Washington's and Adam's Presidency Flashcards
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Congress
Creates his cabinet, Jefferson, Hamilton, Knox, Randolph, as the Sec of State, Treasury, War, and attorney general respectively. Congress takes action in 1789, where James Madison makes the first 10 amendments, the bill of rights, the civil liberties. 9th amendment state that they haven’t listed all their other rights, you have more rights than what is stated in the nine amendments, gives freedom to work with. 10th amendment is for the states, if there is something that isn’t specifically stated, it is reserved for the states.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Judiciary Act of 1789
Establishes the supreme court. Flushes out what the supreme court is going to look like, with a chief justice, John Jay
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Hamilton’s Financial Program- Debt
Conservative approach, controlled by elite, elite are going to be tied to the success of the government and will push for their success. Pushing for strong federal government. Pro-business. Leads federalists. Assumption of the debt of the states, taking their debt and paying all of it back. If you’re wealthy, you’re looking to the federal government for their money. Ties the wealthy to the financial survival of the country. Virginia is promised that they’d have the country capital in their state because they didn’t have debt.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Hamilton’s Financial Program
Tariff
Wants a high tariff on British imports to protect the American manufacturing and generate revenue. Angers the south because Britain puts a tariff on American goods, mostly southern goods, tobacco and cash crops.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Hamilton’s Financial Program
Tax
Excise tax on whiskey, Producers are taxed, which raises the taxes on the consumer. Farmers out west with the grain they use, the tax will come down on them, and hurts the farmers out west/debtors/anti-federalists.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Hamilton’s Financial Program
Bank Debate
Private national bank, take money and loan it, to stimulate business, give it to entrepreneurs. Bank allows printing of currency as a form of exchange. Hamilton sees the elastic clause, that congress has the right to make all laws deemed necessary and proper, if there is a country currency, it is necessary to have a bank. 10th Amendment is Jefferson’s argument, that 10th amendment gives bank a state right to the states. Federalists were loose or broad constructionists. Democratic-republicans were more strict. In 1791, the bank is chartered for 20 years.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Hamilton’s Financial Program
Whiskey Rebellion 1794
Poor westerns are fighting for their rights. Pennsylvania farmers are protesting, taxing whiskey is like taxing their currency, which is their way to exchange. Unlike shays rebellion, the constitution allows the raising of 13000 troops to quell the rebellion. Not going to bend to the “mobocracy”. Proof why they needed the constitution
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Battle of Fallen Timbers1794
Miami Tribe and Chirf Little Turtle organize different native forces to attack US settlers in the region, to stop the spread of colonization. Multiple winning battles, until the battle of fallen timbers, forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville 1795. Constitution doesn’t give any rights to natives. Treaty doesn’t work/apply because they were all from different tribes, not all together. Continuing conflict with natives.
Domestic Issues 1st Term
Early Political parties Form
Hamilton’s success and ability to get what he wants in the government, with financial plan, bank, excise tax, look like Hamilton gets his way. Hamilton and Jefferson don’t like each other/feud.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Revolution in France
Americans support the revolution in France, seeing it as a continuation in France. Sprit of 76’ in France. Reign of terror in 1793, people are rising up against elite, King beheaded, and under committee of public safety, there is now blood rolling down the streets and the US is scared of that. Federalists become warry of rebellion. Proof that democracy shouldn’t be in the hands of the lower levels.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Spread of Conflict
Conservative monarchs afraid rebellion will spread. US is still allied with the treaty with France at the battle of Saratoga, Franco-American alliance. Democratic-republicans think yes. Federalists think no way, don’t want to deal with the mobocracy. TJ who is a franco-phile, and anglo-file is AH.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Neutrality Proclamation 1793
Wants to avoid making enemies of any time. Trade with everyone, helps economy and farmers, but don’t want to get involved with political affairs with others. Most of our history, we are isolationists. First real example of. First presidential expansion of power. Sets the precedent of executive decisions. Edmond Genet, French supporter, trying to gather support to fight for the French. TJ puts his country over political fighting, and Genet is kicked out of the country.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
English Aggression
England is upset they’re trading with both English and France. Starts to seize our ships, an act of war, but we don’t want to go to war. They start pressing our sailors. Blockade the french west indies, stoppingo our trade. Giving natives guns in the western fort, in those french forst–> britihs, forst–> US forts. Not respecting their rights as a soverign nation. washington sends John Jay to treaty to make a treaty with England.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Jays Treaty
British promises the evacuation of forts, again, pay damages for seized ships, most northern/merchant ships. US promises to pressure citizens to pay off pre-revolutionary debts .Hurts Southerners because they’ll have to pay back their debts.
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Pickney’s Treaty, right to deposit
1795, control port of new orleans, need to exit in order to trade. US ships can pass through the exit of new orleans to trade
Foreign Issues 2nd Term
Farewell Address 1796
Greatest accomplishment, powerful position, but willingly leaves it, sets 2 term president until FDR. Urges entangling alliances, and mingling with foreign nations. Urges americans to not fall victim to political parties. Sick of Jefferson and Hamilton arguing all the time. Ends up dividing the country.
Election of 1796
Federalists
Hamilton is too unpopular. Party picks John Adams, the sitting VP. He is a man with credibility. Has name recognition, from Massachusetts. Support is strong from the Northeast and in cities. Focused on growing manufacturing in the Northeast.
Election of 1796
Democratic-Republicans
Pick Thomas Jefferson, the secretary of state and writing the DOI. Support from southerners and farmers. Envisions America as a farmer country.
Election of 1796
Adams Wins
Slight Electoral majority. There is more population in the north. Creates the 12th amendment later in time since Jefferson becomes the VP.
Adams In Office
Handicapped
One term. Democratic Republicans don’t work with him. You have TJ, James Madison, and Aaron Burr, who are leaders in the DR party. Don’t work with him. No compromise. Hamilton doesn’t support JA, doesn’t have support of federalists/high federalists. Adams has a difficult personality. Problems with France dominates administration
Adams In Office
Undeclared War with France
France-American treaty in 1887 after the battle of Saratoga, France is upset with Jay’s treaty, violation of the Treaty with alliance. France starts seizing US merchant ships, trading with British enemy. Tensions with France, even though Federalists demand war. Adam tries to respect precedent set my Washington.
Adams In Office
Adams sends envoy to France, Talleyrand and XYZ 1797
Sends John Marshall to visit with France, and they bribe 250,000 to meet with Talleyrand, the foreign minister. This bribe was excessive, and Us must loan France 3 million for British. Not treating the US as a country. John Marshall stays in France to avoid war, but comes back after war is decided was necessary.
Adams In Office
Navy Is created
Marine Corp created at this time under Adams to be able to build ships and navy to fight with France. Has to increase in taxes because he’s defending their country.
Adams in Office
Alien and Sedition Act
Passes the Alien and Sedition act to quiet outspoken DR who love the French. Sedition makes it illegal to criticize the federal government. Alien act raised residency act from 5 years to 14. Set to expire in 1801. Trend we see in war time that might be questionable but is for the betterment of the country.
Adams in Office
Protests against the act
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions 1789. Response to Alien and sedition acts written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison respectively. Want states to nullify federal laws that they judge to be unconstitutional. Wants to give more states rights.
Adams in Office
Adams Second Envoy- Convention of 1800
Wants to honor GW’s precedence. Public demands war but he doesn’t want it. Sends another envoy. France agrees that they will nullify their previous treaty. US will pay French damages against out merchants, this only benefits the federalists merchants, not the DR. Paves way for future peaceful dealings with France, with the LA purchase. Ruins his political career
