3.10 - Shaping a New Republic

Theme

• America in the World, Politics and Power

Learning Objectives

• Objective 3.K: Explain how and why competition intensified conflicts among peoples and nations from 1754 to 1800.

Key Concept KC-3.3.II.A

• The U.S. government engaged in diplomatic initiatives to address the persistent British and Spanish influence in North America.

• U.S. settlers migrated beyond the Appalachian Mountains, pursuing free navigation of the Mississippi River.

European Presence in North America

British Influence

• The British maintained outposts in the western frontier.

• A significant number of British soldiers remained stationed in their outposts around the Great Lakes region.

• As a result, trade with the United States was negatively impacted in 1794.

• Jay Treaty (1794):

  • Negotiated by John Jay, U.S. Supreme Court chief justice at the time.

  • Aimed to secure British withdrawal from Northern territories and to renew trading partnerships with them.

Spanish Influence

• The Spanish retained a presence in North America after acquiring Florida through the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

• There were territorial debates over West Florida between the United States and Spain.

• Pinckney Treaty (1795):

  • Established negotiated boundaries between the U.S. and Spain.

  • Spain sought to maintain its presence to counter British influence, which encouraged favorable relations with Americans.

  • New Orleans was opened to American trade, granting rights of deposit to the U.S., allowing storage of goods without taxes.

  • The treaty settled Florida boundaries.

Challenges from the French Revolution

Key Concept KC-3.3.II.B

• War between France and Britain sparked by the French Revolution posed challenges for the U.S., particularly regarding free trade and foreign policy.

• The conflict led to political disagreements within the United States.

• French Revolution (1789):

  • Started a war in Europe.

  • The U.S. had an alliance treaty with France from the Revolutionary War, which suggested that the U.S. was obligated to support France.

• George Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality (1793):

  • Aimed to keep the U.S. out of the European conflict due to its fragile governmental state.

• Thomas Jefferson expressed discontent during this period, leading to his resignation as Secretary of State due to issues surrounding diplomacy during European wars.

Spanish Missions in California

Key Concept KC-3.3.I.E

• Spanish presence in California expanded with the establishment of mission settlements.

• El Camino Real was a road connecting missions from San Diego to Sonoma.

• Intermarriage among cultures led to the emergence of a new mixed society known as Californios or Paisanos.

• Following the mission period, land grants were allocated to Spanish soldiers who had defended the missions; some were awarded enslaved American Indians.

• This presence and intermingling remained until the Mexican-American War in the 1840s, with California ultimately gaining statehood in 1850.

Relations with American Indians

Key Concept KC-3.3.I.D

• The relationship between the federal government and American Indian tribes was ambiguous, creating issues concerning treaties and land claims.

• White settlers encroached on American Indian lands, inciting attacks from the Western Confederacy led by Little Turtle.

• The British continued to supply weapons to American Indians, due to their remaining outposts in the Great Lakes.

• The U.S. Army, under the command of Anthony Wayne, defeated the Confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794).

  • Though the battle was not significant, it gained importance when British forces prevented American Indians from seeking shelter in a British fort during their retreat, leading to cooperation with the U.S.

• The outcome of the battle, along with the destruction of crops by the U.S. Army, resulted in the Treaty of Greenville (1795), which delineated territory for American Indians to the west, facilitating American settlement.

Political Developments in the New Republic

Learning Objective 3.L

• Explain how and why political ideas, institutions, and party systems developed and changed in the new republic.

Key Concept KC-3.2.III.A

• During the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, political leaders established institutions and precedents based on Constitutional principles.

• Precedents are traditions established that influence future administrations.

• Creation of the Cabinet by Washington:

  • Composed of four departments:

  1. State (Thomas Jefferson)

  2. Treasury (Alexander Hamilton)

  3. War (Henry Knox)

  4. Attorney General (Edmond Randolph)

• John Jay was appointed the first Supreme Court Chief Justice.

• The Judiciary Act of 1789 established federal courts:

  • Hierarchy: Supreme Court > federal courts > district courts > circuit courts of appeals.

  • The president was empowered to appoint Supreme Court justices and lower judges.

Precedents of the Early Republic

• Expansion of Federal Powers

  • The Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution allowed Congress to enact laws deemed necessary and appropriate for executing governmental functions.

  • Hamilton's financial plan exemplified its application.

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

• Three-step Plan:

  1. Assume and Pay Off State Debts:

  • Rationale: To eliminate state debts to build credibility for the new government, enabling future loans from abroad.

  1. Impose Tariffs to Protect Industry:

  • Rationale: Stimulating the U.S. manufacturing industry similar to Britain would enhance economic success.

  • Tariffs raised the cost of foreign goods, protecting nascent U.S. industries.

  1. Create a National Bank:

  • Controversial among Democratic-Republicans regarding its constitutionality, but justified as a necessary government function to oversee the economy and regulate trade.

  • National Bank proposal received approval.

Washington’s Presidency

Key Events

• Whiskey Rebellion:

  • Excise tax on whiskey was introduced to raise national revenue and support Hamilton's financial plan.

  • Farmers, who converted wheat to whiskey for easier transport and preservation, protested against the tax, leading to armed rebellion.

  • Washington responded by raising a militia to suppress the rebellion, affirming federal authority.

• Creation of the Coast Guard:

  • Established for more effective tariff collection on imported goods, involving inspection of ships to prevent smuggling.

• Organizing Western Lands:

  • Public Land Act (1796) facilitated the admission of new states like Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee into the Union during the 1790s, setting a precedent for future state admissions.

• Two-Term Tradition:

  • Washington's voluntary resignation established a precedent against indefinite presidential terms.

Foreign Relations and Domestic Policies

XYZ Affair (1797)

• Occurred during the Adams administration; involved French demands for bribes from American diplomats for a meeting which resulted in national outrage.

• Lead to increased hostilities culminating in the Quasi-War (1798-1800), a naval conflict.

• The XYZ Affair fueled anti-French sentiment and bolstered Federalist control as they enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798):

  • Aimed at limiting dissent from the Democratic-Republican opposition.

  • Criminalized the publication of materials criticizing elected officials, seen as an abuse of Federalist power.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798-99)

• Answers to the Alien and Sedition Acts' perceived overreach.

• Authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, arguing for state nullification of unconstitutional federal laws based on compact theory among states.

• Claimed states could disregard laws viewed as harmful to them or leave the union entirely.

Political Party Formation in the 1790s

Key Concept KC-3.2.III.B

• Diverging positions among political leaders on the powers of national versus state governments, economic and foreign policies, and liberty versus order led to the formation of political parties.

• Two notable parties emerged:

  • Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton)

  • Democratic-Republicans (led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison)

1796 Election

• The first contested election between two parties:

  • Candidates:

  • John Adams (F)

  • Thomas Jefferson (D-R); became Vice President due to early election rules.

Party Positions

Washington’s Farewell Address

Key Concept KC-3.3.II.C

• Washington's advice for national unity warned against political factions and the pitfalls of forming permanent foreign alliances.

Key Themes

• National Unity: Advocated for a national university to unite citizens across the nation.

• Political Factions: Raised concerns that political parties and sectional interests could divide and damage the nation.

• Foreign Alliances: Cautioned against long-term alliances in conflicts not directly related to U.S. interests.

Direct Quotes from Washington’s Address

• “With me, a predominant motive has been to endeavour to gain time to our country to settle and mature its yet recent institutions, and to progress without interruption to that degree of strength and consistency, which is necessary to, humanly speaking, the command of its own fortunes.”

Recap of Key Events and Themes

• The Jay Treaty and Pinckney Treaty aimed to address European influences in North America.

• The U.S. maintained neutrality during the wars instigated by the French Revolution.

• Spanish expansion continued in California.

• American Indians were unsuccessful in preventing settler encroachment.

• The initial decade under the Constitution established important precedents.

• Political parties began to significantly shape the government.

• Washington’s Farewell Address highlighted the need for unity and vigilance during a tenuous period in U.S. history.