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- Washington’s Presidency
- Takes office April 30, 1789
- Solving problems of a new nation
- Washington’s title
- “Your Excellency”, other titles like officials have in other countries?
- This would make the president seem somewhat like a King
- Decided on “Mr. President”
- A position of distinction, but the president is not greater than others
- Creating a cabinet
- Constitution makes no official order to the cabinet, but executive branch needed offices
- Congress approved three offices and their appointments
- Secretary of State- Thomas Jefferson
- Secretary of War- Henry Knox
- Secretary of Treasury- Alexander Hamilton
- National Debt
- Country was still in massive financial debt from the end of the war
- In 1791, congress made an excise tax
- A tax on luxury goods; ie. whiskey, carriages
- Whiskey Rebellion
- W. Appalachian farmers were upset because of their large production of whiskey
- Drives up prices and becomes too expensive to sell
- Congress lowers tax in 1793
- By 1794, W. PA farmers rebel and refuse to pay taxes and taunt tax collectors
- Washington personally marches on them with 13,000 militia
- Hamilton recommended
- Jefferson thought this was an abuse of personal liberty
- Hamilton’s Financial Plan
- US owed 3 major debts: foreign debts to France for the war, state debts from financing the war, and war bonds owed to citizens
- Wanted to make good on all debts, so that the Fed. Gov’t was financially attractive
- Encourage investors and businessmen to take stake in the economy
- National Bank
- Could be used as capital for governments expenses
- James Madison and Jefferson extremely opposed
- Argued that it was unconstitutional
- Ultimately congress approved the bank for a limited 20 yr period
- Foreign Policy
- Neutrality
- The US no longer had a standing army because of money, leaving them very weak
- US is surrounded by Spanish, French, and British territories
- During French Revolution they declared war on Britain
- Expecting that the US would assist them
- To do so would destroy relations with GB
- Washington decides to remain neutral and not to assist either side
- Farewell Address
- Washington decided not to run after his second term
- Starting a precedent for presidents to only hold office for two terms
- 2 warnings
- Foreign conflict- warned that US should not interfere in other nations’ conflicts
- Political Parties- will lead to the destruction of the democratic system
- Adams Presidency
- Federalist leader
- Narrowly defeated Jefferson (Republican), becomes VP
- Alien Sedition Acts
- Created to limit voting power of Republicans
- Lengthened time to become citizen from 5-14 yrs
- Jail or deport aliens suspected of activities that threatened gov’t
- Never enforced
- Arrest people for encouraging rebellion, or writing false or scandalous material against the gov’t
- The Jay Treaty
- Britain and France at war with each other
- British seize US trade ships to France and impress sailors
- Impress- force to serve in military
- John Jay makes treaty with Britain to cease impressment
- French see as an act of war against them and begin seizing US ships
- XYZ Affair
- To establish peace with France, US sent delegates to treaty with France
- France responded by sending 3 men; X,Y, and Z to convince Adams to pay a tribute to France
- Millions for Defense, not one cent for tribute
- Instead Adams invested in the formation of the Navy to seize French ships and stop impressment
- People liked this response, but Adams knew it was not a lasting solution
- Making peace and losing elections
- Sent delegates to create peace treaty
- Napoleon wanted peace with England and France
- Signed treaty in 1800, stopped seizing ships, but did not pay costs
- Lost Adams popularity in upcoming election
- Jefferson Presidency
- Foreign Affairs
- Impressment
- British and French continued to impress sailors
- British argued they contained British deserters
- In 1807 British fired on US ship for refused to allow boarding
- After failed negotiation; Us formed Embargo Act 1807
- US no longer traded with any foreign countries
- Harmed US economy, repealed in 1809
- Piracy in Mediterranean
- Barbary States in N. Africa
- Paid off by Washington and Adams
- Jefferson refused to pay tribute and went to war with Tripoli in 1801
- After a series of US victories, Tripoli agreed to Treaty
- US paid $60k and Tripoli ceased piracy against US
- Louisiana Purchase
- Farmers W. of the Appalachians us Mississippi R. to transport goods
- US didn’t control New Orleans
- Worried that Napoleon would close the port to US
- Monroe’s Noble Bargain
- In 1803 Jefferson sent Monroe to France to negotiate purchase of New Orleans for $7.5 mil
- France recently lost land in Caribbean, and busy with war against England
- Decided to sell all of Louisiana rather than lose it to British for $15 mil (2-3 cents per acre)
- Criticism
- More land is harder to govern, too expensive, unconstitutional
- Ratified late in 1803
- Lewis and Clark sent in 1804 to explore territory
- Lewis and Clark
- 3 objectives
- Make friendly contact with natives
- Find the NW passage
- Gain info about the land the US bought
- Journey
- Leave from St. Louis. Missouri in May 1804 with 45 members
- Upriver into indian territory by the end of summer
- While in N. Dakota they met Sacagawea and her husband who agreed to accompany along the way as a translator
- Left again in spring 1805
- Traveled as far as possible along the Missouri R.
- Needed to cross the Rockies before the winter blocked the route
- Met Shoshone indians who gave them horses
- After nearly starving to death, encountered the Nez Perce who sheltered and fed them
- Arrived at the Pacific Dec. 3, 1805
- Returned to St. Louis by September 1806
- Round trip of 8,000 mi.
- Mapped the whole route
- Made good impressions on western natives