Chapter 9 - The Federalist Age

Federalist Party

• Focused on promoting banking + commercial interests
• Head leaders included Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, James Madison
  • George Washington despised political party conflict
• Pro-British
• Promoted the Bank of the United States
• ^^Loose construction^^ ^^+ the Elastic Clause^^
• Wanted a stronger federal gov’t

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Anti-Federalist Party

• Led by Thomas Jefferson
• Believed in the contributions of yeoman farmers
• Strict construction/interpretation of the Constitution
  • If the Constitution doesn’t say we can do it, then we can’t do it
• Pro-French
• Supported agrarian + rural peoples

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George Washington

• 1789 - Elected as 1st president
• Dubbed the “Indispensable Man”
• Promoted careers of Alexander Hamilton + Thomas Jefferson + James Madison
• Didn’t like party politics BUT believed they were necessary evils
• ^^Wanted isolationism (US should stay out of foreign conflict)^^
• Precedents (ex. 2 terms)

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Alexander Hamilton

• 1790 - Becomes Secretary of the Treasury
• As an elitist, he had little faith in the common man
• Wanted a strong federal gov’t + high commercial and industrial power
• Died in duel w/ Aaron Burr

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Federalist Papers

• 1787-1788 - Published in newspapers
• ^^Anonymous editorials in New York encouraging the ratification of the Constitution^^
• Written by James Madison + Alexander Hamilton + John Jay
• Included Federalist No. 51 and Federalist No. 10

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Bill of Rights

• 1791
• Insisted on by the Anti-Federalists
• Used to protect individual + states’ rights
• Amendments 1-9 prevent abuse of individual rights
• Amendment 10 reserves powers to states

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National Debt

• ^^The gov’t would use direct loans + war bonds to get out of deep debt^^
• If the US defaulted on debt, there would be no other loans in future
• Bearing the debt burden together unified the states
• Thomas Jefferson didn’t like passing debt to the next generation

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Tariff

• Taxes on imported goods
• Source of income for federal gov’t
• Gave domestic manufacturers advantage over foreign competitors

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Assumption

• ^^The federal gov’t would take on debts of states^^
• Large extent for national unity

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Funding at Par

• Taking in old bonds and issuing new ones at the face value of the old bonds
• War bonds sold to rich citizens
• Included in Hamilton’s Financial Program

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Bank of the United States

• 1791
• Allowed by the “elastic clause” under implied powers
• ^^Believed to be “necessary and proper”^^
• Started 2-party system
• VERY CONTROVERSIAL

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Strict Versus Loose Construction

• 1789 - Debates begin
• Core of 2-party system
• Federalists wanted loose construction (elastic clause)
• Anti-Federalists wanted strict construction + limited gov’t
• The gov’t needed to find a balance between the 2 interpretations

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Excise Tax

• Targeted domestic goods
• ^^Was controversial because it was similar to Parliament’s mercantilist taxes under British rule^^

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Whiskey Rebellion

• Excise tax on whiskey
• 1794 - Pennsylvanian farmers rebelling
• Militia put down rebellion
• Showed that moving forward the fed. gov’t will defend the Constitution + enforce laws

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Treaty of Greenville

• 1795 - Battle of Fallen Timbers
• ^^General Anthony Wayne defeated Native Americans in Great Lakes region^^
• A peace treaty forced Native Americans to cede huge tracts of land
• British supplied liquor + guns, creating a tense relationship between the US + Canada

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Proclamation of Neutrality

• 1793
• The US would avoid being involved in war with Great Britain + France
• It was known that the new nation wouldn’t survive another war

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Jay’s Treaty

• John Jay
• 1795 - Signed by US + Great Britain
• ^^Since Britain was keeping soldiers in the US + continuing to trade w/ Native Americans, they were defying the Treaty of Paris^^
• Jay’s Treaty
  • British will leave forts + give US trade concessions
  • US will pay back pre-war debts

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Pinckney’s Treaty

• Spain wouldn’t give US access to New Orleans
• 1795 - Thomas Pinckney got access to New Orleans + opened navigation in Mississippi River
• Asserted rights of new nation

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Washington’s Farewell Address

• 1796
• ^^Set down the last important precedents^^
  • 2 presidential terms
  • Warned against 2-party system
  • Supported stable financial policy + isolationism
• Warned that if the US doesn’t follow his advice, there would be bad consequences

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John Adams

• 1796 - Elected president
• Decline of Federalist Party
• ^^Alien and Sedition Acts were bad for his reputation^^
• Placed John Marshall in Supreme Court

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XYZ Affair

• 1798
• Involved an American peace delegation in France, three agents of the French Foreign Minister (labeled as X, Y, and Z in President John Adams' initial communications with Congress), and the French Foreign Minister's demand for a bribe from the American delegation

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Alien and Sedition Acts

• ^^1798 - Changing laws to favor Federalists^^
• Alien Act required that the requirements to be a US citizen had increased
• Sedition Act required a decrease in the power of the freedom of the press
• Maintain political advantage + very biased

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Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

• 1798-1799
• Written by Madison + Jefferson
• Declared unconstitutional + null and void
• Alien and Sedition Acts were declared unjustified + erroneous
• Foreshadowed Nullification Crisis (South Carolina)

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BIG PICTURE

• Debated interpretation of Constitution + power of gov’t → 2-party system
• Federalist Party - Stability for new nation BUT unpopular
• Hamilton’s Financial Program - Loose construction
• Neutrality + territorial sovereignty + use of military → Security
• John Adams - Maintained peace BUT Anti-Federalists nullified A + S Acts

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