SSUSH5 E

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Initial Actions

• When Washington became president, the government

of the United States had not yet been developed.

• Washington decided to surround himself with a team

of sophisticated advisors formed from his most

trusted colleagues from the American Revolution.

• The first executive offices created under the President were the

Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of

War, the Attorney General, and the Postmaster General.

• These five officials, along with the President and Vice President,

formed the backbone of the United States Cabinet.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Initial Actions

• Between Jul-Sep 1789, Washington reauthorized and

renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs into the

Department of State, appointing Thomas Jefferson as

the first Secretary of State on Sep 26, 1789.

• Washington also reestablished the Department of the

Treasury and appointed Alexander Hamilton as his

chief economic advisor and government financial

policy maker on Sep 11, 1789 .

• To manage the United States Army, Washington created

the position of Secretary of War and appointed General

Henry Knox to head the Department of War on Sep 12.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Initial Actions

• When Washington considered the creation of the Federal

Judiciary, he decided to create the office of Attorney

General and appointed his former military aide-de-camp,

Edmund Randolph, to the position on Sep 26, 1789.

• The final Cabinet level position created by Washington

was the Postmaster General, appointing Samuel Osgood

to oversee the U.S. Postal Service on Sep 26, 1789.

• Aside from the constitutionally established offices, no other agencies

or courts existed within the new government, requiring Washington to

focus on more pressing tasks than the executive branch.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Initial Actions

• Among Washington’s first acts was the establishment of the Judiciary.

• Through the Judiciary Act of 1789,

Washington established a six-member

Supreme Court.

• Under the Supreme Court the act

created thirteen Judicial Districts.

• Within each Judicial District were

circuit and district courts.

• The Supreme Court was given exclusive jurisdiction over all civil actions

between states or between the states and the U.S. government.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Indian Problems

• When Washington assumed the presidency, he was faced with the

problem of ongoing hostilities with the Native Americans in the

Northwest Territory.

• By the late 1780’s, native attacks on

both sides of the Ohio River had

resulted in over 1,500 casualties.

• In 1791, Washington ordered the

territorial governor, Major General

Arthur St. Claire to lead a military

expedition to put down the hostilities.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Indian Problems

• Unfortunately, St. Claire’s poorly trained force failed to properly

prepare the defenses of their camp along the Wabash river.

• At dawn on Nov 4, 1791, a Native

Indian force of 2,000 warriors

attacked the camp killing 632

soldiers and 200 civilians

• The Indian leaders included Tecumseh

and Blue Jacket of the Shawnee and

Little Turtle of the Miami Tribe

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Indian Problems

• The disaster at the Battle of Wabash forced

Washington to order Revolutionary War veteran

General Anthony Wayne to launch a new expedition

with the well-trained United States Legion.

• After defeating the hostiles under

Little Turtle along the Wabash,

General Wayne led his force of 3,000

soldiers against Blue Jackets warriors

at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

• Defeated, the seven tribes of the Northwest Territory ceded large

portions of land in the Ohio and Wabash River region to the U.S.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Economic Problems and Political Parties

• With the ratification of the Constitution, the United States had severe

financial issues concerning their domestic and foreign debts from the war.

• Although Washington was not a member of any political party, his

closest advisors quickly divided over economic solutions to the nation’s

growing debt.

• Alexander Hamilton developed

a bold plan to create a national

bank to make loans, handle

government funds, issue financial

notes, and provide a national

currency to stabilize the nation.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Economic Problems and Political Parties

• Hamilton’s plan also included the creation of tariffs on imported goods,

taxes on liquor, and the development of small industries.

• Jefferson and Madison did not like these

ideas, believing it would create problems

with government corruption and economic

competition with Britain and France.

• Congressional debates over Hamilton’s plan split Congress into two

political parties.

Hamilton’s supporters were called Federalists.

Hamilton’s opponents were called Republicans.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Economic Problems and Political Parties

• Washington intended to stay neutral in the argument between the two

factions, but favored the Federalist approach and eventually used his

executive power to implement Hamilton’s plan.

• Thus, in 1791, the First Bank of the

United States was created.

• In addition, the United States Mint

was established, along with the

Revenue Marine protection agency

(later known as the Coast Guard).

• Unfortunately, Washington’s administration had been irrevocably split

into two rival political parties that disagreed on virtually all policies.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Resistance to a New Tax

• By Dec 1790, Hamilton believed that tariffs on imports had been

raised as high as was feasible, and focused on promoting the passage of

an excise tax on domestically distilled spirits made from excess grain.

• Because social reformers considered

alcohol to be sinful and a luxury good,

Hamilton felt it was the easiest

domestic product to receive the first

tax levied by the national government.

• The tax on alcohol was bitterly and

fiercely opposed by western farmers

who attacked tax collectors and disrupted court proceedings.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Resistance to a New Tax

• Washington was alarmed by the Whiskey Rebellion, viewing it as a threat

to the nation’s existence.

• Remembering the impact of Shay’s

Rebellion eight years earlier,

Washington invoked the Martial

Law of 1792.

• Taking personal command of a

militia force of 13,000 men, he

quickly put down the rebellion with minimal violence.

• Washington’s forceful action proved the new government could protect

itself, using a strong military force to exert its authority if necessary.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Foreign Policies

• Shortly after becoming president, Washington took control of treaty

negotiations with several European powers by sending American

diplomats overseas without legislative approval .

• With France in revolution, Great Britain supporting

its Indian allies in the Northwest Territories, and

Spain located along two borders with the U.S., he

was concerned with avoiding war.

• While many Republicans felt obligated to support

France due to their assistance during the

American Revolution, Federalists recognized the

economic importance of an alliance with Britain.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington’s Foreign Policies

• Washington first issued to Proclamation of Neutrality

on April 22, 1793, declaring the United States neutral

in the growing conflict between France and Britain.

• Then, he sent Chief Justice John Jay to London to

negotiate the evacuation of British forts along the

Great Lakes and improved trade with British ports.

• The Jay’s Treaty with Britain helped the United States obtain “Most

Favorable Nation” status, but sealed the division of the nation between

the Federalists and Republicans.

• In 1795, Pickney’s Treaty with Spain granted the United States the

right to navigate the Mississippi River and use the Port of New Orleans.

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

Washington Leaves Office

• By the end of eight years in office, Washington refused to run for a

third term, establishing the foundation of the two term limit in office.

• Washington’s Farewell Address became one of the president’s most

influential statements on political values and warnings for the future.

• In the letter to the citizens, he warned against:

Foreign influences on U.S. domestic affairs.

U.S. meddling in European affairs

Long-term Alliances with Foreign Nations

Political Parties and Partisanship Politics

National Divisions known as Sectionalism

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

John Adams Becomes President

• As President, John Adams followed Washington’s lead in making

the presidency an example of republican

values, civic virtues, and executive power.

• Adams continued all of Washington’s major

programs, as well as trusting the existing

advisors of the outgoing president’s cabinet.

• Adams also inherited the continuing disputes over foreign affairs

between the Federals and Republican over the war between Britain

and France.

Continued Foreign Policy Problems

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

• His belief in Washington’s policy of neutrality concerning European

affairs caused problems when trying to negotiate with France.

• The XYZ Affair occurred when French diplomats demanded huge

bribes before any discussion could begin.

• Failure to obtain any agreements, French

and American ships conducted a Quasi-

War over Atlantic maritime shipping .

Continued Foreign Policy Problems

• Since Adams knew victory in an all out war with France was impossible,

he negotiated friendly relations with Napoleon Bonaparte, freeing the

United States from foreign entanglements (as Washington’s wished).

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

• The continued disputes between Federalists and Republicans became

so intense that some states refused to enforce federal laws and even

threatened possible rebellion or secession.

• Since Federalists in Congress saw this as

being connected to the Republican’s

sympathies for France, they passed the

Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798.

• These four acts were passed to cool down

opposition to the federal policies of

neutrality and friendship with Europe.

President Adams’ Final Policies

The First Two Presidents and Political Parties

• The Naturalization Act changed the period of residence before

attaining citizenship to 14 years.

• The two Aliens Acts allowed the President to deport any foreigner he

thought was dangerous to the country.

• The Sedition Act made it a crime to publish “false, scandalous, and

malicious” writings against the government or its officials.

President Adams’ Final Policies

President Adams Leaves Office

• Unfortunately for John Adams, the death of George Washington and

the controversy over the Alien and Sedition Acts weakened the

Federalists and allowed the Republicans to win the 1800 election.