George Washington faced two main obstacles as the first President of the United States: 1) establishing precedents for the powers and responsibilities of the new presidential office, as nothing was defined in the Constitution, and 2) uniting the different factions in his cabinet and Congress behind his plans to pay off war debts and establish a strong national economy. He worked with his cabinet, especially Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, to enact plans to take on state debts, establish the Bank of the United States, and implement tariffs, though these faced opposition from figures like James Madison. Washington also had to assert federal authority by leading troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion when farmers resisted the new tax on liquor.

1. What were two main
obstacles George Washington
faced as the Nation’s first
President
Do Now: Do you think you have
enough knowledge to run a country?
Why/Why not?

2. Setting the Scene:
• ______ – congress meets to debate what to
call the new President by.
• "His Highness the President of the United
States and Protector of the Rights of the
Same.”
• Washington wanted to be simply called
“_____________ of the United States.

3. Washington’s First Steps
• April 20th, 1780 in New York City the inauguration
(ceremony in which the President officially takes
the oath of office).
• Why might Washington be sad to take the office
of President?_____________________
• _____________________________________
• What does precedent mean:________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

4. The First Cabinet
• President needed help understanding
everything.
• In 1789, the first Congress created five
executive departments.
1. _______
2. Treasury
3. _______
4. ______________ General
5. ______________ General
The five heads of these
departments made up
the Members of the
Cabinet

5. The Cabinet
• Members of the Cabinet gave Washington
Advice and were responsible for directing
their departments.
• In his Cabinet he had:
-Secretary of State - ________Jefferson
-Secretary of the Treasury - Alexander
Hamilton

6. The Federal Court System
• The Constitution called for a Supreme Court.
• Congress however, had to set up the federal
court system.
• In 1789, Congress passed the Judiciary Act. It
called for the Supreme court to consist of one
Chief Justice and 5 Associate Justices* (Today,
the Supreme Court has a Chief Justice and 8
Associate Justices.)

7. What is the Highest Court in the land?
• The _____________ Court

8. Reducing the National Debt

9. • How Much was the Debt? $_____________
• How much income did the US Receive?
$_____________
• Why was America in Debt?
• ___________________________________.
• What is the National Debt?
• ______________________________________
______________________________________.
• What is a bond?
• ______________________________________
______________________________________

10. Hamilton’s Plan
• Hamilton called for the government to
_____both federal and state debates. He
wanted the government to buy up all the
bonds issued by both the national and state
governments before 1789.
• He then planned to issue new bonds to pay off
the old debts. As the economy improved, the
government would then be able to pay off the
new bonds.

11. Debating Hamilton’s Plan
• James Madison Led the opposition. Madison
argued that Hamilton's plan would reward
Speculators. A ______________is someone who
invests in a risky venture in the hope of making a
large profit.
• During the revolution people could buy a bond
for 10 or 15 cents. If the government paid off the
old bonds in full, speculators stood to make
_____________. Madison thought that
speculators did not deserve to make such profits.

12. Hamilton’s response
• Hamilton replied that the US must repay its
debts in full or risk losing the trust of
investors. The __________of investors, he
argued was crucial to building the new
nation's economy.
• Congress approved full repayment of the
national debt

13. Hamilton’s Compromise:
• He would moves the nation’s capital further
_______. If Southerners agreed to his plan to
repay state debts.
• Madison and others accepted.
• In 1790, congress voted to repay state debts
and to build a new capital city.
• Today Washington D.C. is the nation’s capital

14. Plans to Build the Economy
• In 1791, Congress created the ______of the United States.
• The Government deposited money from taxes in the Bank.
In turn, the Bank issued paper money to pay the
government's bills and to make loans to farmers and
businesses. Through these loans, the Bank encouraged
economic growth.
• To help American manufacturers, Hamilton asked Congress
to pass a _______, or tax, on foreign goods.
• The North had factories, and could buy American goods
but the South relied on imported goods.
• In the end, Congress did pass a tariff, but it was much
lower than the protective tariff Hamilton wanted.

15. The Whiskey Rebellion
• To raise money for the Treasury, Congress
approved a tax on all liquor made and sold in
the U.S.
• The new tax sparked a rebellion that tested
the strength of the new government.

16. A Hated Tax
• Many farmers grew _____and converted their
corn into whiskey. Barrels of whiskey could be
shipped more easily to markets in the East.
• Many farmers refused to pay tax. They compared
it to the taxes Britain had forced on the colonies.
• _______, when tax collectors tried to carry out
their duties they were tarred and ____________.
• Thousands protest through the streets of
Pittsburgh

17. A Show of Strength
• Washington responded quickly.
• __________called back to arms
• Dispatched to _______________
• ____________ of troops
• News gets out rebellion scatters
• Hamilton wanted the leaders executed,
Washington believed that the
government should show _______