Unit IV: Launching the
New Republic
Part I: Presidency of George Washington
(1789-1797)
Unit IV: Launching the
New Republic
Part I: Presidency of George Washington
Part II: Presidency of John Adams
Part III: Presidency of Thomas Jefferson
Part IV: Presidency of James Madison
Part V: Presidency of James Monroe
Unit IV: Launching the New Republic
Part I: Presidency of George Washington (1789-1797)
Essential Questions (Copy in NB pg 110-111)
1. How was the Executive Branch set up by Congress
during George Washington’s Presidency?
2. What was the Whiskey Rebellion and what precedent
did it set?
3. What were the opposing views of Alexander Hamilton
and Thomas Jefferson and how did they lead to the
creation of political parties?
4. Who were the candidates of the two major political
parties in the election of 1796? What was the result?
5. What were the two threats Washington warned against
in his Farewell Speech?
Unit IV: Launching the New Republic
Part I: Presidency of George Washington (1789-1797)
Key Terms (Copy in NB pg 112, leave 2-3 lines)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Cabinet
Whiskey Rebellion
Federalists
Democratic-Republicans
Election of 1796
unanimous
excise tax
precedent
commerce
I. Presidency of George
Washington (1789-1797
■
■
■
The hero of the
Revolution was the
unanimous choice for
the nation’s first
president
George Washington
took office under the
new Constitution
He faced an enormous
task of creating a new
government
America’s First President
a. Creation of Cabinet
■ Congress created 3 executive
departments
■ Department of State: handles
relations with other countries.
headed by Thomas Jefferson
■ Department of War: defends
the nation. headed by Henry
Knox
■ Department of Treasury:
handles nation’s finances.
Headed by Alexander
Hamilton
■ The group of people in charge
of each department are
collectively known as the
Cabinet and serve as advisors
to the President.
b. Whiskey Rebellion
■ The United States under
Secretary of Treasury
Alexander Hamilton needed to
establish its economy. The
nation was stuck with heavy
debts due to borrowing money
from other countries
(Spain/France) during the War.
■ One part of Hamilton’s economic
plan was to create an excise
tax on whiskey in 1790.
c. Whiskey Rebellion
■
■
■
During Washington’s 2nd
term in office (1794),
whiskey farmers,
angered by the excise
tax, attacked tax
collectors
Washington responded
with great force (13,000
troops)
Set precedent for
armed forces to support
the authority of the
federal government.
d. Creation of a Two-Party
System
■ Hamilton was a strict
Federalist (stronger
national goverment),
while Thomas Jefferson
was an Anti-Federalist
(stroger state
governments)
■ Hamilton believed in a
national economy of
commerce & industry,
while Jefferson believed
in a society of farmercitizens and local
economies
d. Creation of Two-Party
System
■ Differences within
Washington’s cabinet gave
rise to a Two-Party System
■ Supporters of Hamilton’s
views called themselves
Federalists
■ Supporters of Jefferson’s
views were called
Democratic-Republicans
e. Election of 1796
■ At the end of two terms,
Washington chooses to not
run again for President
(two-term precedent)
■ Federalists nominated Vice
President John Adams
■ Democratic-Republicans
nominated Thomas
Jefferson
■ Adams wins (1st in
electoral votes and
runner-up Jefferson (2nd
in electoral votes)
becomes vice-president
(as law dictated)
Jefferson (left) and Adams
f. Washington’s Farewell
■ In Washington’s Farewell
Address, he reminded
Americans of everything that
bound them together as a
people.
■ Also warned against two
threats:
○ Foreign nations (G.B.,
France)
○ Americans being divided by
political parties