I.
The US under the
Constitution
A.
Problems
1.
Many of our
major problems under the Articles still did not go away
B.
We elected a
president, George Washington, and John Adams became vice president
C.
Bill of Rights
was passed
D.
Needed to
establish a court system
1.
Supreme Court
with 6 justices to determine the constitutionality of laws
2.
District courts
were also set up
E.
Secretaries were
chosen
1.
Jefferson-
Secretary of State
2.
Hamilton-
Secretary of Treasury
a)
Financial
program- 2 parts
(1)
Report on Public
Credit
(a)
Proposed the
funding of the national debt at face value (Hamilton wanted bonds paid off to
the bond holder at face value. But it
was the rich white men who held the bonds)
(b)
Federal
assumption of state debt (the federal government would pay off all the states’
debts). This had opposition because some
states had more debt than others
(c)
Establish a
national bank, which Jefferson was completely opposed to (he thought it was
unconstitutional, but Hamilton responded that that’s what the elastic clause is
for. Jefferson also felt that the bank
would be controlled by and only benefit the upper class). The bank was chartered for 10 years
(2)
Report of
Manufacturers
(a)
A program paid
for by the federal government to stimulate business and industry
(b)
The money would
come from an excise tax on the distillers, and on tariffs on imports
b)
Hamilton v.
Jefferson sheet (p18)
(1)
Upper class
generally supported Hamilton- merchants, planters, etc.
(2)
Lower class
supported Jefferson
3.
Knox- Secretary
of War
4.
Edmond Randolph-
Attorney General
5.
This is now the
president’s cabinet- part of the unwritten Constitution (based on custom and
tradition)
II.
Foreign Affairs
under the new government
A.
Other countries
weren’t taking us seriously
1.
Even though we
defeated the greatest nation, Britain, many countries thought it was just a
fluke
2.
We needed to
show that we could fare well in foreign affairs
B.
Proclamation of
Neutrality 1792
1.
Issued by George
Washington
2.
Urged US not to
get involved in other countries’ issues
3.
Neutral means
not taking a side. If you want to be
neutral, you cannot be involved whatsoever.
We wanted to be neutral, but we were trading with England and France
a)
Most lucrative
trade was with French West Indies, so British were seizing our ships and
impressing our sailors (forcing them to serve in British navy)
C.
French
Revolution 1789
1.
French asked us
for help
a)
The French
helped us during our revolution, but it was the French king who helped us then,
and now he was overthrown
b)
If we helped the
French, we would be going against the king who helped us by supporting those
who overthrow him
2.
Citizen Genet
came to the US, and instead of greeting the president, he went to Charlestown,
SC, and tried to stir up support for the revolution there
a)
This embarrassed
the president Ã
anti-French feeling
D.
John Jay was
sent to negotiate a treaty with Britain
1.
Goals
a)
Get the British
to leave our ships alone
b)
Get the British
to stop stirring up the Native Americans
2.
Britain sort of
agreed to the treaty
3.
The American
public were pissed at Jay, so they hanged him in effigy
E.
Treaty with
Spain
1.
Thomas Pinckney
was sent
2.
When Jay
negotiated with Spain, Spain wanted to close the Mississippi
3.
Now, Spain
opened the Mississippi to American traffic, including the right of deposit at
New Orleans
4.
Spain recognized
the northern boundary of Florida at the 31st parallel.
5.
Spain got peace
from the US
III.
Whisky Rebellion
A.
A group of
Pennsylvania farmers decided not to pay the excise task, and began to terrorize
the tax collectors
B.
Washington sent
in federal troops
1.
Did this to set
an example
2.
The government
must be obeyed
3.
You must follow
the laws
C.
The rebellion
eventually died down
IV.
Election of 1796
and Adams presidency
A.
The candidates
1.
John Adams-
Federalist
2.
Thomas
Jefferson- Republican
B.
Adams became
president and Jefferson became VP
1.
Political
enemies- they did not agree on anything
2.
Adams was one of
our brighter presidents- he was very learned, but he was uncompromising and did
not have the personality to be an effective president
C.
Adams sent a
delegation to France to try to get them to leave our ships alone (they were
harassing our ships like the British)
1.
XYZ Affair
a)
To get to the
king, they had to go through to Flunkies to get to Talleyrand and then through
Talleyrand to the king
b)
To get through
the Flunkies they had to pay a bribe
c)
Adams did not
want to pay the bribe. He was incensed,
and called the Flunkies X, Y, and Z to insult them.
2.
From 1789-99, we
fought a quasi-war with France
3.
When Napoleon
took over France, we signed a treaty with them and the quasi-war was over
D.
Alien and
Sedition Acts
1.
Issues that led
to the acts
a)
Adams was afraid
of immigrants because they traditionally support liberals
(1)
Most immigrants
come for freedom that they did not have in their native country
(2)
Immigrants came
for jobs
(3)
Perceive the
liberals as more democratic (because the immigrants feared monarchy, and
liberals supported looser central government)
(4)
No bloodline
aristocracy- federalists seemed more elitist and upper-class
b)
Liberal view of
speaking out against the government
(1)
Zenger
established that it was ok to criticize the government if it is factual and
reasonable
(2)
Adams feared
this, because people were speaking out against him
2.
Alien and
Sedition Acts were passed
a)
Extended time
period you had to be in the US to become a citizen to 14 years (would cut down
on immigrant voting)
b)
President had
the power to deport aliens
c)
Allowed for the
removal of aliens from a country we are at war with
d)
Prohibited
speaking out against the government
3.
Jefferson and
Madison wrote the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
a)
Jefferson was
convinced that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional
b)
Jefferson and
Madison decided that the state legislatures should have the power to decide the
constitutionality of laws. They drew a
series of resolutions that were presented to the Kentucky and Virginia
legislatures
(1)
Proposed John
Locke’s compact theory be applied, which would empower the state bodies to
nullify federal laws within the states
(2)
If the states
think a law is unconstitutional, they can do away with that law
c)
Passed in
Kentucky and Virginia and the issue died
V.
Election of 1800
A.
Jefferson and
Burr ran on the republican ticket, and Adams and Pinckney ran on the federalist
ticket
1.
Jefferson and
Burr received the same number of electoral votes, so the election went to the
House
2.
It took the
house 36 ballots to break the tie
B.
This is referred
to as the revolution of 1800
1.
The minority party
won
2.
The loser walked
away
C.
Midnight
Justices
1.
Adams’ effort to
maintain Federalist power in the government by appointing Federalist judges
last minute
2.
Marbury, an
appointed justice, did not get his commission.
When Jefferson became president and Madison was Secretary of State, they
said too bad and would not give Marbury his paperwork
3.
Marbury v.
Madison, Supreme Court
a)
John Marshall
was chief justice
b)
Marshall had no
power to force Madison to give the commission to Marbury, and he did not want
the Supreme Court to come out looking weak à he decided the Supreme Court could not hear the case
because the SC is not a court of original jurisdiction, it is an appellate
court, and this was an original case.
c)
This case
reaffirmed judicial review and set the guidelines for what the SC could and
could not do
4.
D.
VI.
