Chapter 6

Launching the New Nation1789-1816Chapter 6Washington Heads the New GovernmentSection 1

The New Government Takes ShapeThe first president of the country under the new government was George Washington.Although the Constitution laid a very strong foundation, there was no precedent, or prior example, of how to make this new government work.One of the first steps that Washington & Congress took was to create a judicial system.The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a national court system.This law allowed state court decisions to be appealed to a federal court when constitutional issues were raised.ContinuedWashington & Congress also created three executive departments:Department of State deals with foreign affairsDepartment of War deals with military affairsDepartment of Treasury deals with financial affairsWashington chose strong leaders to head these departments.He chose Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State.He chose Henry Knox as Secretary of War.He chose Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Treasury.These department heads soon became the presidents Cabinet, or chief advisors.

Hamilton and Jefferson DebateHamilton wanted a strong central government and called for an economy that helped trade and industry.Jefferson wanted a weak central government and an economy that favored farmers.The industrial North backed Hamilton.The largely agricultural South backed Jefferson.Hamilton wanted to set up the Bank of the United States. This bank would be funded by the federal government and wealthy investors. The bank would issue paper money.Hamilton convinced Congress to pass his plan a national bank, and won support from the Southern lawmakers by agreeing to build the nations new capital in Washington, D.C.First Political Parties and Rebellion

Hamilton and supporters of a strong central government were called Federalists.Jefferson and those who believed that state governments should be stronger than the federal governments were called Republicans. They later referred to themselves as Democratic-Republicans. (this party was the ancestor of todays Democratic party)These groups served as the basis for the nations two-party system. Under this system, the two main political parties compete for power. ContinuedCongress passed two important taxes:Protective tariff-placed a tax on goods imported from EuropeExcise tax- sales tax on whiskey (farmers became angry about the tax and attacked tax collectors, Whiskey Rebellion)

Foreign Affairs Trouble the Nation

Section 2U.S. Response to Events in Europe1789 the French overthrew their monarchy.Democratic-Republicans wanted to honor the treaty and support France.Federalists wanted to back the British.Washington decided on neutrality-support neither side.In April 1793, the French sent a diplomat, Edmond Gent to the United States to win American support.

ContinuedAmbassador Thomas Pinckney negotiated a treaty with Spain.Under the agreement, known as Pinckneys Treaty, Spain gave up its claims to the land east of the Mississippi River.Spain also agreed to open the Mississippi River to American traffic.This treaty paved the way for American expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains.Native Americans Resist White SettlersOne region many Americans streamed into was the Northwest Territory. This area included Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.Conflicts eventually broke out between the Native Americans and the white settlers. One notable clash occurred in 1790.Under the leadership of Little Turtle, a chieftain of the Miami Tribe, Native Americans defeated American troops as they fought for control of what would become Ohio.1794 the American general defeated Native Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. This defeat ended Native American resistance in Ohio.ContinuedThat same year, U.S. diplomat John Jay negotiated a treaty with Britain. Under the Jay Treaty, the British agreed to give up their forts in the Northwest Territory.Adams Provokes CriticismGeorge Washington retired from the presidency after two terms. John Adams was elected president in 1796.The election highlighted the dangers of sectionalism-placing interests of one region over those of the nation as a whole.France had begun to interfere with American shipping. During negotiations to resolve the matter, three French officials demanded bribes from the Americans in order to help them.ContinuedThe incident became known as the XYZ Affair.Acting on their fears, the Federalists pushed through Congress the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.These acts made it harder for immigrants to become American citizens.Kentucky and Virginia passed resolutions refusing to obey the acts.They claimed to be acting on the principle of nullification- states could refuse to obey federal laws that they thought were unconstitutional.Jefferson Alters the Nations CourseSection 3

Jefferson Wins Presidential Election of 1800Jefferson defeated Adams by eight electoral votes. However, Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, received the same number of electoral votes.The House of Representatives had to decide the winner.The controversy revealed a problem with the election system.The nation solved this by passing the Twelfth Amendment. The amendment called for electors to vote separately for president and vice president.

The Jefferson PresidencyJeffersons inauguration signaled the first time in the new nations history that power was transferred from one political party to another.Jefferson believed that the people should have greater control of the government.He also believed that government should be simple and small.Adams appointed John Marshall, a Federalists, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

ContinuedJust before he left office, President Adams pushed a law through Congress called the Judiciary Act of 1801.This law increased the number of justices on the Supreme Court to sixteen.Adams quickly filled the positions with Federalists.The judges were called midnight judges because Adams signed their appointments late on the last day of his presidency.Adams packing of the courts with Federalists angered Jefferson and Democratic-Republicans.Continued

This debate led to one of the most important Supreme Court decisions of all time.In Marbury v. Madison the Supreme Court ruled that the Judiciary Act was unconstitutional.The decision established the principle of judicial review-this allows the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional.

The United States Expands West1803 Jefferson purchased a large amount of western land from France.It was called the Louisiana Purchase. It stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.With the Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. doubled in size.Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the new land.Lewis and Clark led a team of soldiers and adventurers. This group included Sacajawea, a Native American woman who was a guide and interpreter.The team traveled more than two years from St. Louis to present-day Oregon.The War of 1812Section 4

Why did Americans want war with Britain?1806 France began refusing to allow British goods to come into Europe.In turn, Britain decided to blockade Europe-or prevent ships from entering or leaving ports.1807 both Britain and France had seized more than 1,000 American ships.The British also practiced impressment. This was a practice in which British forced seized American sailors and forced them to serve in the British navy.1807 Jefferson asked Congress to declare an embargo- a ban on exporting goods to other countries.The embargo hurt American business.Continued

General William Henry Harrison, the governor of the Indiana Territory, persuaded several Native American chiefs to sign away millions of acres of tribal land to the U.S. government.Tecumseh, a Native American leader, organized a confederacy of Native Americans to fight for these lands.American troops defeated the confederacy in 1811.Some American leaders demanded war against Britain. The were known as war hawks.They were led by legislators John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay.The War Brings Mixed Results.James Madison became president in 1808. 1812, relations with Europe were more strained that ever. That year, Madison asked Congress to declare war on Britain.Congress approved the war declaration.The advantage swung to the Americans in 1815, when U.S. General Andrew Jackson scored a victory in the Battle of New Orleans.This victory came after British and American diplomats had agreed on a peace treaty.The Treaty of Ghent, 1814, declared an armistice-end to the fighting.The War of 1812 showed that the U.S. was truly independent.