Launching a New Nation

Judiciary Act of 1789

Established structure/jurisdiction for federal court system (Supreme Court, 3 federal courts of appeals, 13 federal district courts), federal laws are "the Supreme Law of the Land"

# of justices originally in Supreme Court

1 chief justice, 5 associates

Cabinet

group of department heads who act as advisors to president

Washington's Secretary of State

Thomas Jefferson

Washington's Secretary of the Treasury

Alexander Hamilton

Washington's Secretary of War

Henry Knox

Secretary of State

Foreign affairs

Secretary of the Treasury

Financial Obligations

Secretary of War

Deals with global conflicts

Hamilton's plan to deal with debt

Accept debt of states, pay off all other debt to citizens at face value of bonds sold during American Revolution ($40 million), Excise Tax on Whiskey, Bank of the United States

Excise Tax

tax on luxury product's manufacture within the US

What caused Whiskey Rebellion

Excise Tax on whiskey

Who was responsible for the Whiskey Rebellion

Western Pennsylvania Farmers

What did whiskey rebels do?

Attack & destroy home of tax inspectors

How did Hamilton want to respond to Whiskey Rebellion?

Send military

Washington's response to Whiskey Rebellion

Go to Pennsylvania and threaten rebels with military

Bank of the United States (B.U.S.)

National bank to manage nation's debts and issue bank notes/national currency

Who opposed the National Bank

Southerners

Why did people oppose the National Bank?

It was not among the federal government's powers in the Constitution

Justification for BUS

Elastic Clause (make all laws which are necessary and proper)

What did creating the BUS do?

gave the federal government implied powers to do what was necessary for carrying out its delegated powers

Implied powers

powers not listed in Constitution but necessary for federal government to do its job

Federalist leaders

Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, John Jay

Democratic-Republicans leader

Thomas Jefferson

Two main parties

Federalists & Democratic-Republicans

What led to the creation of political parties?

The split in Washington's Cabinet

Federalists supporters

middle, upper middle, upper classes (merchants, white collar, and urban professionals)

Democratic-Republicans supporters

lower and lower-middle classes (farmres, Western frontiersmen, blue-collar workers, urban craft-workers, traders)

Federalists view on power of government

Strong federal government

Democratic-Republicans view on power of government

Strong states' rights

Federalists interpretation of Constitution

Flexible

Democratic-Republicans interpretation Constitution

Strict constructionist

Federalists economy

Manufacturing

Democratic-Republicans economy

Agriculture

Did Federalists trust common people in government?

No

Did Democratic-Republicans trust common people in government?

Yes

American stance on French Revolution (1789-1799)

At first supportive, but Americans soon became divided b/c French were fighting British (British wanted to restore French monarchy) & US was trading partners with both France and Britain.

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

Signed by Washington, kept US out of foreign affairs

Why didn't Washington support French Revolution?

It was too violent

How did Britain respond to US trade with France

impressment of American sailors & seizure of naval & military supplies bound to France

Jay's Treaty (1794)

- Made by John Jay
- Protected US trade with Britain
- Britain gave up forts in American territory from Revolutionary War
- US accepted British seizure of cargo

Jefferson's response to Jay's Treaty

Thought it was too pro-British, so he resigned as Secretary of State after Senate approved it

Pickney's Treaty (1795)

- with Spain
- allowed US to use Mississippi River & port of New Orleans for trade
- Spain feared America's contacts with Britain

Why didn't Washington run for third term?

thought running for more than 2 terms would be authoritarian

Washington's Farewell Address (1796)

- warned against political parties & geographical divisions
- warned against permanent political alliances with other countries
- urged fairness in trade with all countries
warned against geographical divisions

Which party did Washington side with?

Federalists (although he did not want to associate himself with any political parties)

2nd president

John Adams (1795-1800)

Who did Washington urge to run for president?

John Adams

When was Adams elected?

1796

Sectionalism

-Placing the interests of one's over those of the nation
- In election of 1796, all of the North voted for Adams (Federalist) & all of the South voted for Jefferson (Democratic Republican)

France's response to Jay's Treaty

- Didn't like US siding with Britain
- Captured American ships

XYZ Affair (1797-1798)

- 3 American diplomats sent to meet French foreign minister
- France sends 3 random government individuals (X, Y, and Z)
- X, Y, and Z ask for $10 million dollars
- Americans refused

Quasi War (Winter 1798)

- XYZ affair led to demand for war
- slogan: "millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute"
- Congress prepares 20,000 man-army & calls Washington out of retirement as Commander in Chief
- navy sent by Adams to defend from France
- Undeclared naval war took place between France & US.
- 14 American warships backed by 200 armed merchant ships captured 80 French vessels and forced French warships out of American waters.
- "Quasi War" because war not declared by Congress
- US held their ground against France

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

- raised residency requirements for citizenship from 5 to 14 years
- authorized President to deport aliens
- permitted arrest, imprisonment, &deportation of aliens during wartime
- Sedition Acts prevented Americans from writing, saying, printing, or publishing things against government
- Only Democratic-Republican newspapers were attacked
- Tested limits of freedom of speech & press

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (Jan 1800)

- made by Jefferson and Madison
- denounced Alien & Sedition Acts as infringement on freedom of expression
- states have right to declare laws null and void

Who controlled Congress during Adams Administration?

Federalists

3rd president

Jefferson

When was Jefferson elected?

1800

Significance of 1800 election

Successful transition of power from federalist to democratic-republican

Judiciary Act of 1801

- "Midnight judges"
- Adams worked with Federalist-controlled Congress to pack supreme court with federalist judges
- reduced # of justices from 6 to 5
- expanded judgeships (in Court of appeals & District courts) to 16
- John Marshall appointed as Chief Justice

What did John Marshall do?

strengthen federal government power over states' rights

Jefferson's Secretary of State

James Madison

What did Jefferson tell Madison not to do?

deliver commissions to judges appointed by Adams

Who was William Marbury

One of the "midnight judges"

Marbury v. Madison (1803) cause

Sec. of State Madison didn't give Marbury his commission, so Marbury sued Madison

Marbury v. Madison (1803) ruling

- Marbury had right to his commission
- Judiciary Act of 1789 declared unconstitutional b/c it gave SCOTUS greater power than Constitution allowed

Significance of Marbury v. Madison (1803)

First time SCOTUS used judicial review

Who made the Louisiana Purchase?

Jefferson

What did the Louisiana Purchase do?

gave US Louisiana Territory, previously owned by France

What was the problem with the Louisiana Purchase?

Congress (mostly federalists) didn't approve, but Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory anyways (unconstitutional)

Why was the Embargo Act (1808) passed?

British impressment of American ships during Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815)

Embargo Act (1808)

blocked trade with Britain & France

Problem with Embargo Act

very costly, ended up being a failure

Macon's Bill (1810)

France agrees to stop impressing ships, and in return, trade with France continued

Who passed Macon's Bill

Madison

What did Macon's Bill lead to?

War of 1812