Chapter 10
1. State why George Washington was pivotal to inaugurating the new federal government.
Although George Washington never actually joined the Federalist party, the fact
that he was so influential through his leadership abilities proven through various
battles, him supporting the creation of a new federal government was highly favored
amongst the rest of the founding fathers.
2. Describe the methods and policies Alexander Hamilton used to put the federal
governments on a sound financial footing.
- He argued that in order to get the nation out of its significant debt situation,
the federal government would have to pay off the debt by funding at par,
meaning he would pay off the debt at face value and assume state debt.
- He did this by issuing treasury bonds • He then imposed tariffs on imported
goods to fuel domestic growth.
- Finally, a national bank and a powerful national currency were integrated
3. Explain how the conflict between Hamilton and Jefferson led to the emergence of the
first political parties.
Their beliefs were very different. Hamilton, a federalist, distrusted giving too much
power to people's strong national government. Jefferson believed power to people
Republican favored democracy and a small government, limited power.
Under the auspices of Hamilton, the new federal government was clearly
demonstrating its power and as a result, opposition grew. Specifically the opposition
was led by Jefferson and Madison who viewed the powerful central government as
overstepping its Boundaries.
4. Describe the polarizing effects of the French Revolution on American foreign policy and
politics from 1790 to 1800.
Things get more messy as other countries get involved. America doesn't want to get
involved. They want to make sure they can keep the rebellions down but then
Britain gets involved.
5. Explain the rationale for Washington’s neutrality policies, the conciliatory Jay’s Treaty,
and why the treaty provoked Jeffersonian outrage.
Alliances only work if both sides stand to gain something from it. The U.S. wasn’t
ready, the country was too young, differing from France's reasons to join with the
American during the Revolutionary War, it was not in the best interest of the US to
side with either Britain or France in the 1790's.
- Britain is still in America.
- British Navy is attacking our Ships and our sailors.
- There is still a debt that needs to be paid.
6. Describe the causes of the undeclared war with France and explain Adam’s decision to
seek peace rather than declare war.
Avoid permanent alliances Political parties can/are dangerous.
7. Describe the poisonous political atmosphere that produced the Alien and Sedition Acts
and the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions.
The Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans despised each other, and the
Federalist Congress wanted them out of the country. The Alien Laws made it legal
to deport "dangerous" foreigners, most of them poor Democratic Republicans.
The Sedition Act made it illegal for someone to speak out against the government, a
direct encroachment of the rights in the Bill of Rights.
The Reaction was the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions made it possible to nullify
Congressional decisions.
8. Describe the contrasting membership and principles of the Hamiltonian Federalists and
the Jeffersonian Republicans, and how they laid the foundations of the American political
party system.
The Democratic-Republicans believed in states' rights, a Franco-American Alliance,
a strict interpretation of the Constitution, and the removal of the national bank.
The Federalists supported Hamilton's financial policies, favored loose interpretation
of the Constitution, and enjoyed a more powerful federal government.
This set the stage for the political parties' arguments during the election of the 1800.
Terms
Bill of Rights (1791): The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Judiciary Act of 1789: In 1789 Congress passed this Act which created the
federal-court system. The act managed to quiet popular apprehensions by
establishing in each state a federal district court that operated according to local
procedures.
John Jay: Secretary for foreign affairs, one of the people who wrote The Federalist
Papers.
Alexander Hamilton: 1789-1795; First Secretary of the Treasury. He advocated
creation of a national bank, assumption of state debts by the federal government,
and a tariff system to pay off the national debt.
"Funding at par": Payment of debts, such as government bonds, at face value. In
1790, Alexander Hamilton proposed that the federal government pay its
Revolutionary war debts in full in order to bolster the nation's credit.
Tariffs: A tax on imported goods.
Excise tax: A tax on the production, sale, or consumption of goods produced within a
country.
Bank of the United States (1791): Chartered by Congress as part of Alexander
Hamilton's financial program, the bank printed paper money and served as a
depository for Treasury funds. It drew opposition from Jeffersonian Republicans,
who argued that the bank was unconstitutional.
Jefferson Position: secretary of state hated any kind of taxation , deals with foreign
policy, views the Constitution as iron clad and must be interpreted strictly?
Strict Interpretation: A way of INTERPRETING the Constitution that allows the
Federal Gov't to ONLY do those things SPECIFICALLY mentioned in the
Constitution.
Hamilton position: Constitution was a broad, "elastic" document, open for
interpretation.
Elastic Clause: Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to
make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the
Constitution.
Loose interpretation: A way of INTERPRETING the Constitution that allows the
Federal Gov't to take actions THAT the Constitution doesn't forbid it from taking.
Whiskey Rebellion (1794): In 1794, farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against
Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots
caused by their attempts to serve arrest warrants on the offenders. In October,
1794, the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion. The incident showed
that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively
to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles
of Confederation to deal with Shays Rebellion.
Federalist Party: 1792-1816. Formed by Alexander Hamilton. Controlled the
government until 1801. Wanted strong nationalistic government. Opposed by
Democratic Republicans.
Democratic-Republican Party: Led by Thomas Jefferson, believed people should have
political power, favored strong STATE governments, emphasized agriculture, strict
interpretation of the Constitution, pro-French, opposed National Bank.
French Revolution (1789): Period of radical social and political change throughout
Europe that began with an uprising against the king of France.
Neutrality Proclamation (1793): Declared that the U.S. would remain neutral in the
conflict between France and Great Britain and threatened legal proceedings against
any American providing assistance to any country at war.
Citizen Edmond Genet: French government representative asking for assistance for
the French Revolution. Sparked support for the French Revolution and led to the
creation of the Democratic-Republican party.
Miami Confederacy: An alliance of eight Indian nations who terrorized Americans
and were given firearms by the British.
"Mad Anthony" Wayne: (1745-1796) Revolutionary War soldier and commander of
the U.S. Army from 1792 to 1796, he secured the Treaty of Greenville after soundly
defeating the Miami Confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.
Treaty of Greenville (1795): Drawn up after the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The 12
local Indian tribes gave the Americans the Ohio Valley territory in exchange for a
reservation and $10,000.
Jay's Treaty with Britain: The 1794 treaty negotiated by John Jay with the British
that attempted to curtail Britain's seizure of American merchant ships and the
forcing of their crews into service with the British navy, as well as to curtail English
agitation of their Indian allies on the Western borders.
Pinckney's Treaty (1795): This treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S.
the right to transport goods on the Mississippi River and to store goods in the
Spanish port of New Orleans.
Washington's two-term tradition: George Washington retired after two-terms as
president. Established a precedent for all of the following presidents (only exception
was Franklin D. Roosevelt). Legally added to the Constitution in 1951.
Washington's Farewell Address (1797): Warned Americans not to get involved in
European affairs, not to make permanent alliances, not to form political parties and
to avoid sectionalism.
Adams versus Jefferson: Election of 1796.
John Marshall: American jurist and politician who served as the chief justice of the
U.S. Supreme Court (1801-1835) and helped establish the practice of judicial review.
Talleyrand: The French foreign minister, whom three American diplomats seek to
reach an agreement with, they are stopped by the French X, Y, and Z diplomats and
are asked for a bribe to speak with Talleyrand. Causes XYZ affair.
XYZ Affair (1797): Diplomatic conflict between France and the United States when
American envoys to France were asked to pay a hefty bribe for the privilege of
meeting with the French foreign minister. Many in the U.S. called for war against
France, while American sailors and privateers waged an undeclared war against
French merchants in the Caribbean.
Convention of 1800: Ended France's peacetime military alliance with America;
Napoleon was eager to sign this treaty so he could focus his attention on conquering
Europe and perhaps create a New World empire in Louisiana; ended the
"quasi-war" between France and America.
Alien Laws: Acts passed by a Federalist Congress raising the residency requirement
for citizenship to fourteen years and granting the president the power to deport
dangerous foreigners in times of peace.
Sedition Act: Made it a crime to criticize the government or government officials.
Opponents claimed that it violated citizens' rights to freedom of speech and freedom
of the press, guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798-1799): Written anonymously by Jefferson
and Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, they declared that states
could nullify federal laws that the states considered unconstitutional.
Compact theory: The idea advanced by Rousseau, Locke, and Jefferson, that
government is created by voluntary agreement among the people involved and that
revolution is justified if the government breaks the compact by exceeding its
authority.
"Nullification": The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that,
in the state's opinion, violates the Constitution.
Hamiltonian Federalists: Well to do merchants, large planters, investors,
concentrated in urban areas. Supremacy of natl govt. Broad interpretation of the
Constitution. Criticized as pro-ENG. Favored commercial/ind development.
Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans: Appealed to middle class and underprivileged;
demanded a weak central regime; bulk of power held by states; no privileges for
certain classes; rule of the people; free speech; pro-French.
