APUSH 3.10 Summarized

The early Republic faced significant challenges under the leadership of Presidents George Washington and John Adams. Washington was unanimously elected the first president in 1789. He organized the executive branch and appointed a cabinet consisting of Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolph. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the Supreme Court and lower federal courts. Hamilton’s financial program included paying the national debt, imposing tariffs, and creating a national bank, garnering support from northern merchants but opposition from Anti-Federalists who feared centralized power. Washington’s presidency also navigated foreign affairs, issuing a Proclamation of Neutrality in response to the French Revolution. The Jay Treaty with Britain maintained peace but angered those sympathetic to France, while the Pinckney Treaty opened trade routes with Spain. Domestic issues also arose, highlighting the complexities of the new nation.

During the late 18th century, American Indian tribes like the Shawnee and Delaware formed the Northwest Confederacy to resist settler encroachment in the Ohio Valley. They initially achieved victories against settler militias with British support but were ultimately defeated by General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. This led to the Treaty of Greenville, surrendering Ohio Territory claims. Meanwhile, the Whiskey Rebellion highlighted tensions over excise taxes on whiskey, leading to federal military intervention by Washington, which solidified government authority but sparked resentment among westerners. This also led to the passing of the Public Land Act in 1796 which established procedures for dividing and selling federate lands at moderate prices. The 1790s saw the emergence of political parties, with Hamilton's Federalists advocating for federal power and Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans promoting states' rights. Washington's Farewell Address warned against foreign entanglements and political parties. John Adams' presidency faced challenges like the XYZ Affair, which stirred calls for war against France, though Adams chose diplomacy. The Federalists enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts to curb opposition, prompting responses from Democratic-Republicans through the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, declaring states' rights to nullify federal laws.