Lecture Notes on the Early Republic

Chapter 9 Review: Constitutional Convention

  • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
  • Federalist Papers authors: Hamilton, Jay, Madison
  • Most influential Federalist Paper was #10, written by Madison, discussing factions.
  • Strong central government balances factions, governing a large territory.

Ratification Holdout States

  • Four states that initially held out on ratification:
    • New York
    • Rhode Island
    • North Carolina
    • Virginia
  • Compromises in the Constitution
    • Great Compromise
    • Three-Fifths Compromise: Benefited the South by counting enslaved people as three-fifths for representation and electoral college votes.
    • Slave Trade: Supposed to end in 1808.
    • Electoral College: A compromise because some wanted direct vote, others thought people were too dumb.

Electoral College

  • Still in use today.
  • Arguments for keeping it: Helps smaller states stay relevant.
  • Minnesota has 10 electors.
  • Total electors in the country: 538.
  • Need 270 to win.
  • Number of electors is determined by population (House of Representatives) + 2 Senators.
  • Electors cast votes the way the state votes; it's not a direct vote.
  • Examples of winning electoral college without popular vote:
    • 2016: Trump won, Clinton lost
    • George W. Bush vs. Al Gore

George Washington's Presidency

  • Unanimously elected, served two terms.
  • Set the precedent for two-term limit, followed until FDR.
  • 22nd Amendment limits president to two terms.

Structure of Government

  • The Constitution structures all three branches of government.
  • Judicial branch structured in 1789 with the creation of the federal court system. Includes Supreme Court and lower circuit courts.

Washington's Cabinet

  • Washington brought in people to help him.
  • Key figures:
    • Thomas Jefferson: Disagreed with Alexander Hamilton.
    • Henry Knox
    • Edmund Randolph: First Attorney General.
  • The cabinet is not mentioned in the Constitution.

Political Parties

  • Not in the Constitution, but formed anyway.
  • Godfathers of political parties: Jefferson and Hamilton.
  • The Supreme Court
  • Independent Judiciary
  • Justices are there for life.
  • Supposed to look at the Constitution.
  • Federal court system, inferior courts.
  • Circuit court is in St. Louis, Missouri (Circuit 8).

Bill of Rights

  • Anti-Federalists wanted protections.
  • All 10 amendments came at once two years later.
  • Third Amendment is arguably the least important today.

Hamilton's Financial Plan

  • Funding the national debt at par.
    • Borrow money from lenders and pay back those owed from the revolution.
    • This makes people happy to support and invest in the country.
    • Debtors become stakeholders in the system.
  • Assumption of state debt.
    • Federal government assumes debts from states, some states were happy (Massachusetts), others not (Virginia).
    • Compromise: Virginia gets the capital (Washington D.C.) on their doorstep.
  • National debt: Hamilton believed it was a good thing, ties people to the country.
  • Tariffs: Tax on imports, raise money for the government.
  • Taxes: The new government taxes people.
  • National Bank: First issue that creates debate over how to interpret the Constitution.
    • Maryland tried to tax the national bank.
    • States cannot tax the national government.

Constitutional Interpretation

  • Debate over strict vs. loose interpretation of the Constitution.
  • Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause): Congress can do anything necessary and proper to carry out their other powers.
  • Implied powers.
  • Hamilton wins the battle, loose interpretation prevails.

Whiskey Rebellion

  • Bacon's Rebellion (Virginia): Angry about native groups.
  • Shays' Rebellion (Massachusetts): Mad about farm foreclosures.
  • Whiskey Rebellion (Pennsylvania): Upset about whiskey tax.
  • Washington sends 13,000 troops to suppress the rebellion.
  • Shows the power of the new government.
  • Solve problems peacefully through protest or voting.
  • Whiskey tax on agriculture product (corn).

Evolution of Political Parties

  • Federalists: Died after the War of 1812.
  • Democrat-Republicans: Turn into Democrats.
  • Era of Good Feelings: Monroe was president, everyone was a Republican.
  • Jacksonians: Jackson is the first Democrat.
  • National Republicans: Turn into Whigs.
  • Whigs: United by hatred of Jackson. Blown up by the issue of slavery.
  • Republicans: Lincoln is the first Republican as we know it today.

Political Party Stances

  • Jeffersonians:
    • Supported the French.
    • Southern farmers.
  • Hamiltonians:
    • East Coast merchants and bankers.

Early Foreign Policy

  • Washington declares neutrality, which made the French mad.
  • Washington eventually kicks out the French diplomat.
  • Alien and Sedition Acts
    • Alien Act: President can deport people he doesn't want here.
    • Sedition Act: Punished citizens for saying bad things about the government.
  • Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions tried to nullify the acts.

John Jay

  • Jay's Treaty: Not super popular.
  • Didn't address impressment of sailors.
  • British agreed to leave forts and pay damages.
  • Pickney's Treaty: Gave US control of the Mississippi River (New Orleans).

Washington's Farewell Address

  • Warns against:
    • Political parties.
    • Foreign affairs.
    • Sectionalism, division and civil war.

John Adams' Presidency

  • Took over for a popular president.
  • Federalist.
  • Parted ways with Jefferson, ran against each other.
  • XYZ Affair: Undeclared war with the French.
    • French were taking ships.
    • French wanted bribes.

Alien and Sedition Acts

  • Used by Federalists to silence critics (Democrat-Republicans).
  • Sedition Act was more controversial because it applied to citizens.
  • Violation of First Amendment.

Nullification

  • Jefferson and Madison came up with the idea of nullification in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts.
  • States don't have to follow federal law.
  • Issue: Marijuana legalization and abortion.
  • Supremacy Clause: Federal law is supreme.
  • Compact Theory: Government was a compact between states.

Election of 1800

  • Call it "revolution" and it proves peaceful transition of power.

Thomas Jefferson's Presidency

  • Philosophical quandaries: Talked about rights and slaves in Declaration but he still owns them.
  • Midnight Judges: Adams appointed judges before leaving office to maintain Federalist control.
  • Marbury vs. Madison.
    • John Marshall was supposed to deliver Marbury's commission but didn't.
    • Marbury sues for his job.
    • Marshall rules against Marbury but claims power of judicial review (power to determine what's constitutional).

Louisiana Purchase

  • Jefferson bought land from Napoleon for 3¢ an acre.
  • Doubled the size of the US.
  • Lewis and Clark explored it.
  • Sacagawea probably said none of that.
  • Lots of maps, observation, knowledge of natives, but no treaties.
  • Demonstrated viability of overland trails.

Aaron Burr

  • Weirdest vice president ever.
  • Dueling (Hamilton).
  • He engages in plot to separate the Western territory from The United States.
  • No clear separation to indicate vote for President and VP which leads to the Duel.

War of 1812

  • Reasons for war:
    • Impressment.
    • Violating neutral trade.
    • Arming the natives.
  • Jefferson's Embargo Act: No trade with anyone which backfired.
  • Non-Intercourse Act: No trade with Britain and France.
  • Macon's Bill Number Two: Hoping to catch Napoleon.
  • Federalists traded with the British and didn't support the war.
  • Warhawks: Southern and western farmers that supported the French and hated the British. Doves: Peaceful people.
  • Andrew Jackson: National hero.
  • The British didn't want any conflict.
  • Battles: Canada Version of The Song.
  • The Battle of New Orleans was AFTER the treaty.
  • The US does poorly on paper.
  • Fort McHenry: Star Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key.