The Presidency of George Washington

1
The Presidency of George Washington

• From Highs to Lows. From Friends to Foes.

2
After the War

• George Washington was the hero of America
• Resigned commission of the military
• Looked forward to retirement
• Called back into service as Americas first
  president
• No man was better for the job
• Popularity
• Ability to unite the people
• Proven ability to command and lead

3
(No Transcript)
4
Standard Barer

• Came to an office that had no precedent
• Everything he did would set standards for the
  office
• Tours
• Elected on April 30, 1789
• Known for touring New York
• Also tour through New England and the South

5
His Cabinet

• Washington placed good friends in offices as
  support
• Vice President- John Adams
• Hated the position
• Sec. of the Treasury- Alexander Hamilton
• First task was to find a way to deal with
  national debt
• Sec. of State- Thomas Jefferson
• Would lead dissent against Hamiltonian
  Federalists through James Madison
• Sec. of War- Henry Knox
• How to deal with Indian and European conflicts

6
1st Term

• Native-American Issue
• The American victory left Indians with little
  recourse
• Why so pressing an Issue?
• Settlement
• Migrations onto Indian land threatened continued
  war

7
What to Do?

• Philip Schuylers Plan
• Small bites
• Henry Knox
• Spent entire summer going over every treaty
  signed with Indians
• Conclusion Every treaty was broken by state
  govt and settlers
• American needed a better plan

8
Washingtons View

• Settlement was unstoppable
• There were only three possible outcomes
• 1. War and annihilation of Indians
• Debt and stains
• 2. Forced Removal
• Went against the ideas of revolution
• 3. Assimilation
• Not eraser of Indian culture
• Retrofitting their lively hood from
  hunter-gatherers to farming

9
Knoxs Plan

• Henry Knoxs plan
• Mutual consent not coercion
• All treaties would be binding and enforced by the
  US govt
• Military would oppose any migration and evict
• The gradual move to an agricultural economy
• Two problems with plan
• States and settlers
• Native-Americans

10
Pilot Plan

• Test pilot for plan were the Creeks
• Led by Alexander McGillivray
• Only ¼ Creek
• Already had a strong trading relationship with
  Spanish
• Washington and the Senate

11
Treaty of New York

• Treaty of New York signed on Aug. 7, 1790
• Results
• Settlers in Georgia poured in, encouraged by
  state
• Troops sent but could not stop the flood
• Yazoo Land Scandal
• McGillivray broke terms and renewed alliance with
  Spanish- 1791

12
Compromise of 1790

• Issue I War Debt
• 1790 Alexander Hamilton proposes way to deal with
  war debt
• One leading contention of the plan was the
  Assumption Clause
• US assumes all states war debt
• Taxes to pay it off
• Southern States against it
• Virginia and others had nearly paid their debts
• Issue II
• New capital Pennsylvania or Potomac

13
The Fight

• Divisions
• First fight in the Federalist vs.
  Democratic-Republican war
• The Compromise
• Madison would not approve of assumption but not
  block it
• New Capital in Virginia

14
Whiskey Rebellion

• Assumption
• Tax on distilled liquors
• Small farmers affected more
• Rebellion spread from Penn. To Georgia
• 1794- Insurrection
• Stopping mail, shutting down courts, and threats
  of assault
• Washington declares martial law
• He actually leads the men and rebellion fades

15
European Issues

• 1789 French Revolution begins
• Federalist out of control
• Dem-Rep support it
• Bloody years
• Anti-revolution deaths
• Fear of the Monarchies
• England and other fear revolution and want to
  return king

16
Jays Treaty 1794

• Conflict is between England and Europe
• Federalist England
• Hope to open markets
• Dem-Rep France
• See English opposing French Democracy
• The Treaty
• Recognize British naval supremacy
• Favor British goods
• Does nothing about British forts or tariffs on US
  goods

17
The Attacks

• Madison and Jefferson lead the way
• Directed at Hamilton and Federalists
• Charges of monarchy
• Losing site of the ideas of the Revolution
• Brainwashing Washington
• Newspapers
• Vicious attacks on Washington

18
Philip Mazzei Letter

• Jefferson was passing along quiet rumors
  attacking Washington
• Writes letter to Washington denying involvement
• Newspaper publishes letter Jefferson writes to
  Mazzei
• Refers to Washington as Americas degenerate
  Sampson

19
Washingtons Farewell

• After serving two terms, Washington announces to
  the nation his resignation from office
• His address never given Published Sept. 1796
• Calls on political unity
• Denounces political parties
• Warns America against overseas entanglements

20
What This All Means

• He defined the Presidency and strengthened the
  nation
• Hamiltons economic plan pulled America out of
  debt
• Foreign policy kept America out of war
• Formation of the two party system
• Washington will die on Dec. 14, 1799
• Napoleon calls on 10 days of mourning
• 3 months of mourning in the US
• Washington Monument dedicated in 1895
• 163 yrs. after his birth