George Washington

Transcription

1 George Washington In 1789, George Washington was unanimously elected by the Continental Congress as the first President of the United States. John Adams received the second most votes, and as runner-up he became Vice-President, a position he bitterly described as the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived. " Washington fulfilled the duties of his office from New York City. An eye-witness described his arrival for the inauguration: "President George Washington made his entry into New York on Thursday, April 23d (on a boat that) was built expressly by the citizens of New York, and was rowed by thirteen pilots, all dressed in white. A committee of three Senators and five Representatives on behalf of Congress, and three of the first officers on behalf of New York, went to Elizabethtown in New Jersey, to welcome the President A Spanish royal packet-boat, happening to be anchored at the entrance of the harbor, at sight of the barge, on board of which was the President, fired a signal-shot, whereupon that vessel was dressed at once with the flags of all nations. When the presidential barge passed, the Spanish vessel saluted his Excellency by firing thirteen guns, which was repeated by the (fort), and again thirteen guns were fired by the fort when the President landed. (Following his inauguration) the company returned into the Senate chamber, the President took the chair and the Senators and Representatives, their seats. He rose, and all arose also, and addressed them. This great man was agitated and embarrassed more than ever he was by the leveled cannon or pointed musket. He trembled, and several times could scarce make out to read, though it must be supposed he had often read it before. The Inauguration of George Washington, 1789," EyeWitness to History, (2005). John Adams set up a Congressional committee who debated for a month over what to call their new leader. At first Washington went by His High Mightiness, the President of the United States and Protector of their Liberties." Adams felt that titles like Execellency were not high enough for such an important office and that only Majesty would do, but Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin felt the whole issue was ridiculous. In the end, Mr. President was chosen because they felt it conveyed the fact that the president was an elected leader of the people, and not nobility. Washington faced several challenges when he took office. As the world s first elected leader of the world s first democratic country, he knew that his actions would be closely examined and that he must set a good precedent.- an example for future presidents to follow. He had to establish the authority of the new government not just at home but abroad as well, solve our post-war economic problems, build a military, and conduct foreign relations with Europe and several native tribes.

2 Washington s Domestic Policy A president s domestic policy is how the president deals with events and issues in America. Setting up the Federal Court System The Constitution left a lot of things to be decided by Congress, the representatives of the people. One of these things was the federal court system. The Constitution had established the Supreme Court as the third branch of government, but had said nothing about how much power the court how, how power would be divided between the state and federal courts, or how many justices there were supposed to be. Congress passed the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789 which gave the court one Chief Justice and five associate justices. Although the original number of Supreme Court Justices was six, that number has grown over time and currently sits at nine. John Jay, a famous Federalist writer, was appointed the first Chief Justice. The Presidential Cabinet The Constitution also allowed the President to set up departments and appoint leaders to help him. He would delegate the responsibilities of running the nation to these leaders and listen to them for advice on matters of domestic and foreign policy. Washington created three departments and chose men he trusted to run them. Henry Knox had been one of his generals during the Revolution. He made him Secretary of War and gave him the job of overseeing the nation s military. Thomas Jefferson became Secretary of State and was in charge of our foreign relations, or how we dealt with other countries. To manage the nation s finances, Washington made his former war-aide Alexander Hamilton Secretary of Treasury. Also part of Washington s cabinet was the Attorney General, Edmund Randolf, who would advise the government on legal matters. Although Washington s cabinet only had four members, today the size has grown to include the Vice President and fifteen other departments. Stabilizing the Nation s Economy The biggest problem faced by the new nation was economic. The infant United States of America faced a massive war debt, owing the various nations of Europe $54 million with another $24 million owed by the states. These debts had to be paid back in order to earn the respect of the world and prove that the new government was responsible. Hamilton developed a plan to pay back the money.

3 Tax Whiskey Western farmers could help pay off the debt. Hamilton s Financial Plan Pay Off War Debt How? Establish a Protective Tariff This would not only raise money but would also encourage domestic goods by making foreign goods more expensive. Create a National Bank A national bank would be a place to depost taxes, make loans to the national government, and print currency. Not everyone supported this plan. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and others like them felt that the national bank was unconstitutional and that it gave the national government too much power. Southerners also opposed the plan. Virginia, Georgia, and many other Southern states had already paid back their debts and did not think it was fair to ask them to help the Northern states repay theirs. Hamilton asked Jefferson, one of Virginia s favourite sons, to help win the support of the South. A compromise was made and the South agreed to help financially. In return, the new capitol would be placed in the South, on the Potomac river just between Virginia and Maryland. The import tariff was also defeated because it made it costly for the South to sell and buy with England. The Birth of American Political Parties Disagreements had arisen amongst the cabinet members, who ended up dividing into groups. Jefferson, Madison, and their followers disagreed with the national bank and wanted strong state governments. They feared that a strong national government would lead to tyranny. As Southerners, they envisioned an agrarian nation of plantations and small farms. They believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution that it meant exactly what it said. Because the Constitution did not specifically say that they could create a national bank, they believed that they couldn t. Hamilton and his supporters believed the opposite. Hamilton believed that a strong national government would benefit the economy and did not trust the common man with the burden of government. He wanted an industrial nation with big cities, and favoured a loose interpretation of the Constitution in other words, the Constitution was flexible because the Constitution did not say that they couldn t have a national bank, that meant they could. Jefferson s followers started calling themselves the Democratic-Republicans, illustrating their belief in a the people and the democratic system. Hamilton s followers called themselves the Federalists, demonstrating their belief in a strong central government just as the supporters of the Constitution had. Hamilton and John Adams Strong national government The First Political Parties Federalists Democratic-Republicans Jefferson and Madison Limited national government with strong states and state s rights Fear of rule by one or a wealthy few Opposed national bank Economy based on farming Fear of rule by uneducated masses Supported national bank Economy based on manufacturing and trade Supporters: Lawyers, merchants, Supporters: farmers, trades people manufactures Loose interpretation of the Constitution Strict interpretation of the Constitution Interpreting Charts 1. Which political party would have had more Northern support? 2. Which political party would have supported expanded suffrage?

4 The Whiskey Rebellion Another issue with Hamilton s plan soon arose, this time centred around his whiskey tax. Whiskey was more than a beverage for the backcountry farmers it was currency. Poor dirt roads meant that getting to market was difficult. A farmer s horse could only haul two bushels of rye or wheat to market, or it could haul two barrels of whiskey made from that rye or wheat. Each barrel of whiskey was equal to twenty-four bushels of grain. Additionally, whiskey was worth more in trade than the grain was. Farmers did not often have hard money; instead, they used the whiskey to trade for the goods and supplies they needed at home. Taxing whiskey was a hard blow for the farmers who not only had no real money but used the taxed whiskey in place of it. In an event which echoed the start of the American Revolution, in the summer of 1794 a group of Pennsylvania farmers rebelled against the tax, capturing a tax collecting and coating him with tar and feathers. An attack on Pittsburgh was also threatened. This was the first real test of the new government s power. When the Articles of Confederation had failed to put down Shay s Rebellion, the Articles had been proven weak and had been thrown out. Washington had to prove that their new national government had the strength to enforce its laws. In October Washington dispatched an army of 13,000 to Pennsylvania. The rebels fled, and ultimately only twenty ragged men were rounded up. But Washington had proven that the national government would enforce its laws. Washington s Foreign Policy A president s foreign policy is how he deals with foreign issues and events. The Secretary of State helps with this, since it is falls under his department. Unrest in Europe Times were tough in Europe. In 1789, the starving and neglected citizens of France overthrew the French monarchy, tracking down and killing the wealthy, the aristocrats, and the ruling class. They even executed the king and queen, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Other European rulers feared the rebellion would spread and were angry over the deaths of the French ruling class, many of whom were family or friends. Marie Antoinette, the queen of France. In her last moments she was said to have behaved with great dignitiy, even apoligizing to her execuitioner when she accidently stepped on his foot. Britain, Holland, and Spain were soon at war with Executing French aristocrats by guillotine. A guillotine is a device which beheaded people by dropping a blade through their neck. Between , it is estimated that approximately 40,000 people were murdered in this way. France. France asked America to repay the help given during the revolution and make an alliance with them. Jefferson felt a duty to support the French because they were fighting to establish a democracy, just as America had. Also, the two countries had made a treaty of friendship in But England was an important trading partner and many of the French aristocrats who had lent America help had been murdered. Furthermore, America s military was too weak to get involved in a war. In spring of 1793 Washington declared that the US would remain neutral in all European wars, and Congress soon passed a law forbidding America to get involved with either side. Friendly trade would continue with both England and France.

5 Washington Retires Although encouraged to run for a third term, in 1796 Washington stepped down from the presidency. He was fed up with the political rivalries that had spawned within his cabinet and wanted to spend his remaining years in peace at his home, Mount Vernon. He also believed that two terms, or eight years in office, was the longest anyone should be president. This precedent was remained unbroken until the 20 th century, with Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to four terms in office. In a rare instance of public speaking, Washington delivered a short Farewell Address in just a few minutes. He took the opportunity to give advice to the nation about issues he had seen forming. He warned against political parties and the sectional rivalry between North and South, fearing that these would divide the nation and lead to problems. He also advised against entering into any long term alliances with foreign countries. Although two of his warnings were ignored, the precedent of neutrality was followed until the 20 th century, when the US was drug into World War One. Washington devoted the remaining few years of his life to running his plantation and getting his whiskey distillery going. On December 12 th, 1799, Washington inspected his plantation on horseback for several hours in the snow and freezing rain, and then later had dinner without changing out of his wet clothes. The next day he woke with a severe sore throat but again went out in the bad weather. On Saturday, December 14 th, 1799, he was taken severely ill, and died. Americans wore black for months in mourning, and even the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte declared a national period of mourning for ten days. But Washington s legacy continues to survive in the nation he built and in the precedents he set, many of which were followed for the next two hundred years. Washington's Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon. He designed it himself. "I can truly say I had rather be at home in Mt. Vernon with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the seat of government by the officers of state and the representatives of every government in Europe." --Washington

6 Final Questions: George Washington 1. What years (dates) was Washington in office? 2. How many TERMS did he serve? A presidential term is four years. 3. Why didn t he have a political party? 4. Who was his Vice President? 5. What challenges faces the new nation under the new Constitution? List three What is a Presidential Cabinet? 7. Who was Secretary of State? 8. Who was Secretary of Treasury? 9. What problem did the Secretary of the Treasury have to solve? 10. What was Hamilton s Economic Plan? How did the first American political parties emerge? 12. What were the parties called and who were their leaders? a. i. ii. b. i. ii. 13. Which party believed in a strict construction of the Constitution? 14. Explain Strict and loose construction (or interpretation) of the Constitution. What the heck does that mean??? 15. Which interpretation do you believe is better? Explain. 16. Which party believed in a strong national government? 17. Which party believed in expanding voting rights to more people? 18. Back in the day, people didn t use money very often. Instead, they traded to get what they needed. Why did the farmers use whiskey to trade instead of grain? 19. Why do YOU think they were so upset over having whiskey taxed? George's wife, Martha Washington. She was just 25 when her first husband died, leaving her a wealthy woman. Her later marriage to George brought him a fortune and a great many slaves. He is the only founding father to provide freedom to his slaves; his will said that when he died, all slaves would be freed following the death of his wife. Martha did not wait. Fearing she would be murdered, she released all of his slaves shortly after his death but kept her own. The two had no children together. Martha had two children from her first marriage and she and George raised them together.

7 20. When Washington called up the militia to put down the Whiskey Rebellion, what did he prove about himself and the Constitution? 21. How is the Whiskey Rebellion different from Shay s Rebellion? HINT: It s not about whiskey or taxes! 22. How did Washington think America should deal with foreign conflicts? 23. What three things did Washington warn us against in his farewell address? a. b. c. 24. Why did Washington not run for a third term in office? Washington's actual uniform, on display in the Smithsonian. Washington was six-foot-two. In a time when the average man was approximately five-foot-five, Washington was literally a giant among men.