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Washington Heads the New Government
KEY IDEA
President Washington transformed the
ideas of the Constitution into a real
government.
OVERVIEW
ASSESSMENT
HOME
1
Washington Heads the New Government
OVERVIEW
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
The Cabinet, an institution
Washington created, is still a key
element of every presidential
administration.
President Washington
transformed the ideas of the
Constitution into a real
government.
TERMS & NAMES
• Judiciary Act of 1789
• Cabinet
• Bank of the United States
• Alexander Hamilton
• excise tax
• Democratic-Republicans
• two-party system
• protective tariff
ASSESSMENT
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Washington Heads the New Government
ASSESSMENT
1. List the leaders, beliefs, and goals of the country’s first
two political parties.
Federalists
Democratic-Republicans
Federalists like Hamilton supported
commerce and industry, strong
central government, the educated
upper class, loose interpretation of
the Constitution, and a national
bank.
Democratic-Republicans like
Jefferson supported agriculture,
weak central government, the
common people, strict interpretation
of the Constitution, and opposed a
national bank.
continued . . .
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Washington Heads the New Government
ASSESSMENT
2. How would you judge President Washington’s
decision to put two such opposed thinkers as Hamilton
and Jefferson in his cabinet? Think About:
• both men’s merits
• their philosophies
• the conflicts that developed
ANSWER
Pro: Washington was a strong, confident leader with the ability
to choose brilliant advisors and listen to both sides of an issue.
Con: Conflicting advisors divided the Cabinet and undermined
Washington’s leadership.
continued . . .
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Washington Heads the New Government
ASSESSMENT
3. How was the Whiskey Rebellion an opportunity for
the federal government to demonstrate its authority?
ANSWER
The government’s response to the rebellion demonstrated
its ability to enforce federal law, even on the frontier
where the rebellion occurred.
continued . . .
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Washington Heads the New Government
ASSESSMENT
4. Would you have supported Hamilton’s economic plan?
Explain why or why not. Think About:
• the money problems the nation faced
• other problems the nation faced
ANSWER
Pro: Hamilton proposed a national bank that would
consolidate debts and assume the states’ debts.
Con: Hamilton was biased in favor of the rich and the
Northern states.
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