- timeline here
- 1789 Washington inaugurated
- 1790 Capital moved from Philadelphia to New York
- 1791 Bill of Rights enacted
- 1791 First Bank of the United States
- 1793 Washington's 2nd term
- 1793 "Citizen Genet" episiode
- 1794 Whiskey Rebellion
- 17xx xxxx
- note spacing between lines using <br><br> code
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- 1790 "Tariff of 1790" designed to reduce federal debt by taxing
- 1791 "Whiskey Act" imposed excise tax on sale of alcohol
- Whiskey Act extremely unpopular
Hamilton "Report on Manufactures"[edit | edit source]
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BIG IDEAS
- Washington administration challenges
- Hamilton-Jefferson split
- rise of political parties
DETAILS
- Washington presidency
- the reluctant President; in 1788, Washington wrote:
I should unfeignedly rejoice, in case the Electors, by giving their votes to another person would save me from the dreaded dilemma of being forced to accept or refuse... If that may not be–I am, in the next place, earnestly desirous of searching out the truth, and knowing whether there does not exist a probability that the government would be just as happily and effectually carried into execution without my aid." (First President’s Election Was the Last Thing He Wanted (washingtonpapers.org)
Upon election in 1791, Washington wrote that he had give up "all expectations of private happiness in this world." (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/george-washington-the-reluctant-president-49492/ George Washington: The Reluctant President (Smithsonian Magazine)]
- prior to the 12th amendment (1803), the President and Vice President were selected by 1st and 2nd place in the Electoral College, with each Elector casting two votes
- Washington received a unanimous 69 votes (one from each Elector)
- John Adams won 2nd place with 34 votes, with rest split between ten other candidates
- Bill of Rights adopted 1791 (BOR)
- agreement between Federalists and Anti-Federalist in adopting the Constitution in 1789
- BOR limits federal power
- application of BOR to state laws comes in late 19th/ early 20th centures
- = “incorporation” of the Bill of Rights
- Constitution was for the federal government only
- 14th amendment starts the process of “incorporating” the Constitution, esp. BOR into state law
- Hamilton-Jefferson split
- thought to be largely over enactment of the First National Bank
- Jefferson vehemently opposed a national bank, fearing its impact on sectional divisions
- Washington reluctantly signed the bill following Hamilton's advice
- Hamilton's 1791 "Report on Manufactures"
- argued for federal support of domestic industry, including
- protective tariffs
- promote skilled labor immigration
- federal investment in transportation infrastructure
- laid basis for basic political/ ideological split
- Political Parties arise:
- Federalists:
- Adams, Hamilton
- pro-national bank, pro-Fed gov powers, interpret constitution loosely, pro industry & commerce, pro-British
- party starts to die out after 1812 War (opposed)
- Democratic-Republicans
- Jefferson, Madison
- anti-national bank, states’ rights, interpret constitution strictly, pro farming, pro-French
- Constitutional interpretation:
- enumerated powers
- implied powers
- strict construction (word for word) < Jefferson/Madison
- enumerated powers: powers specifically listed in Constitution
- “necessary and proper” = implied powers required to enforce enumerated powers
- broad or loose construction (interpreted) <Hamilton, Adams
- interpreted “necessary and proper” loosely, expansively
Other:
- "Republican Motherhood"
- women's role to nurture virtuous male citizens
- Northwest Territories
- Indian Wars
- Federal taxation (Whiskey Rebellion)
- States added to Union after original 13:
- Vermont (territory ceded by New York) 1791
- Kentucky (“western”), 1792
- Tennessee (“western”), 1796
- Ohio, 1803
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