Early Presidents:

1. Early Presidents: The Federalist Era

2. The First Presidential Election • No political parties existed at the time of the 1788/89 election. • Candidates were either Federalists or Anti-Federalists. • Both groups were united in supporting Washington for the presidency. • Washington was enormously popular and was unanimously elected.

3. The First President of the United States • George Washington became the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789. • He was inaugurated in New York City, the nation’s first capital. • His vice president was John Adams. • Washington set the standard for how long a president should serve and for how the nation should relate to other nations. • George Washington Clip • Martha Washington Clip

4. The Cabinet • In the summer of 1789, Washington chose leading political figures to help form his cabinet. • Washington’s cabinet had many important duties, and they gave advice to the president. • He appointed: • Thomas Jefferson – Secretary of State • Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of the Treasury • Henry Knox – Secretary of War • Edmund Randolph – Attorney General

5. The Court System • The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a federal court system, which marked a first step in creating a strong national judicial system. • The states kept their own laws and courts, but the federal courts had the power to reverse state decisions. • President Washington chose John Jay to lead the Supreme Court as first chief justice.

6. The Bill of Rights • In December 1791, the first ten amendments were made to the Constitution. They are known as the Bill of Rights. • The Bill of Rights limits the power of government and protects individual liberties. • The Tenth Amendment says that any power not listed in the Constitution belongs to the states or the people.

7. The Economy of the New Nation • As a result of the American Revolution, the new nation owed millions of dollars to other countries and to American citizens. • Alexander Hamilton proposed that the federal government take over and pay off the states’ wartime debts. • He argued this would build national credit and make it easier for the nation to borrow money.

8. National Bank • Hamilton also asked Congress to create a national bank to hold government funds and make debt payments. • The national bank would also issue a single form of money for use throughout the nation. • Some opposed this idea, citing the Constitution did not grant Congress the power to create a bank. • Washington sided with Hamilton however, and Congress created the national bank.

9. A New Capital • The Residence Act of 1790 specified that a special district be laid out between Virginia and Maryland on the banks of the Potomac River. • The act gave Washington the authority to decide the exact location. • The result was Washington, D.C.

10. Whiskey Rebellion • In 1791, Congress passed a tax on the manufacture and sale of whiskey. • Western Pennsylvania farmers were especially upset by this tax. • In July 1794, the Whiskey Rebellion occurred when an armed mob attacked tax collectors and burned down buildings. • Washington sent federal troops to meet the challenge, and his action made it clear that the new government would use force to maintain order.

11. Washington Struggles to Stay Neutral • In 1793, Britain and France went to war. Many Americans wanted the United States to take sides. • Washington wanted the United States to stay neutral. • After the British captured American ships that traded with the French, Washington sent John Jay to discuss a solution. The result was Jay’s Treaty. • Jay’s Treaty helped both sides achieve many objectives, although few Americans approved of the treaty.

12. Washington Leaves Office • After two terms in office, Washington decided not to seek a third term as president. • In his farewell address, Washington warned about something he saw as a growing threat to the young nation: political parties.

13. Political Parties Emerge • By 1796, the nation’s first political parties were beginning to form. • The Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton, and they favored a strong national government. They believed the Constitution gave the government “implied powers.” • The Democratic-Republicans were led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. They rejected the idea of implied powers.

14. Election of 1796 • John Adams was the Federalist candidate, and Thomas Jefferson was the Democratic-Republican candidate. • Under the rules of the Constitution at that time, the person with the second-highest electoral vote became vice president. • John Adams won the election of 1796 and became the 2nd President of the United States. Jefferson became vice president.

15. John Adams • Before becoming president, John Adams was well-known as one of Massachusetts’s most active patriots before and during the Revolutionary War. • John Adams served two terms as vice president before becoming president. • His presidency was troubled, and is most known for the XYZ Affair and the Alien and Sedition Acts. • John Adams Clip • Abigail Adams Clip

16. The XYZ Affair • In 1797, Adams sent a team to Paris to resolve a dispute. French officials chose not to meet with the Americans, and instead, they sent three French agents, who demanded a bribe and a loan. • The Americans refused. • When Adams learned what happened, he was furious. The president urged Congress to prepare for war. • In his report to Congress, Adams used the letters X,Y, and Z in place of the French agents’ names. • As a result, the event came to be called the XYZ affair.

17. Alien and Sedition Acts • After the XYZ Affair, many Americans became suspicious of aliens, or residents who were not citizens. • In response, the Alien and Sedition Acts was passed in 1798. • The Alien and Sedition Acts allowed the president to imprison aliens, and it also allowed him to deport those thought to be dangerous. • Though controversial, Adams was a strong supporter of the laws.

18. A New Capital • Washington, D.C. officially became the capital of the United States in November 1800. • John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House. • The Organic Act of 1801 placed the District of Columbia under the control of the U.S. Congress.