1. Chapter 8-1

2. First President President Washington Elected President 4/30/1789
John Adams appointed Vice President
“No slip will pass unnoticed”
Responsible for setting precedents or traditions

3. The Cabinet The First Congress
1789 congress set up 3 departments in the Executive Branch
State Dept. – handles foreign relations
Treasury Dept. – financial matters
War Dept. – nation’s defense
Attorney General – handle’s the nation’s legal affairs

4. The Cabinet
Secretary of State – Thomas Jefferson
Secretary of Treasury – Alexander Hamilton
Secretary of War – Henry Knox
Attorney General – Edmund Randolph
Dept. heads and Att. General became known as the cabinet and regularly met with Washington
Congress created the cabinets but issues arose over how much power the President had over the depts.
Adams’s vote breaks the tie in the Senate and allows the President to dismiss cabinet members the Senate approves
Does this help give the President more control of the executive branch?

5. Judicial Branch Judiciary Act
Judiciary Act of 1789 – Congress established 13 district courts and 3 circuit courts
Federal courts would have the right to reverse state decisions
Supreme Court becomes final authority on many issues
Washington’s nomination of John Jay as Chief Justice was approved by the Senate

6. Bill of Rights Bill of Rights Guarantees personal liberties
Proposed by Madison during the first session of Congress
Passed 12 amendments and the States ratified 10
Bill of Rights limits the power of the government
Protects the rights of individuals
Protects the rights of the states (Madison included this to use the states as a way to keep the national gov. from becoming too powerful)

7. Financial Problems Financial Problems
Washington left financial issues to Hamilton
National debt – the amount the nation’s gov. owed
Hamilton wanted to repay the states and individuals
Congress had plans to pay off other nations
Many bond owners sold their bonds for less than they paid for them to speculators
Hamilton felt the state would begin to trust and support the new national gov.

8. Financial Problems Hamilton’s plan contd’
Hamilton’s plan called for repayment of bonds at full face value
This angered the original bond owners
Hamilton’s plan also angered southern states because their share of the debt was much less than the Northern states, and under Hamilton’s plan they would have to pay much more

9. Financial Problems . Hamilton’s Compromise –
In order to make Southern leaders happy Hamilton’s plan moved the nation’s capitol from New York city to a district between Virginia and Maryland. Washington D.C. Southerners then agreed to pay off state debts

10. Economy and The National Bank
Hamilton’s plan to boost the economy included the creation of a national bank, a tariff, and national taxes.
Madison and Jefferson opposed the bank feeling that it was unconstitutional
Hamilton’s protective tariff would protect American industry from foreign competition
Southern states had little industry to protect so they opposed the tariff

11. Economy and The National Bank
New taxes were introduced and passed to give the gov. additional funds to operate including a tax on whiskey
Hamilton’s plan gave the country new financial powers, but split the nation and congress over issues. Opponents including Madison and Jefferson feared a strong national gov. that favored the wealthy