The federalist era

The Federalist Era Why did liberalism largely displace republicanism as the guiding ideology in the early republic? What is capitalism? An economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit. The fall of republicanism? – Capitalism replaced mercantilism o Economics and morality were indistinguishable in the 18th century so capitalism had to win the intellectual and moral debate Adam Smith, An inquiry into the Nature and causes of the Wealth of Nations, 1776 – Most important essay on economics ever written, laid groundwork for capitalism – Argued self-interest produced prosperity o “ invisible hand”  Natural human ambition will cause person to want to reduce costs in creating product  Governments distort market, thereby driving up costs Economics in the 1790s – Alexander Hamilton was Treasury Secretary – Federal government should inherit State debts and keep it high through… – Bank of United States (BUS) – Impose high tariffs on foreign imports to keep jobs and currency circulating in US – Build-up manufacturing sector (industry) Anti-federalist Critique – states without debts should not pay for other states’ debts – BUS will favor the merchants and rich – Manufacturing strips men of virtue – “ Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God” — Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1781 The fall of republicanism – American revolution was dominated by republicanism and notions of quality, liberty o Republicanism lost its hegemony in American culture during the 1790s to liberalism  Is campitalism an egalitarian idea in the 18th-19th century? Capitalism and Democracy – Capitalism won the debate. It’s the most democratic, libertarian, and equitableeconomic system in 18th -19th century. o Focused on exchange rather than landed wealth, so it hurt aristocrats o The government could not pick favorite to create monopolies o Economic freedom was a part of political freedom o Capitalism equalized the playing field more than any other system o People chose capitalism freely, albeit hesitantly Capitalism Held on in U. S why? – Industrialism took longer to take hold – More hierarchy in Europe – Slavery helped poor whites accept capitalism – Liberty is the whole point of America and capitalism is full economic librty – Quality of life increased like never before – 1770-1800 agricultural productivity increased 250%. No technological innovation. Just people for the first time believing in themselves. Key figures – President George Washington — (F) – Vice president John Adams — (F) – Treasury secretary alexander Hamilton — (F) – Secretary of state Thomas Jefferson — (A-F) The united States in the 1790s – 1788 — George Washington elected president – Federalists controlled government until 1800 – Federalists and Anti-federalists fought over interpretation of constitution after ratification – Major issues o Foreign relations o War debt o Domestic stability Ideological division between Federalists and Anti- Federalists Federalists Anti-federalists Model US on England to become a European power Isolationist, they don’t want to expand Support BUS (bank of the united states) Oppose BUS Favor England Favor France Expand military Contract military Flexible tariff Uniform Tariff – Political ideology formed immediately, but respect for Washington curtailed party-formation until 1796 Foreign Policy problems – French Revolutionary Wars 1793-1815 o Washington unconstitutionally ordered a proclamation of neutrality in 1793 o US owed France money for War of Independence 1776-1783 o US was on peaceful terms with England again by 1793 o US caught in the middle of global powers  Britain passed legislation seizing US ships trading with France. France did the same.  US wanted free trade for all o England negotiated with Native Americans to attack US frontier Federalist Foreign Policy – Washington had no precedent or model – Help economic interests through government action o Democratization overwhelmed their plan – Jay’s Treaty (1794) avoided another war with England o “ Most-favored nation” – Native Americans pushed off land in the West Domestic Problems – 1791-4 Whiskey Rebellion: o Federal excise tax on whisky o PA farmers terrorized the tax collectors, closed federal courts o French Revolution is context, so Washington called the army. It worked. – Slavery still contentious issue in 1790s o Looked like US was on its way to abolition o South held on while North was introducing gradual emancipation Stopped bringing in slaves. Slavery by 1790s – NJ and NY in the process of gradual emancipation – Thousands emancipated in the North and South but a million remained enslaved – Evangelical Christian sects led march toward emancipation but there were problems to abolition o Little moral good if no one else did it o Hurt economy if US/England cut off trade with others Growth of Methodism – Evangelical values further democratized the nation – Blacks (enslaved and free) began to embrace evangelical denominations o Methodists o Baptists o Prebyterians Washington Administration – Respect for GW limited partisanship to keep republicanism and uunity in politics – 1769 GW stepped down (again) and issued his farewell address: o Stayed out of European wars o Keep open, free trade o Do not develop political parties 1796 Presidential Election – John Adams (MA) defeated Thomas Jefferson (VA) – TJ was Vice-President under constitution – Washington retired from politics, so Adams and Hamilton became leaders of the party – Opposition party, Democratic-Republicans, were led by Jefferson and Madison Political Parties Democratic- Republicans Federalists Shrink defense spending Maintain defense spending Regular people can be office-holders Regular people can vote for exceptional citizens to lead Decrease role of government Increase role of government Favor france Favor England Led by Jefferson and madison Led by Adams and Hamilton Adams Administration, 1797-1801 – Problems o Sectionalism o Verge of War with France o Alien and Sedition Acts o Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Quasi(kinda, semi)- War, XYZ affair – 1797 Adams wanted to make peace but French were intransigent, refused to compromise o Democratic-Republicans charged Adams with exaggerated unwillingness fo French in order to go to war, but I backfired o Conspiracy theories abounded about a “ French plot” XYZ, went to france to get a peace treaty… Alien and Sedition Acts – Alien and Sedition Acts enacted to silence Irish immigrands and Democratic-Republicans o Penalty was fine or 90 days 2years in prison  Jefferson and Madison wrote the KY and VA Resolutions in 1798-1799 asserting states had the right to declare Federal laws unconstitutional First Barbary War – American ships seized and enslaved in Mediterranean Sea. “ Pirates” held Americans hostage for ransom. – GW agreet to pay enormous sum, 16% of federal revenue a year. – Peace Treaty signed in 1797 starting, in part – 1801 Pasha of Tripoli demanded 40% of budget from Jefferson, resulting in another “ war. “’ De-escalation of Tensions – British Navy defeated French forces, ending “ threat” of French conspiracy – Adams negotiated a peace with France o Divided Federalists into “ Ultra” and “ moderate” branches o Wanted to preserve system like GW did – The narrative became that the Federalists were really nationalists looking to impose monarchy and “ big government” on the people Revolution of 1800 – Final Act of the American Revolution – Election of 1800 almost ended original constitution – Jefferson won – Results showed how Fed-up population was with Federalist policies – Popular sovereignty is the theme of 1800 “ Jefferson- And No God” – Federalists played up Adams’ religiosity and several, like Hamilton, called Jefferson an “ atheist” o “ France is our future” – Evangelical Christians decided the election. Why did they vote for Jefferson How did political parties develop in the early republic? Revolution of 1800? – Federalists consolidated power under adams – TJ wanted to shrink government and empower the individual o Cut defense spending and repealed Judiciary act of 1789 o Decreased debt – TJ’s “ empire of Liberty” expanded o Lousisiana purchase 1803 o Eye on florida Jefferson and Expansion – Tj’s political and moral philosophy o “ virtuous republican” o Capitalistic agriculture, not capitalism – Consequences of expansion: o Not dependent on England o “ Empire of Liberty” Jefferson Administration – Expansion, expansion, expansion o Louisiana Purchase 1803 o Movement westward sparks change – Agrarian Republic was the dream o Embargo of 1807 fails horribly but avoids war with European powers – Reduced size of government but added powers as well Hyprocrite or Pragmatist? – TJ’s policies: o Louisiana purchase  Doubled size of US without constitutional power o Barbary war 1801-04  Launched first official war in US history o Embargo 1807  Enacted an embargo on all US ships Marbury vs. Madison, 1803 – Court Case that established Judicial review o Supreme court can rule laws passed by congress (not the states) as unconstitutional and void. Reform societies – Second great awakening spurred the largest humanitarian reform movement in the world history from 1790-1840 o Poverty o Universal education o Criminal reform o Abolition Domestic Problem – Slavery o Looked like US was on its way to abolition  By 1820 20% of all African-Americans in Us were free – Slavery grew in south and died in North o Cotton Gin 1793 replaced tobacco as staple crop o Haitian and St. Domingue Revolutions 1803 Women’s Rights – Dorothy Ripley o “ Biblical feminism: ” – Judith Sargent Murray o Argued for gender “ equality” in 1779 (1790), on the equality of the sexes o Moderate feminism – Mary Wollstonecraft o Argued for something closer to gender “ sameness” in 1792, a vindication of Women’s rights o Radical but not modern feminism The Second Great awakening and market revolution. What ideas were most responsible for pushing American towards greater democracy, equality and liberty during the early republic? Religion in American History. Has religion played a conservative or a progressive role in American History? Second Great Awakening, 1790-1840 – Religious revivals throughout US – No discrimination based on race, class, or gender – Individualism/ Democratization – Charles G. Finney was leading evangelical preacher o Used media and marketing tools for conversions Women take charge – Women led the evangelical push after losing power in politics and church institutions o Harriet Livermore, sojourner truth led o They must approve of ministers o They assume responsibility of moral instruction o Spiritual anxiety Second Great Awakening – Emotions were a way of knowing just like reason o “ born again” – Slaves began to convert o Emotions was most important o Only area of life they had equality o Message was consistent with beliefs – SGA was when evangelical Christianity became the backbone of African- American life Democratization of Christianity – SHAKERS o Ann lee (she is the daughter of god) – Mormons (lds) o Joseph smith – Adventism o William miller’s theological fluidity – These are largely reactions to individualistic impulses of capitalism The market revolution – Rapid democratizaliton in religion, society, culture, economics, politics, gender roles – Farmers saw benefits of free market – Free market depended on support from ministers Democratization – Religious, social, gender, and economic equality pushed ideas of political equality – All white males granted suffrage by end of second great awakening, but free black males suffered o Dewitt Clinton – “ jacksonian democracy” was a product of all these forces Religion in America – Jefferson predicted at the height of the second great awakening, that “ there is not a young man now living in the us who will not die an Unitarian” – Died july 4, 1826 – Wrong on religion – Wrong on slavery as a “ power” more than a moral question – Wrong on where cancer in us was – Wrong on capitalism – Wrong on industrialization – Right on democracy James Madison and the second war for independence 1808 Election: – After 1800, democratic-republicans had little significant opposition at the national level – federalists only controlled new England Madison’s problem – Jefferson’s embargo expired on madison’s first day in office – Madison inherited an improverised economy – “ impressment” never ended  1500 US ships seized before US declared war – Native American conflict in the west The War of 1812 – Causes – Impressment, civilian ships captive to fight for war – Honor; independence; 1812 felt like 1776 – Free trade – Democrats wanted war; federalists opposed – Military capacity – US had 16 ships, England had 1100 – US had 6500 men; England had 250000 – January 1812 democrats voted to abolish the navy, June 1812, they declared war. – Federalists opposition made anti-war movement the strongest in US history The War – England attacking with superior navy and won victories – British settled for peace since US was too large to occupy – US tried to invade Canada to dissvade British invasion but failed – Federalists held “ Hartford convention” in 1814 protesting the war, 3/5ths and threatened recession Native American War – Tecumseh formed alliance 1807-1810 o Denounce white culture and accommodation o Led raids on settlers o 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe at ft. Raisin  Tecumseh led a surprise attack and won battle, but Harrison manipulated media o Never gained full alliance Native American Conflict – Erupted in 1803. The war of 1812 … tensions – Andrew Jackson, Davey crockey, sam Houston led battles against creeks on Georgia border and won lands in 1814 o Jackson imposed discipline o Treaty of fort Jackson signed august 9, 1814 Battle of New Orleans – Treaty of Ghent signed 12/24/1814 – Jackson led militia to a victory 2 weeks after treaty of Ghent ended the war – War was a stalemate, but New Orleans made it appear as a victory o CONSEQUENCES  Starts quo ante bellum  Jackson was a hero; US thought it won  Federalists were officially ruined because of anti-war stance and ill-hired Hartford convention  The republican experiment worked