Organising the Federal Government

When was first election under new Constitution

1789

First election

• Gave Federalists control of new gov → large Federalist majorities in both Senate and HoR

• George Washington chosen as president by Electoral College representatives (nobody stood against him)

• Adams vice-president (34 votes)

New Congress meeting March 1789

• New York city (temporary seat of federal gov.)

• 8 senators and 13 members of HoR → 1 month passed before both chambers gathered a quorum

What did Washington do

• Left his home at Mount Vernon to be inaugurated president on 30 April 1789

• Journey to NY → triumphal procession

• Washington less optimistic → a lot expected of him

Problems for new gov

• USA not united

• Rhode Island and North Carolina not in Union

• New nation → untried Constitution

• Colossal debt + no revenue/ability to collect money

• No judiciary department

• No navy, army 672 officers + men

• Western borders → NA attack

• British and Spanish troops occupying areas of territory (e.g. Spanish south of Great Lakes, British frontier posts e.g. fort Niagara and Oswego)

Advantages of new government

• Worst of post-war depression over → economy expanding

• Widespread support for new gov and Constitution (even Anti-Feds)

James Madison role

Worked closely with Washington 1789-90. key role in HoR

Judiciary Act when

1789

Judiciary Act

• Hierarchical system of federal courts

• Top was Supreme Court → chief justice and five associate justices

• Beneath → district courts in each state + 3 circuit courts of appeal

• Ensured that federal laws and rights adjudicated uniformly throughout nation

• Supreme Court rule on constitutionality of state court decisions, nullify state laws which violated federal Constitution

• Washington selected 6 members of Supreme Court - John Jay chief justice, in total 3 from south and 3 from north

On other flashcards - when was Bill of Rights

December 1791

Revenue raising - measure 1 (adopted by Congress)

Trade duty of 5% on most items (and then 7.5% on listed items) duties as high as 50% on 30 specific items e.g. steel, molasses, ships, tobacco, etc. → protect American manufacturers from overseas competition

Revenue raising - measure 2

The Tonnage Act of 1789 stated that American ships should pay a duty of 6 cents per ton, American-built but overseas-owned ships 30 cents per ton, and overseas-built and overseas-owned 50 cents/ton