Who was the Most Influential President: George Washington, John Adams, or Thomas Jefferson? The Early American Republic 1789-1809 S. Apple (2011-12 Short Version)
Who was the Most Influential President: George Washington, John Adams, or Thomas Jefferson? George Washington John Adams Thomas Jefferson Ratification of the Constitution was followed by the first federal elections for Congress and the Presidency and in the spring of 1789 the new federal government assumed power in the temporary capital of New York City. The inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States took place on April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall, at the corner of Wall and Broad Streets. Reelected without opposition in 1792, Washington would serve until 1797. The activities of the first federal government were far removed from the everyday lives of most Americans. Events, like the Whiskey Rebellion, were the exception, where the two intersected dramatically. Moreover, the first years under the new federal Constitution were especially important for the future because they shaped the American nation in ways that would be enormously significant for later generations. Just two months before the presidential election of 1796, Washington published his Farewell Address to the nation, an appeal for national unity. With slight shades of difference, Washington said to his countrymen, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles, and union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty. He warned against sectional loyalty and the baneful effects of the spirit of party. In the increasingly polarized political debate, however, this appeal fell on deaf ears. The election of 1796 pitted John Adams, Washington s vice president, against Thomas Jefferson, Washington s former Secretary of State. This is the first election where candidates sought office as members of a political party. Adams, a Federalist, was victorious and was put in the difficult position of facing political opposition even by his own vice president, Democratic Republican Thomas Jefferson. International tensions with France and national division defined Adams presidency. The hotly contested election of 1800 marked a great change in United States politics. The Federalist were divided on their support for Adams; many through their support behind Charles Pinckney. This division allowed Jefferson and Aaron Burr to tie for president. Jefferson won only after the House of Representatives voted 36 times before the tie was broken. Jefferson and Vice President Burr were both Democratic Republicans, thus ending the Federalist Period. The nation s first three presidents, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, each had distinguished political careers. Each man contributed to the success and growth of the United States in its formative years. But, which man made the greatest positive impact as president? Read and analyze the following documents. Based on the documents and what you have learned in class the last few weeks write a three paragraph argumentative essay on one of the leaders. Your goal is to convince the reader why the man you have chosen was the most influential president of the early American Republic. 1
Document A The Whiskey Rebellion George Washington's Proclamation Calling Out the Militia to Occupy the Western Counties of Pennsylvania As it appears in the August 11, 1794 issue of Claypoole's Daily Advertiser: Angered by an excise tax imposed on whiskey in 1791 by the federal government, farmers in the western counties of Pennsylvania engaged in a series of attacks on excise agents. The tariff effectively eliminated any profit by the farmers from the sale or barter of an important cash crop, and became the lightning rod for a wide variety of grievances by the settlers of the region against the federal government. While citizens in the east did not find it difficult to abide by the concept that individual states were "subservient [obedient] to the country," people west of the mountains were less accepting of decisions made by the central government. The rebel farmers continued their attacks, rioting in river towns and roughing up tax collectors until the so-called "insurrection" flared into the open in July of 1794 when a federal marshal was attacked in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Almost at the same time several hundred men attacked the residence of the regional inspector, burning his home, barn and several outbuildings. Pittsburgh was another scene of disorder by enraged mobs. On August 7, 1794, President Washington issued a proclamation, calling out the militia and ordering the disaffected westerners to return to their homes. Washington's order mobilized [assembled] an army of approximately 13,000 as large as the one that had defeated the British under the command of General Harry Lee, the then-governor of Virginia and father of Robert E. Lee. Washington himself, in a show of presidential authority, set out at the head of the troops to suppress the uprising. This was the first use of the Militia Law of 1792 setting a precedent for the use of the militia to "execute the laws of the union, (and) suppress insurrections," asserting the right of the national government to enforce order in one state with troops raised in other states. Even more importantly, it was the first test of power of the new federal government, establishing its primacy [dominance] in disputes with individual states. In the end, a dozen or so men were arrested, sent to Philadelphia to trial and released after pardons by Washington. Document Source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/whiskey/ 2
Document B A Time of Conflict 1804 Document Source: History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism (2011), p. 230. Document C Excerpt from the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation [Jay s Treaty] November 19, 1794... Article I. There shall be a firm, inviolable [unbreakable] and universal peace, and a true and sincere friendship between his Britannic Majesty [King George III], his heirs and successors, and the United States of America.... Article II. His Majesty will withdraw all his troops and garrisons from all posts and places within the boundary lines assigned by the treaty of peace to the United States..... Article XIII. His Majesty consents that the vessels belonging to the citizens of the United States of America shall be admitted and hospitably [kindly] received in all the seaports and harbors of the British territories in the East Indies. Document Source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/jaytreaty/text.html 3
Document D Excerpt from John Adams Special Session Message to Congress Regarding the XYZ Affair May 16, 1797... It is my sincere desire... to preserve peace and friendship with all nations... I shall institute a fresh attempt and negotiation [with France], and shall not fail to promote and accelerate an accomodation on terms compatible with the rights, duties, interests, and honor of the nation.... To prevent it [commerce] from being undermined and destroyed it is essential that it receives adequate protection.... A naval power, next to the militia, is the natural defense of the United States.... the establishment of a permanent system of naval defenses appears to be a requisite.... And as our country is vulernable in other interests besides those of its commerce... [the] general defense ought... be increased by an addition to the regular artillery and calvary, and by arrangements for forming a provisional army. With the same view... I recommend... a revision of the laws for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, to render that natural and safe defense of the country efficacious [effective].... Document Source: http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3464 Document E Proclamation of Neutrality America's declaration of its official position of neutrality in the war between England and France. Shown here as it was printed in the Columbian Centinal on May 4, 1793. Excerpt: The Proclamation of Neutrality By THE PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES of America, A PROCLAMATION Whereas [while] it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and France on the other; and the duty and interest of the United States require, that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial [neutral] toward the belligerent [like-minded] Powers... GEORGE WASHINGTON April 22, 1793 Document Source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/procneutral/text.html 4
Document F The Louisiana Purchase Treaty between the United States of America and the French Republic 1803 Document Source: http://american-business.org/2593-louisiana-purchase.html Document G Excerpt from the Treaty of Mortefontaine [Convention of 1800] Signed on September 30, 1800 the Treaty of Mortefontaine ended hostilities between the US and France, as well as terminated all previous agreements and established trade ties between the nations. The Premier Consul of the French Republic in the name of the People of France, and the President of the United States of America [John Adams], equally desirous to terminate [end] the differences which have arisen between the two States, have respectively appointed their Plenipotentiaries [negotiators].... Article I. There shall be a firm, inviolable [unbreakable], and universal peace, and a true and sincere Friendship between the French Republic, and the United States of America, and between their respective countries territories, cities, towns, and people without exception of persons, or places.... Document Source: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/fr1800.asp 5
Document H Embargo Act, 1807 Document Source: Historical Statistics of the United States. Document I Excerpt from the Treaty of Friendship, Limits, and Navigation between Spain and the United States [Pinckney s Treaty] October 27, 1795... Article I. There shall be a firm and inviolable [unbreakable] Peace and sincere Friendship between His Catholic Majesty, his successors and subjects, and the United States and their Citizens without exception of persons or places.... Article IV. It is likewise agreed that the Western boundary of the United States which separates them from the Spanish Colony of Louisiana, is in the middle of the channel or bed of the River Mississippi from the Northern boundary of the said States to the completion of the thirty first degree of latitude North of the Equator; and his Catholic Majesty has likewise agreed that the navigation of the said River in its whole breadth [width] from its source to the Ocean shall be free only to his Subjects, and the Citizens of the United States, unless he should extend this privilege to the Subjects of other Powers by special convention.... Document Source: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/sp1795.asp 6
Document J Excerpt from the Sedition Act of July 14, 1798 Section II. That if any person shall write, print, utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or publishing, or shall knowingly and willingly assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering or publishing any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said President, or to bring them, or either of them, into contempt [disrespect] or disrepute [disgrace]; or to excite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good people of the United States, or to excite any unlawful combinations therein, for opposing or resisting any law of the United States, or any act of the President of the United States, done in pursuance of any such law, or of the powers in him vested by the Constitution of the United States, or to resist, oppose, or defeat any such law or act, or to aid, encourage or abet [assist] any hostile designs of any foreign nation against the United States, their people or government, then such person, being thereof convicted before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding two years.... Section IV. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and be in force until the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and one, and no longer: Provided. That the expiration of the act shall not prevent or defeat a prosecution and punishment of any offence against the law, during the time it shall be in force. JONATHAN DAYTON, Speaker of the House of Representatives. THEODORE SEDGWICK, President of the Senate, pro tempore. APPROVED, July 14, 1798: JOHN ADAMS, President of the United States. Document Source: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/sedact.asp Document K Excerpt from Washington's Farewell Address, 1796 Friends and Citizens:... in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious [unaware] of intentional error, I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors. Whatever they may be, I fervently [eagerly] beseech [beg] the Almighty to avert [turn away] or mitigate [lessen] the evils to which they may tend. I shall also carry with me the hope that my country will never cease to view them with indulgence [tolerance]; and that, after forty five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent [inept] abilities will be consigned [send off] to oblivion [nothingness], as myself must soon be to the mansions of rest. Document Source: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp 7
Document L Election of 1800 The two Democratic-Republican candidates, Jefferson and Burr, received the same number of electoral votes. According to the Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 3), the matter was to be resolved in the House of Representatives. The Election of 1800 Candidate Thomas Jefferson (VA) Aaron Burr (NY) Party Democratic- Republican Democratic- Republican Electoral Vote John Adams (MA) Federalist 65 Charles Pinckney (SC) Federalist 64 John Jay (NY) Federalist 1 73 73 Thirty-six ballots were cast over five days to reach a decision. Just like in the 1796 election, Alexander Hamilton played a pivotal role, throwing his support to Jefferson, whom he disliked, rather than Burr, whom he truly hated. This election is sometimes referred to as the Revolution of 1800. It marked the transition from the Federalists, the only party to have held the presidency to that point, to the Democratic Republicans. It appeared that major changes were in the projected future. Document Source: History Alive! The United States Through Industrialism (2011), p. 218. 8
Document M Excerpt from the Virginia Resolution, 1798 The following resolution was adopted by the Virginia Senate on December 24, 1798, as a protest against the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by Congress. It was authored by James Madison, in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson, who authored a set of resolutions for Kentucky.... That the General Assembly doth [put forth] particularly protest against the palpable [blatant] and alarming infractions of the Constitution, in the two late cases of the "Alien and Sedition Acts" passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power nowhere delegated to the federal government, and which by uniting legislative and judicial powers to those of executive, subverts the general principles of free government;... the General Assembly doth solemnly appeal to the like dispositions [outlook] of the other states, in confidence that they will concur [agree] with this commonwealth in declaring, as it does hereby declare, that the acts aforesaid, are unconstitutional;... Document Source: http://www.constitution.org/cons/virg1798.htm Document N Cabinet Members under Washington Secretary of State Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of War Attorney General Thomas Jefferson, 1789 Edmund Randolph, 1794 Timothy Pickering, 1795 Alexander Hamilton, 1789 Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1795 Henry Knox, 1789 Timothy Pickering, 1795 James McHenry, 1796 Edmund Randolph, 1789 William Bradford, 1794 Charles Lee, 1795 Document Source: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/a0101185.html#ixzz1mrh1ov7c 9
Document O The Frontier: 1783-1812 Document Source: http://www.zonu.com/fullsize-en/2009-09-18-8475/united-states-northern-frontier-map- 1783----1812.html Treaty of Greenville As it appears in The Laws of the United States, printed by Richard Folwell, Philadelphia, 1796: After General Anthony Wayne's decisive defeat of the Ohio Indian tribes at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, leaders of the Indian nations joined with Wayne on August 3, 1795 in signing A Peace Treaty. This was an important event in the life of the infant nation since the Treaty established a definite boundary between Indian lands and those lands open to white settlement. For the first time in its young history the U.S. was able to govern all its territories. It was no secret that President Washington was eager to clear the Ohio Valley of Native Americans. By opening up the Northwest Territory to immigration the country would be able to expand its borders, with the resulting increase in trade and commerce. On three occasions Washington had sent an army to do battle with the Miamis and Shawnees. The first two - led by Josiah Harmer and then by Arthur St. Clair - met the same disastrous fate, almost total decimation of the American forces. The Miami and Shawnee tribes reigned supreme in the Northwest Territory until August of 1794, when Washington dispatched Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne with an expedition numbering more than 2,500 men. Where his predecessors had failed, Wayne emerged victorious at the Battle of Fallen Timbers near Toledo. The Treaty was signed by Wayne and representatives from a dozen Indian nations and tribes at Greeneville (sic), northwest of the Ohio River on August 3, 1795.... Document Source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/greenville/ 10