AP US: George Washington as President (1789-1797)

George Washington as President

  • 1789 - George Washington is unanimously chosen by the Electoral College to be the first President under the Constitution
    • John Adams is his Vice President
  • establishes precedents for the future
    • creates a Cabinet - meets face-to-face with his advisers, rather than the letters dictated by the Constution
      • Jefferson as Secretary of State
      • Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury
      • Henry Knox as Secretary of War
      • the Cabinet will be used to fill gaps in the President's knowledge
    • sets a tone for the nation - needs to make the government work, and they look to him to make it work

First Congress

  • assembles in New York City, the current capital, in 1789
  • counts electoral ballots and declares Washington and Adams as President and VP
  • one of the first things proposed by the new Congress is the Bill of Rights
    • James Madison brings his already-written Bill of Rights to Congress for discussion
    • these 12 are sent to the states for approval, ten are approved
  • passes a protective tariff
    • raise revenue
    • protect infant US manufacturing industry from influx of British goods
  • Constitution orders Congress to enhance judiciary
    • only the Supreme Court is created, others are created by Congress
    • Judiciary Act of 1789
      • Congress creates lower federal court system
      • approves nomination of John Jay as first Chief Justice
    • acted quickly at first, but begin to bog down in battle over proper role of government
      • Hamilton becomes one of the most influential figures of the new government
        • strong Federalist
        • advocate of commercial and maufacturing interests - thinks that industry is the future of the nation
      • Jefferson has an agrarian vision of America - wants a nation of farmers
      • this battle will shape the way early American develops
      • Hamilton seems to have more influences with washington, the President, than does Jeffersion (note that both are Cabinet members)

Hamilton's Economic Plan

  • new tariff: the Tariff of 1789
    • protects domestic manufacturers
    • discourage foreign competition
    • force foregin companies to raise prices in America's markets
    • raise revenue for government
  • Report on Public Credit
    • Hamilton demonstrates that the US owes a huge amount of money
      • $20 million to states, $40 million to private individuals (bonds), $11 million to foreigners
    • suggests that the US needs to pay off all its debts to gain credit and respect internationally
      • if the government wants to be able to borrow money in the future, it needs to be proved that they can pay it off
    • proposes borrowing money today and paying off debts with it to prove the US can pay back credit
    • can pay off bonds to American citizens, as well
      • however, people had sold bonds to a few rich individuals, so almost all the bonds are in the hands of a few rich people; thus, paying off bonds would make a few people rich, not all
      • thus, this part of the plan is opposed by those who do not hold bonds - they won't gain anything
    • can pay off states' debts
      • opposed by states without debts - they won't gain any money
    • sell new bonds to pay off the old debt
      • put another program into place that will pay off the "old debt"
      • defecit spending
    • to pass this "Assumption Act", they need to compromise
      • for example, the capital of the nation is moved from New York City to the South (the future Washington, D.C.)
  • Report on Manufacturing
    • use government input to promote manufacturing through tariffs, loans, and grants for businesses
    • excise taxes - taxes on certain manufactured goods
    • government promotes infrastructure development
      • transportation and communication
      • financed with tax money
  • Whiskey Tax
    • minimal, almost meaningless tax - won't accumulate a lot of money
    • but Hamilton thinks it's important to demonstrate the power of the central government to tax people within the US
    • Hamilton almost wants a rebellion, so the central government can show its power and put it down
  • creation of a National Bank
    • Hamilton thought that if the government could raise revenue through taxes, they need a financial institution to control it
    • but, power to create a bank is not given in the Constitution
      • Hamilton cites the "necessary and proper" implied powers clause, which gives Congress the power to make laws to assist their work in the areas that are specifically stated as their powers
      • he reasons that because the powers to tax, mint money, and pay debts are given in the Constitution, Congress has the ability to create a National Bank to fulfill these goals
    • opposed by Jefferson and Madison - two who knew the Constitution very well
    • this issue will start a long battle between the Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian factions, whcich will eventually create political parties

Factions

  • Hamiltonians
    • Loose Constructionists
    • Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 - the "implied powers" clause
    • gives the government the power to act in the best interests of the nation, even when these interests are not specifically stated in the Constitution
    • allows the government to do what is "fit and necessary" to carry out its role
    • Congress can control commerce, coin money, pay debts, collect taxes - so the government should have a bank
    • the bank will allow them to control commerce, coin money, etc.
  • Jeffersonians
    • Strict Constructionists
    • the government has only the powers expressed in the Constitution
    • James Madison is also a prominent member - the Father of the Constitution
  • these factions eventually become political parties
    • Hamiltonians become Federalists
    • Jeffersonians become Democrat-Republicans

Washington's Character

* serves two terms, creating the two term precedent
* he is respected by the people who trust him to lead them in the right direction - a good choice for President
* some problems arise in the naiton
* can't pay debts
* independent, separated states need a strong central government to guide them

Foreign Policy

  • France
    • French Revolution
      • the US had an agreement to help France in war, but don't know which government is "France", in order to give aid
      • Jefferson sides with the Revolutionaries - his philosophy involves overthrow of bad governments
      • Hamilton favours king - he is trying to build economy, and doesn't want a foregin war
    • asks for help from Washington
      • Washington responds with the Neutrality Proclamation
        • begins to chart a course for America
        • says that the US wants to be friendly with both France and Britain
        • as a young nation, the US cannot take a side in big issues abroad, they need to focus on issues at home
      • Jefferson resigns as Secretary of State
        • objects to not repaying French debt from American Revolution by not helping with French Revolution
        • objects to ignoring treaties
      • French Foreign Minister, Citizen GenĂȘt, to the US is angered, and takes his case directly to the American people
        • asks the people to intervene on behalf of France and ignore Washington
        • Washington demands that France remove this ambassador and send him back to Paris
          • however, the current government would have killed the ambassador for this, so Washington lets him remain in America (but not as a representative of France), and he eventually becomes a citizen
  • Britain
    • didn't leave forts in the Western frontier, citing issues with treatment of Loyalists and repayment of debts as defined in the Treaty of Paris
    • Britain also supplies the Indians with weapons to act against the colonists
    • the British navy stops US vessels and takes personnel (this is called impressment); the US isn't strong enough to do anything about it
    • Washington sends Chief Justice John Jay to negotiate
      • they haven't yet determined the role of the Supreme Court of Chief Justice, so they send him as a negotiator
      • Jay's Treaty - 1794
        • Britain would leave the Western frontier
          • they're at war with France, so they could use the extra soldiers
          • they've been defending land that isn't actually theirs - it's not worth it to "protect" the Loyalists
        • doesn't address impressment, leaving Britain free to continue it
        • the Senate did ratify it, even though it's pretty much worthless
        • maintained neutrality for a while
  • Pinckney's Treaty - 1795
    • Pinckney was the US ambassador to Spain
    • problems with Spain include the issue over the right of deposit in New Orleans and Spanish support of Indian attacks on colonists
    • able to get a favourable agreement because Spain felt threatened by improved US-British relations in Jay's Treaty
    • opens trade through New Orleans
    • establishes 31st Parallel as "northern border of Florida" as defined in Treaty of Paris - so it's now the border between Spain and the US
    • Spain agrees to stop inciting the Indians

Hamilton's Whiskey Tax

  • many historians say that it wasn't necessary, but was included to show the power of the federal government
  • Western Pennsylvania - Whiskey Rebellion
    • farmers refuse to pay, and attack federal tax collectors
    • Washington orders states (several, not just Pennsylvania) to help put down the rebellion
    • farmers are easily put down and eventually pardoned
    • possibly a setup, to show the power of the central government

Washington Leaves Office

  • at the end of his second term, Washington refuses to sit for a third term
    • he'd given fifty years of his life, and feels that he's done enough
    • thinks two terms is enough - establishes the "Two Term Tradition"
    • this tradition is followed by all Presidents until FDR; 22nd Amendment will make this the law
      • the President is the only term-limited federal officer
  • Farewell Address
    • offers advice to America
    • work hard to maintain national unity, despite differences in states
    • obey and support principles and authority of the Constitution
    • most significant, but not adhered to advice includes
      • danger of political parties
        • arguments over Hamilton's programs will lead to the creation of political parties
        • Washington thinks they'll be bad in the long run
      • warns against permanent alliances with foregin nations
        • stay out of Europe
        • beginning of Isolationist policy which lasts until WWI
        • as a young nation, we need to focus at home and strengthen ourselves

Federalists versus Democrat-Republicans

  • growing divisions appear
  • even though Washington had warned against political parties, he's through into the Federalist camp because of his support for Hamilton's plans
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under GNU Free Documentation License.