Download 9.1

“I walk on untrodden ground”
George Washington was inaugurated (or sworn
in as) President in April of 1789
His Vice-President was John Adams.
New York City would serve as the nation’s first
capital under the Constitution.
Washington faced a difficult task everything
that he did would be watched.
His actions as the first president would set
precedents (or examples) for
all those that followed him.
Setting up the Courts
Articles One and Three of the Constitution allowed Congress
To establish the Federal Court System. The first
Congress did this through the passage of the
Federal Judiciary Act of 1789
Congress established three departments to help
President Washington run the country. Washington
chose talented people to run these departments.
Secretary of State:
Secretary of War:
Secretary of Treasury:
Thomas Jefferson
Henry Knox
Alexander Hamilton
Washington chose Edmund Randolph as his
Attorney General to advise him on legal matters.
The United States faced huge financial problems.
The national debt from the Revolutionary War and
after was more than $52 million dollars.
Alexander Hamilton as head of the Treasury
Department had to come up with a plan to
get the country’s finances in good shape.
U.S. debt from 1790 in today’s dollars,
comparing wages of unskilled work force,
is equal to:
$25,100,000,000.00
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Alexander Hamilton’s
Financial Plan
Hamilton’s Plan: Alexander Hamilton knew that the new government
needed to pay off all debts in order to obtain credit and respect from
other countries.
He proposed a four point plan:
1. The national government would pay off all foreign and national debt.
2. The national govt. would assume and pay off all state debts.
(another 21.5 million in debt)
1. Charge an excise tax on whiskey in order to raise funds.
2. Establish a federally chartered Bank of the United States.
A National Bank would:
1. Be a deposit for all federal funds
2. Receive tax funds paid by the people (IRS)
3. Loan $ to the government and business aiding in the dev. of the economy
4. Issue paper money backed by hard currency (gold based)
Jefferson was in favor a “strict interpretation” (construction) of the
Constitution.
Hamilton was in favor of a “loose interpretation” of the Constitution.
“The Elastic Clause”
On page ______ in your ISN, you need to compare
and contrast Alexander Hamilton’s plan to aid the
economy of the U.S. in 1789 with the federal bailout
of 2008/2009. You may write a paper (one page),
create a content frame or Venn diagram
or any other approved method of comparing two items.
This needs to be complete and in your ISN by
Monday, January 12th.
You need to create an illustration of George Washington
on page ________ in your ISN. This illustration should
point out the problems that he faced as our first president
of the United States. You can use thought bubbles
or illustrations.