Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
I
Introduction
1. George Washington, America's first president practiced a cautious yet successful foreign policy. As well as being the
"father of the country," Washington was also the father of early US neutrality. He understood that the United
States was too young, had too little money, had too many domestic issues, and had too small a military to actively
engage in a strident foreign policy.
2. Still, Washington was no isolationist. He wanted the United States to be an integral part of the western world, but
that could only happen with time, solid domestic growth, and a stable reputation abroad.
3. Washington avoided political and military alliances, even though the US had already been the recipient of military
and financial foreign aid. In 1778, during the American Revolution, the United States and France signed the FrancoAmerican Alliance. As part of the agreement, France sent money, troops, and naval ships to North America to fight
the British. Washington himself commanded a coalition force of American and French troops at the climactic siege
of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781.
4. Nevertheless, Washington declined aid to France during warfare in the 1790s. A revolution -- inspired, in part, by
the American Revolution -- began in 1789. As France sought to export its anti-monarchical sentiments throughout
Europe, it found itself at war with other nations, chiefly Great Britain. France, expecting the US would respond favorably to France, asked Washington for aid in the war. Even though France only wanted the US to engage British
troops who were still garrisoned in Canada, and take on British naval ships sailing near US waters, Washington refused.
5. Washington's foreign policy also contributed to a rift in his own administration. The president eschewed political
parties, but a party system began in his cabinet nonetheless. Federalists, the core of whom had established the
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
II
III
IV
federal government with the Constitution, wanted to normalize relations with Great Britain. Alexander Hamilton,
Washington's secretary of the treasury and defacto Federalist leader, championed that idea. However, Secretary of
State Thomas Jefferson, led another faction -- the Democrat-Republicans. (They called themselves simply Republicans, although that is confusing to us today.) The Democrat-Republicans championed France -- since France had
helped the US and was continuing its revolutionary tradition -- and wanted widespread trade with that country.
Jay's Treaty
1. France -- and the Democrat-Republicans -- grew angrier with Washington in 1794 when he appointed Supreme
Court Chief Justice John Jay as a special emissary to negotiate normalized trade relations with Great Britain. The
resulting Jay's Treaty secured "most-favored-nation" trade status for the US in the British trade network, settlement of some pre-war debts, and a pull-back of British troops in the Great Lakes area.
Farewell Address
1. Perhaps Washington's greatest contribution to US foreign policy came in his farewell address in 1796. Washington
was not seeking a third term (although the Constitution did not then prevent it), and his comments were to herald
his exit from public life.
2. Washington warned against two things. The first, although it was really too late, was the destructive nature of party politics. The second was the danger of foreign alliances. He warned neither to favor one nation too highly over
another, and to not ally with others in foreign wars.
3. For the next century, while the United States did not steer perfectly clear from foreign alliances and issues, it did
adhere to neutrality as the major part of its foreign policy.
Foreign Affairs
1. Upon becoming President of the United States, George Washington almost immediately set two critical foreign
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
V
VI
policy precedents: He assumed control of treaty negotiations with a hostile power—in this case, the Creek Nation
of Native Americans—and then asked for congressional approval once they were finalized. In addition, he sent
American emissaries overseas for negotiations without legislative approval.
Taking a Global Position
1. In 1789, the French Revolution sent shock waves across the Atlantic. Many Americans, mindful of French aid during
their own struggle for independence, supported returning the favor. At the same time, the British were once again
inciting Native Americans to attack settlers in the West, hoping to destabilize the fledgling Republic. American anger in response to these attacks served to reinforce sentiments for aiding France in any conflict with Great Britain.
Washington was leery of any such foreign entanglement, considering his country too weak and unstable to fight
another war with a major European power. His insistence on neutrality in foreign quarrels set another key precedent, as did his insistence that the power to make such a determination be lodged in the presidency.
2. Within days of Washington's second inauguration, France declared war on a host of European nations, England
among them. Controversy over American involvement in the dispute redoubled. The Jefferson and Hamilton factions fought endlessly over the matter. The French ambassador to the U.S.—the charismatic, audacious "Citizen"
Edmond Genet—had meanwhile been appearing nationwide, drumming up considerable support for the French
cause. Washington was deeply irritated by this subversive meddling, and when Genet allowed a French-sponsored
warship to sail out of Philadelphia against direct presidential orders, Washington demanded that France recall
Genet.
More British Challenges
1. In mid-1793, Britain announced that it would seize any ships trading with the French, including those flying the
American flag. In protest, widespread civil disorder erupted in several American cities. By the following year, ten-
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
2.
3.
4.
sions with Britain were so high that Washington had to stop all American shipments overseas. Six large warships
were commissioned; among them was the USS Constitution, the legendary "Old Ironsides." An envoy was sent to
England to attempt reconciliation, but the British were now building a fortress in Ohio while increasing insurgent
activities elsewhere in America.
The President's strong inclination in response to British provocations was to seek a diplomatic solution. But the
envoy to England, John Jay, negotiated a weak treaty that undermined freedom of trade on the high seas and failed
to compensate Americans for slaves taken by the British during the Revolution. Worst of all, the treaty did not address the then-common British practice of impressment. Congress approved the treaty with the proviso that trade
barriers imposed by England be lessened. Washington, while dissatisfied with elements of the treaty, signed it
nonetheless.
For the first time, members of the government openly criticized Washington. While this no doubt led to some hard
feelings, it was also a milestone. The fledgling government chose partisan sides, verbally jousted with their President, everyone was heard, the public hurled angry rhetoric—and the government remained standing. It was the
first example of the partisan give-and-take that has been essential to the survival of American democracy for over
two centuries.
There was a single dreadful casualty. Washington's advisers presented him with evidence that Edmund Randolph,
Jefferson's successor as secretary of state, had allegedly solicited a bribe from a French envoy to oppose the treaty
with England. Although Randolph denied the charges, an angry Washington forced his old friend to resign. With
this action, another important precedent was set. The Constitution empowers the President to nominate his principal officers with the advice and consent of the Senate; it says nothing, however, about the chief executive's authority to dismiss appointees. With Washington's dismissal of Randolph, the administrative system of the federal gov-
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
VII
ernment was firmly tied to the President. In total, Washington dismissed three foreign ministers, two consuls, eight
collectors, and four surveyors of internal revenue—all without seeking the advice or approval of Congress.
Foreign Policy in the Final Years
1. A pair of treaties—one with Algiers and another with Spain—dominated the later stages of Washington's foreign
policy. Pirates from the Barbary region of North Africa were seizing American ships, kidnapping their crew members, and demanding ransom. These Barbary pirates forced a harsh treaty on the U.S. that demanded annual payments to the ruler of Algiers. It was, in short, a shakedown for protection money, and it hardened Washington's
resolve to construct a viable navy. The ships built during his administration would prove to be instrumental in naval
actions that ended disputes with Algiers in later administrations.
2. The agreement with Spain had a much happier outcome for Washington. Spanish-controlled Florida agreed to stop
inciting Native American attacks on settlers. More importantly, Spain conceded unrestricted access of the entire
Mississippi River to Americans, opening much of the Ohio River Valley for settlement and trade. Agricultural produce could now flow on flatboats down the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers to the Mississippi River and on to New
Orleans and Europe.
3. John Jay's treaty with the British continued to have negative ramifications for the remainder of Washington's administration. France declared it in violation of agreements signed with America during the Revolution and claimed
that it comprised an alliance with their enemy, Britain. By 1796, the French were harassing American ships and
threatening the U.S. with punitive sanctions. Diplomacy did little to solve the problem, and in later years, American
and French warships exchanged gunfire on several occasions.
4. A final precedent set by America's first President, while unpleasant for Washington, was beneficial to his nation.
Newspapers sympathetic to the Jeffersonians, emboldened by the public controversy surrounding the treaty with
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
VIII
England, became increasingly critical of Washington during his final two years in office. One called him "Saint
Washington," another mockingly offered him a crown. To the President's considerable credit, he bore these attacks
with dignity—not even responding to them publicly. Privately, he was deeply wounded by the attacks on his integrity, and toward the end of his life, he ceased to have any contact with Thomas Jefferson.
Domestic Affairs
1. George Washington had to borrow money to relocate to New York, then the center of American government. His
presidential inauguration was held near New York's Wall Street in late April 1789. A tremendous crowd showed up
to see the man now known as "the Father of His Country." Borrowing a custom from English monarchs, who by
tradition address Parliament when its sessions open, Washington gave a brief speech. It was the first inaugural address and the first of many contributions that Washington would make to the office of the presidency. But this
would be no monarch; the new leader wore a plain brown suit.
2. "As the first of everything in our situation will serve to establish a precedent," Washington wrote James Madison at
this time, "it is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles." At every turn,
Washington was aware that the conduct of his presidency would set the standard for generations to come.
3. The American government—in particular, the presidency—was in a remarkably primitive state. But Washington's
performance in those early years was both surefooted and brilliant. He went to one session of the Senate to receive its advice about a treaty but was annoyed because senators felt uncomfortable in his presence and would not
debate its provisions. Washington withdrew angrily and swore he "would be damned if he went there again," thus
ensuring a tradition of separation between the executive and legislative branches. Departments of State, War, and
Treasury were established, along with the office of Attorney General, each headed by a trusted presidential adviser. These advisers collectively became known as the cabinet. Washington strove for ideological balance in these
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
IX
X
appointments, thus augmenting their strength and credibility. He signed the first Judiciary Act of 1789, initiating
the development of the judicial branch. A Supreme Court was created, headed by a chief justice and originally five
associate justices, who were chosen by the President and approved by Congress. A network of district courts was
also established. Congress sent the President ten amendments to the Constitution that became known as the Bill of
Rights; these amendments strengthened civil liberties.
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
1. In 1791, Washington learned that an American force had been defeated by a Native American uprising in the
Northwest Territory (present-day Ohio) that killed over 600 American soldiers and militia. The President ordered
the Revolutionary War veteran General "Mad" Anthony Wayne to launch a new expedition against a coalition of
tribes led by Miami Chief Little Turtle. Wayne spent months training his troops to fight using forest warfare in the
style of the Indians before marching boldly into the region. After constructing a chain of forts, Wayne and his
troops crushed the Indians in the Battle of Fallen Timbers (near present-day Toledo) in the summer of 1794. Defeated, the seven tribes—the Shawnee, Miami, Ottawa, Chippewa, Iroquois, Sauk, and Fox ceded large portions of
Indian lands to the United States and then moved west.
Debts and Finances
1. The young country had severe financial problems. There were both domestic and foreign debts from the war, and
the issue of how to raise revenue for government was hotly debated. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton laid
plans for governmental financing via tariffs, or surcharges on imported goods, and a tax on liquor. Much of this
revenue was earmarked for retiring war debts. Hamilton also proposed a national bank to centralize the nation's
financial base and urged the new government to assist in developing a manufacturing sector of the economy. He
traded his support for Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson's plan to locate the nation's permanent capital near
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
Virginia, with Philadelphia serving as a temporary capital, for Jefferson's support of his policies on retiring the debt.
By the midpoint of Washington's first term, however, such cooperation had deteriorated. Washington's administration had split into two rival factions: one headed by Jefferson, which would later become the DemocraticRepublican Party, and the Federalist faction headed by Hamilton. They disagreed on virtually all aspects of domestic and foreign policy and much of the President's energies were spent in mediating their differences.
War over Whiskey
1. A tax on whiskey—production of which had increased dramatically in the 1790s—was one of the key elements of
Hamilton's fiscal program. This taxation enraged many citizens, and in 1794, resistance to the whiskey tax boiled
over in western Pennsylvania with attacks on tax collectors and the formation of several well-armed resistance
movements. Washington was alarmed by the Whiskey Rebellion, viewing it as a threat to the nation's existence. In
an extraordinary move designed to demonstrate the federal government's preeminence and power, the President
ordered militia from several other states into Pennsylvania to keep order. He then traveled to the site of the troubles to personally oversee the buildup of troops and to lend his encouragement to the enterprise. The insurrection
collapsed quickly with little violence, and the resistance movements disbanded. Later, Washington pardoned the
men convicted of treason in the matter.
2. Soon after this incident, however, a pair of high-level departures diminished the quality of the Washington administration. Secretary of War Henry Knox quit in December 1794, and Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton followed suit a month later.
Transfer of Power
1. Although it was his for the taking, Washington never considered running for a third term. Over four decades of
public service had left him exhausted physically, mentally, and financially. He happily handed the office to his suc2.
XI
XII
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
2.
cessor, John Adams. With customary care, Washington was scrupulously silent on his opinions of the men jockeying to succeed him. By ceding office after two terms, Washington helped ensure a regular and orderly transfer of
executive power. His two-term limit set a custom that would stand for a century and a half, until Franklin Roosevelt
was elected to a third term in 1940 and a fourth term in 1944.
Washington closed his administration with a thoughtful farewell address. Written with the help of Hamilton and
Madison, the address urged Americans to be a vigilant and righteous people. "It is of infinite moment that you
should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness," he
said. "The very idea of the power and the right of the people to establish government presupposes the duty of every individual to obey the established government." It was as if he saw the great challenges to come in the next decades and begged his fellow citizens to remain a unified nation. But some of Washington's advice was not heeded.
He warned his fellow citizens against "the baneful spirit of faction," referring to the party spirit that had disrupted
his administration and he warned against "foreign entanglements." But he could not prevent the formation of parties, nor did his warning against "foreign entanglements" prevent his successors from engaging in active diplomacy
with European nations, often leading to de facto alliances. To this day, Washington's farewell address is read aloud
every year in the U.S. Senate as a tribute to his service and foresight.
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison
Discussion 9-3
US History ~ Chapter 9 Topic Discussions
E Lundberg
Topic of Discussion – Domestic and Foreign Policies
Chapter Information ~ Ch 9; 3 sections; 21 pages
Launching a New Republic (1789-1800)
Section 1 ~ Washington's Presidency
Section 2 ~ Challenges to the New Government
Section 3 ~ The Federalists in Charge
Pages 312-317
Pages 318-325
Pages 326-332
Key Ideas
George Washington had a specific political agenda
when dealing with foreign and domestic affairs.
Establishing and running a new nation was a very
complex situation that demanded a lot of time
Washington’s Cabinet or advisors became a significant
aspect of his administration.
Related Topics
French Revolution
XYZ Affair
Jay’s Treaty
The Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Whiskey Rebellion
Key Connections - 10 Major (Common) Themes
1. How cultures change through the blending of different ethnic groups.
2. Taking the land.
3. The individual versus the state.
4. The quest for equity - slavery and it’s end, women’s suffrage etc.
5. Sectionalism.
6. Immigration and Americanization.
7. The change in social class.
8. Technology developments and the environment.
9. Relations with other nations.
10. Historiography, how we know things.
Talking Points
Questions to Think About
What type of pressure must Washington have been under to get the country running and stabilize the finances?
Did Washington get the support he needed from his
Cabinet?|
What type of criticism did Washington face?
Supporting Materials
Trial and Triumphs of Washington’s Foreign Policy by Reuter
His Excellency George Washington by Ellis
George Washington, A Life by Randall
The Political Philosophy of George Washington by Morrison