launching the new nation

launching the new nation

george washington

virginian, lived at Mount Vernon, freedom his slaves at his will, freemason, refused to be king/unanimously elected president, established number of precedents (cabinet as advisors, Mr. president, i

cabinet appointments

Secretary of Treasury: Alexander Hamilton

Secretary of State: Thomas Jefferson

Secretary of War: Henry Knox

Attorney General: Edmund Randolph

judiciary act of 1789

• Creates Supreme Court with a chief justice and 5 associate justices

• Set up 3 federal circuit courts, and 13 district courts 

• State decisions may be appealed to federal courts (if constitutional issues are in question)

• President nominates federal judges 

circuit court

When the nation was first born, judges used to have to “travel the circuit” to hear cases

district court

the district courts hear and try federal cases. Today there are 94 district courts.

alexander hamilton

• Strong central government led by the educated and wealthy

• Support of the North

• Fearful of mob rule

• Political Party: Federalists

• Support National Bank

• Loose interpretation of Constitution

• Favors England

• Industrial economy

thomas jefferson

• Strong state and local government

• Support of the South

• Fearful of tyranny/dictatorship

• Political Party: Democratic Republicans

• Reject National bank

• Strict interpretation of Constitution

• Favors France

• Agrarian economy

hamilton’s economic plan

• Pay off debts from the Revolution (to foreign nations and private citizens)

• Federal govt. takes on state debts (angers the south who had paid off most of its debt)

• Create National bank, and incentivize wealthy investors 

bank of the united state

•  Issue paper money, handle tax receipts, handle govt. funds

  • Created controversy because it was not in the Constitution

  • Hamilton cited the elastic clause which authorized Congress to do what was “necessary and proper”

district of columbia

Hamilton proposed moving the nation’s capital to the south in order to gain support of his economic plan 

The plan passed in 1790, as well as approval to begin constructing a new capital on the banks of the Potomac River, located between Virginia and Maryland

federalist

political party that belived in a strong central government

democratic-republican

political party who believes in strong state government

whiskey rebellion

• In 1789 a protective tariff was imposed, which is a tax on imports designed to encourage American production

• Hamilton also put through an excise tax, or a tax on a specific good, on whiskey

• Whiskey producing farmers in rural Pennsylvania rebelled and attacked tax collectors 

• The Federal govt. put down the rebellion with a force of 13,000 led by Washington

protective tax

this was imposed in 1789 to tax imports to encourage American production

excise tax

a tax on a specific good (in 1789 it was on whiskey)

french revolution

• As the US govt. was taking shape, the French govt. was in the throes of a violent revolution

• The US supported the French Revolution at first (same democratic ideas of liberty and equality)

• The Reign of Terror led to a loss in support of the French Revolution

treaty of paris

• British still maintained forts in the Northwest, technically violating 1783 this treaty

• As settlers moved west, conflicts erupted between Native Americans

jays treaty

• 1794-95

Washington dispatched John Jay to England due to unresolved issues from the Revolution and the seizing of US ships and soldiers (impressment)
- Britain removed forts from NW territory

• Britain would stop attacking US ships at sea and also pay reparations for damages

• Britain would be the “most favored nation” as far as trade

• US govt. would pay pre-Revolutionary war debts

• Prevented war with Britain

impressment

seizing of US ships and forcing them to serve in the British navy

pickney’s treaty

• 1795

• AKA Treaty of San Lorenzo

• Spain feared a strong US/British alliance

• Spain gave up claims to land east of the Mississippi River (except Florida)

farewell address

washington warns against the dangers of political parties in this speech as he retires from president

sectionalism

placing the interests of one region over the nation as a whole

1796 election

• underscored the danger of sectionalism: placing the interests of one region over the nation as a whole

• Adams narrowly beat Thomas Jefferson (who became VP)

• Adams was a Federalist and kept the U.S. out of the European conflict

• One-term president

• Quasi-War with France

Quasi-War with France

• The US and France fought an undeclared war between 1798-1800 that took place on the high seas

• Led to the strengthening of the US Navy

XYZ Affair

• American delegation was supposed to meet with French foreign minister Talleyrand, but the Directory sent 3 low-level officials instead

• The three men (X, Y, Z) demanded $250,000 in exchange for a meeting with Talleyrand

• When news of this insult reached America, it sparked a wave of anti-French sentiment

alien and sedition acts

• Extended the time needed for an immigrant to become a citizen 

• President could jail or deport “undesirables”

• Allowed the government to punish anyone whose words or actions were considered dangerous (DRs were targeted)

virginia and Kentucky resolutions

• Madison and Jefferson believed the Alien and Sedition acts were a violation of free speech and an abuse of power

• The Virginia and Kentucky resolutions argued that states could nullify national laws if they disagreed with it

revolution of 1800

• Incumbent John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson

• Jefferson won

• Aaron Burr (DR) became VP

• Was the first time there was a switch in power from one party to another

judiciary act of 1801

• Reduces number of SCOTUS justices from 6 to 5

• Eliminated justices’ circuit duties (traveling around hearing cases) by creating MORE judgeships (More positions meant even more Federalists could be given important roles in government)

midnight appointments

were made the night before to ensure Federalists would be in power

marbury v. madison

• President Jefferson instructed Sec. of State Madison not to deliver commissions to appointees

William Marbury sued for not receiving his commission and asked the court for a writ of mandamus

writ of mandamus

When a court forces government official to fulfill their duty and obligations

judicial review

the ability of the supreme court to declare acts of congress

jefferson’s presidency

• Created a more even balance between DRs and Fs in govt.

• Encouraged and exemplified simplicity in government 

• Wanted to reduce the size of government and cut costs

  • Reduced the size of army and navy

  • Lowered expenses for social functions

• Favored free trade without government intervention

• Encouraged agriculture and westward expansion

• Under Jefferson, the South dominated politics

westward expansion

“Pioneers” continued to migrate across the Appalachians

manifest destiny

the idea that Americans were destined to move west and expand

the Louisiana purchase

• Area belonged to France, then Spain, then back to France in 1801 (was done secretly)

• After losing the French Colony of Haiti, Napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the US for 15 million dollars in 1803

• The size of the US more than doubled

corps of discovery

• In 1803 TJ appointed Lewis and Clark to lead an expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Coast (wanted to find the Northwest Passage, a waterway to the Pacific, but it didn’t exist)

• Lasted from 1804-1806

• Called the Corps of Discovery

• Explored/mapped territory while collecting information on plant and animal species, Native Americans, and terrain

• Helped by Sacagawea, a Native American who served as a guide and interpreter

sacagawea

a native’ American who served as a guide and interpreter, served as a sign of peace

jefferson’s second term

• Won reelection in 1804 against Charles C. Pinckney

• Aaron Burr was dropped from the Republican ticket to run with Jefferson due to questions about loyalty

• George Clinton became Jefferson’s VP

napoleon blockade

• 1806: In Napoleon’s quest for domination, he imposed a blockade, or a forcible closing of ports around Britain

• The British responded by imposing their own blockade around continental Europe 

• Britain and France both began seizing American ships

blockade

the forcible closing of ports (damages trade and economy)

chesapeake incident 

•  1807 a British Commander demanded to board and search US Naval frigate, the Chesapeake. When the US captain refused, the British shot 3 and wounded 18

embargo act of 1807

• Ban on exporting goods to other countries (Lifted in 1809, but still in effect for trade with Britain and France)

embargo

ban on exporting goods to other countries

william Henry harrison

• General and Governor of the Indiana Territory persuaded a group of chiefs to sign away three million acres of land to the US

tecumseh

• chief of the Shawnee did not want to give in and he and his brother (The Prophet) developed a reform movement to drive out traces of “white civilization”

battle of tippecanoe

• Tecumseh sought negotiations with the British and traveled to try to drum up support with other Native Americans and form a confederacy

• In 1811 Tecumseh’s brother led an attack on Harrison’s men

• In retaliation, Harrison and his men burned Prophetstown (Shawnee Capital) to the ground 

• Harrison became a national hero

• Took place in Battle Ground, Indiana

war hawks

• It was discovered that the arms being used by the Native Americans were from British Canada, creating outrage and calls for war against Britain

• The most prominent of the War Hawks were John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay

• “On to Canada!” was the rallying cry

james madison

• Virginian Democratic Republican, won election of 1808

• Decided to go to war against Britain, and Congress declared war on June 18, 1812

mr. madison’s war

The US was unprepared for war with only a small army and navy

• Thomas Jefferson advised Madison that an invasion of Canada would be easy, but repeated attempts to invade Canada failed

• Northern states and the Federalist Party were against the war

battle of york

• 1813-US won victory in York (present day Toronto)

• Troops looted and burned the fort and town (the capital city)

burning of Washington dc

• British captured DC in Aug. 1814

• Set fire to the Presidential Mansion (White House) and the Capitol

• Madison escaped to VA and Dolley Madison* saved many valuables

hartford convention

• The war was not popular with everyone

•  A group of Federalists held the Hartford Convention in December 1814 to consider secession and making a separate peace with Britain

• After the Treaty of Ghent, these Federalists were discredited as traitors and by 1820, the Federalist Party had disappeared

battle of fort mchenry

• British advanced to Baltimore

• They bombarded Ft. McHenry in Sept. 1814

• Francis Scott Key witnessed the attack & his poem about it became our National Anthem

star spangled banner

our National anthem written by Francis scott key

treaty of ghent

• After battles across all of North America, a treaty was negotiated on December 24, 1814 in Ghent, Belgium

• The war ended in a stalemate with neither side gaining or losing territory

battle of new orleans

• Word of the treaty had not yet reached New Orleans

• In Jan. 1815, Gen. Andrew  Jackson decisively defeated the invading British 

• Made Andrew Jackson a national hero

war of 1812

• Revealed the need for a strong military

• Surge in American Nationalism

• Brought an end to the Federalist party

• Hurt northern businesses BUT was a catalyst for industrialization

• Greatly diminished the strength of Native American resistanceElection of James Monroe in 1816 (Madison’s Sec. of State)

• The Era of Good Feelings- 1817-1825

• One political party- The Democratic Republicans- dominated politics

• The US increased its stature in the world