Washington was elected the first President of the United States in 1789. His presidency established important precedents, including creating the Cabinet and warning against political factions and foreign entanglements. Political divisions grew between Hamilton's Federalists and Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans over the role and power of the federal government. The Alien and Sedition Acts passed under President Adams further inflamed tensions between the two parties.

1. The New Nation
(1789-1800)

4. Washington
• Former General of the Colonial Army
• Virginian (slave-owner)
• 1st president elected by the Constitution
• Very modest
• Believed in the help of others, set up a Cabinet of
advisors
• Capital= New York City
• Vice President= John Adams (Massachusetts)

5. Washington and Adams

6. On his way to New York
• “About 10 o'clock I bade adieu to Mount
Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity,
and with a mind oppressed with more anxious
and painful sensations than I have words to
express, set out for New York in company with
Mr. Thompson, and Colonel Humphries, with
the best dispositions to render service to my
country in obedience to its call, but with less
hope of answering its expectations.”

8. “… So help me God.”

9. Washington’s first goals

10. Money!!
• Tariff of 1789 (Madison’s work)
– Angered Southerners, more $ for imports
• Whiskey Rebellion
– Tax on whiskey production, troops called in, no
blood
– People worried that gov’t used troops against
Americans

12. Alexander Hamilton’s Plan
– Public credit needed, US can borrow $
– Nat’l bank (implied powers, enumerated powers)

13. Foreign Policy (War)
• French Revolution (1789)
• They helped in American Revolution
• Declared war on Britain

14. Haitian Revolution
• Started in 1791
• 500,000 African slaves
• 40, 000 whites and 28,000 free blacks
• Toussaint L’Ouverture
• Jean-Jacques Dessalines
• 1st Black republic in the world in 1804
• Weakens French Empire

15. L’Ouverture and Dessalines

16. Treaties w/ Europe
• Jay’s Treaty (1794) • Pinckney’s Treaty (1795)
– Prevented war with – With Spanish, can
Britain, Br. can still navigate the Miss. River
attack US ships (they
must pay damage)

17. Natives??
• Treaty of Greenville (1795)
– 12 NA tribes forced to give Ohio and some of
Indiana to US

18. James Madison
• A leader in Congress
• Ensures that the Bill of Rights are passed.
• He will be the 4th President.

20. Washington’s Cabinet
• Thomas Jefferson (Sec. of State)
• Alexander Hamilton (Sec. of Tresurary)
• Henry Knox (Sec. of War)
• John Jay (Chief Justice, Supreme Court)
• Trouble is brewing b/w Jefferson and Hamilton
from the beginning

21. Federalists v. Democratic-Republicans
• This is the major political fight of the early
republic. How much control should the Fed. Have?
This is also the start of 2 political parties
• Hamilton= Federalists
– Strong Nat’l Gov’t
– Fed. Bank
– Favored Britain
– Industrial economy (support from North East)

22. Hamilton

23. Federalists v. Dem. Republicans
• Jefferson= Dem. Republicans
– Strong state gov’ts (weak central gov’t)
– No Nat’l Bank
– Favored France
– Agrarian society (farming), support in the South
and West

24. Jefferson

25. Washington’s Farewell Address
• Warned against sectionalism (North v South v
West v East)
• Sept. 1796
• “Let me now…warn you in the most solemn manner
about the baneful effects of the spirit of party… The
disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline
the minds of men to seek security and repose in the
absolute power of the individual.”

26. Farewell Address
• Also warned of getting involved in foreign affairs
(starts American isolationism)
• “The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to
foreign nations is in extending our commercial
relations to have with them as little political
connection as possible… ‘Tis our true policy to
steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion
of the foreign world.”

27. Farewell Address

28. Election of 1796
• Adams versus Jefferson
• Adams wins by 3 Electoral Votes (71, 68)

29. Adams and Jefferson

30. Adams’ Agenda
• Stay out of war with Britain or France
• Try to curtail the problems between the
Federalists and Republicans
• Try to live up to Washington’s example

31. Problems with France
• XYZ Affair
– French ambassadors wanted $250, 000 bribe to
begin negotiations

32. “Millions for defense but not a
penny for tribute”

33. Alien and Sedition Acts
• 1798
• 3 laws against ALIENS (non-citizens)
– Immigrants often anti-British, vote for Rep. party
– Wait 14 yrs for citizenship, deport without trial
• 1 law against SEDITION (inciting rebellion)
– Crime to print “false, scandalous, and malicious” info about
gov’t
• Fed. gov’t taking rights from the people

34. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
• KY written by Th. Jefferson
– Nullification (fed. laws can be declared null)
• VA written by James Madison
– Interposition (state gov’t can interpose b/w fed. and
people
• Fights back for STATE’S RIGHTS

35. Election of 1800
• Rematch of Jefferson and Adams
• Jefferson and Aaron Burr each had 73 votes,
House has to choose President

36. Midnight Appointments
• Judiciary Act of 1801
• Judge John Marshall
• 16 new judges in 6 new courts
• To counter the incoming Dem-Republicans