Republicans

were led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. They rejected the idea of implied powers.

Election of 1796• John Adams was the Federalist

candidate, and Thomas Jefferson was the Democratic-Republican candidate.• Under the rules of the Constitution

at that time, the person with the second-highest electoral vote became vice president.• John Adams won the election

of 1796 and became the 2nd President of the United States. Jefferson became vice president.

John Adams• Before becoming president, John

Adams was well-known as one of Massachusetts’s most active patriots before and during the Revolutionary War.• John Adams served two terms as

vice president before becoming president.• His presidency was troubled, and is most known for the XYZ Affair and the Alien and Sedition Acts.• John Adams Clip• Abigail Adams Clip

The XYZ Affair• In 1797, Adams sent a team to Paris to resolve

a dispute. French officials chose not to meet with the Americans, and instead, they sent three French agents, who demanded a bribe and a loan.• The Americans refused.• When Adams learned what happened, he was

furious. The president urged Congress to prepare for war.• In his report to Congress, Adams used the

letters X,Y, and Z in place of the French agents’ names. • As a result, the event came to be called the

XYZ affair.

Alien and Sedition Acts• After the XYZ Affair, many Americans

became suspicious of aliens, or residents who were not citizens.• In response, the Alien and Sedition

Acts was passed in 1798.• The Alien and Sedition Acts allowed the president to imprison aliens, and it also allowed him to deport those thought to be dangerous.• Though controversial, Adams was a strong supporter of the laws.

A New Capital• Washington, D.C. officially became the capital of the United States in November 1800.• John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House.• The Organic Act of 1801

placed the District of Columbia under the control of the U.S. Congress.