Federalist Era US 1 History

First President

George Washington

First Vice President

John Adams

Problems with the startup of Constitution

• had to create a lot of branches from start (judiciary, executive, cabinet, etc.)

• Constitution didn’t have specifics

• 4 million people across 13 states

• No respect from foreign governments → their people no seeing the purpose of monarchy

• Massive debts with no means to pay them off

Tariff Act of 1789

First bill government works on that puts 5% tariff on imports

Purpose of Tariff Act of 1789

• gives them protection from British or other countries flooding their economy

• Helped give money to the federal government → only had revenue from land sales

Interpretations of Constitution

Washington and the Congress had to make interpretations to fine tune specifics on how to run, which are still modern precedences

Secretary of State

Thomas Jefferson

Secretary of War

Henry Knox

Secretary of Treasury

Alexander Hamilton

Post Master General

Samuel Osgood

Attorney General

Edmund Randolph

Some significant precedences from Washington

• advise and consent from the senate for a treaty turned into purely consent due to Senate’s never ending talks

• 2 terms (followed until FDR)

Federal Judiciary Act of 1789

Sets up lower court system (13 district courts and 3 circuit court of appeals)

First Supreme Court

Chief Justice John Jay and 5 associate justices

Federalist Era

Formation of political parties

• Hamilton → loose construction (federalist)

• Jefferson → strict construction (democratic-republic)

Hamilton’s 3 reports on America’s economy

Report on Public Credit, Proposal for National Bank, Report on Manufacturers

What class is on Hamilton’s side?

Wealthy manufacturers

What class is on Jefferson’s side?

Small farmers

Report on Public Credit

All of our debts should be taken at par to show that they pay back what they promised

Market value

What market is willing to pay

Face value

What the promised price is to pay = at par

Issue of Report on Public Credit

Speculators bought war bonds from the Revolution at market value (faction of price) are now getting the face value worth → original buyers are getting knocked off

Assumption Bill

• part of the Report on Public Credit

• wanted to raise all the states’ taxes to pay off higher debts of specific states

• Created DC deals

DC deal

Part of the assumption bill that promised the southern states to put capital between Virginia and Maryland if they raised their taxes.

Report on Manufacturers

• wants to increase tariffs and raise taxes (govt encouraging economy → echoes of mercantilism)

• Tariff benefits the import countries → south were getting hit twice because they were responsible for export of cash crops

• South DID NOT let this report pass

After effects of Report on Manufacturers

• South were able to keep investing in land and slavery → locks them into an agriculture economy

• IF it was passed then South would be forced to diversify their economy and have more of an increase like the north

Mint Act of 1792

Nation’s first coin currency (gold, silver, copper)

Whiskey Rebellion

Domestic tax on many industries but whiskey is the most significant

• Western farmers traded in whiskey → easier to move this valuable alcohol than carry the material

• Many marches with killings of tax collectors

• 7,000 farmers march on Pittsburg → Washington brings an army and then rebels leave

Whiskey Rebellion’s precedence

Citizens need to pay all their taxes, even if it’s unpopular

America’s Foreign Policy

Have always been dependent on the European conflict → caught in the conflicts of France, Great Britain, Spanish

America’s current connections and conflicts to France

• Scheming behavior at Treaty of Paris

• In debt to them

• Franco-American alliance

America’s connections and conflicts to Britain

• Britain closed off their islands

• Troops in America

• Britain put the natives against America

• In debt to Britain

• Britain flooded their markets

America’s connections and conflicts to Spain

• Spain owns part of the Mississippi River and New Orleans

• Wasn’t included in the Treaty of Paris

Hamilton’s thoughts on the French Revolution

Made the Franco-American alliance deal with the monarchy but now they’re dead so it does not count → should not get involved

Jefferson’s thoughts on the French Revolution

Made the Franco-American alliance for the people, so we DO have to honor it

Proclamation of Neutrality

Washington declared that they won’t involve in European conflict

Jefferson’s thoughts on Proclamation of Neutrality

furious to the point he resigns from Secretary of State because Washington needs to confer with Senate before overriding a treaty

Genet Affair

• France sends citizen Genet as a French ambassador during Revolution

• Goes to Charleston where he hires privateers and soldiers to attack Britain → even Jefferson is mad

• Washington asks France to take him back but the govt that sends him is dead

America’s thoughts on the Genet Affair

Didn’t appreciate France anymore and did not want to help them → even Jefferson is furious

Neutrality Act

Congress issues an act that’s basically against Genet and they show their support in Washington’s proclamation

Impresses

Forced to become part of that country’s military

What did America do when the British and French were at war?

America used the French ports since British were targeting French shipping

• British takes notice and seizes all neutral ships → impresses American shipping

America’s response to British’s impression

• Democratic Republicans want to fight back but Federalists say no

• Sends John Jay to negotiate since British are in fear that they could lose another war

• Through back channels, Hamilton revealed that there are no intentions to fight back before Jay’s trip

• Jay still came back with Jay’s Treaty

Jay’s Treaty

• joint commission to address many issues

• British allows access to their ports but won’t stop impressing

Federalist’s thoughts on Jay’s Treaty

Supported since it stopped a potential war

Democratic Republican’s thoughts on Jay’s Treaty

did not support since they already agreed on these terms 10 years ago

Pinckney’s Treaty

Spain felt threatened with Jay’s Treaty since they appeared to be reaching a compromise

• Spanish promised free navigation of the Mississippi and not to arm the natives

Miami Confederacy

Consists of the tribes of the Old Northwest

Drama in the frontiers

• British were selling weapons to the Miami Confederacy

• Washington sent many expeditions to stop this → unsuccessful + loss of troops and resources

• Chief Little Turtle reasons that the US only owns what’s above Ohio

Battle of Fallen Timbers

• Miami Confederacy are defeated → forced to sign Treaty of Greenville

• Parts of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and others were Indian claimed

• US promises $20,000 now and $9,000 a year in restitutions

• Accelerates expansion in the region

Public Land Acts

territory between Mississippi and Appalachian is getting taken advantage by US more than ever

By 1776, Washington helped with…

• money coming into the treasury

• US appears as a major player internationally

• Sets up all three branches successfully

Timeless and timely

Enduring quality throughout time while fitting in perfectly with the current relevance

Election of 1796

• parties can’t hold elections → hold caucus to determine who are the good candidates

• South thinks about Jefferson and Burr

• North thinks about Adams and Pinckney

Hamilton’s affect on Election of 1796

Hamilton had alleged beef with Adams so divides Federalists and pushes for people to vote on Pinckney but the states feel bad

Adam’s’ shortcomings

• just an attorney, so didn’t have the leadership experience

• Tries to be an extension of Washington → takes half of his presidency to claim Washington’s office

• Nicknamed Rotundity (prickly attitude)

XYZ Affair

• France is pissed off and seizes US ships

• Talleyrand refuses to greet the US negotiators and sends three low level agents (don’t even know their names)

• Tells negotiators they need to pay money to see Talleyrand → Adams enlarges army and navy

• While getting ready for war, sends negotiators back where Napoleon makes a deal with them (will stop searching ships but won’t pay back damages)

Alien and Sedition Acts

• Naturalization Act, Alien Act, Sedition Act

• Downfall of Democratic Republican’s reign

Naturalization Act

Extends naturalization for immigrants from 5 to 14 years

Alien Act

Deport any illegal aliens and enemy aliens in war times

Sedition Act

Illegal for newspapers to criticize President or Congress

• Adams withheld the full power but still went after DR papers → DR goes to SCOTUS for constitutionality

Nullification Doctrine

Solution to the Sedition Act where each state can nullify a federal act if the state thinks it is outside of the federal’s jurisdiction

Virginia and Kentucky Resolution

Same as Nullification Doctrine where Jefferson writes for KY and Madison writes for VA

• states attack it to slavery question and many others so federal is losing power

• Lincoln fights to stop nullification doctrine

Election of 1800

• end of the Federalist era → Republican Dominance

• Jefferson and Burr gets tied so goes to House

• Hamilton had deciding vote in House

• Constitution perfectly worked in election process → “peaceful revolution”

Overland travel

Trade needs to be through water, still agriculturally heavy but inventions are coming in

Eli Whitney

Created interchangeable rifle parts and cotton gin

James Watt

Shaft and fly wheel → spinning wheel powered by water

Prosser’s Rebellion

• showed no leniency like other rebellions → 20 million slaves executed in Virginia

• VA passed a bill that free slaves to leave the state

• Other Founders remained silent since they owned slaves → only Adams talked about Gabriel Prosser

Jefferson’s changes

• removed whiskey tax

• Shrinks government and navy size to reduce country’s debt

• Removed Alien and Sedition Acts

BUT leaves national bank alone because it seems to work

Republican simplicity

• Jefferson’s change in style from other presidents

• Welcomes people for talks like he’s their equal

Pell mell

Informal way of managing → caters to small, struggling farmers

Jefferson’s Economic Vision

Public Land Act of 1796, Public Land Act of 1800, Public Land Act of 1804

Public Land Act of 1796

• minimum purchase of 649 acres → $2 per acre

• Individual farmers can’t afford

• Wealthy buys and resold parts to farmers at a higher price

Public Land Act of 1800

• down payment of 25% → 320 acre minimum purchase

• Individual farmers can now afford

Public Land Act of 1804

Minimum purchase is cut to 160 acres

Marbury V. Madison

The Supreme Court case that came from Adams’ midnight justices where William Marbury asks for a writ of mandamus on Jefferson

William Marbury

A promised justice from Adams’ midnight justices

Lame duck congress

period in government where President knows they’re leaving, but are still in the position to to make orders

Midnight justices

Adams stays up till midnight on his last day of office to fill new positions of the Judiciary Act of 1801

Judiciary Act of 1801

Federalist Party tried to ensure their power with 16 more courts and 6 justices, while reducing the Supreme justices by one

John Marshall’s dilemma of Marbury V. Madison

• if he doesn’t issue writ of mandamus on Jefferson, it looks like he’s scared to stand up

• If he issues writ of mandamus, Supreme Court looks weak if Jefferson ignores the mandatory commission

How does John Marshall set up judicial review?

Says that he can’t grant the writ because the Judiciary Act of 1789 gives the Supreme Court more authority than the Constitution has set forth

John Pickering

A district court judge that got impeached by Jefferson’s party due to his drunkenness, lack of seriousness, and was mentally insane

Samuel Chase

A Supreme Court justice that Jefferson’s party wanted to impeach because he was the most vindictive in the Sedition Act but Senate said it wasn’t illegal → impeachment couldn’t be a routine political weapon

War with Tripoli

• Jefferson did not want to pay the Barbary pirates like Congress was doing during Adams’ presidency

• Pasha of Tripoli declared war and captured USS Philadelphia

• US army uses a small, captured boat to sneak in the boat and blows it up and goes away

Deal with Tripoli

Jefferson gives $60,000 in exchange for 300 captured soldiers of USS Philadelphia yet still harassed by other Barbary nations

Stephen Decatur

A lieutenant of the USS Philadelphia that arranged blowing it up with his crew

Louisiana Purchase

• Napoleon wants to make France grand again so acquires New Orleans from Spain but doesn’t possess it

• Spain revokes US’s right to use Mississippi and New Orleans so anybody living West of the mountains had a plummet in economy

• Livingston and Monroe made a deal with Napoleon to pay 50 mil to buy Louisiana → Napoleon didn’t want to waste money fighting against US when they are at war with England

Jefferson’s dilemma with Louisiana Purchase

Federalists called Jefferson a hypocrite since he blamed faulty economy on the constant addition of land → Louisiana doubled the size of US and put them sea to sea

Federalist’s mistake after Louisiana Purchase

Federalists publish that Jefferson is a hypocrite in the papers but country was thrilled with addition of opportunities which ensured Jefferson’s re-election

Lewis and Clark

• last attempt to find Northwest Passage

• Clark is a master cartographer → maps of new territory helped future discoveries

• Lewis sent back lots of scientific knowledge of the new biodiversity → items and journals improved relations with natives

Zebulon Pike Expedition

• maps Arkansas edge which is the Southern boundary of Louisiana purchase

• Not the treasure trove of scientific info of Lewis and Clark