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Chapter 6 \Federalists and Republicans
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Washington Elected President
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Washington served as a general and commander-in-chief of the colonial armies during the American Revolution. Later he became the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He died on December 14, 1799, in Mount Vernon, Virginia. -
Tariff of 1789
The Tariff of 1789 was brought about by James Madison who suggested it as a way that the federal government could raise money. The tariff would require importers to pay a percentage of the value of their cargo when they landed in the United States. Shippers also had to pay a tax based on how much their ships carried. This tariff angered many Southern planters because it meant that they would have to pay higher rates to ship their rice and tobacco to Europe. -
Whiskey Tax
Alexander Hamilton believed that the federal government needed to establish its right to impose taxes on the people. In 1791, at Hamilton's urging, Congress passed a tax on the manufacture of whiskey. This angered Western farmers because they used whiskey as a medium of exchange and because distilling the whiskey was the easiest way to move their grain to the Eastern markets. Finally in 1974, after years of complaints, a rebellion erupted in western Pennsylvania, which was quickly put down. -
Jay's Treaty Signed
Jay's Treaty was brought about by British seizures of American ships. John Jay was sent to Britian by President Washington to try and avoid a war between the two countries. Jay was forced to agree that the British had the right to seize cargo bound for French ports. In return the British gave the United States the most-favored nation status which basically meant that they would trade fairly with them. The decision to agree to these terms prevented war and protected the fragile American economy. -
John Adams Elected President
John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate and master's degree. In 1774, he served on the First Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Adams also became the first vice president of the United States and the second president of the United States from 1796 to 1800. He died on July 4, 1826, in Quincy, Massachusetts, which happend to be the same day Thomas Jefferson died. -
Alien and Sedition Acts Introduced
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four laws pushed by Federalists in 1798. The first three laws were aimed at aliens in the U.S. The first law forced aliens to wait 14 years before becoming citizens of the U.S. The next two laws gave the President the power to deport, without trial, any alien who seemed dangerous to the U.S. The final law was aimed at preventing sedition, or incitement to rebellion. -
Thomas Jefferson Elected President
Thomas Jefferson Bio
Thomas Jefferson was an incredible man. He is famous for writing the Declaration of Independence and for being the third president of the United States. Jefferson was also a farmer, father, designer and thinker, who believed in the rights of men. -
Louisiana Purchase
In 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte of France gained control of the Louisiana Territory. This worried Jefferson who thought this would force the U.S. into an alliance with Britain, who he despised. Robert Livingston was sent to France in 1801 to try and block the transaction, but he accomplished little until 1803. In 1803 the U.S. paid 15 million to France for the Louisiana Territory. This doubled the U.S.'s size and gained the U.S. control of the entire Mississippi River. -
Louis and Clark Expedition
Even before the U.S. owned Louisiana, Jefferson had a secret mission planned to explore the Louisiana Territory in order to trace the Missouri River and find a route to the Pacific Ocean. In 1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were sent on this expedition. Along the way they met a Shoshone women named Sacagawea who acted as their guide and interpreter. The expedition greatly increased American knowledge of the Louisiana Territory. It also gave the U.S. a claim to the Oregon territory. -
Embargo Act
During the war between France and Britain, British ships would stop American trade ships and take sailors from the American ships. This happend because the British navy was short of recruits. In 1807 the U.S. was so fed up with Britain that Congress passed the Embargo Act of 1807. This act banned trade from the U.S. to Europe. This act seemed like a good idea, but by 1809 it was repealed because it was hurting the U.S. more than any other country. -
James Madison Elected President
James Madison Bio
James Madison was born March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia and died on June 28, 1836, in Orange County, Virginia. Madison wrote the first drafts of the U.S. Constitution, co-wrote the Federalist Papers and sponsored the Bill of Rights. He also served two terms as president and initiated the War of 1812. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
Native Americans were becoming increasingly resistant to settlers. A Shawnee leader named Tecumseh believed that Native Americans needed to unite to protect their lands. Tecumseh's brother, Tenskwatawa, called for the spiritual rebirth of Native American culture. As Tecumseh's movement was becoming more militant, William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indian territory, prepared to destroy it. In November 1811 the two groups fought and Harrison came out victorious. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 started over the British refusing to drop their trade restrictions for the U.S. This caused the U.S. to attack British colonies in Canada. These attacks on Canada were ultimately unseccessful. Then in 1814, Britan ended its war with France and turned to attack the U.S. The British were initually successful, but the proceeding attacks failed. The war eventually stopped in 1814 with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. -
Hartford Convention
New England was against the War of 1812 the entire time. As the British started to attack the U.S., New England's opposition to the war increased. In December 1814, Federalists from Hartford, Connecticut, met to discuss what they could do independently of the U.S. Although some people thought they should secede, moderate delegates refused to support such extreme action. Instead the convention called for several constitutional amendments to increase the region's political power. -
Signing of Treaty of Ghent
Peace negotiations began in the European city of Ghent in 1814 over the War of 1812. On December 24th, 1814, the negotiators signed the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812. The treaty restored prewar boundaries, but did not mention neutral rights or impressment. Also no territories changed hands during the war/signing. The War of 1812 might have been pretty unseccessful, but it increased the U.S.'s prestige overseas and generated a new spirit of patriotism and national unity.
