Washington s Administration

Washington s Administration

Life of George Washington Born Feb. 22, 1732 in Tidewater, VA Limited education - Tutored - Interested in math First political office Surveyor general for Fairfax County, VA Mount Vernon Name of Washington s estate French and Indian War 1754 - Began military career 1 st battle Great Meadows - Got malaria at Fort Duquesne

1759- Married Martha Dandridge Custis - George and Martha had no children - Martha had two from previous marriage - Washington became a member of the House of Burgesses 1774 Became a delegate to the 1 st Continental Congress 1775- Delegate to 2 nd Continental Congress - Appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army

Revolutionary War - 1775-1781 - Fought defensive war guerilla warfare - No big offensive campaign until French aid at Yorktown Elected President 1789 Died Dec. 14, 1799 at Mount Vernon at age 67

Election of 1789 Began the Federalist Era Candidates: President George Washington (VA) Vice President John Adams (MA) Washington was inaugurated April 30, 1789 in New York City (It was supposed to be March 4)

Washington s 1 st Administration 1789-1793 Problems - Foreign affairs - Foreign and domestic debt - Defense With so many problems, Washington decided to surround himself with an able group of people. This group became known as the cabinet Cabinet Group that advises the President

Washington s Cabinet Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton Secretary of War Henry Knox Attorney General Edmund Randolph Postmaster General Samuel Osgood

First Congress 1781-1791 Federalist controlled Federalists 81 members Leader was Alexander Hamilton wanted a strong central government Democratic-Republicans 10 members Leader was Thomas Jefferson wanted strong state governments

Legislation Judiciary Act 1789 Created the Supreme Court Provided for a Chief Justice and 5 Associate Justices - John Jay Served as out first Chief Justice - Provided for 13 district courts and 3 circuit courts Bill of Rights was introduced 1789 Ratified 1791 Small tariff on imports - Tariff tax on imported goods

Hamilton s Financial Program 1789 Funding Bill Foreign debt was $12 million Agreement to pay foreign debt to establish a good name and European trust in the U.S. Domestic debt was $42 million owed to citizens Assumption Bill - 1790 States owed $20 million to citizens for soldier pay Hamilton thought the Federal gov t should pay Some states already paid this debt Bill failed in the House 31-29

Logrolling You vote for my bill, I ll vote for yours Jefferson/Hamilton Capital deal 10 year temporary capital in Philadelphia - new capital will be constructed in VA Assumption Bill would then get passed Money would come from - sale of public lands in the west - Tonnage Act Foreign cargo taxed $0.50 per ton - sale of bonds

United States Bank - 1791 Large central bank in the nation s capital with branches around the country Establish a uniform currency Provide a place to deposit money Could loan money to governments and individuals Excise tax (sales tax) tax placed on products that are made in the country where they are consumed - Ex: Distilled liquors tax would be paid by distillers

Election of 1793 Washington was reelected President Adams- Vice President

Washington s 2 nd Administration 1793-1797 Whiskey Rebellion 1794 - Scotch-Irish farmers in Western Pennsylvania rebelled against the tax on whiskey - They refused to pay the tax and tarred and feathered tax collectors - Hamilton talked Washington into sending 15,000 soldiers to stop the rebellion - The farmers surrendered and were arrested - they were later pardoned by Washington Importance First federal law was enforced

Northwest Indian Problem - 1794 General Harmon was defeated and chased out of the Northwest Territory by the Indian Confederation led by Little Turtle in 1790 (Indian Confederation was backed by Great Britain) Gen. St. Clair attempted to settle the area but was also chased out 1791 Washington sent Gen. Mad Anthony Wayne to defeat the Miami Indians and open up the territory for settlement Wayne won and forced the Indians to sign the Treaty of Greenville which opened up all of Ohio and most of Indiana to white settlement

Foreign Affairs Under Washington French Revolution 1789 - caused by the politics of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - July 14, 1789 People stormed the Bastille (prison) -This started the revolution Reign of Terror Began 1793 Period of bloodshed - Girondists Patient, wanted gradual changes and no bloodshed - Jacobins Impatient, wanted quick changes and bloodshed Jacobins took over and the guillotine replaced reasoning Many Americans thought our experience influenced the French and cheered them on

Treaty of Alliance 1778 - When the French helped us after Saratoga, we agreed to help them if they got in to a war Washington called a cabinet meeting - Proclamation of Neutrality- Washington decided not to get involved

Jay Treaty - 1794 Terms - Great Britain gave up fur trading posts in the Northwest territory - Great Britain could seize food sent to France if it paid for it - Great Britain could seize French goods being shipped on American vessels - Great Britain could trade in all U.S. ports and the U.S. could trade in the British West Indies - France reacted strongly They thought we were allying with Britain and seized the cargoes of 316 American ships

Pinckney Treaty - 1795 Spain was upset about the Jay Treaty and thought the U.S. would ally with Britain and they (Spain) would lose Florida and Louisiana Thomas C. Pinckney U.S. Ambassador to Spain Godoy Spanish Prime Minister Terms - Free use of Mississippi River for U.S. - No tariffs at New Orleans - 31N was set as the boundary between Florida and Georgia This treaty is also called the Treaty of San Lorenzo