Most men elected to Congress came from Federalist
camp, few Antifederalists elected
The first president and congress
Congressional action in the first term
One of the first orders of business was amending
the newly ratified Constitution
series of 12 amendments passed, 10 ratified
(although an 11th -- Congressional pay -- was ratified recently)
brief description of Bill of Rights
freedoms of religion, press, speech, and assembly
right to arm bears
unreasonable searches and seizures
rights of accused persons, jury trials, cruel
and unusual punishment
rights reserved to the people and states
Establishing Administrative departments--under
control of President
war (Henry Knox), treasury (Hamilton), and
state (Jefferson)
atty gen. (Edmund Randolph) and postmaster
gen -- maybe most useful
Judiciary Act of 1789
Implemented Article III of Constitution
6 USSC justices
13 district courts (1 for each state)
3 courts of appeal
Washington administration
Washington cautious in taking actions--aware
of setting precedent
Alexander Hamilton as Secty of Treasury
Hamilton pushed for national dominance in
economic matters--consolidating state and national debt from the Revolution,
First National Bank of U.S. ("used necessary and proper clause of Article
1--over objections of Madison (discuss that Madison had different views
on constitutional powers even though he helped write the Federalist Papers),
Jefferson, and Edmund Randolph, the A.G.)
Also convinced Congress to pass an excess
tax on distilled liquor--starting the failed Whiskey Rebellion in western
Pennsylvania in 1794
. Foreign relations-- avoid becoming involved
in the Continental disputes following the French Revolution
Rise of partisan politics
During the early 1790s, politicians found
themselves dividing into two factions (not really organized to call parties)--Federalists
and Republicans (distinguish between Federalists and Anti-Federalists--no
relation)
Federalists
concentrated in New England, but found in
other sections as well
believed the young nation threatened by a
host of enemies--internal and external
emphasized need for stability, law, and order
put little faith in the masses
Republicans
came primarily from the mid-Atlantic and southern
states
saw bright political and economic future for
the nation
not concerned about intenal threats
sought to widen political participation (among
white males)
Two factions continually sniped at each other
Factional politics helped lead Washington
in deciding not to run for a third term
Adams' presidency
Election of 1796
First contested election--pitted Federalist
Adams (Washington's Vice President) against Republican Thomas Jefferson
Adams wins--Jefferson becomes V.P.
XYZ affair and Quasi-war with France
French began to seize American ships
carrying British goods
When U.S. attempted to talk to France,
French agents demanded $250,000 before they would even discuss matters--no
way was the reply
Adams released information of this (disguising
the agents' names as XYZ) to anti-French feeling in the U.S.
America began naval conflict with French
in the Caribbean--by 1799 U.S. had established naval superiority
Alien and Sedition Acts
Series of four acts to suppress dissent and
stifle actions of opposition by anti-Federalist factions (primarily the
Republicans)
Opponents responded at the state level
Virginia (Madison) and Kentucky (Jefferson)
resolutions
Argued that citizens speaking through their
states had the right to decide the constitutionality of federal actions
Resolutions worked well as propaganda, rallying
Republican opposition
Also served as the basis for later nullification
theories--including secession
II. The Era of Good Feelings
Jeffersonian Era
Election of 1800
Election again pitted John Adams against Jefferson
Jefferson won
Signalled end of Federalist era
Early actions of Jefferson
Appeals for unity--asks for end to factionalism
Seeks balance in government
Jefferson uses patronage to put people into
office, rewarding friendship and building party organization
Got Congress to repeal the Judiciary Act of
1801
Alien and Sedition Acts repealed
Dispute with John Marshall--Marbury v.
Madison (USSC, 1803)
William Marbury given a j.p. appointment at
last moment by Adams
Jefferson refused to honor it
Marbury sues in Supreme Court for writ
of mandamus
Marshall faced with a dilemma
Rules Marbury has right to the writ,
but the law giving the Court the right to hear the case was not constitutional
Preserved integrity of the court and
established principle of judicial review
Louisana Purchase
With thousands of Americans moving westward
each year, pressure built for new land
Jefferson purchases 827,000 square miles from
France for $15,000,000 (3 cents per acre)
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were sent
on exploratory trip to the Pacific to learn more about the newly purchased
lands
Zebulon Pike explored into the Colorado
area, and on into New Mexico--helped pave the way for the Santa Fe Trail
Disputes between Republicans and Federalists
Jefferson decides not to run for third term
His secty. of state, James Madison runs
and easily wins the election of 1808
War of 1812
Causes
Impressment of American-British sailors
U.S.S. Chesapeake affair (1807)--fired on
by British ships
Attempts to cut off trade with warring
factions in Europe--Embargo Act (1807) and Non-Intercourse Act (1809)--failures
War Hawks vs. New Englanders (mostly
Federalists)
President James Madison asks Congress to declare
war
Fighting the war
U.S. declared war in June 1812
Unprepared for war--mostly ill-equipped and
trained militia
Land campaigns amounted to little, most major
fighting took place on the water--Atlantic, Caribbean, or the Great Lakes
War officially ends with Treaty of Ghent,
Dec. 1814--neither side gains much from treaty
Results of the War
Defeat of effective Indian resistance to western
expansion
In Northwest, Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and
Prophet wanted to use British-American tensions to resist expansion--initially
successful, but eventually lost at Tippecanoe Creek in 1811
In Southeast, the Creek nation also
attempted to stop westward movement of settlers--Andrew Jackson defeated
them in Marcy 1814 at Horseshoe Bend, forcing the Creeks to give claims
in Tennessee, Georgia, and much of Alabama
U.S. independence reaffirmed
Economic consequences
serious damage to U.S. trade, especially
harmful in Northeast
stimulated production of manufactured
goods in U.S.--especially in Northeast
Hartford Convention
New Englanders unhappy with war
Most meeting at Hartford in 1814 were
Federalists
Members of convention decided to either
revise the national constitution, or if that failed, to pull out of the
republic
Members barely aborted an outright call
for secession from the convention
War's end caused the Hartford Convention
to look like treason, as well as stupid
Death knell of Federalist party
U.S. decides not to become entangled
in European affairs
First American System
Called for the support of the federal government
in helping create internal improvements to the nation and its economic
infrastructure
Leaders of American System--Calhoun and Clay,
with some support from President Madison
Elements of system--agreed on by all three
need for National Bank
Protective tariffs--tax on imported
goods--to raise revenues and help spark growth of industry
Elements of system not supported by Madison
need to build roads and canals
Madison vetoed bill for Federal funding of
local roads, saying it was not a federal matter
Following his victory in presidential campaign
in 1816, James Monroe followed Madison's policies
Supreme Court decision in MCCulloch
v. Maryland (1819) established supremacy of Federal law over state law
Foreign Policy
Adams-Onis Treaty
U.S. seized panhandle of Florida during
War of 1812, then occupied much of the state during Seminole Wars
1819, John Q. Adams negotiates with
Onis for cedeing of Florida to U.S. in exchange for U.S. assuming claims
of American citizens against Spain
Monroe Doctrine (Dec. 1823)
declaration against European interference
in New World
called for non-colonization of New world
demanded nonintervention by Europe
pledged noninterfernce by U.S. in European
affairs
Panic of 1819
Postwar expansion of economy
Expansion built on loose credit and widespread
speculation, especially in Southwest and frontier states
1818, manufacturing slows to a standstill,
causing depression
2d National Bank of U.S. tightens credit,
calling in loans, causing depression to deepen and beginning economic panic--receives
much blame for panic
Depression lasts until 1823
Expansion of slavery
slave trade closed Jan. 1, 1808 with little
opposition
Missouri Compromises
1819, Missouri Territory petitions for admission
to statehood
admitting it as a slave state would thrust
slavery further northward
opposed at first until a series of compromises
Missouri admitted as a slave state,
with Maine admitted as a free state--to balance slave vs. free in Congress