Washington's presidency established many precedents that became traditions, including his Cabinet of advisors like Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton established plans to pay off war debts, raise revenue through tariffs, and create the First Bank of the United States. This led to the beginnings of political parties as Hamilton favored a stronger national government while Jefferson favored limited federal power. Washington also dealt with challenges like the Whiskey Rebellion and negotiated treaties, like Jay's Treaty, to maintain neutrality during conflicts between France and Britain.

1. Washington’s Presidency
1789-1797
Chapter 9, Section 1

2. Washington’s presidency starts many precedents
(examples) that become traditions.
• His Cabinet
• Sec of War - Henry Knox
• Sec of State – Thomas Jefferson
• Sec of Treasury – Alexander Hamilton
• Attorney General – Edmund Randolph
• These are the advisors to the President, but
the Constitution had not called for this body.
• (implied power?) Article I Sec 8 Elastic Clause
or “Necessary and Proper Clause”

3. Federal Judiciary Act of 1789
• The Congress set up the first Supreme Court
system with this act. It set up 6 Justices as the
• Court. It also set up lesser federal courts.
Washington appointed John Jay as the Chief
Justice

4. Alexander Hamilton and the National
Debt
• The US was in debt because of the Revolution. We
owed money to France, Spain and the Netherlands + the
AMERICAN PEOPLE (war bonds). To be taken seriously as
a country, we need to be debt-free. His plan:
• 1: paying off war debt
• 2: raising government revenue
• 3: establishing a National Bank.
The Bank mostly stabilized the National Government by
providing a safe place to keep government funds. It also
issued currency $.

5. Tariffs
• Tariffs are taxes on foreign goods.
• Hamilton’s idea here is to raise revenue with a
high tariff. Affected the South more than others
since they depended on foreign trade. But, it
boosted the American manufacturing base.
• Hamilton wanted a stronger national gov. using
a “loose” interpretation of the constitution.
Jefferson’s group favored a “strict” one with
very limited Gov powers. Beginnings of political
parties

6. Challenges (pg 320)
• Northwest Territory (Little Turtle & the British)
• Native Americans wanted to unite to form a
nation and the British were behind them.
• Originally, they were united under Little Turtle
and repelled the American troops sent to defeat
them. Washington later appointed Wayne (Western
Front – Revolutionary War). Wayne defeated Little
Turtle’s troops in the Battle of Fallen Timbers
• They Ceded land to US through Treaty of
Greenville (OH, IL, MI, Indiana)

7. Whiskey Rebellion
• 1794 – farmers from western PA revolted over
a tax on Whiskey.
• It was the backcountry vs. wealthier class, but
it was rebellion.
• President Washington saw this as a threat to
the federal government. He sent 13,000
troops to put this down (Overkill!)
• The rebellion was put down by the time the
troops showed up

8. French Revolution and America
• The French had aided our Revolution, we are
indebted to them, right? The French people in
the 1780s (inspired by the colonists)
overthrew their own king.
• Unfortunately, this turns EXTREMEY violent,
kill the King and Queen and we become split
over which side to take.

9. US, France, Britain
• France and England went to war with one
another.
• Jefferson (France) and Hamilton (England) were
split over which side to take, but the US was one
of those countries caught in the middle.
• US = Neutral but we depended on the trade with
both countries and they saw our ships as aiding
the others.
• Britain started seizing our ships, so Washington
sent John Jay to negotiate a treaty

10. Jay’s Treaty
• The British agreed to leave the Ohio River
Valley and to pay for the damages to our
seized ships. However, they wouldn’t let the
US into the British Caribbean trade.
• The treaty was not a popular one, but it did
ease relations with the British.

11. Pinckney’s Treaty
The US was also having problems with its former
ally Spain over control over territories in
America. Three issues stand out in this treaty
with Spain.
• · The US got the right to use the MS River
• · US ships could go through the port of New
Orleans