Federalist Era: Part II Washington & Adams - Foreign Policy and Partisan Politics

Summary

This video script covers the Federalist era, focusing on the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams. It discusses the challenges faced by the early United States, including Western expansion, European interference, and Native American conflicts. It also highlights the formation of political factions, the impact of the French Revolution, Washington's neutrality policy, and the rise of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties. The script concludes with the XYZ Affair and the Alien and Sedition Acts, setting the stage for the Jefferson era.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Federalist era saw the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, focusing on establishing the new government and dealing with early challenges.
• 🌳 Western expansion led to conflicts with Native Americans over land, particularly in the Northwest Territory.
• 🤝 Washington sought treaties with Native Americans but faced resistance and violence, leading to military engagements like St. Clair's defeat.
• 🔥 General Anthony Wayne's victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers helped secure the Northwest Territory for the U.S.
• 🌍 The French Revolution influenced American politics, dividing support between the French and the British.
• 🚢 British impressment of American sailors was a significant point of conflict, straining U.S.-British relations.
• 📜 Washington's neutrality proclamation aimed to keep the U.S. out of foreign wars, setting a precedent for future foreign policy.
• 🏢 Political factions emerged, with the Federalists favoring a strong central government and the Democratic-Republicans advocating for states' rights.
• 🗳️ The election of 1796 was the first contested presidential election, reflecting the growing divide between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
• 📜 The Alien and Sedition Acts were controversial laws passed in response to the XYZ Affair, targeting immigrants and limiting free speech.

Q & A

What was the main focus of the Federalist era part two discussed in the script?

The script focuses on the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, dealing with early challenges faced by the United States, including foreign policy, the rise of political factions, and the impact of European affairs on the new nation.

How did Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton differ in their visions for the United States?

Hamilton wanted a strong federal financial policy, including the creation of a national bank and tariffs on imports, while Jefferson was worried that these policies favored manufacturers and traders over southern farmers.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion and how did President Washington respond to it?

The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the aftermath of which President Washington used military force to enforce the law, demonstrating the strength of the federal government under the new Constitution compared to the Articles of Confederation.

What challenges did the United States face in the Northwest Territory?

The Northwest Territory faced challenges such as British and Spanish encouragement of Native American attacks on American settlers, disputes over land treaties, and the formation of a confederacy under Chief Little Turtle to protect their lands from further white settlements.

Who was General Anthony Wayne and what was his significance in the script?

General Anthony Wayne, nicknamed 'Mad Anthony,' was a Revolutionary War figure who led the successful Battle of Fallen Timbers against Native American forces, resulting in the Treaty of Greenville that ceded most of present-day Ohio to the United States.

How did the French Revolution impact American politics?

The French Revolution initially found support among Americans but as it became more violent, support divided. It also led to a conflict between pro-French and pro-British factions within the U.S., exacerbating the division between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.

What was the significance of President Washington's neutrality proclamation?

President Washington's neutrality proclamation aimed to keep the United States out of the war between England and France, reflecting a policy of non-entanglement in foreign conflicts that would influence American foreign policy for some time.

What was Jay's Treaty and why was it controversial?

Jay's Treaty was a treaty negotiated with Britain that aimed to normalize relations and prevent war. It was controversial because it was seen as favoring British interests and was unpopular with those who supported the French, particularly Jefferson's Republicans.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts and why were they enacted?

The Alien and Sedition Acts were a set of laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress aimed at suppressing dissent and limiting the influence of foreign immigrants, who were often sympathetic to the French and voted Republican. The Sedition Act, in particular, was used to prosecute those who criticized the government.

How did the election of 1796 reflect the growing political divide in the United States?

The election of 1796 was the first contested presidential election, with John Adams (Federalist) running against Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican). The close electoral vote reflected the deepening political divide between those who favored a strong central government and those who favored states' rights and a more agrarian society.

What was the XYZ Affair and how did it affect American sentiment towards France?

The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident where French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats in exchange for peace negotiations. The revelation of this scandal, named for the anonymity of the agents (X, Y, Z), greatly angered Americans and increased anti-French sentiment.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Federalist Era: Early U.S. Presidency and Challenges

This paragraph discusses the early years of the United States under the Federalist era, focusing on the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams. It covers the aftermath of the American Revolution, including the Treaty of Paris and the challenges of establishing a new nation. The paragraph highlights the creation of the executive branch with Washington's inauguration in 1789 and the differing visions of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton for the country's future. It also details the Whiskey Rebellion, which demonstrated the strength of the federal government, and the early foreign policy challenges faced by the new republic, including European and Native American issues in the Northwest Territory.

05:02

🌍 Foreign Policy and the Rise of Political Factions

This section delves into the foreign policy challenges faced by the early United States, particularly the tensions with European powers and Native Americans. It discusses Washington's efforts to maintain neutrality amidst conflicts between Britain and France, as well as the impact of the French Revolution on American politics. The paragraph also covers the rise of political factions, namely the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, and their differing views on economic and foreign policy. The summary includes the controversy surrounding Jay's Treaty and the Pinckney Treaty, as well as Washington's Farewell Address, which warned against permanent alliances and the dangers of political parties.

10:03

🗳️ Election of 1796 and the Quasi-War with France

This paragraph focuses on the election of 1796, which was the first contested presidential election in the United States, and the subsequent political developments. It details the platforms of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties, highlighting their contrasting views on the economy, government power, and foreign relations. The section also covers the Quasi-War with France, which was sparked by French aggression against American shipping and the XYZ Affair, a diplomatic incident that further strained relations between the two nations. The Alien and Sedition Acts, passed in response to the XYZ Affair, are also discussed, along with their impact on American politics and the rise of the Democratic-Republicans.

15:04

📚 Review and Preview of the Jefferson Era

In this concluding paragraph, the script reviews key points from the previous discussion, including the British and Spanish encouragement of Native American attacks on American settlers, the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the French Revolution's impact on American politics, and the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties' positions on various issues. It also reviews the Quasi-War with France and the XYZ Affair, as well as the Alien and Sedition Acts. The paragraph ends with a preview of the upcoming discussion on the Jefferson era, encouraging viewers to subscribe for the next installment of the series.

Keywords

💡Federalist era

The Federalist era refers to a period in early American history characterized by the political dominance of the Federalist Party. This era is significant for setting many of the foundational policies and principles of the United States. In the context of the video, it covers the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, highlighting their efforts to establish a strong central government and navigate complex foreign relations.

💡Whiskey Rebellion

The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest in the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War, during which farmers rebelled against a federal tax on whiskey. The video explains how President Washington used military force to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the authority of the federal government under the new Constitution, as opposed to the weaker Articles of Confederation.

💡Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and served as the first Secretary of State and later the third President. In the video, he is depicted as having a vision for the United States that differed from that of Alexander Hamilton, particularly regarding economic policies and the role of the federal government.

💡Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton was a key figure in the formation of the United States and its financial system. He served as the first Secretary of the Treasury and advocated for a strong federal government and a national bank. The video contrasts his vision with that of Thomas Jefferson, highlighting the early political divisions within the new nation.

💡Northwest Territory

The Northwest Territory was an area of land west of the Appalachian Mountains and north of the Ohio River, which became a focal point for westward expansion in the United States. The video discusses the challenges faced by settlers moving into this territory and the conflicts that arose with Native Americans and European powers, particularly Britain and Spain.

💡Impressment

Impressment was the practice of forcing individuals into military service, often at sea. In the video, impressment is highlighted as a significant issue between the United States and Britain, where British naval forces would capture American sailors and force them to serve in the British Navy, leading to tensions and contributing to the Quasi-War with France.

💡Jay's Treaty

Jay's Treaty was a controversial agreement between the United States and Britain that aimed to resolve several points of conflict. The video explains how this treaty was unpopular among some Americans, particularly the Republicans who were concerned it favored British interests over American sovereignty and neutral rights.

💡French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political change in France that had a profound impact on the rest of Europe and the world. The video discusses how the revolution initially found support among Americans, but as it became more violent, American opinion became divided, and it contributed to the growing rift between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.

💡Quasi-War with France

The Quasi-War with France refers to a series of naval battles and confrontations between the United States and France in the late 18th century, which fell short of a declared war. The video explains how this undeclared conflict arose from disputes over trade and shipping rights and was a significant foreign policy challenge for President Adams.

💡XYZ Affair

The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident that occurred during the Quasi-War with France, where French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats in exchange for peace negotiations. The video describes how this scandal fueled anti-French sentiment in the United States and contributed to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

💡Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress that allowed for the deportation of foreign residents (Alien Acts) and the prosecution of those who criticized the government (Sedition Act). The video explains how these acts were controversial and targeted at perceived enemies of the Federalist Party, particularly French and Irish immigrants and Republican newspaper editors.

Highlights

The Federalist era continued with the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams.

European nations, including Britain, were not ready to relinquish North America.

George Washington's presidency saw the creation of the executive branch and the establishment of a strong federal government.

Cabinet members Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had contrasting visions for the United States.

Hamilton advocated for a strong federal financial policy, while Jefferson opposed it, fearing it favored manufacturers over farmers.

The Whiskey Rebellion was a significant event where President Washington used military force to enforce law.

Western expansion led to early challenges for the new nation as settlers moved into the Northwest Territory.

Native Americans, encouraged by the British and Spanish, attacked American settlers in the Northwest Territory.

General Anthony Wayne's victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers led to the Treaty of Greenville, securing land for settlers.

The French Revolution divided American support, with some favoring the French and others the British.

Washington's neutrality proclamation aimed to keep the U.S. out of European conflicts.

Jay's Treaty with Britain was unpopular, especially among Jefferson's Republicans.

The Pinckney Treaty with Spain allowed the U.S. to use the Mississippi River and ship from New Orleans.

Washington's Farewell Address warned against permanent alliances and the dangers of political parties.

Washington's retirement set a precedent for a peaceful transfer of power and a two-term limit for future presidents.

The election of 1796 was the first contested presidential election, with John Adams and Thomas Jefferson as candidates.

The XYZ Affair, where French agents demanded bribes, led to public outrage and a quasi-war with France.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in response to the XYZ Affair, targeting immigrants and free press.

The rise of political parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, reflected differing views on national governance and economy.

Transcripts

hi welcome back to Mr Raymond's Social

Studies Academy where today we will look

at part two of the Federalist era

covering the presidencies of George

Washington and John Adams in previous

lessons we learned how the United States

won their independence from Britain with

the Treaty of Paris but today we'll see

how European nations including the

British were not ready to give up on

North America last time we looked at the

newly created executive branch with our

new president George Washington sworn in

in 1789 in New York City and we saw how

two members of his cabinet Thomas

Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had

very different Visions for how the

United States should be run Hamilton

wanted to encourage a strong federal

financial policy creating the national

bank and enacting tariffs or taxes on

Imports both of which Jefferson and his

followers were worried favored

manufacturer ERS and Traders over

Southern Farmers finally we learned how

President Washington put down a

rebellion that had Arisen over these

economic policies using the military to

enforce the law in what was known as the

Whiskey Rebellion demonstrating to the

country that this was a more powerful

federal government than it had been

under the Articles of Confederation

again we need to learn how Washington

and Adams dealt with the early

challenges faced by our Republic and

today we'll focus more on the foreign

policy and the rise of political

factions and just a remind our teachers

that this PowerPoint with a wide variety

of activities are available at Teachers

Pay Teachers just click the link of the

notes below this video or search for Mr

Raymond Social Studies Academy at

Teachers Pay Here are some key terms

that we will be using during this lesson

impressment partisan Alien and Sedition

so hit pause if you want to write down

these definitions so let's start with

Western expansion by 1790 settlers had

been pouring into the area of land

between the Appalachian Mountains and

the Mississippi River within a few years

Kentucky and Tennessee would become

States meanwhile tens of thousands more

poured into what was known as the

Northwest Territory and this led to some

early challenges for America after

Washington had used Force to shut down

the Whiskey Rebellion he set his sights

on European and Native American problems

in the Northwest Territory the British

and Spanish had been encouraging the

Native Americans to attack American

settlers Washington signed treaties with

the Native Americans promising them land

in the Northwest Territory when settlers

ignored these treaties and moved into

this region anyway the two groups

attacked each other this territory was

surrounded by the British to the North

and the Spanish to the South the natives

of the Northwest Territory rallied

behind a chief of the Miami people named

little turtle who formed A Confederacy

with the shaune Delaware and other

native bands they were determined to

protect their lands from further white

settlements and they would Ambush

General Arthur St Clare's Army who was

sent out by Washington after a

devastating loss in what is known as St

Claire's defeat in which 600 US soldiers

were killed in 1791 the Americans again

turned to France oping their Alliance

might help them gain control of the West

however in response the British built a

fort in present day Ohio and encourage

more Native American attacks again the

British did not want to give up this

territory and this would not be settled

until the War of 1812 in 1794 Washington

turned to General Anthony Wayne who had

earned the nickname Mad Anthony in the

Revolutionary War for his military

exploits and a fiery personality during

the Battle of Fallen Timbers Wayne

destroyed the Native Americans near

present day Toledo Ohio the Native

Americans were forced to sign the Treaty

of Greenville surrendering most of

present day Ohio these were the first in

many treaties the Native Americans would

be forced to sign throughout the 1800s

giving up land to American settlers

meanwhile events in Europe were changing

drastically in 1789 the French

Revolution broke out at first most

Americans applauded the French in

following their lead of declaring

Revolution however as the revolution

became more bloody Americans became

divided in their support for the French

after King Louis V 16th and queen Marie

Antoinette literally lost their heads

other monarchical European nations panck

in 1793 England and France were back at

war with each other and the American

public and politicians became divided

over for who to support the French who

had backed Us in the revolution or the

British our recent adversary Washington

hoped to stay neutral the French

Revolution became an issue which would

help divide these new burgeoning

political parties factions had broken

out behind those who supported Hamilton

known as the Federalist and Jefferson's

supporters called the Democratic

Republicans who mostly called themselves

Republicans although this party had

nothing to do with either today's

Democrats or Republicans the Federalists

for the most part favored England in

this conflict and Republicans favored

the French both the French and the

British wanted the Americans to help

them fight the war the French tried to

recruit Americans while the British

tried to block trade with the French

President Washington issued a

proclamation of neutrality but this

Proclamation didn't hold much weight the

British began capturing American ships

and forcing Sailors to join the British

Navy in a practice called impressment

this greatly angered many Americans

Washington sent the Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court John Jay to negotiate a

treaty with the British known as Jay's

Treaty it called for quote Amity or

friendship Commerce and navigation in

other words Freedom of the Seas

Washington's agreement with the British

was very unpopular with some especially

Jefferson's Republicans worried after

the J treaty that the US and Britain

might take over their North American

Holdings the Spanish signed pink KN

treaty this allowed the US to use the

Mississippi River and ship from New

Orleans this was a treaty applauded by

Western Farmers despite the unpopularity

of Jay's Treaty Washington kept the

United States out of war after 8 years

as President Washington stepped down as

our first first executive in his

farewell address he warned Americans to

quote steer clear of permanent alliances

with any portion of the foreign world

this policy of neutrality would last in

America for a long time mostly up until

the world wars in the 1900s by stepping

down after two terms as president

Washington established a precedent that

no future president would break until

1941 when Franklin WR Roosevelt began

his third term signed in 1947 following

Roosevelt the 22nd amendment was passed

making it law that presidents could only

serve two terms but it speaks to the

reputation of Washington that no future

president except one would want to break

that precedent established by the father

of America of course his retirement

demonstrated one more important concept

it demonstrated what we call the

peaceful transfer of power that is the

American system Washington returned to

his beloved Mount Vernon where he died 3

years later in 1799 he had at times

reluctantly served his country since

1775 his sacrifices in holding together

this fledgling Union truly earned him

the title of father of the country in

his will he decreed that his 300 slaves

would be freed upon the death of his

wife so who would lead next with this

remarkable transfer of power the

question faced the nation over who would

take over as president this was another

test of the American democratic system

in a time where violence and family

lineage usually decided the next

executive by now political parties were

in full effect political parties were

often called factions in those days and

two groups had evolved made up those who

supported Alexander Hamilton's economic

policies again the Federalist and those

who supported Jefferson and a less

powerful national government and those

were the Democratic Republicans while

there is nothing about political parties

in the Constitution some felt that it

was a natural progression for those who

held different positions on the issues

most of the public didn't like parties

and even George Washington had warned

about the danger of political factions

or parties exclaiming the need to watch

out for the quote banful effects of the

Spirit of party here's a look at where

the two parties differed while

Federalists thought the national

government was Supreme Republicans

thought it was the state governments who

should be more powerful Federalists

favored manufacturing while Republicans

farming Federalists thought power should

be held by the wealthy the educated the

business owners and Republicans thought

that all male land owners should have

power Federalists like tariffs

Republicans hated them and finally

Federalists wanted a loose

interpretation of the Constitution with

its implied powers and Republicans

wanted a strict interpretation with the

government only having those powers

expressed in the Constitution by the way

many of these issues are exactly the

same ones that modern Democrats and

Republicans argue about today if you

want an easy way to remember think

Federalists believing that manufacturing

and trade were the basis of national

wealth and power while Republicans

believe believed in an agrarianism or

that farmers who are land owners are

independent with ideal social values and

make up the best of what America should

be all of this would take us to the

election of

1796 the election of 1796 was the first

contested presidential contest the

Federalist nominated Vice President John

Adams while the Democratic Republicans

rallied around Thomas Jefferson anger

over Jay's Treaty by those who favored

France almost gave the election to

Jefferson but Adams won by 71 to 68

electoral votes the way the Electoral

College worked in those days Jefferson

would become the vice president Adams

would inherit what would become called

the Quasi war with France angered by the

J treaty the French started intercepting

American ships and while some

Federalists called for war with France

Adam sent John Marshall Charles pikney

and Elbridge giri to negotiate peace in

1797 there they were to meet with French

foreign minister Charles Maurice to

tally Rand however Scandal would break

out around this Mission when three

agents saying they represented T Rand

told the Americans that they would need

a bribe of

$250,000 and a $12 million loan Adams

told Congress about the event referring

to the agents as X Y and Z and this

event became known as the XYZ Affair

Americans became outrage this cartoon

from the time depicted the event the

United States is represented by the

women being plundered by the French and

the group of men to the right represent

the European nations watching many

American citizens began demanding war

with France in response to the XYZ

Affair Congress suspended trade with

France and told us ships to capture

French vessels in essence the two

countries were at War this Quasi War

with the French impacted Politics as

well Adams was able to avoid war and

sign a treaty with France but the

conflict had become extremely political

Federalists who again often sided with

the British and suffered the political

consequences of Jay's Treaty now saw a

chance to pounce on the Republicans here

we see a fight that broke out on the

floor of Congress in which Federalist

Roger Griswald attacked Democratic

Republican Matthew Lion at the height of

anger with the French the Federalist

Congress pushed through a set of laws

known as the Alien and Sedition Acts

aliens are people living in the US who

are not citizens and Sedition is when

you print or say bad things about the

government the alien Acts were aimed at

French and Irish immigrants who were

often anti-british and often voted

Republican the Sedition Act was meant to

avoid rebellions but allow

Anti-Federalist newspaper writers to be

arrested for printing bad things about

them and some were sadly in times of war

or crisis immigrants and the Free Press

have sometimes been targets up next

we're going to look at how backlash of

the alien sedition acts as well as the

Federalists gave rise to the age of

Jefferson and that's where we'll pick up

next time but before we do let's review

what did the British and Spanish

encourage the native Americans to do to

American settlers attack them when the

Americans turned to France for help with

the British and Spanish what did the

British do they built a fort in Ohio and

they encouraged more Native American

attacks What battle did General Anthony

Wayne defeat the Native Americans in the

Battle of Fallen Timbers what event

broke out in Europe in 1789 which would

have a major impact on American and

European Politics the French Revolution

which side did the Federalist favor

between the British and the French the

British which side did Washington favor

in the war between the British in the

French neither he wanted to stay neutral

what controversial treaty stopped the

British from capturing our ships and

forcing our Sailors to join their Navy

the J treaty what did Washington warn

about in his farewell address foreign

alliances and political parties what

were the two major parties that

developed behind Jefferson and and

Hamilton the Federalist and the

Democratic Republicans which party

favored manufacturing the Federalist

which party favored agriculture that's

easy the Democratic Republicans which

party wanted a more powerful national

government the Federalists what was it

called when the United States was

essentially at war with France the Quasi

War what was the scandalous event called

when the French min ERS tried to get the

US to bribe them the XYZ Affair what

laws were passed by the Federalist in

response to the XYZ Affair the Alien and

Sedition Acts and that's it I want to

thank you guys for watching be sure to

subscribe because up next we're going to

look at the Jefferson era and just a

reminder teachers at this PowerPoint

with worksheets Smartboard activities

quizzes Cahoots guided notes flip class

video and additional resources are

available at teacher space teachers just

click the link of the notes below this

video or search for Mr Raymond Social

Studies Academy at Teachers Pay Teachers

keep up that good work guys and you're

going to ace that exam