2. George Washington was elected after he led the
American victory over Great Britain in the
American
Revolutionary War.
As the very first president of the United States he
was the one who constructed a
strong, stable, government that won the
acceptance of all the Americans.
In fact, George Washington
developed the precedents and knew that his
conduct as the president would most likely
impact the
generations to come.
The American country had severe financial
3. The First Presidential Cabinet
• Secretary of War-Henry Knox (Oversee the
nation’s defenses)
• Secretary of State-Thomas Jefferson (Oversee
the relations between the U.S and other
countries)
• Secretary of the Treasury-Alexander Hamilton
(to mange the government’s money)
• Attorney General-Edmond Randolph( to advise
the government on legal matters)
4. Balancing federalists vs. anti-federalists
(appointment of Jefferson and Hamilton)
• Washington was given two proposals one from his Treasury Secretary
Alexander Hamilton and the other from his Sectary of State Thomas
Jefferson.
• However, while deciding which plan to follow a rivalry among Washington’s
administrators Jefferson and Hamilton occurred.
• This rivalry among both administrators developed a Democratic Republican
Party being led by
Jefferson and a Federalist Party by Hamilton.
• There were various disagreements and conflicts between
both parties particularly on the domestic and foreign policies which brought
difficulties for Washington
because they did not agree.
• The Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton had plans to establish the
national credit and build up a financially powerful nation, while on the other
hand, Thomas Jefferson organized a group in Congress to oppose
Alexander Hamilton and his intentions.
5. Continued
• Hamilton planned to create a national bank which will
make loans, handle government funds, issue financial
notes, provide national currency, and help the national
government govern financially.
• Also by financing via tariffs on imported goods, tax, and
liquor it will help pay off the Revolutionary debt.
• Jefferson and Madison were against Hamilton’s idea
because according to them, it would be used by the
federal government to mishandle it.
• Jefferson believed that industrialization should be
stopped because the city workers would do what it is
ordered to them while the farmers will think individually.
6. Whiskey Rebellion
• A major crisis that occurred during Washington’s term
would be the Whiskey Rebellion which occurred in the
1790’s during Washington’s second term.
• Once, a tax on whiskey was imposed Pennsylvania
farmers enraged and refused to pay the tax.
• The citizens felt that the government did not have the
right to collect taxes. Washington soon invoked the
Militia Act of 1792 and ordered the militia troops
to Pennsylvania to keep everything calm and in order.
• Then Washington went to the locations in which
serious trouble upraised to supervise and encourage the
troops to stand strong.
• Not much later all resistance movements and the
rebellion effectively ended.
7. Neutrality over British/French conflict
• In 1789 the French Revolution began, the war between the
conservative Great Britain and revolutionary France; which soon
brought problems to America.
• Many Americans felt that they should have supported the French
returning the favor for aiding them during their own struggle for
independence from the British.
• However, George Washington proclaimed neutrality and declared
the
Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793 because he did not want his
country in any foreign entanglements.
• Instead he wanted to normalize relations with the British so he
signed Jay’s Treaty on November 19,1794.
8. Continued..
• Jay’s Treaty destabilized the freedom of trade on the
higher seas and led to the removal of the British from the
Northwest Territory as long as the British were allowed to
search any of the ships heading into France.
• The treaty delayed the war with Great Britain and
brought great trading relations with Great Britain.
9. Creation of new government/Judiciary
Act of 1789
• President George Washington did use his power to rearrange the
executive agencies and offices.
• On April 30th , 1789 George Washington is inaugurated as
President of the United States.
• Followed by the Vice-President John Adams.
• During his presidency he established many governmental
precedent.
• George Washington was first president to form the executive
department, he also established the judicial branch of the
government.
• Federal Judiciary Act of 1789, passed by the Congress .
• Washington appointed John Jay as Chief Justice.
• The Constitution allow Congress to create departments to help the
President “The Cabinet”.
• The first Presidential Cabinet had a total of four departments.
10. Work Cited
• Appointment of George Washington to the grade of General of the Armies, Public Law 94-479, 11 October
1976, available online at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Public_Law_94-479 (accessed 25th March 2012).
• Joseph Ellis, His Excellency: George Washington (New York: Vintage, 2004), 180; Forrest McDonald,
The Presidency of George Washington (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1974).
• Weems, Mason Locke. The Life of George Washington, with Curious Anecdotes Equally Honorable to
Himself, and Exemplary to His Young Countrymen. Philadelphia: Joseph Allen, 1847.
• Schwartz, Barry. George Washington: The Making of An American Symbol. New York: The Free Press (a
division of MacMillan, Inc.), 1987.
• Hofstadter, Richard, The Idea of a Party System: The Rise and Fall of Legitimate Opposition in the
United States, 1780-1840 (Berkeley: U of California P, 1969).
• State Papers and Public Documents of the United States, from the Accession of George Washington to the
Presidency. Series 1, vol. 9. 3rd ed. Boston: Thomas B. Wait, 1819.
• “George Washington First President of the United States.” Gardenofpraise.gov
25th March 2012
http://gardenofpraise.com/leaders
• “George Washington.” whitehousekids.gov 25th March 2012
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html
