The New LeadersThe New Leaders

• On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States.

– Washington’s inauguration, or official swearing-in ceremony, was attended by thousands.

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• Leading Federalist John Adams of Massachusetts became Vice President.

Washington’s CabinetWashington’s Cabinet

• Washington also selected a Cabinet, a group of federal leaders who both advise the President and head national agencies.

• Washington’s Cabinet included many prominent Americans. He named Edmund Randolph of Virginia to the post of Attorney General and kept Henry Knox as Secretary of War. Thomas Jefferson was named Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton became Secretary of the Treasury.

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

Secretary of State Jefferson• After serving several years as

ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson returned to the United States in 1789. He quickly became involved again in domestic affairs, or the country’s internal matters.

• In addition to being a politician, Jefferson was a planter, writer, and inventor. His interest in architecture led him to build several homes, including his most famous, Monticello.

• Jefferson was not a strict Federalist and later became one of Washington’s harshest critics.

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Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

Treasury Secretary Hamilton• Alexander Hamilton was

chosen to head the government’s largest department, the Department of the Treasury.

• Hamilton had been an officer in the Continental Army during the Revolution, where he had carried out important military missions.

• In contrast to Jefferson, Hamilton believed that governmental power, properly used, could accomplish great things.

Washington’s GovernmentWashington’s Government

• Washington knew that during his first administration, or term of office, he and his officials were establishing precedents for how to govern. A precedent is an act or statement that becomes an example, rule, or tradition to be followed.

• Washington worked to establish a tone of dignity in his administration. The President held regular receptions for government officials and was escorted by soldiers when he traveled. Although he felt that such pomp was necessary to command respect, others saw these activities as reminiscent of a king and his court.

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Washington ReelectedWashington Reelected

• In 1792, Washington won unanimous reelection. His second term, however, became marked by criticism and controversy

Planning a Capital CityPlanning a Capital City

The Need for a Capital City• During Washington’s first year in

office, the government resided in New York City.

• In 1790, the capital was moved to Philadelphia while a new capital could be planned and built.

• The Residence Act of 1790 specified a 10-square-mile stretch of land on the border between Maryland and Virginia for the new capital. This area, to be called the District of Columbia, would be governed by federal authorities, not by either state.

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Planning the District of ColumbiaPlanning the District of Columbia

• African American mathematician Benjamin Banneker helped survey the city. French architect Pierre-Charles L’Enfant developed the city plan.

• The District of Columbia, later renamed Washington, District of Columbia, was designed to echo the beauty and structure of European capital cities.

• The federal government moved there in 1800.

• Today, Washington, D.C., remains the most visible legacy of the Federalists’ belief in the power and dignity of the new government.

Hamilton’s ProgramHamilton’s Program

• As Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton was responsible for developing an economic program that would help repay the huge debts incurred during the Revolution.

• In 1790, Congress approved Hamilton’s plan to allow the federal government to take responsibility for debts acquired by individual states.

• Southern states resisted this plan at first, since they did not want to help pay back the loans owed by northern states. However, Hamilton won southern support by promising to locate the nation’s new capital in the South.

• By assuming states’ debt, the federal government indirectly increased its strength. Since creditors now had an interest in the United States, not just individual states, they would help ensure that the new nation did not collapse.

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Hamilton’s Strategy and OpponentsHamilton’s Strategy and Opponents

Hamilton’s Strategy• To raise money to pay off debts,

Congress created a tax on whiskey and a tariff, or a tax on imported goods.

• Rather than pay off all debt at once, the United States paid interest, an extra sum of money that borrowers pay creditors in return for loans.

• Hamilton believed in a loose construction of the Constitution. That is, he believed that the government could take any action that the Constitution did not forbid.

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Hamilton’s OpponentsHamilton’s Opponents

• Many Americans disliked Hamilton’s plan for the national government to take over state loans, viewing it as interference in state affairs. Many also disliked Hamilton’s new taxes.

• Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson was particularly opposed to Hamilton’s plans. Jefferson favored a strict construction of the Constitution, believing that the government should not take any actions other than those specifically called for in the Constitution.

Foreign Policy IssuesForeign Policy Issues

The French Revolution• The French Revolution sharply

divided Americans. Federalists saw the French Revolution as a democratic revolution gone wrong. Supporters of Jefferson, however, viewed it as an extension of the American Revolution.

• The political split grew more intense in 1793, when the French ambassador to the United States, “Citizen” Edmond Genêt, tried to convince private Americans to fight with the French against the British.

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American Neutrality The United States did not want to offend either

nation in the war between Britain and France. • President Washington issued a proclamation of

neutrality in 1793, stating that the United States would remain neutral, or not take either side. This would not be easy.

Jay’s TreatyJay’s Treaty

• In 1794, Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to Britain to negotiate an agreement with the British. The agreement, which became known as Jay’s Treaty, was highly controversial in the United States because it contained no protection for American shipping.– Britain promised to leave western territory– Promised to pay back shipping losses– U.S. agreed to pay back pre-revolution debt

• South not happy

Consequences of Jay’s TreatyConsequences of Jay’s Treaty

• Washington Administration loses popularity

• Spanish assume the U.S. is moving closer to the British

– Sign Pinckney Treaty, giving the U.S. disputed territory in Florida, and access to the Mississippi River

– France also assumes we are moving closer to the British

The Whiskey RebellionThe Whiskey Rebellion

• In western Pennsylvania and other frontier areas, many people refused to pay the new tax on whiskey.

– In addition to being a popular beverage, whiskey was one of the only products made out of corn that farmers could transport to market without having it spoil.

• Sometimes even used it as currency

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• The resulting Whiskey Rebellion followed in the tradition of Shays’ Rebellion and protests against the Stamp Act. Rebels closed courts and attacked tax collectors.

• President Washington and Secretary Hamilton saw the Whiskey Rebellion as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the United States government. An army sent to the Pittsburgh area soon dissolved the rebellion, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to enforcing its laws.

Political Parties EmergePolitical Parties Emerge

The Jeffersonian Republicans• Two political parties began to

emerge in the new nation. A political party is a group of people who seek to win elections and hold public office in order to shape government policy and programs.

• The Federalists formed one of these parties. The other, composed of critics of the Federalists, were called Republicans or Democratic-Republicans because they stood for a more democratic republic. To avoid confusion, historians call them the Jeffersonian Republicans.

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The Election of 1796• President Washington chose not to run for a third

term in 1796. – With the nation politically divided, the election

of 1796 was close. • The Federalists won a narrow victory,

making John Adams the second President. - Jefferson, who finished

second in the electoral vote race, became the new Vice President.

• In his Farewell Address of 1796, Washington drew on his years of experience and offered advice for the young nation in the years ahead. He warned against competing political parties and advocated a foreign policy of neutrality.