Post Revolutionary War and First Two Presidencies

historiography

the history of history

progressive interpretation (revisionism)

- 1920s

- everyone is driven by economic concerns

- Carl Becker and Charles Beard

- framers are not romanticized (opposite of traditionalists)

Carl Becker

progressive historian, claimed traditionalists were wrong, there are two revolutions:

1. revolution for home rule (fight to make the US free- revolutionary war)

2. revolution for who will rule at home (after the war, class disputes, high class/elites don't trust lower classes)

Charles Beard

Progressive historian who suggested the framers were financially motivated to adopt the constitution

- bond speculation: framers bought worthless bonds from common people because they knew they would become valuable

How did bonds go from worthless to profitable?

They were worthless after the war because each state had a different currency with lots of hyperinflation. They became profitable when the government was centralized because there was no more individual state currencies, the value of a dollar increases

Consensus (McDonald) interpretation

pokes holes in Beard's argument, there are too many different interests in the constitutional convention, you can't lump every framer's goals together and many bond delegates were anti-federalists

ideological (Bailyn) interpretation

it's not all about money, framers wanted to make a document that aligned with the revolutionary principles (ideological consistency)

Neo-Progressive Interpretation

framers created an ideologically consistent government but weren't perfect (tried to keep the elite elite)

Problems with the Articles of Confederation

no central taxing authority, no common currency, no standing army, disagreements about republicanism

Shay's Rebellion (MA)

-British creditors are calling in debts from american merchants who are calling in debts from american farmers

- farmers can't pay the merchants back (they will take their land) so they shut down the county courts with guns

- rebellion can't be stopped with an army because there is no standing army (articles of confederation) and the state malitia is made up of the farmers in the rebellion

- merchants pay for troops to end the rebellion

- shows a weakness of the articles of confederation

republicanism

government ideology that the best form of government is one where popular sovereignty of free people is recognized and protected (government by and for the people)

- liked by average citizens because they could have a voice

- disliked by elites because they didn't trust lower classes to make decisions (won't put the good of the whole over the good for themselves)

- many office holders were making decisions to get reelected rather than for what was best

The New Jersey Plan

- change nothing, keep the articles of confederation

- a bit more taxing power for continental congress (stamp acts)

- each state has 1 vote

The Great Compromise (Connecticut compromise)

exactly like the Virginia plan except the senate will have 2 senators per state regardless of size; smaller states are better represented

3/5 clause

allows slave states to count 3/5 of the slave population towards the total population; the only way southern states agreed to the constitution

Federalists (not political party)

defenders of the constitution

Federalist 10

Madison addresses factions (groups of people with common interests)

- there are good and bad factions

- can't get rid of bad factions because it compromises liberty

- articles of confederation can't protect against bad factions

- a large republic is less likely to be hijacked by a bad faction than 13 small republics

Federalist 78

Hamilton addressed the federal judiciary

- judicial branch is the least dangerous

- no enforcement (executive branch)

- no financial decisions (congress)

- judicial branch has power of judicial review

- life time appointments are good because they don't have to worry about pandering to get reelected (can be objective)

Anti-Federalists

people opposed to the Constitution, want the bill of rights

Bill of Rights

- inspired by the Virginia Declaration of Rights + Jefferson's writings

- first amendment = freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion

- protects individuals from federal government

- only way anti-federalists agreed to the constitution

Washington's views on political parties

didn't like them, thought they divided the country when it needed to be united to work together but knows they are inevitable

Federalist Party

- favored a strong central government

- led by Alexander Hamilton

- wanted to compete with global superpowers (transatlantic trade, traditional/capitalist route, british economic system)

- mostly in the north (major commerce + urbanization)

Democratic-Republican Party

- favored a decentralized government, skeptical of a strong central government having too much power

- led by Thomas Jefferson (and kinda Madison)

- wanted to hold the government accountable + advocate for states rights

- wanted to stay a simple agricultural economy

- US can be self sufficient, shouldn't be dependent on foreign trade

- American farmers are the backbone of America

- mostly in the south (status quo of slave labor)

Washington's Cabinet

based on merit, mix of political parties ensured he got different perspectives on issues

- Hamilton = secretary of Treasury

- Jefferson = Secretary of State

- Edmund Randolph = Attorney General

- Henry Knox = secretary of War

Hamilton's Report on Public Credit

- nation's debt is in 3 parts: 1. Debt owed to foreigners (France, Spain, Holland), 2. state war debts (money owed to militias + merchants, not the same in each state), 3. Bond debt

- have to pay the debts back to have good credit worthiness to be trusted nationally and internationally

- total of $75.6 million

Step 1: Consolidate debt

- federal government will assume responsibility for paying all of the debt off

- Thomas Jefferson doesn't like (see the dinner compromise)

Step 2: pay it off

- issue new 6% bonds (replacing old debt with new debt)

- buying time for the economy to grow

- bond holders (speculators from before) are incentivized to stimulate the economy so they can get their more money

- Madison has moral objections (unfair to original bond holders) but that's not how a free market works

- pays off $76.5 million but gains $76.5 million + interest of debt

Step 3: pay again

- annual interest = $4.6 million

- tariffs/customs revenue earns $4.4 million

- excise taxes (whiskey) earn $1.2 million

- that's enough to pay back annual interest (only first year), economy will keep growing

- never fully pay of debts, just keep them manageable

Hamilton's Report on a National Banking System

A national bank would:

- give loans to business owners (since congress won't subsidize them)

- operate like a regular bank (loans + deposits)

- be the primary repository for federal funds (where the gov puts their money)

- be owned 1/5 by the US gov

- coin + print money (regulate value of currency)

Jefferson's problems with a national bank

doesn't want it to be run by the federalists

strict constructionist: it's unconstitutional because the constitution says nothing about it and should therefore be a power given to the states (10th amendment)

- Hamilton (lose constructionist) points out the necessary and proper clause (coining money is an enumerated power so the federal government can do anything it wants to use that power including establishing a national bank)

French Revolution

- inspired by Revolutionary War

- reign of terror (kills everyone associated with the monarchy)

- US agrees with revolution but not with reign of terror

- GB sees this as a threat

- expects the US to help France but they stay neutral

Legion of the United States

professional fighting force made up of former continental army soldiers + officers

- headed by "Mad" Anthony Wayne

- defeats Little Turtle at Battle of Fallen Timbers

Treaty of Greenville

- US gains ohio, indiana, illinois, michigan

- native groups have to leave or follow US law

- basically restating the Treaty of Paris

Jay's Treaty

GB will leave the NW territory and stop impressing ships, establishes trade relations (tariffs removed from british goods), and british merchants will be paid off (exactly like the treaty of Paris)

Pickney Treaty

Spain wants military alliance w/ US in exchange for Alabama + Mississippi

- doesn't get the alliance, just gives the land

- act of good faith

Alien Act

non-US citizens (french) will be identified as people of interest who could be arrested and deported

Sedition Act

anybody who criticized the Adams Administration could be arrested (disloyal and a traitor)

traditional interpretation

- 18th/19th century

- places framers on a pedistal, they are heroes

- american revolution was great, Britain deserved it

- patriotism + nationalism

Constitutional Convention (1787 in Philly)

- 55 representatives from all states (average age = 42)

- George Washington is president of the convention

- James Madison pitches the Virginia Plan

- The New Jersey Plan

- The Great Compromise + 3/5 clause

The Virginia Plan

- pitched by James Madison, presented by Edmund Randolph

- don't revise the articles but create a new constitution

- federal system: shared power between sate and national governments

- central gov is more powerful than state government

- 3 parts: executive, legislative, judicial

- legislative + president have law making power

- congress is a bicameral legislature (lower house/house of representatives + upper house/senate), both are determined by population of each state

- small states are unhappy because they won't have as much representation in congress

- slave states are unhappy because their population is largely made up by slaves (not counted for congress)

Federalist papers

Hamilton, Madison, and Jay addressed criticisms of the constitution and disproved them before anti-federalists could address them (strawman tactic)

Dinner Compromise

- Jefferson doesn't want the federal government to consolidate state debts because VA has paid off most of its debt (what do they get out of this?)

- Hamilton agrees to move the capital from NYC to DC

Hamilton's Report on Manufactures

1. Government should subsidize manufacturing (government benefits from expanding economy)

2. Government should finance infrastructural improvements (economies are localized because there is not a good road system)

3. High Protective Tariffs (raise prices on foreign items so more people buy US items to stimulate the economy + pay off debts)

- only thing congress actually does

Neutrality Proclamation of 1793

The US will not assist militarily or with any foreign affairs (all US wars for next 150 years are prompted by foreign nations)

Whiskey Rebellion

- the excise tax on whiskey affects big + small manufacturers

- tax breaks are given to larger producers

- mob claims it's just like the stamp act (it's not because they have representation)

- mob attacks tax collectors + federal officials

- Washington leads an army of 12,000 and mob leaves immediately

Little Turtle

part of the Miami tribe, very efficient in defeating militias, teaming up with the british in NW (great lakes) territory, defeated by Legion of the United States

British Impressment

forcefully boarding a ship and forcing the crew to work for your navy

- short on manpower + angry at the US

- violation of natural liberties

- ends w/ Jay's Treaty

Adams Administration

Federalist, never got much credit for anything, couldn't separate his emotions from his job, not very popular

XYZ Affair

France was angry about the Jay Treaty (neutral with them but not with GB?)

- France raids US ships

- Adams sends diplomats to avoid war like washington

- diplomats must give france money + take responsibility for the raids in order to meet with Tallyrand (PM)

- Adams is very mad, is not respected like washington would be

- quasi-war: supports slave rebellion in french haiti, makes plans but nothing comes of them

- Jefferson defends france, people don't want to go to war over this