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The Federalist Era – Washington & Adams Administrations
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George Washington, 1789-1797 1 st President, from Virginia Good administrator, delegator, judge of talent & character "systematic, orderly, energetic, solicitous of the opinion of others but decisive, intent upon general goals and the consistency of particular actions with them."
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Establishment of Judiciary and Cabinet Judiciary Act of 1789 – Supreme Court – District Courts – Circuit Courts Creation of Cabinet – Secretary of State (Thomas Jefferson) – Secretary of War (Henry Knox) – Secretary of Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) – Attorney General (Edmund Randolph) – Postmaster General (Samuel Osgood) (From left to right) George Washington, Henry Knox, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Edmund Randolph.
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Westward Expansion, 1750-1810
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Hamilton’s Plan Rebuild nation’s credit Establish sound currency Assumption of war debts Creation of national bank – First Bank of the United States Financing via tariff on imports Excise tax on liquor Pro-British
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Jefferson’s Opposition Power to establish a central bank not an express(ed) power in the Constitution, as opposed to Hamilton’s idea of implied powers – “Loose” vs “Strict” construction is central to many Constitutional legal challenges throughout US history Central bank would dispense favors to cronies Opposed industrialization in favor of yeoman farmer Pro-France
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Factions IssueHamiltonJefferson Bank of the United StatesYesNo Constitution Interpretation Broad/LooseStrict TariffYesNo; favored paying off debt through sale of western lands RegionNorthSouth, West FederalismStrong National Government Strong State Governments CultureUrban/IndustrialFarmers/Agrarian Whiskey RebellionHelped lead armyApproved of Civil Disobedience Foreign Alliance (England/France) EnglandFrance French RevolutionNoYes Political PartyFederalistsDemocratic Republicans
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Whiskey Rebellion, 1794 W. Penn. farmers outraged over liquor tax Washington calls up 13,000 militia, leads army personally Rebellion put down, federal power asserted
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Relations with Great Britain 1793: GB abrogates Treaty of Paris – won’t evacuate Great Lakes forts until all debts repaid – Authorizes seizure of American ships John Jay’s Treaty (1795) – Establishes economic stability with GB; leads to “Quasi-War” with France – Republicans view as insult to American prestige Nationalization of politics – party choice in 1796 based on Jay Treaty stance Essentially bet on England, rather than France, as future hegemonic power in Europe
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“ Damn John Jay! Damn everyone that won't damn John Jay! Damn every one that won't put lights in his window and sit up all night damning John Jay!” - treaty graffiti painted on a fence, 1796 "John Jay, ah! the arch traitor - seize him, drown him, burn him, flay him alive.“ - published in a Democratic-Republican newspaper
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Foreign Affairs Pickney’s Treaty – Spain worried that US, Britain growing closer together (Jay Treaty) – Est. present GA/FL border (extended west to Mississippi River) – American navigation of Mississippi
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Farewell Address Washington sets 2-term precedent (not broken until 1940) Warns against factionalization (political parties) Warns against sectionalism (different regions advocating their own interests over national ones) Cautions to avoid “entangling foreign alliances” (US does so until the formation of NATO in 1949)
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This could only happen pre-12 th Amendment… Adams (Fed.): 35,726 (53.4%); 71 e.v. Jefferson (D-R): 31,117 (46.6%); 68 e.v. Pickney (Fed.): 59 e.v. Burr (D-R): 30 e.v.
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John Adams, 1797-1801 – Federalist, from Massachusetts – Boston lawyer, member of Sons of Liberty, Continental Congress; untactful diplomat – First Vice-President – Independent-minded; able to make sound decisions in the face of great hostility – “Prickly,” obstinate – Federalist, but anti-Hamilton (almost his own party of one)
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The Adams Presidency President Adams – Pres. above the fray; let others take the lead – Inconsistency – Infighting among Federalists; uncertainty re/ Dem-Reps Fallout from Jay’s Treaty – French seize American ships XYZ Affair
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Quasi-War Undeclared naval shooting war between US & France, starting in 1798 Privateers Caribbean, Gibraltar, East Indies No operational planning, but limited co-op w/ GB sold stores, shared signals
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USS Constellation vs. L'Insurgente, 1799
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Alien & Sedition Acts Federalist laws aimed at suppressing opposing views, expressions, and voters – i.e., the Democratic-Republicans Very unpopular – D-Rs used as a major campaign issue in 1800 Jefferson and Madison anonymously write Resolutions (or Resolves) in opposition that are passed by legislatures in KY & VA – Argue that the final decision on whether or not a federal law or action was legal should be made by each state – “state’s rights” argument later used by aggressively sectionalist pols like John C Calhoun of SC Most of them expired in 1800-01, but the Alien Enemies Act is still on the books – and was used in WWII to sieze the property of Germans, Italians, and Japanese living in the US
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Alien & Sedition Acts The Naturalization Act - extended the duration of residence required for aliens to become citizens to 14 years. Enacted June 18, 1798, with no expiration date; repealed in 1802. The Alien Friends Act - authorized the president to deport any resident alien considered "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States." It was enacted June 25, 1798, with a two year expiration date. The Alien Enemies Act - authorized the president to apprehend and deport resident aliens if their home countries were at war with the United States of America. Enacted July 6, 1798, and providing no sunset provision, the act remains intact today as 50 U.S.C. § 21–24. The Sedition Act - made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government or its officials. Enacted July 14, 1798, with an expiration date of March 3, 1801.
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Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions That the Constitution of the United States, having delegated to Congress a power to punish treason, counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States, piracies, and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations, and no other crimes, whatsoever; and it being true as a general principle, and one of the amendments to the Constitution having also declared, that "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people," therefore the act of Congress, passed on the 14th day of July, 1798, and intituled "An Act in addition to the act intituled An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States," as also the act passed by them on the -- day of June, 1798, intituled "An Act to punish frauds committed on the bank of the United States," (and all their other acts which assume to create, define, or punish crimes, other than those so enumerated in the Constitution) are altogether void, and of no force; and that the power to create, define, and punish such other crimes is reserved, and, of right, appertains solely and exclusively to the respective States, each within its own territory.
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New Hampshire’s Take on the Resolutions Resolved that the Legislature of New Hampshire unequivocally express a firm resolution to maintain and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of this State against every aggression either foreign or domestic, and that they will support the Government of the United States in all measures warranted by the former. That the State Legislatures are not the proper tribunals to determine the Constitutionality of the laws of the General Government--that the duty of such decision is properly and exclusively confided to the Judicial department.
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A Jefferson Biographer’s Take: Called forth by oppressive legislation of the national government, notably the Alien and Sedition Laws, they represented a vigorous defense of the principles of freedom and self-government under the United States Constitution. But since the defense involved an appeal to principles of state rights, the resolutions struck a line of argument potentially as dangerous to the Union as were the odious laws to the freedom with which it was identified. One hysteria tended to produce another. A crisis of freedom threatened to become a crisis of Union. The latter was deferred in 1798-1800, but it would return, and when it did the principles Jefferson had invoked against the Alien and Sedition Laws would sustain delusions of state sovereignty fully as violent as the Federalist delusions he had combated. -- Merrill Peterson, Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation: A Biography.
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Convention of 1800 Both US & France wanted a dignified way out of the Quasi-War – First Consul Bonaparte seeks better relations w/ US than previous French gov’t – Both sides recognize that US couldn’t fight British navy, and that France could still receive imports from neutral countries Allowed for Abrogation of 1778 Treaty Adams alienated everyone in opening negotiations; Federalists divided Results of negotiations not known until after the election (no help for Adams)
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Election of 1800 – Federalists v. Democratic-Republicans Federalists – Hamilton, Adams, Washington – Atlantic seaboard – Pro-business – Pro-British “Those who own the country ought to govern it.” – John Jay
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1800 – Federalists v. Democratic-Republicans Democratic-Republicans – Jefferson, Madison – South & Frontier, farmers, laborers, small shopkeepers – Pro-agriculture – Neutrality (pro-France) “We are all Federalists; we are all Republicans.” - Jefferson’s 1801 Inaugural
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Campaigning in 1800 Candidates didn’t actively campaign – would’ve been seen as overly ambitious Newspaper editors were especially powerful surrogates – said all the things a candidate couldn’t Mudslinging and negative attacks were brutal, even by today’s standards “running mate” system still not perfected – 12 th amendment ratified in 1804 to fix the problems
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1800 Election Returns
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Washington Irving, “Rip Van Winkle” (1819) He now hurried forth, and hastened to his old resort, the little village inn—but it too was gone. A large rickety wooden building stood in its place, with great gaping windows, some of them broken, and mended with old hats and petticoats, and over the door was painted, “The Union Hotel, by Jonathan Doolittle.” Instead of the great tree which used to shelter the quiet little Dutch inn of yore, there now was reared a tall naked pole, with something on the top that looked like a red nightcap, and from it was fluttering a flag, on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes—all this was strange and incomprehensible. He recognized on the sign, however, the ruby face of King George, under which he had smoked so many a peaceful pipe, but even this was singularly metamorphosed. The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff, a sword was stuck in the hand instead of a scepter, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was painted in large characters, GENERAL WASHINGTON.
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Sources & Further Reading Study Guide: http://acaclassof2010studyguides.blogs pot.com/2008/09/washington-study- guide-jake.html http://acaclassof2010studyguides.blogs pot.com/2008/09/washington-study- guide-jake.html
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