Origins of Politics

Hamilton’s Program Major issues with debt in the new government

We owed numerous countries and citizens money from the Revolution

Hamilton used this as an opportunity to promote his opinions As a federalist he wanted to expand the federal government’s

ability to strengthen the economy First issue was debt of the Northern States

The North still owed lots of war debt while the South had paid back their debt

Hamilton tried to convince the South to help repay national debt Made a deal, if South supported the debt repayment then they

would move the capital from NY to the South in DC

• Clearly, the South did not like this plan.• Hamilton suggested that it was better to

have national debt over individual debt• Hamilton’s plan

• Tariffs: On imported goods and distilled liquors (whiskey)

• Used taxes to pay running of government and some to creditors. Felt should only pay a little bit every year so that the nations would continue to be interested in the US

• Create a national bank-Very Controversial

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Opponents to Hamilton

$Many people did not like Hamilton’s plan, because it increased the federal governments power and interfered in state and local affairs.

$One of the major opponents to Hamilton was Jefferson

$Jefferson believed in Strict construction of the Constitution while Hamilton believed in Loose Construction $Jefferson also disliked how he was in the minority of the cabinet in beliefs and he eventually resigned.

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Trying to Remain NeutralTo help maintain our Neutrality, Washington issued a Neutrality ProclamationThis worked until Britain started to seize trading ships as well as support of Indians in our west. This led the public to move more to support the FrenchWashington and Hamilton felt it was best to remain neutral so they sent Chief Justice John Jay to London to help work out a peace agreement

This agreement is known as Jay’s TreatyBritain agreed to stay out of Native affairs in the WestBritain refused to stop the ship takeoversAngered many Americans who felt the government was not doing enough to protect the people and that we could do moreDespite the dislike of the treaty it was approved by Congress in 1795

Whiskey Rebellion Many people were angered by Hamilton’s Plan, especially the

west because of the Whiskey tax Many people in the west refused to pay the tax because it was

one of the only products to be made from corn that could be easily transported and not spoil It sometimes was even used as currency

Started the Whiskey Rebellion-Closed courts, harmed tax collectors, and general unrest to show their anger Hamilton insisted that the military was brought in to put down the rebellion

Washington ordered troops to put down Rebellion in 1794 and it showed that the US government would enforce laws with any means necessary

Jeffersonian Republicans

Those who believed as Jefferson did that the federalist were taking too much power away from the people they formed societies to oppose the federalist

Historically we call these groups the Jeffersonian Republicans

They really began the first political party Political party: a group of people who seek to win

elections and hold public office in order to shape government policy and programs

The Election of 1796 Washington was easily convinced to run for

a second term When it came time to run for a third term,

he faced a lot of criticism and decided to not run

With Washington out of the race it was a close race between the two factions on government

It was John Adams and Thomas Pinckney for VP on one side, and Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr on the other The Federalist squeaked by with a

victory to put Adams as President, but Jefferson got the second most votes so he became VP

Taken from Eastchester Middle/High School Library

Washington’s Farwell Washington listed in his farewell address that he would not seek a

3rd term Washington for most of his presidency remained neutral in the

fed/anti fed arguments He did not believe political parties were good for our nation He also desired for the nation to remain neutral in foreign affairs and

stay united as a nation

Adams as President At the start of his presidency, the nation was heading towards

war with France Then the XYZ affair occurred

Americans went to France to try and work for peace 3 French ministers tried to bribe the Americans in order to see the

French dignitaries They were demanding 250,000 and a 10 million loan A common practice in Europe, really angered the Americans Both sides were angered and began to seize the others ships

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Taking advantage of the war like situation, the federalist pushed through new laws including higher taxes, increasing the size of the army, and most importantly, the Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien and Sedition acts stated that the President had the right to imprison or deport citizens of other countries or those who spoke out against the government

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Several anti federalists believed that the A&S acts were a violation of the Constitution so they came up with their own act to go against it

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions stated that if a state felt a law was unconstitutional it did not have to enforce the law

This really didn’t go anywhere but it was a statement to the federal government that states were against the law

As time passed the tensions between the federalist and the Anti federalist began to grow.

The election of 1800 was looming and people began to wonder who the people would favor, Fed or Anti Fed

Election of 1800Adams quickly lost the support

of the people once he was in office due to his loss of fed support in the

France matterthe peace treaty with the anti

Feds, the highly unpopular A&S

actsAdams had a hard time even

getting support of his party. Ended up being Hamilton/Burr against Jefferson.

Campaigns are not like today’s campaign most of the debate and discussion of issues took place in the newspapers and pamphlets.

Yet, the campaign was the first really negative campaign with name calling taking place on both sides.

And the winner is…… Jefferson won the popular vote in Dec 1800, but he did not win

the Electoral College His main rival was not Adams, but Jefferson’s own Vice

President Aaron Burr They had each received 73 electoral votes As states by the constitution, the vote went to the house of Reps No immediate majority could be seen and the house was

deadlocked for days. Hamilton, a major player in the House, stated he preferred Jefferson

and sent many votes Jefferson’s way and allowed him to win. Behind the scenes he made a deal with Jefferson for a cabinet post

for the support On Feb 17th, The house elected Jefferson President and Aaron Burr

VP