GEORGE WASHINGTON 1789-1797

GEORGE WASHINGTON

FOREIGN AFFAIRS 1st term coincided with the end of the French Revolution France goes to war with European countries Asks America for help Americans support French cause, especially Jefferson Washington issues Proclamation of Neutrality

FOREIGN AFFAIRS British stopping American ships taking goods and impressment of sailors Washington sends Chief Justice John Jay to England Year of negotiation Jay’s Treaty 1794 British agreed to evacuate posts on the western frontier Set exact amount of money owed to British merchants Said nothing about the ships Seen as a failure

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Seeing Jay’s Treaty as an alliance between England & US, Spain gets nervous Closes the Mississippi River and New Orleans Thomas Pickney-US ambassador to Spain negotiates treaty Pickney’s Treaty Reopens the river & port

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS 1794-Farmers in Pennsylvania upset over federal excise tax on Whiskey Refuse to pay, attack tax collectors Washington leads 15,000 troops Rebellion collapses First test-shows power of new federal government

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS Washington creates group of advisors called the “Cabinet” Treasury-Alexander Hamilton State-Thomas Jefferson War-Henry Knox Justice-Edmund Randolph

FIRST CABINET

POLITICAL PARTIES Country divided over Hamilton’s financial program Creation of first political parties Federalists Alexander Hamilton & John Adams Loose interpretation of Constitution Pro-British Strong Federal government Supported in New England, businessmen, large landowners

POLITICAL PARTIES Democratic-Republicans Thomas Jefferson & James Madison Strict interpretation of Constitution Pro-France Strong state governments, opposed financial plan Supported by “common” man; workers, small farmers, south and west

FAREWELL ADDRESS 1796-Washington announces he will not run for a 3rd term Sets precedent for two term tradition Gives a speech printed in every newspaper Warns against European Alliances Political parties Sectionalism

ELECTION OF 1796 Federalists-John Adams Democratic-Republicans-Thomas Jefferson Adams wins by 3 electoral votes Thomas Jefferson became vice president

JOHN ADAMS 1797-1801

JOHN ADAMS

FOREIGN AFFAIRS French begin seizing American ships & sailors Adams sends 3 men to negotiate treaty French officials want money, Americans refuse French officials don’t give names-only known as X, Y, Z Americans want war Adams continues negotiations

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS Public anger against France strengthen Federalists in Congress Adopted laws to restrict Democratic-Republicans Naturalization Act-increased the years required for immigrants to qualify for citizenship Alien Acts-Authorized the president to deport any Aliens considered “dangerous” Sedition Acts-made it illegal to criticize either the president or Congress

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS Democratic-Republicans argue violates rights of speech and press The Virginia legislature (supported by Madison) and the Kentucky legislature (supported by Jefferson) write resolution 1799-states had entered into a contract with the federal government. If contract broke, then states can declare Acts unconstitutional

ELECTION OF 1800 Federalists-John Adams Democratic-Republicans-Thomas Jefferson & Aaron Burr No one receives majority of electoral votes House of Representatives decides Hamilton urges Federalists to vote for Jefferson (less dangerous than Burr)