The New Government and Washington

Question 1

election of 1789

Answer 1

• gave federalist control of the new govt.
• federalist majority in both senate and HoR
• Washington chosen by electoral college as president
• John Adams as vice president

Question 2

problems facing Washington

Answer 2

• The USA was far from united
• RI & NC still not in the union
• Nation had untried constitution
• new govt. burdened with colossal debt, had no revenue or machinery for collecting taxes
• no judiciary department yet
• USA had no navy and its army consisted of 672 officers and men
• USA western boarders were open to native attack
• UK and Spanish troops still occupied national territory

Question 3

1st congress

Answer 3

• congress set out to build on constitutional framework
• set a number of precedents which influenced US constitution development
• Madison working close with Washington in 1789-90 played a key role in HoR

Question 4

The cabinet

Answer 4

POTUS - George Washington
Alexander Hamilton - Secretary of Treasury
Thomas Jefferson - Secretary of State
Henry Knox - Secretary of war
John Jay - Chief Justice

Question 5

The Bill of Rights

Answer 5

• during the ratification there was criticisms of a lack of popular rights
• some state federalists promised push for a Bill of Rights
• Madison made adoption of Bill of Rights
• 10 got ratified, 9 of them concerned the rights of the individual e.g. freedom of speech, religion, press
• the 10th amendment reserved powers of the state which weren’t specifically given to Federalist government

Question 6

The judiciary act 1789

Answer 6

• the constitution created a federal judiciary but left details on structure & relation with state courts to be decided later on
• act established hierarchal system of Federal courts
• at the top was the judiciary - consisted of chief justice and 5 justices
• district courts in each state and 3 circuit courts of appeal