Washington Through Jefferson
History M07A
Dr. Krister Swanson
Moorpark College
The Search for Stability
- Washington careful – setting precedents, places public good over
personal interest
- sets up first cabinet with best people, not like minds – party
differences come out of this
Hamilton’s Economic Policies
- Favors wealthy in hopes that they will extend credit to gov’t
- Boom in Agriculture, lots of improved roads, and boom in banking
- Consolidates national debt to pay at full value (speculators make
mad cash) – this requires taxation
- Assumes state debts (asserting federal power) debt will bind
nation together
- Works to boost US manufactures (subsidies and tariffs)
The Bank, & Loose vs. Strict
- Hamilton establishes First Bank of the United States with 20 year
charter (fear of bankers running economy)
- Argues for loose interpretation (all laws necessary and proper)
- Jefferson argues there’s no constitutional authority for bank
(state’s rights – strict interpretation, what’s not there is forbidden)
- Opposition to Hamilton leads to formation of political parties
Conflicts of the 1790s
- Whiskey Rebellion in response to unpopular tax – Wash puts down
with troops
- Confederation of Indian tribes fights to resist western expansion
and is defeated
- Spreads terror of Indians & image as enemies (scalping, etc.)
- France & England at war by 1793 – Washington issues
Neutrality, tough to maintain trade, Jay’s treaty splits congress
- Successful slave revolution in Haiti (inspired by France) stirs
fears of revolt in US
Federalists vs. Dem-Reps
- French Rev stirs pot, Feds more fearful as Rev gets more extreme
- GB enters war against France, Feds back GB
- Washington declares neutrality, but Jay’s Treaty makes it seem as
if we fear the British, fires up the D-Rs
Election of 1796
- Adams (Fed/GB) wins narrow election over VP Jefferson
(Dem-Rep/F)
- Hamiltonian cabinet sets policy through Adams administration,
Jefferson plays little/no role
- The XYZ Affair stirred up antagonism between Feds & D-Rs
- Alien and Sedition Acts make it illegal to criticize government,
seen as Fed lockdown
Jefferson’s Presidency
- By 1800 – party politics are firmly entrenched.
- Jefferson defeats Adams in 1800, elections requires several
ballots in the House to reach a decision
- peaceful transition in leadership shows the system works well
- Republican Simplicity – a turn away from the powerful executive
of the Feds (simple style, cut spending, downsize government)
- Fears policies of Hamilton favored the powerful financiers and
speculators, and took power from the people
- The Judiciary and the Midnight Judges
- 1803: Louisiana Purchase buys land from Mississippi to Rockies
from France ($15m, or 3 cents/acre)
- Lewis and Clark Expedition
Transatlantic Troubles
- By now GB is in full blown war with Napoleon
- British Impressed United States sailors & harassed American
Ships
- We respond with Embargo Act of 1807 (embargo on British goods) -
commerce comes to a halt
- Each region hit hard - massive protests, economy almost shuts
down