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Launching the New Government Study Guide

 

  • George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States in 1789.

 

  • Washington set a precedent of only holding the office as President for two terms, or eight years.

 

  • Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of Treasury, founded the first Bank of the United States.

 

  • Hamilton sold bonds to raise money for the government and to help the economy.

 

  • To raise money, the Treasury passed a Whiskey Tax. The people rebelled against the tax. President Washington used force to stop the Whiskey Rebellion.

 

  • Many Americans distrusted political parties because

    • They had seen how they worked in Britain and didn’t like how party members were more interested in personal gain and not the public good;

    • They saw parties as a threat to American unity.

 

  • Despite Washington’s warnings against political parties, they developed around two of his advisors: Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

 

  • The Election of 1796

    • Republicans: Thomas Jefferson for President; Aaron Burr for VP.

    • Federalists: John Adams for President; Thomas Pinckney for VP.

 

  • Under the Constitution, the person with most electoral votes became President and the person with the second most electoral votes became VP.

 

  • John Adams, a Federalist, became President and Thomas Jefferson, a Republican, became VP!

 

  • The XYZ Affair

    • 1797: France ships in the West Indies began to seize American ships.

    • President Adams sent diplomats to France but they wanted money (a bribe!) before they would negotiate with the US!

    • Adams refused to ask Congress for war but began a major military build up which convinced France to stop attacking US ships.

 

  • Many Federalist (including Hamilton!) did not agree with Adams’ peace policy which caused a split in the Federalist Party.

    • Hamilton and his supporters were called High Federalists.

 

  • The Alien Act

    • Allowed the President to remove any alien (foreigner) thought to be dangerous to the country;

    • Made it more difficult to become an American citizen.

 

  • The Sedition (Stirring up a rebellion against a government) Act

    • Citizens could be fined or jailed if they criticized the government or its officials.

    • Republicans protested the law saying it violated the First Amendment!

 

  • The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

    • Claimed that each state has the right to judge for itself if a law is constitutional.

    • If the state found the law unconstitutional, they could nullify (cancel) it within their borders.

    • The resolutions were in reaction to the Alien and Sedition Acts!!

 

  • The Election of 1800

    • Republicans: Thomas Jefferson for President; Aaron Burr for VP

    • Federalists: John Adams!!

    • The Republicans won but Jefferson and Burr got the same number of votes!!

    • The Constitution stated that the House of Representatives would vote if there was a tie but they voted and tied 35 different times!

    • In the end, Hamilton cast the deciding vote for Jefferson (even though he hated Jefferson, he loathed and detested Burr much more!!)

    • Jefferson’s election marked an end to the Federalist era.

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