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Washington
A. Inauguration
i. April 30, 1789
ii. He was the only person to receive ALL electoral votes -
Washington (Federal Judicary Act)
(passed on September 4, 1789)
i.Set up federal court system with 6 Supreme Court Justices and lower federal courts
ii. Only lasted as long as president was in office -
Washington (Economic Challenges & Foreign Affairs)
i. Hamilton’s Plan
a. Country was in debt
b. 1) Government pay public & state debt
2) Revenue should be raised by government income and tariffs
3) National Bank
c. Some agreed, but some states had already paid their debts and did not want to repay the government
d. Washington ignored the protests and passed the bill
D. Foreign Affairs
i. Government saw it as a requirement to repay foreign debt (also to not form permanent alliances)
ii. Wanted to maintain business relationships -
Washington's Farewell Address
E. Farewell Address (September 17, 1796)
i. Important points
a. Unity is important for benefit of the country
b. Political parties will tear the country apart
c. Religion is important to independence and freedom
d. Spend money wisely and tax within reason
e. Permanent allies can cause trouble to the country
f. Don’t over-power the people with military -
Adams
A. Election of 1796
i. Federalist president and a Democratic-Republican Vice President -
Adams (XYZ Affair)
B. XYZ Affair
i. During the war between France and Britain, the French began to attack our ships to keep us from trading with Britain. So, Adams sent agents to enter in treaty with the French. The French agents (X, Y, Z) demanded a ten million dollar loan and a bribe before they would even discuss a treaty. The U.S. refused to give them any money.
ii. This made Adams unpopular with both parties and increased the division between the parties as well. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
i. The federalists feared that the Republicans and the French would become allies, while French and British refugees came to the U.S. to escape the war. Adams passed several laws to silence the Democratic-Republicans
ii. Showed Judicial Review and introduced nullification.
iii. Kentucky and Virginia resolutions
a. Jefferson and Madison believed the acts violated the first amendment, so they began to argue that states can nullify (to declare void or useless) a federal law if the state believes i -
Jefferson
A. Election of 1800
i. This was the final election before the twelfth amendment changed the election procedure.
B. Domestic Policy
i. Jefferson undid:
• Alien and Sedition Acts
• Whiskey Tax
• Enlargement of Navy
• Public debt through Hamilton’s Plan
ii. Marbury vs. Madison
a. Set up judicial review (where courts can declare laws unconstitutional) -
Jefferson's Foreign Policy
C. Foreign Policy
i. Impressment was when during the war between Britain and France, British soldiers would take over our ships and take our sailors to make them work on their war ships or to kill them. This meant we could not trade with anyone, and our navy became weak. -
Louisiana Purchase
a. The Louisiana Purchase was an exchange between France and the United States. The U.S. needed New Orleans for trade, while Napoleon needed money to help the war back in France. So, he offered to sell us all of Louisiana for 5 million dollars.
b. Lewis and Clark were sent by the government to go explore and make maps of the new territory gained by the Louisiana Purchase. While on their expedition, they were ordered to make relationships with native tribes, record all different animals they saw -
Louisiana Purchase (Cont'd)
record all new landscapes and plants and other geographical features they saw.
c. This opened the country to westward expansion. -
Embargo Act of 1807
ii. Embargo Act of 1807
a. Due to the war between Britain and France, Jefferson decided not to become involved with the war. So, he passed the Embargo Act which stated that no American citizen may trade or have contact with either country.
b. Some merchants rebelled against this and continued to trade. -
Madison
inaugurated on March 4,1809 -
War of 1812
i. The war was caused by three reasons: Impressment by the British, Native Resistance encouraged by the British, and Spanish Florida which was given to Spain by Britain even though we wanted it.
ii. The war resulted in no one winning, but no one losing. It was ended with the Treaty of Ghent. This caused patriotism throughout America, and it broke the strength of the Natives rebellion. -
Hartford Convention
iii. The Hartford Convention was held between December 15, 1814 and January 4, 1815. This was between the Federalists in New England states. They wanted succession from the country because they did not believe that they would win the war. Well, we did win and this made the Federalists look very unpopular.