Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Growing Pains
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The Bill of Rights had been a way to convince the states to ratify the
Constitution
o In 1791 the states adopted the Bill of Rights written by James Madison
Freedom of speech, religion, press, petition
Right to bear arms
Right to a speedy and public trial
Unlisted powers belong to the state
Etc.
Judiciary Act of 1789 created the federal courts
o John Jay became the first Chief Justice
Many states thought Hamiltons policies were going against their rights
o Jefferson and Hamilton found that they both had political followings
Went from personal to political
Hamilton had Federalists
Jefferson had Democratic-Republicans
Founding Fathers had not envisioned political parties
o Thought that they would weaken the new country
o Would end up strengthening the U.S. as another check and balance
Britain still had some posts on American soil and supplied the Indians
o Treaty of Greenville in 1795
Indians ceded their Ohio county to the Americans
General Wayne had crushed them at Battle of Fallen Timbers
1794
o Made Americans a bit peeved at the British
British ignored U.S. neutrality after seizing American merchant ships and
imprisoning seamen
o Jeffersonians wanted war but Washington refused so economy was not
ruined
John Jay sent to England to avoid war and work something out
o Negotiations sabotaged by Hamilton
Gave the British details about Jays bargaining strategy
o The results of the treaty were ugly
Britains would repay for the money lost from the seizing of
merchant ships
America has to pay its pre-Revolutionary War debts to Britain
The South was furious since farmers would have to pay
o But war was avoided
Pinckneys Treaty of 1795 with Spain
o Americans free Navigation of the Mississippi
The British treaty made the Spanish nervous that America would
become friends with Britain
Washington stepped down after his second term
o Created a two term precedent
o His farewell address warned against two things
Political parties
Building permanent alliances with foreign nations
o
Hamiltons financial plan had made him unpopular when it came to being
president
Adams won 71 to 68 against Thomas Jefferson, who became vice president
o Adams also hated Hamilton
o Had a volatile situation with France close to coming to war
France was pissed about the Jays Treaty (went against Franco-American
treaty)
o Began to seized Americans merchant ships
XYZ Affair
o Adams sent three envoys to France to try to work out peace
o Approached by three agents who demanded 32 million florins and
$250,000 bribe
Americans thought it wasnt worth it and was too much money
Envoys returned to America
o Americans wanted war with France but Adams determined to keep
them out
An undeclared war confined to the seas continues for over two
years
France sent another envoy to the U.S. because they didnt want another
enemy
o
o 1800 the envoys met by Napoleon
o The treaty signed the same year ended the 1778 alliance
Americans had to pay the claims of its shippers as alimony
Keeping the U.S. at peace, Adams lost popularity with the American people
o Wouldnt get to have a second term
Sedition Act
o Anyone who spoke negatively or falsely about its officials could be
imprisoned or fined
Aimed at Jeffersonians and newspapers
o The act was unconstitutional but was still passed
Federalists had majority in Congress and the courts
Would expire in 1801
The Jeffersonians were angry at these new laws and Jefferson feared more
from the Federalists
o Wrote legislation Kentucky approved in 1798-99
James Madison wrote another approved by Virginia
o Stressed the compact theory
Individual states were the final judges of the laws passed in
Congress
States made the federal gov. so states can nullify laws
Wanted to get rid of Sedition and Alien Laws
o Only two states adopted the laws
o Federalists thought people had made the gov. so it was up to the
Supreme Court
The Federalists
o Most were the old Federalists from before the Constitution
o Wanted strong gov. ruled by the educated, the best people
o Most were merchants, manufacturers and shippers
o Mostly pro-British and wanted foreign trade was key for the U.S.
The Democratic-Republicans
o Lead by Thomas Jefferson, who was a great leader
o Wanted rule by informed classes and a weaker central gov.
o Mostly pro-French
o Jefferson emphasized with the common people
o Mostly farmers and wanted no privileges for the upper class
Wanted economy based on agriculture
o Didnt want ignorant people ruling
o Encouraged free speech