Download PowerPoint Presentation - The Beginnings of

The Beginnings of Our
Current Government
and Political Parties
1. Ratification of the Constitution
• The Philadelphia Convention approved the
final draft of Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787
• The Constitution was sent to individual
state governments for their approval and
ratification.
• Five states approved the Constitution
without many problems. Then
Massachusetts voted on the Constitution.
1. Ratification of the Constitution
• There was a large number of Antifederalists in
Massachusetts including Samuel Adams and
John Hancock. These Antifederalists were
against any sort of strong central government
because of their experience with the British
government.
• Both the Federalists and the Antifederalists tried
to convince people to join their viewpoint. Both
sides produced newspapers.
• The main objection of the Antifederalists was the
lack of any sort of Bill of Rights with the original
Constitution.
1. Ratification of the Constitution
• The Antifederalists in Massachusetts did not
want to ratify the Constitution because of the
lack of a Bill of Rights. Compromise was again
needed.
• The compromise came when the Antifederalists
agreed to vote FOR the Constitution IF the
Federalists agreed to create a Bill of Rights
during the First Session of Congress.
• The Federalists in Massachusetts agree to this
compromise.
• The Compromise becomes known as the
Massachusetts Compromise.
1. Ratification of the Constitution
• Several states followed the lead of
Massachusetts by ratifying the Constitution if
and ONLY if the First Congress adopt a Bill of
Rights as one of the first things it does.
• In June 1788, New Hampshire becomes the
ninth state to agree to or ratify the Constitution.
• Since 9 of the 13 states ratified the Constitution,
it goes into effect.
• However, 4 states had not yet ratified the
Constitution, and 2 of the 4 states were large
states: Virginia and New York.
1. Ratification of the Constitution
• By June 1788, both Virginia and New York
had agreed to the Constitution IF a Bill of
Rights were created during the First
Congress.
• Only North Carolina and Rhode Island
held out and did not agree to the
Constitution until after the new
government had begun to function and a
Bill of Rights was created.
2. Election of George Washington
• The 1st thing to do was to elect a
President.
• There was really only one choice--but
he did not even want the job.
• The votes were cast--69 electors were
chosen for the Electoral College
• Of the 69 possible electoral votes,
George Washington received 69
votes--an unanimous result.
• George Washington became the first
President of the United States of
America by taking the oath of office,
the same one that is used today, on
April 30, 1789 in New York City.
George Washington
3. Setting up the Executive Branch
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Washington selects Thomas Jefferson
as his first Secretary of State. The
Secretary of State deals with how the
U.S. interacts with other countries
Jefferson strongly opposes Great
Britain—the enemy from the American
Revolution.
Jefferson is more friendly towards
France—they helped the Americans
during the American Revolution.
Washington’s election happened
during the time of the French
Revolution. Jefferson was in France at
the time of the Revolution and was
interested in seeing France move
away from a monarchy and towards a
democracy.
Jefferson PRO-France and ANTIBritish feelings meant that he favored
the Anti-Federalist position and was a
defender of STRONG States Rights.
Thomas Jefferson
3. Setting up the Executive Branch
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Washington selects Alexander Hamilton
to be Secretary of the Treasury who
deals with nation’s currency and other
money issues.
Hamilton believed in a loose
interpretation of the Constitution. The
Constitution says nothing about the
national government running a national
bank, but because the government
needs to regulate commerce or trade and
a stable currency is needed for trade,
then Hamilton believes the national
government needs to control and run a
national bank.
Hamilton also developed a financial plan
based on a strong national government
paying the debts of the national and state
governments. This plan angered the
Southern states. The Southern states
wanted strong state governments.
Because of Hamilton’s beliefs, he is
considered to be a Federalist.
Alexander Hamilton
3. Setting up the Executive Branch
• Washington selects Henry Knox as the Secretary of
War in charge of the military.
• Washington also selects Edmund Randolph as the
first Attorney General. The Attorney General is the
nation’s top lawyer and main prosecuting attorney.
Henry Knox, on the left
Edmund Randolph,
on the right
4. Setting up the Judicial Branch
• The Constitution established the Supreme Court
as the highest court in the United States.
• Congress was to set up Supreme Court and the
rest of the Judicial Branch.
• Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789.
• The Judiciary Act included a Supreme Court of 6
Justices: One Chief Justice and 5 Associate
Justices. Also, a federal court system of 3 circuit
courts and 13 district courts was created.
• Today, the Supreme Court includes 9 Justices:
One Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices.
4. Setting up the Judicial Branch
• Washington names
John Jay as the first
Chief Justice.
5. Setting up the Legislative Branch
• The First Congress began to met in March
1789 in New York City.
• As the Constitution dictated, both Houses
chose leaders.
• Vice President John Adams would serve
as leader of the Senate.
• Frederick Muhlenberg from Pennsylvania
led the House of Representatives.
5. Setting up the Legislative Branch
• The first task of the First Congress was the Bill
of Rights which several states wanted as a
condition for ratifying the Constitution.
• James Madison formally proposed 12
amendments—10 of which would become the
Bill of Rights.
• The Bill of Rights was based on several
documents including Virginia’s Declaration of
Rights written by George Mason.
5. Setting up the Legislative Branch
James Madison
George Mason
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Once the Bill of Rights was created and sent to
the States for Ratification, Congress turned its
attention to the Judicary branch of government
and created the Judicary Act of 1789.
• Also, Federalists and Antifederalists were once
again fighting. This time their fight was about
Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan for the
United States. Hamilton wanted a strong central
government to pay the debts of the nation and
the states. He also wanted a national bank.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Hamilton’s national bank would have four
duties:
• 1. Handle the federal government’s
money.
• 2. Help collect taxes.
• 3. Issue paper money and currency.
• 4. Give out loans to help the growth of
businesses.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Antifederalists were outraged because the Constitution
said nothing about the national government running a
bank.
• Once again, compromise was needed.
• James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander
Hamilton led the charge for this new compromise.
• Madison and Jefferson agreed to allow the national
government to have the power to tax and pay for state
debts.
• Hamilton agreed to allow the new capital of the country
to be in a district created in the South.
• The compromise was made, and it was decided that the
capital would eventually move to the District of
Columbia--just north of Virginia.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• To pay the debts, taxes needed to be raised.
• Hamilton wanted excise taxes which are taxes
on products made and used within the states.
• Hamilton also wanted import tariffs which are
taxes on goods created outside the United
States and are brought into the country for sale
and use.
• Congress adopts these taxes in 1791 and 1792.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Washington also had foreign affair problems:
• 1. The British and Native Americans were causing
trouble on the frontier. Washington sent General “Mad”
Anthony Wayne to defeat the Native Americans at the
Battle of Fallen Timbers.
• 2. The Spanish were causing problems at New Orleans
by NOT allowing U.S. ships to pass. This was bad for
trade and the U.S. economy.
• 3. The French were revolting against the French king
and setting up a “democracy” in France. Out of fear,
Great Britain went to war with the new revolutionary
government in France. If the U.S. helped France as
stated in the Treaty of Alliance of 1778, then the U.S.
would anger the British and start a new war with them.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Members of Washington’s cabinet, or formal
advisors to the President, had different opinions
about what to do.
• Hamilton, who was pro-British because trade
with the British brought in lots of taxes, wanted
the U.S. to stay neutral. This was the
FEDERALIST position.
• Jefferson, who strongly believed in democracy
rather than monarchy, believed we should live
up to the Treaty we signed with France in 1778
and help them. This was the DEMOCRATICREPUBLICAN position.
6. Accomplishments made during
Washington’s Presidency
• Washington solves his foreign affair problems in 3 ways:
• 1. Washington issues the Proclamation of Neutrality in
1793. The. U.S. would not help France. Washington did
recognize the new government of France as the New
French Republic, but Washington said that since the
Treaty was made with the old king and old government,
the treaty was no longer in effect.
• 2. Washington sends Chief Justice John Jay to Great
Britain to create and sign the Jay Treaty in 1794. This
treaty solves some of the problems the U.S. had with
Great Britain stirring up Indians on the frontier.
• 3. Washington sends Thomas Pinckney to create the
Pinckney Treaty with Spain. This treaty reopens the
Spanish port of New Orleans for American trade.
7. End of Washington’s Presidency
• As George Washington left office, he
urged the country towards neutrality and
unity.
• Unfortunately, the country does not heed
his advice.
• Two Political Parties begin to organize:
The Federalists and the DemocraticRepublicans.
8. The Federalists
• The Federalists are led by a couple different
people.
• John Adams, Washington’s natural successor,
becomes head of the Federalists despite the fact
that he is not a strong Federalist.
• Alexander Hamilton, an extreme Federalist,
begins to cause problems for Adams by
demanding stronger Federalist ideas.
8. The Federalists
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The Federalists believe in several things:
1. Strong central federal government
2. Loose interpretation of the Constitution
3. Foreign Affair preferences: Pro-British and
Anti-French
4. Support a national bank
5. Government should be ruled by the wealthy
and educated class of people
6. Emphasis should be placed on manufactured
goods and products
7. Want protective tariffs
8. Newspaper: Gazette of the United States
9. The Democratic-Republicans
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The Democratic-Republicans believe in these:
1. Strong state governments
2. Strict interpretation of the Constitution
3. Foreign Affair preferences: Pro-French and
Anti-British
4. Support state banks rather than one national
5. Government should be ruled by ALL people
6. Emphasis should be placed on agricultural
goods and products
7. Want FREE trade and NO tariffs
8. Newspaper: National Gazette
10. John Adams becomes President
• Despite the potential problems caused by
Alexander Hamilton, “Federalist” John Adams
narrowly defeats the Democratic-Republican
Thomas Jefferson in the 1796 presidential
election.
• Adams wins 71 electoral votes; Jefferson gets
69 electoral votes
• Adams became President and Jefferson became
Vice President dspite the fact that the two men
were from different political parties.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• Beginning in 1798, the Federalistcontrolled Congress passed a series of 4
laws which angered the DemocraticRepublicans and the general public as a
whole. Together, these laws are known as
the Alien and Sedition Acts.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• The 4 Alien and Sedition Act laws include:
• 1. The Naturalization Act - this law increased the amount
of time required to be a United States citizen from 5 to
14 years.
• 2. The Alien Act - this law said that the President could
deport or imprison any foreigner who was considered
dangerous.
• 3. The Alien Enemies Act - this law said that the
President could deport or imprison any foreigner for ANY
reason who was from a country that is at war with the
U.S.
• 4. The Sedition Act - this law made it illegal to speak or
write critically about the U.S. government.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• The Alien and Sedition Acts greatly anger the
Democratic-Republicans who see the laws as an
attack on rights and freedoms guaranteed by the
Bill of Rights.
• About 25 newspapers controlled by the
Democratic-Republicans are shut down and the
editors arrested under the Sedition Act. Ten of
these editors are convicted of treason.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• To combat these 4 laws, Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison create what becomes known as
the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798.
• The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions say that
any state has the right to nullify, or reject, any
law passed by the Federal government.
• In other words, Jefferson and Madison argue
that the state governments still hold more power
than the national government. This idea is
known as the “States Rights Theory” as opposed
to the Federalist idea of a strong central
government.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• Adams also has problems with foreign affairs.
• France is upset about the Jay Treaty. To the
French, the treaty greatly favors U.S. trade with
Great Britain and not France.
• France begins to interfere with American
shipping, trade, and politics.
• Adams sends John Marshall, Charles C.
Pinckney, and Elbridge Gerry to France to
hopefully create a peace treaty.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
The XYZ Affair
Marshall, above
Gerry, right
Pinkney, below
French Prime Minister
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• Instead of creating a true peace treaty, French
Prime Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand
sends three agents with code names X, Y, and Z
to try to bribe the Americans.
• The Americans are outraged by this attempt and
the incident becomes known as the XYZ Affair.
• Many Americans, especially the pro-British
Federalists, want to go to war with France
because of the XYZ Affair.
11. Events of John Adams’ Presidency
• Adams still wants peace and decides to send
more ambassadors to French in a new effort to
gain a true peace treaty.
• The new ambassadors are successful and the
“Convention of 1800” prevents a possible war
with France.
• However, Adams peaceful actions angered his
fellow Federalists. Led by Alexander Hamilton,
many Federalists refuse to support Adams in the
election of 1800.