Download inauguration loose tariff interpretation Cabinet strict interpretation

--VOCABULARY
inauguration
tariff
Cabinet
ludiciary Act
of 1789
loose
interpretation
strict
interpretation
Bank of the
United States
oath was administered, Livingston turned
to the crowd, in a voice heard by all, he
cried, "Long live George Washington,
President of the United States!" The
people below responded w~th a loud
cheer. Washington bowed and the crowd
cheered again. With the ceremony over,
the group on the balcony moved inside
Federal Hall. There Washington gave his
first inaugural address to Congress.
George Wasblngton, our llrst President Congress acts Most of the men in the
April 30, 1789, was a sunny day in New first Congress had supported the ConstituYork City. A happy and curious crowd tion. Ne~ly half of the 26 senators had
had gathered in front of the new Federal taken part in the Constitutional ConvenHall. The crowd had come to see ~e first tion. Most of the others had worked to
inauguration of a P~eside~t of ~e United bring about ratification, fames Madison
States. An inauguration is ~e ceremony led a p owerfnl group in the House of Rep" ~at is held when one takes office.
resentatives. Like their leader, members
A little ~ter noon a group of people of this group supported the new, stronger
steppod onto ~e balcony of Federal Hall, central government.
overlooking Broad S~eet. Everyone
The new government badly needed
ognized the tall white-wigged fig~e ofmoney to meet its expenses. Some
Geo~g~ Washington. The crowd
money--but ,not enough--would come
as he appe~ed. Only a few racog~zed from the saleof western lands. So, as one
Robe~ Livingston, ~e chief ~udge of Now of its first actions, Congress passed a tariff
York’s highest state court. Li~ngstonbill. A tariff is a tax on goods brought
was ~ere to ~ead the oath of office, which from another cotmtry. The tariff of 1789
put a tax of from 5 to 15 percent on about
~e new Pr~sidant would take.
Not many on the s~eat bMow ~e bal- 80 manufactured articles impor~ed into
cony heard ~e wozds. Still, ~ey
the United States. For more than a conkhat George Washington was taking the mr-y, tariffs supplied most of the money
Proside~t’s oa~ of office. As soou as
the government needed.
George Washington takes the oath of office as the first President of the United States,
When George Washington became President, the capital of the United States was New York. Later it was moved
to Philadelphia and then to its present location in Washington, D.C.
in Massachusetts, Virginia, and other Congress also authorized the office of atstates, Federalist leaders had promised to torney general to handle legal affairs.
add a bill of rights to the Constitution. In The chart on page 207 shows the duties of
the first Congress they worked hard to keep these officials and the names of the four
their promise. This meant amending-- men first appointed to these offices in the
that is, making a correction or change new government.
in--the Constitution. Ten amendments These four men soon became known as
were added in 1791, and these became the the President’s Cabinet, which means "a
promised Bill of Rights. (See the Bill ofgroup of advisers." It was Washington
Rights, starting on page t92.)
who began the practice of consulting with
the heads of the meier departments in the
The President’s Cabinet Congress executive branch of the government. The
knew that President Washington would Constitution says nothing about advisers
need help to run the executive branch of to the President, but every President since
government, So, within the executive Washington has had a Cabinet. The numbranch Congress created the Departments ber of Cabinet members has increased
of State, Treasury, and War. Each was over the years as Congress has added new
headed by an official called a secretary. departments to the executive branch.
At Washington’s left are tour Cabinet members: Henry Knox, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas
Jefferson, and Edmund Randolph. See the table on page 207 for their offices and duties.
Have pupils use an almanac or another resource to list the 13 Cabinet positions and the people who now occupy
them.
Samuel Osgood of Massachusetts became the first postmaster general under the Constitution. However, the
office did not become a Cabinet post unti11829.
Office
Secretary of State
WASHINGTON’S FIRST CABINET
Official
Duties
Thomas Jefferson
To conduct the relations
of the United States with other nations
Secretary
of the Treasury
Alexander Hamilton
To handle the government’s finances
Secretary of War
Henry Knox
To take charge of all military maffers
Attorney General
Edmund Randolph
To act as chief legal adviser
to the executive branch
In making ap, pointments to his Cabinet, were 13 district courts, one for each
a President tries to gain support from dis state. There were three circuit courts at a
ferent parts of the country. Thomas Jef-higher level, between the district courts
ferson and Edmund Randolph were from and the Supreme Court.
Virginia, Henry Knox was from MassaSince 1789, Congress has changed the
chusetts, and Alexander Hamilton was number of associate justices on the Sufrom New York. From Washington’s day preme Court as well as the number of dison, Presidents have sought geographical trict and circuit courts. Still, our federal
balance in their Cabinets.
court system today has the same frameWashington--and the Presidents fol- work as that set up by the Judiciary Act of
lowing him--tried to have different 1789. Through this court system, justice
points of view represented in the Cabi. is assured in the enforcement of federal
net. Edmund Randolph had attended the laws.
Constitutional Convention but in Virginia
had opposed ratification of the Constitu- Hamilton’s ~lebt plan Article VI of the
tion. Thomas Jefferson was not so firmly Constitution required the new governin favor of a strong central government as ment to pay all debts contracted by the old
Hamilton and Knox were.
government under the Articles of Confed-
eration. Moreover, most of the states
The iederal courts Article III of the were stiI1 in debt for money they had borConstitution states that the judicial rowed during the War for Independence.
branch of the federal government willThe new federal government had no reconsist of a Supreme Court and any lower sponsibility for the state debts. However,
Courts Congress wishes to establish. Act- it arranged to pay these debts, too.
ing under this authority, Congress passed This came about through a plan prothe Judiciary Act of 1789. This act rRKg: posed by Alexander Hamilton.. In 1789,
vided for Supreme Court with a chief Congress asked him, as secretary of the
justice and five associate justices. The Ju- treasury, to prepare a report on governdiciary Act of 1789 also set up lower ment finances. In his report, Hamilton
courts on two ]evels. At the lower 16veI suggested that the new government pay
both the federal and the state debts.
Hamilton a~gued that the federal government would be strengthened by taking responsthility for the state debts. People
who had lent money to the states would
look to the federal government for payment. Therefore, they would support the
federal governmenl and would work for
its success.
question. On another matter, however,
the two leaders disagreed. Hamilton proposed that the United States Congress
charter a national bank, modeled on the
Bank of England. A national bank, Hamilton said, should be owned partly by the
government and partly hy private individuals. It would be a safe place for the federal government to keep its money.
Moreover, it could help the government
The federal ~st~ict Virginia and borrow money.
other southern states had paid nearly all Hamilton and ~efferson disagreed on
their state debts. They had no quarrel the question of whether Congress had the
with the plan to pay the federal debt. But power to charter a national bank. Hamiltheir leaders were unwilling to have theton said that the Constitution (Article
federal government take over the task of Section 8) gave Congress the power to
paying the state debts. If this happened, pass any laws necessary to carry out its
listed powers. He argued that Congress
southern leaders said, their citizens
would be taxed to help pay the debts of
clearly had the power to tax and spend for
northern states.
the general welfare. A bank, he said,
As it happened, Congress was trying to would help Congress carry out this
decide the location of a new capital at the power. Therefore, Hamilton declared,
same time that Hamilton’s debt plan was Congress did have the power to charter a
being considered. This presented an op- bank,
portunity for compromise. Thomas
Hamilton’s argument is known as the
ferson knew that people in the South loose interpretation (or broad interpretawanted the permanent capital of the tion) of the Constitution. The makers of
United States in or near their part of the the Constitution could not possibly write
country. So he persuaded some Virginia
in all the details of government. Therecongressmen to vote for Hamilton’s plan.
fore, they included a ~lause permitting
In return, Hamilton used his influence to
Congress to create whatever agencies
place the new capital in a federal district
were "necessary and proper" to carry out
between Maryland and Virginia. Philathe functions of government. This clause
delphia was to be the capital for I0 years.
made a loose interpretation of the ConstiThen the United States government
tution possible.
would move to Washington in the newly
Iefferson, on the other hand,believed
formed District of Columbia,
the federal government could do only
what the Constitution specifically gave it
A na~onal han~ Alexande~ Hamilton the power to do. In his opinion, the Conand Thomas lefferson were successful institution should be interpreted exactly as
working out a compromise on the debt it was written, not loosely or broadly.
Outing Washington’s presidency t~ree new s[etes--
Vermont, Kentucky, end Tennessee -- entered the
Union.
The newly chartered Bank of the United Stales set up its headquarters In Philadelphia.
ferson’s view i~ known as the strict inter- ments. He signed the bank bill in 1791.
pretation (or narrow interpretation) of the It provided a charter for the Bank of the
Constitution. According to this interpre- Ur~ited States. Under its charter, which
tation, the government could not charter a would last 20 years, the headquarters of
bank because the Constitution did not ’the bank would be in Philadelphia. It
give the legislative branch the specificcould, however, set up branches in other
power to do so.
parts of the country.
Actually, Congress had already passed CHECKUP
a bill chartering the first Bank of the
did the tariff of 1789 raise l~3oney for the
United States. President Washington, 1. How
new government?
however, had cautiously held off signing2. What was the purpose offl3e President’s Cabinet?
the bill into law. He wanted to hear his 3. How did the JudJciaryAct of 1789 establish a fedCabinet’s views on whether the Constitu- erai conrt system?
Wby was Hamilton’s debt plan adopted?
tion gave Congress the power to establish 4.
~, Explain the difference between Harr~lton’s m~d
a bank. After listening carefully, Wash- 3efferson’s interpretation of the Constitution
ington decided to accept Hamilton’s argu- concerning the Bank of the United States.
:~,!ler PUpils have read th s esson, have them copy each Vocabulary term on page 204, write its meaning, and use
/t in a sentence.
WHAT POLITICAL PARTIES DO
1. Political parties select candidates
for office by means of caucuses or
--VOCABULARY"
conventions,
By nominating oandi~ates, political
2.
political party
Whiskey
parties offer the voters a choice at
Rebellion
Federalist party
elections,
nominate
Democratic3.
Political parties,draw up plaff‘orms,
Republican
which are statements of the stand
party
the party takes on lmpoffant issues,
4. Political parties collect money to finance their candidates’ campaigns,
A "~Mng" ~’ip In the summer of
5.
Candidates
and other party leaders
1791, Thomas Jefferson and his friend
provide information to voters through
James Madison took a trip through the
speeches, wriffen statements, and
northern states. The two men said they
advertisements,
were going on a "fishing and botanizing" 6. When elected to off‘ice, political
parties’ candidates direct the activijourney. But it was neither fish nor rare
ties of the government,
plants that sent them north. They wer~
lacing for harlem leaders opposed to 7. When out of office, political parties’
leaders act as watchdogs, check~e policies of Alexander Hamilton,
.Ing to see that the party in power
Jefferson ~d Madison found what ~ey
conducts the activities of the government properly,
were looMng for in New York. There
8. Political parties make it possible for
¯ ey talked wi~ A~on Bu~, an opponent
voters to express their wishes in a
of Alexander H~ilton. They talked, too,
peaceful manner.
wi~ George Clinton, who had’long been
governor of New York. Out 6f ~ese t~ks
grew an organization called a politicalopposing views of Thomas Jefferson and
pare.
Alexander Hamilton. As you have read,
the two men had different opinions on the
Poli~cal parties A political party is Bank of the United States. In time they
an organization 0f people holding similardiffered on other questions, too.
views on the policies a govarnm6nt Both Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
should follow. The party members work Hamilton had many followers. Th~se
to elect people of their choice to office and with views simfla~ to Hamilton’s joined in
to shape government policies, The writwhat became known as the Federalist
ers of the Constitution had not foreseen
party. The leaders of this party had
the development of political pa£ties, and helped to write the Constitutiom They
the Constitution makes no mention ofbelieved in a strong centzal government
them. Nevertheless, political parties and had worked hard to get the Constitahave become important to all levels oftion ratified. For more than 10 years, they
government in the United States. Our had held most of the important offices in
first two political parties grew from thethe government.
Jefferson’s supporters were pro-French, while
Hamilton’s followers were pro-British.
Those persons who had been against ily carried over bad roads than could Waratification of the Constitution were calledgonloads of bulky grain.
Anti-Federalists. In the 1790s many of
Many western farmers refused to pay
them became followers of Thomas leffer- the whiskey tax because they felt it was an
son. At that time his party was known as unjust burden on them. When the federal
the Democratic-l~epublican party. Later government sent tax collectors, the angry
it would shorten its name to the Demo- farmers threatened them with violence.
cratic party.
Washington was alarmed by this threat,
and in 1794 he called the militia of three
Wash~gton’s second term In 1792 states into federal service. With AlexPresident Washington wanted to retire to ander Hamilton in command, 15,000 men
Mount Vernon. However,. the infant
marched into western Pennsylvania,
public still needed his steadying hand.This display of force brought about the
So he consented to accept a secor~d 4-year collapse of the Whiskey Rebellion, the
term. Once more he was chosen Presi- name given to the farmers’ brief resistance
dent of the United States with the unani- to the federal government.
mous vote of the electors.
The Whiskey Rebellion had two reDuring Washington’s second term a cri- suits. First, it showed that the federal
sis arose. Hamilton had persuaded Con- government could enforce the laws that
gress to put a tax on whiskey. He said the Congress had passed. Second, it congovernment needed the money such a tax vinced many western farmers that viowould provide. The whiskey tax a~gered lence was a very poor way of opposing
western farmers. Since they had diffi- Federalist policies. Joining ]efferson’s
culty getting their grain to eastern mar- Democratic-Republican paxty was a better
kets, the farmers distilled some of their way. Perhaps they could change the govcorn and rye into whiskey. Jugs, kegs, ernment’s policies by voting the Federaland barrels of whiskey could be more-eas- ists out of office.
Angry farmers carry on e rail a whiskey-tax collector they have tarred and feathered.
The eleven of 1;96 No doubt
ties used this me’hod to choose those who
George Washington could have been ran for office. In 1796 the Democratic-Reelected to a third term as President. How- publican caucus named Thomas Jefferson
ever, he believed two terms were as the party’s presidential candidate. For
er~ough. He also believed that political Vice-President, they chose Aaron Burr of
parties would weaken the national gov- New York.
ernment. In a farewell message to the The election showed the growing
country, Washington warned against the power of the Democratic-Republican
harmful effects of the "spirit of party." party. Although lohn Adams won the
His advice came too late. Political parties presidency, he received only three more
were already in existence.
electoral votes than Thomas ~efferson.
As the end of Washington’s second The Constitution at that time stated that
term neared, the two political parties the person with the second highest numopenly chose, or nominated, candidates ber of electoral votes would be Vice-Presifor election to the presidency. Federalist
dent. Therefore, ~effersen became Viceleaders wanted to nominate Alexander President even though he and John
Hamilton, but they feared he had too Adams were members of different politimany enemies to be elected. Instead they cal parties.
chose John Adams of Massachusetts as the
Federalist presidential candidate. For
CHECKUP
Vice-President they nominated Thomas
Pinckney of South Carolina, the youngest 1. What were the first two political parties in the
United States?
.
son of Eliza Lucas Pinckney, whom you :~. What were the main differences between these
read about on pages 108-109.
two parties?
S.
What
are the main functions of political parties in
Democratic-Republican leaders held a
the United States?
meeting to choose candidates for their 4. How did the presidential election of 1796 show
party. Such a meeting of party leaders is the growing strength of the Democratic-Republicalled a caucus. From 1796 to 1832, parcan party?
At first, most Americans looked on the
French Revolution with favor. But as
--VOCABULARy
time passed, the French Revolution took
proclamation of
Jay’s Treaty
a violent turn, with much bloodshed.
neutrality
Pinckney’s
Events in France as well as in other counimpress
Treaty
tries became matters of great concern in
Xyz affair
the United States. The way the Federalists dealt with these problems turned out
The l~t Federalist President ~ohn to be unpopular. The foreign relations of
Adams was one of the giants of the Amer- the United States during the years that the
ican Revolution. His wxitings had putFederalists were in power helped make
forth many of the arguments in favor ofJohn Adams the last Federalist President,
revolution. Adams had halped draft the
Declaration of Independence, had signed The old treaty ~h France You have
it, and had helped persuade the Second learned that the United States and France
Continental Congress to approve it. He
signed a treaty of alliance in 1778. This
had served as his country’s diplomatic
was at a time when the United States was
representative abroad. He had been Vicestruggling for independence. France
President during Washington’s two terms
helped mighlily in that struggle. In fact,
as President. Ve~ few Americans in without France’s aid, the United States
1796 had as much experience in politics might not have been victorious in its War
and government as John Aiams,
for Independence.
Nevertheless, ~olin Adams won only a
Fifteen years later, war broke out again
narrow victory over Thomas ~efferson.
between France and Great Britain.
This was one reason why he did not have
cause of the treaty of alliance, some Demgreater success as President, Another ocratic-Republicans thought the United
reason was his stubborn personality. States should ioin France in this war
lohn Adams refused to change his ways to against Great Britain. But Federalists armake himself popular. Even though Fed- gued that the treaty was no longer in
eralists were in control of the Senate and force. They said that the revolution in
the House of Representatives, President France had changed the government that
Adams had trouble with Congress.
had signed the treaty, In addition, the
President Adams’s main troubles, how- Federalists feared the democratic spirit of
ever, were in dealing with other coun- the French Revolution.
tries. In 1789, the year that George WashPresident Washington knew the United
ington was inaugurated for his first term,
States was too weak to get involved in ana revolution broke out in France. ~ohn
other war so soon after its War for IndeMarshall, who later became Chief Justice pendence. Therefore, he issued a proclaof the United States, wrote in 1789, "In no mation Of neutrality. This meant the
part of the globe was this revolution United States would take no part in the
hailed with more joy than in America." war between France and Great Britain.
It also made plain that the treaty of alliance between France and the United
States was no longer in effect.
Jay’s Trea~
Though President Washington declared American neutrality the
French-British conflict still caused trouble for the United States. British war vessels seized or sank American merchant
ships suspected of trading with France.
The British impressed American sailors-that is, they took sailors off American
ships and forced them to serve on British
ships.
Moreover, as late as the 1790s, the British still held western forts and trading
posts on American soil. In 1794 Washingtor~ sent John Jay of New York to Great
Britain to t~y to arrange solutions to these
problems. Jay had earlier been made the John Jay’s treaty with ~dtaln was so unpopular that he
first Chief Justice of the United States. was burned in effigy by demonstrators.
However, he had regarded this as an unproval, as the Constitution required. Ratimportant office and had resigned.
Jay succeeded in coming to an agree- ification in the Senate turned into a fight
ment with the British. In what became between the two political parties. Fiknown as Jay’s Treaty, Great Britain nally, in 1794 the Senate ratified Jay’s
agreed to move out of the forts and trading Treaty and President Washington signed
posts on America’s western lands. How- it. Nevertheless, the split between Demoever, Jay was not able to solve all the prob- cratic-Republicans and Federalists had
lems that had caused trouble between the widened,
United States and Great Britain. There
was nothing in Jay’s.Treaty about Great l~nckaey’s Trea~ The year after
Britain’s interference with Americanlay’s Treaty, Thomas Pinckney, also a
shipping. And the trade terms that were Federalist, was sent to Spain to try to
agreed on seemed to favor Great Britain. work out problems between Spainand the
The Democratic-Republicans and even United States. France had turned over its
some Federalists were unhappy with Jay’s holdings west of the Mississippi River to
Treaty. President Washington was not Spain 12 years before the American Revopleased with it either. Still, he thought itlution. As long as the colonists were conmight keep the United States out of war. fined to t_he region east of the AppalachiSo he presented it to the Senate for
ans, it made little difference who laid
Jay became extremely unpopular with Americans
after his treaty with Great Britain.
claim to the wilderness region beyond the TreuMe ~t~a Fr~ce Washington’s
MisMssippi. But as Americans moved proclamation of neutrality angered
into the lands beyond the mountains after Frmmh leaders. They had expected the
the Revolution, trouble developed be- United States to aid them in their war
tween the settlers of the region and the against Great Britain because of the old
Spanish officials.
treaty of alliance, In fact, the French amA major issue was the use of the Missisbassador had made plans to have French
sippi River as a water highway, Spain
armed ships use American harbors.
did not want the river opened to free naviAmerica’s relations with France
gation. It saw such an act as a threat to
reached their lowest point during John
its landholdings in the heart of North
Adams’s term as President. French offiAmerica. To western farmers, however, cials insulted the American ambassador.
us’e of the Mississippi was essential to get- They even threatened him with arrest unting their crops to market. The crops less he left France, Some Federalists
could be sent down the rive~ on flatboats. thought Adams should ask Congress to
Near the month of the river they could declare war on France because of these inthen be transferred to oceangoing vessels sults, Adams refused to do that, Instead,
for shipment to ports on the Atlantic coast he sent three special ambassadors to
France With instructions to try for a peaceor in Europe.
Pinckney had more success than ~ohn ful solution to the difficulties,
Jay. The treaty he negotiated with Spain
was widely popular. In Pinckney’s The success of Thomas Pinckney of South Carolina In
negotiating a treaty with Spain won him much praise.
Treaty, Spain granted Americans the
right to travel on the Mississippi River.
Even more important, the treaty allowed
Americans to ship goods through the port
of New Orleans, at the mouth of the Mississippi. For many a western farmer, the
right to use the port was the difference
between failure and success.
In addition, Pinckney’s Treaty cleared
up the disputed boundary between American and Spanish territory in the southeastern United States. Spain and the
United States agreed to accept the 31st
parallel as the northern boundary of Spanish Florida. Thomas Pinckney won such
popularity through this treaty that Federalist leaders nominated him as their
party’s candidate for Vice-President of the
United States in 1796.
Thomas Pinckney was the son of Eliza Lucas
Pinckney, the woman who introduced the cultivation
of indigo in America.
The ~Z ~alr
When the three Amerpower in France. Napoleon was willing
ican ambassadors got to Paris, three
to end the undeclared naval warfare.
French officials met them. The French New American diplomatic representaofficials suggested that the Americans pay tives sent to France were treated with
them a bribe before negotiations could courtesy.
begin. The Americans refused and sent a In lg00 France and the United States
report to President Adams about what had
cancelled the troublesome treaty of allihappened. Adams then reported the
ance of 1778. To take its place, the two
whole affair to Congress.
countries signed a trade treaty. By showIn his report to Congress, President ing firmness and patience, lohn Adams
Adams refused to name the French offi- had kept the United States out of war with
cials who had asked for the bribe. He France. Later, Iohn Adams spoke of this
identified them as X, Y, and Z. For this as the greatest achievement of his term
reason, the negotiations with France
as President. However, some Federalist
came’known as the XYZ affair. Whenleaders never forgave him for his refusal
news of it reached the American public, to go to war with France.
demands for a declaration of war against
France increased.
CI~CKUP
1. Why did President Washington issue a proclama-
Adams stands f[~ President Adams
tion of neutrality?
continued to withstand pressure to de- 2. What did Pinckney’s Treaty and Jay’s Treaty provide? Why was Pinckney’s Treaty more popular
cIare war. Still, he realized his duty to
with Americans than Jay’s Treaty?
protect the United States against a possi3, What kinds of troubles disturbed relations be¯ hie invasion by French forces. He called
tween the United States and France ~n the 1790s?
Ceorge Washington out of retirement to 4. How were peacefifl solutions to these troubles
worked out?
take command of an army of volunteers.
Alexander Hamilton was named secondin-command.
Congress established a Department of The Federa|ist Record
the Navy headed by Benjamin Stoddert of
,VOCABULARYMaryland. Stoddert served with great
ability as America’s first secretary of the
White House
navy. He established several navy yards
Alien and
mint
Sedition Acts
in which American warships were built.
patent
Some French and American navai vessels
actually fought battles between 1798 and The President’s house Abigail
1800, though there was no declaration of Adams was getting ready to move during
War.
the late winter of 1801. She aiad her husDuring these years, President Adams band, lohn Adams, had lived in the Presistood firm. His patience was rewarded in dent’s house only a few months. It was
!800 when Napoleon Bonaparte came to the first public building in Washington,
At the time that the Adams family moved to Washington, the capital was a li#le river port.
Final selection of the site on the Potomac River was made by George Washington, ,
the new capital city. The cornerstone for
the President’s house was laid on October
13, 1792, by George Washington. President and Mrs. Adams moved in 8 years
later. More than 20 years would pass before the President’s house would be called
the White House.
Some people complained about the size
and the cost--$400,000--of the President’s house. Abigail Adams had other
complaints. "We had no fence, yard, or
other conveniences," she wrote. The
house stood on the edge of a swamp. It
lacked bathrooms. Water had to be carried by hand from a distance of five city
blocks. Several of the rooms were unfinished. Mrs. Adams dried clothes in one
of the largest unfinished rooms.
Abigail Adams may have been happy
leave the President’s house. It is doubtful
that her husband was. John Adams
thought he had done well in his 4 years as
President. Nevertheless, the electors in
1800 preferred Thomas Iefferson and
Aaron Burr, the candidates of the Democratic-Republican party for President and
Vice-President. A new party with new
policies was about to take over the federal
government,
Perhaps the Federalists deserved better
treatment from the voters. Their party
had done a great deal for the infant United
States. Their Ieadars had filled in the
framework provided by the Constitution.
Much of what they did for the first time
has lasted to the present day.
The new national capital was built on an area of land between Maryland and Virginia.
After pupils have read the section "The Aiien and
Sedition Acts," ask: Which amendment was said to be
violated by the Sedition Act?
Coln~ a~d ~nven~ons For 16 years the first census and the second census in
following the Declaration of Indepen- 1800, the United States had increased its
dence, people in the United States used population by 35 percent. Foreign trade
British and other foreign coins. It was the had tripled during the same 10-year peFederalists who first set up a system of riod. With this kind of record during the
American coins in 1792. Philadelphia first 12 years under the Constitution, why
was chosen as the home for the govern- were the Federalists turned out of office?
ment’s first mint, or place where coins are
Why was Thomas lefferson moving to the
nfade. Some of the first United States President’s house in 18017
coins were made from silverware given by
One answer to these questions lay with
George Washington.
the public image of the Federalist party.
The Federalists also started the iss~iing
Somewhat unfairly it had the reputation
of patents to inventors. A patent is a docof being a party for the wealthy. There
ument that gives an inventor the sole right
were wealthy people in the Federalist
to his or her invention for a certain numparty, but there were also many common
ber of years. No one else can make, use,
people. At the same time, many of the
or sell the invention withOUt the invenrich favored the Democratic-Republicans,
tor’s~permission. The first patent issued
the party of Thomas Jefferson, who was
by the new patent office went to Samuel
himself a large landowner in Virginia.
Hopkins. In 1790 Mr. Hopkins perfected
a process for Using potash in the manufac- The A~en ~m~ SeOalt~on Aet~ No poture of soap. Since 1790 about 4.5 mil- litical party can remain in power for 12
lion patents have been issued tltrough the years without losing some backing. The
office the Federalists established.
unpopular treaty that lohn Jay worked out
with Great Britain created opposition to
~ederal~st achievements In spite of
the Federalists. So did their whiskey tax,
criticisms, Presidents Washington and
and the way the government crushed the
Adams had kept the country out of w~. Whiskey Rebellion.. By 1798 the FederalMoreover, ~ey had a~anged ~eafies ~at ist leaders knew their power was slipsolved problems eMsting between the ping. Some of them were willing to
United States and foreign counties. At chance a war with France if, by doing so,
~e s~e time, Alex~der H~lton’s fi- they could retain their control over the
nancial policies had worked wonders for federal govermnent. When it became
~e credR of ~e United States governclear that Adams wanted peace, not war,
ment. During ~e 1790s, ~e govemmen~
desperate Federalists pushed the Allen
was able to borrow money from foreign
and Sedition Acts through Congress.
countries at favorable tales of ~n[aresi.
The Federalist leaders thought these
At home, ~e county had achieved a acts would weaken the Democraticdecent prosperi~. In 1790 ~e govern- Republican party. Three ef the acts apment undeAook the fi~st ~ensus, or count
plied to aliens, that is, people not yet citiL
of people, in the United States. Between zens of the country in which they live.
Political and
governmental
beflefs
Economic
beliefs
Foreign
affairs
THE TWO POLITk~AL PARTIES IN THE t790s
Federalist
Democratic-Republican
!. The "best people" should control
1, The average citizen is capable
the government,
of choosing representatives to
govern,
2. Strong national government
2, Limited national government, ’
to preserve states’ rights
3, Favored loose interpretation of
3. Favored strict interpretation of
the Constitution
the Constitution
4, Restrictions on free speech and 4, Relatively free speech and
press
press
1. Favored active government aid
1. No specie( favors for business;
to business, finance, and
farming preferred
commerce
Favored United States Bank to
Against Bank; thought it united
insure stable finances
national government and
wealthy people against the
poor
3, Whisky tax necessary to finance
Rigid economy in government,
governmental expenditures
to reduce taxes
4, Tariff necessary to insure rev4, No higher tariff than necessary
enue and protect industry
to secure adequate revenue
Favored Great Britain because
I, Sympathized with goals of
of commercial ties and because
French Revolution
of fear of the French Revolution
2. Favored Jay’s Trealy
2. Opposed Jay’s Trea#i
1, Strong in New England and sea1, Strong in South, Southwest, and
coast areas
frontier areas
2. very w~}l organized
2, Grew belter organized as average citizen became aware of
issues of government
3, Supported by manufacturers,
3, Supported by small farmers,
bankers, and merchants
tradesmen, and mechanics
4. Brilliant leadership under Alex4. Brilliant leadership under
ander Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson
One-of these .three acts increased the wait- Republican pa~ty and assure continued
ing period before eliens could become cit- Federalist control of the government
izens of the United States, Aliens nowNaturalized citizens thought the Federhad to wait 14 years instead of 5 years be- alists were questioning their loyalty by
fore becoming naturalized citizens withpassing t~e Alien Acts. Therefore, they..
the right to Vote. Most naturalized citi- supported the Democratic-Republican
zens had been voting for ~efferson’s
party more strongly than ever. Thus
party. This law, the Federalists thought,
these acts did not have the effect that the
would slow the growth of the DemocraticFederalists had hoped,
The sedition Act was meant to silence toral votes to 65 for. Adams. The
criticism of Federalist officials. It calledDemocratic-Republican party also gained
for the arrest and trial of anyone who control of both the Senate and the House
spoke or published anything "false, scan- of Representatives.
dalous, and malicious" about Congress or
The election of 1800 was a bloodless
the President.. Soon, 25 persons were revolution but a revolution all the same.
arrested and t~ied for violations of the ~efferson and his party had attracted
Sedition Act. All were either editors or enough popular support to take control of
publishers of papers opposing the Feder- the government. Moreover, the Federalalists. Ten were convicted, fined, and ists had accepted their defeat and had~
given prison sentences.
peacefully given up their control. FederThomas lefferson and other Demo- alists continued to be elected to state ofcratic-Republican leaders were quick to rices, particularly in New England. But
protest the Sedition Act. They pointed never agatha" would a Federalist be chosen
out that it clearly violated the First to tive in thd President’s house. Never
~raendment, which guaranteed freedom again.would the Federalists have a majorof speech and freedom of the press. After ity in either the Senate or the House of
Jefferson became President, he pardoned Representatives.
the men convicted under the Sedition
Act, and Congress returned their fines.
1. What were the conwibufions of th4 Federalist
pmvty during the lZ years it controlled the federal
govermment ?
What were the Alien and Sedition Acre?
How did the Alien and Sedition Acts con’a~ibute to
the defeat of the Feder~iste in 1800?
Why might the election of lS00 be called a peaceful revolution?
The e~oc~on o~ ~00 The Federalists
again nominated John Adams. However,
~.
many members of his own parly refused
to support him. The Democratic-Repub- 3.
licans once more nominated Thomas Jef- 4.
ferson. This time Jefferson won 73 elec-