APUSH 3.10: Shaping a New Republic

Who was elected as the first president of the United States?

George Washington

What did Washington establish to bring order to his administration?

Executive departments

What executive departments did Washington establish?

Treasury department, war department, state department, and justice department (each headed by a secretary)

Who was the cabinet what did they do?

Typically secretary of the executive departments that advised Washington on issues related to their departments

Who was Alexander Hamilton?

Secretary of the Treasury

What was one of Hamiltons most significant policies?

Establishing a national bank

How did Hamilton propose to improve US credit?

Absorbing each states debts from the rev. war into a national debt (enabling them to borrow money from other nations)

What did Hamiltons opponents argue? who were they typically?

Members of states with little to no national debt, they argued that there was nothing in the constitution that allowed for a national bank

What did Hamilton argue back against his opponents

That the elastic clause allowed for this kind of thing

What is the elastic clause?

That Congress has power to make all laws necessary

What was the proclamation of neutrality? when was it released?

(1793) That during the French revolution US was too fledgling a nation to get involved 

Who was Edmond Genet?

France’s minister to the US

What did Edmond Genet do?

Went directly to the American people to get them to support the french

What was Jay’s treaty?

Made to address the issue of the British seizing American ships, but instead the British agreed to give up its posts on the western frontier of the American territory

What was the Pinckney Treaty?

Spain agreeing to let Americans use the port at New Orleans for trade along the Mississippi river, also that the southern border of the US falls along the 31st parallel

What was the battle of fallen timbers?

US army clashing with a confederacy of American Indian tribes (defeated them)

What was the outcome of the battle of fallen timbers?

American Indians surrendering most land in the Ohio River Valley opening them for American settlement

What was the Whiskey Rebellion?

Hamilton persuaded Congress to pass a bill that taxed whiskey, western farmers, typically poor but whiskey lovers, became pissed! A group of western farmers began attacking the tax collectors instead of paying them

What did Washington do when hearing about the Whiskey rebellion?

Personally went there with the US army to put down the rebellion

What was the two party system then?

Federalists, Democratic republicans

Who were the Democratic Republicans led by?

James Madison, Thomas Jefferson

Where did federalists want power?

A strong central government

Where did democratic republicans want power?

State rights

Who favored the federalists?

Urban and elite interests

Who favored the Democratic Republicans?

Rural and agricultural interests

What was Washingtons farewell address?

The mark of his two terms as president, warned the people on the dangers of factions and political parties

Who were the federalists led by?

Alexander Hamilton

What was John Adams?

Pro-British

What was the XYZ Affair?

a diplomatic scandal in the 1790s where French agents demanded a bribe and a loan from American diplomats to even begin negotiations to stop France from seizing American ships

What were the alien and sedition acts?

The government was able to imprison or deport any non-citizen that they pleased

Who were the alien and sedition acts aimed toward?

Irish and Scottish immigrants who were critics of the governments pro-british leanings

What did the sedition acts make it illegal to do?

To criticize the government publicly

What were the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions?

The states had a right to nullify any law passed by the federal if it went beyond the powers granted by the constitution