US History Textbook 8th Grade Chapter 6 Launching the Nation

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FOCUS ON WRITING
1785
1789
George
Washington
becomes the
first president.
1789
The French
Revolution begins.
CHAPTER
6
1789–1800
Launching
Launching
the Nation
the Nation
192 CHAPTER 6
A Nobel Nomination Every year a few people are
nominated for a Nobel Prize for their work to improve
the world. In this chapter you will read about four great
Americans—Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams.
Then you’ll choose one of these great leaders and write a
Nobel Prize nomination for him.
History–Social Science
8.1 Students understand the major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their significance to the development of
American constitutional democracy.
8.3 Students understand the foundation of the American political
system and the ways in which citizens participate in it.
8.4 Students analyze the aspirations and ideals of the people of the
new nation.
8.5 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy in the early republic.
English–Language Arts
Writing 2.4.a Write persuasive compositions that provide details,
reasons, and examples.
California Standards
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HOLT
18 0 0179 0
1795
1794
The Whiskey
Rebellion begins
in Pennsylvania.
1796
John Adams is
elected president
on December 7.
1793
French
revolutionaries
behead King
Louis XVI.
1795
Native American
leaders sign
the Treaty of
Greenville.
1799
George Washington dies
at Mount Vernon, Virginia,
on December 14.
1799
The Rosetta Stone is discovered
in Egypt. Inscriptions on the stone
make it possible for researchers
to read Egyptian hieroglyphics.
LAUNCHING THE NATION
193
What You Will Learn…
In this chapter you will learn about the first
presidency and how it affected the country.
George Washington began many of the traditions
of the president and of the nation. He is honored
with statues and memorials across the country,
including the Washington Monument in
Washington, D.C.
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of
political parties.
History’s Impact
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194 CHAPTER 00194 CHAPTER 6
Focus on Reading What’s the difference between a good guess
and a weak guess? A good guess is an educated guess. In other words,
the guess is based on some knowledge or information. That’s what an
inference is, an educated guess.
Making Inferences About What You Read To make an inference,
combine information from your reading with what you already know,
and make an educated guess about what it all means. Once you have
made several inferences, you may be able to draw a conclusion that ties
them all together.
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
This chapter, titled
“Launching a Nation,” describes how the early leaders
established this nation’s political and economic
systems. You will read about Washington’s presi-
dency, Hamilton’s plan for fi nancial security for the
nation, the establishment of two parties to elect
the president, and Jefferson’s struggles with both
Washington and Hamilton. Throughout the chapter,
you will see that disagreement often defi ned these
early days.
Geography
PoliticsEconomics
Religion
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Inside the Text
Hamilton ran a
company when he
was just a teenager.
He had a career as
a lawyer.
He became the
Secretary of the
Treasury under
Washington.
Inference Alexander Hamilton was an intelligent, clever, and
dedicated man.
Outside the Text
Running a company
takes intelligence
and cleverness.
Becoming a lawyer
takes dedication.
Washington
probably wanted
someone clever and
capable.
Inferences about History
Steps for Making Inferences
1. Ask a question.
2. Note information “Inside the Text.”
3. Note information “Outside the Text.”
4. Use both sets of information
to make an educated guess, or
inference.
Question What kind of person was Alexander Hamilton?
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
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SECTION TITLE 195LAUNCHING THE NATION 195
ELA
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
As you read Chapter 6, remember that
you need to combine what you already
know with the information in the chapter
to make inferences.
You Try It!
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Economic Differences
Hamilton wanted new forms of economic
growth. He wanted to promote manufactur-
ing and business. He even suggested that the
government award a prize to companies that
made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most inde-
pendent voters . . . Jefferson wanted to help
farmers by keeping the costs of the goods
they bought low. Lower tariffs would help
keep prices low.
From
Chapter 6,
p. 202–203
After you read the passage, answer the following questions.
1. Which two questions can be answered directly from the text
above and which one requires that you make an inference?
a. Who wanted higher tariffs, Hamilton or Jefferson?
b. Why do you think Hamilton and Jefferson had different views
on the importance of manufacturing?
c. Which man wanted to help the farmers?
2. To answer question b, it might help to know that Hamilton lived
in New York City and Jefferson was from the more rural area of
Virginia. Use that information and information in the passage to
explain why one man valued manufacturing more than the other.
Chapter 6
Section 1
electoral college (p. 196)
Martha Washington (p. 196)
precedent (p. 197)
Judiciary Act of 1789 (p. 198)
Section 2
Alexander Hamilton (p. 200)
national debt (p. 200)
bonds (p. 201)
speculators (p. 201)
Thomas Jefferson (p. 201)
loose construction (p. 204)
strict construction (p. 204)
Bank of the United States (p. 204)
Section 3
French Revolution (p. 205)
Neutrality Proclamation (p. 206)
privateers (p. 206)
Jay’s Treaty (p. 207)
Pinckney’s Treaty (p. 207)
Little Turtle (p. 208)
Battle of Fallen Timbers (p. 209)
Treaty of Greenville (p. 209)
Whiskey Rebellion (p. 209)
Section 4
political parties (p. 212)
Federalist Party (p. 212)
Democratic-Republican Party (p. 212)
XYZ affair (p. 214)
Alien and Sedition Acts (p. 215)
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
(p. 215)
Academic Vocabulary
In this chapter, you will learn the
following academic words:
agreement (p. 199)
neutral (p. 206)
ELA
Reading 8.2.0 Read and understand grade-level-appropriate
material.
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The First President
Americans believed in George Washington. They saw him as an hon-
est leader and a hero of the Revolution. Many believed he should be
the fi rst U.S. president. Washington had been looking forward to
retirement and a quiet life on his Virginia farm. When he hesitated
at becoming a candidate for the presidency, his friends convinced
him to run. Fellow politician Gouverneur Morris told him, “Should
the idea prevail [win] that you would not accept the presidency, it
should prove fatal . . . to the new government.” Morris concluded
confi dently, “Of all men, you are the best fi tted to fi ll that offi ce.”
In January 1789 each of the 11 states that had passed the Con-
stitution sent electors to choose the fi rst president. These delegates
formed a group called the
electoral college
electoral college
a body of electors
a body of electors
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president.
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president. The elec-
toral college selected Washington unanimously, and John Adams
became his vice president.
Washington’s wife, First Lady
Martha Washington, entertained
guests and attended social events with her husband. She described the
1
1. In 1789 George Washington
became the first president of
the United States.
2. Congress and the president
organized the executive
and judicial branches of
government.
3. Americans had high expecta-
tions of their new government.
Key Terms and People
George Washington, p. 196
electoral college, p. 196
Martha Washington, p. 196
precedent, p. 197
Judiciary Act of 1789, p. 198
President Washington and
members of Congress established
a new national government.
The Big Idea
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
196 CHAPTER 6
Washington Leads
a New Nation
You are a seamstress in New York City in 1789. You’ve joined the
excited crowd in the streets for inauguration day. Church bells
are ringing, and people are cheering. Even though you were just
a young child during the Revolution, Washington is your hero. Now
you watch as he takes the oath of offi ce. You are proud to see
that he is wearing a suit of American-made cloth.
What would you think America’s future would be
like under President Washington?
BUILDING BACKGROUND George Washington was more than
just a popular war hero. People naturally looked to him as a national
leader. He had taken part in the Continental Congresses and in creat-
ing the Constitution. He helped establish and strengthen the new
national government.
If YOU were there...
HSS
8.1
Students understand the
major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their signifi -
cance to the development of Ameri-
can constitutional democracy.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-3
LAUNCHING THE NATION 197
scene to her niece: “I have not had one half-
hour to myself since the day of my arrival.”
She ran the presidential household with style.
Other women, such as author Judith
Sargent Murray, believed that women needed
to play a greater role in the new nation than
Martha Washington did. Murray, Abigail
Adams, and others believed in Republican
Motherhood, the idea that women played
an important role in teaching their children
to be good citizens.
Some promoters of Republican Mother-
hood did not expect women to participate in
politics or business. Other people, however,
hoped that Republican Motherhood would
lead to greater opportunities for women. They
hoped more women would receive an educa-
tion. Only a few families were willing to pro-
vide much education for their daughters, and
adult women rarely had the time or money to
get an education later in life. Most women in
the early republic faced long days managing
their households and working hard inside or
outside the home to support their families.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was
Washington selected to be president?
Organizing the Government
Hard work also lay ahead for members of
the new government. The new federal gov-
ernment had to create policies and proce-
dures that would determine the future of the
country. As President Washington noted in a
letter to James Madison, “The fi rst of every-
thing in our situation will serve to establish a
precedent.”
A
A
precedent
precedent
is an action or deci-
is an action or deci-
sion that later serves as an example.
sion that later serves as an example.
The First Congress created departments
in the executive branch for different areas
of national policy. Washington met with
the department heads, or cabinet members,
who advised him. For two of his most impor-
tant cabinet positions, Washington chose
carefully. He picked Alexander Hamilton
as secretary of the treasury and Thomas
Jefferson as secretary of state. Henry Knox
served as secretary of war, and Samuel
Osgood was chosen as postmaster general.
Hamilton was a gifted economic planner,
and Jefferson had served as ambassador to
France. Knox had helped Washington run the
Continental Army, and Osgood had govern-
ment experience.
4
3
2
1
5
1
2
3
Henry Knox, secretary of war
Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state
Edmund Randolph, attorney general
Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the
treasury
George Washington, president
Washington’s cabinet members kept him
informed on political matters and debated
important issues with one another. Each of
the men chosen had experience that made
him a wise choice to advise the nation’s first
president. By 1792 cabinet meetings were a
common practice.
The First Cabinet
4
5
ANALYZING VISUALS
How do you think a modern cabinet
meeting might look different from
the one shown here?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
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198 CHAPTER 6
Today we know that presidents have
cabinet meetings with their top advisers.
This practice started during Washington’s
presidency and was common by 1792.
To set up the federal court system and the
courts’ location, Congress passed the
Judiciary
Judiciary
Act of 1789
Act of 1789.
This act created three levels of fed-
This act created three levels of fed-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
tionship to the state courts.
tionship to the state courts. It set up federal
district courts and circuit courts of appeals. The
president nominated candidates for federal
judgeships. Those candidates then had to be
approved or rejected by the Senate. Washington
wrote about the importance of these duties:
I have always been persuaded that the stability
and success of the national government . . . would
depend in a considerable degree on the inter-
pretation and execution of its laws. In my opinion,
therefore, it is important that the judiciary system
should not only be independent in its operations,
but as perfect as possible in its formation.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington, edited by Parry et al.
The basic parts of the federal government
were now in place. Leaders began to face
the challenges of the new nation. Hard work
lay ahead.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What two important precedents were established
for the federal government?
Americans Expectations
of Government
Most Americans had high expectations for
their government. They wanted improved
trade, free from too many restrictions. But
they also expected the government to pro-
tect them and to keep the economy stable.
However, the idea of belonging to one united
nation was new to them.
In 1790 the United States was home to
almost 4 million people. Most Americans
lived in the countryside and worked on farms.
Farmers wanted fair tax laws and the right to
settle western lands. They did not want the
government to interfere with their daily lives.
Other Americans worked in towns as crafts-
people, laborers, or merchants. These people
looked to the government to help their busi-
nesses. Most merchants wanted simpler trade
laws established. Manufacturers wanted laws
to protect them from foreign competitors.
A Rural Nation
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 199
Most cities were small. Only New York
City and Philadelphia had populations larger
than 25,000. New York City was the fi rst capi-
tal of the United States, and it represented the
spirit of the new nation. Although badly dam-
aged during the Revolution, the city had already
begun to recover. Citizens got rid of many signs
of British rule.
New York City had a bustling economy.
International trade and business became more
active. A French visitor to New York City noted
the city’s energy.
Everything in the city is in motion; everywhere
the shops resound [ring out] with the noise of
workers . . . one sees vessels arriving from every
part of the world.
—A French visitor to New York, quoted in New York in the
American Revolution by Wilbur Abbott
In 1792 some 24 stockbrokers signed an
agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall
Street. This agreement was the foundation
for what later became the New York Stock
Exchange. It cemented Wall Street’s image as
the economic hub of the United States.
By 1790 the city’s population had topped
33,000 and was growing rapidly. To many
offi cials, this vibrant city refl ected the poten-
tial future of the new nation. It was thus a
tting place for the capital.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was New York
City chosen as the first capital of the United States?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans, led
by President George Washington, set up
their new government. In the next section
you will read about Alexander Hamilton’s
economic plan.
Today the
New York Stock
Exchange is the
largest market
for securities,
or stocks, in
the world.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What role did the electoral college play
in George Washington’s election to the presidency?
b. Summarize What were some of Martha
Washington’s duties as First Lady?
2. a. Describe What precedent did President
Washington and Congress establish regarding the
executive branch?
b. Explain What was the purpose of the Judiciary
Act of 1789?
c. Evaluate What do you think was the most impor-
tant element of the Judiciary Act of 1789? Why?
3. a. Recall What city served as the fi rst capital of the
United States? Why?
b. Draw Conclusions What expectations did most
Americans have of their government?
Critical Thinking
4. Generalizing Copy the graphic organizer below.
Use it to identify the expectations that farmers
and merchants had of the new U.S. government.
Expectations of
Government
Farmers
Merchants
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Thinking about Washington’s Contributions
In this section you learned some things about
George Washington as president. Jot down
one or two things you could use to support
his nomination for a Nobel Prize.
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
HSS
8.1
Some Americans lived in growing cities like
New York, shown above. However, the new
republic was overwhelmingly rural. Most
Americans lived and worked on farms.
Why might rural Americans and urban
Americans want different things from their
new government?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
agreement
a decision
reached by two
or more people
or groups
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
© Collection of The New-York Historical Society
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You live on a plantation in North Carolina in the 1790s. You have
just heard that the federal government plans to pay most of the
northern states’ debts from the war. Now your neighbors are out-
raged about this idea. It means more taxes and tariffs! New York
and Massachusetts are far away, they say. Why should North
Carolina farmers have to pay northern debts?
Would you pay other states’ war debts? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND Some of the new nation’s biggest prob-
lems were economic. The national and state governments had run
up huge debts during the war. But the proposed solutions to these
problems revealed differences in regional viewpoints. Southern plant-
ers and northern businesspeople had very different views of how the
national economy should develop.
Settling the Debt
Alexander Hamilton seemed born with a head for economics. While
still in his teens, he helped run a shipping company in his native Brit-
ish West Indies. Family friends then sent him to the American colo-
nies for an education. Hamilton eventually married into a wealthy
New York family and began practicing law. He served as Washing-
ton’s aide and as a delegate to four Continental Congresses.
National Debt
As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton’s biggest challenge was pay-
ing off the
national debt
national debt
money owed by the United States
money owed by the United States
from the Revolutionary War. The United States owed about
$11.7 million to foreign countries and about $40.4 million to
U.S. citizens. During the war the government raised money with
bonds.
Bonds
Bonds
are
are
certifi cates
certifi cates
of debt that carry a
of debt that carry a
promise to buy
promise to buy
back the bonds at a higher price
back the bonds at a higher price. But the government could not
afford to keep this promise. Bondholders who needed money sold
2
Hamilton and
National Finances
If YOU were there...
1. Hamilton tackled the prob-
lem of settling national and
state debt.
2. Thomas Jefferson opposed
Hamilton’s views on govern-
ment and the economy.
3. Hamilton created a national
bank to strengthen the U.S.
economy.
Treasury secretary Alexander
Hamilton developed a financial
plan for the national government.
The Big Idea
Key Terms and People
Alexander Hamilton, p. 200
national debt, p. 200
bonds, p. 200
speculators, p. 201
Thomas Jefferson, p. 201
loose construction, p. 204
strict construction, p. 204
Bank of the United States, p. 204
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
200 CHAPTER 6
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
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their bonds for less than the original value
to
speculators
speculators
,
,
or people who buy items at
or people who buy items at
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
and they can sell the items for a profi t.
Hamilton wanted to pay the foreign debt
immediately and gradually repay the total
value of all bonds. The second part of his plan
caused disagreements because paying full
value would allow speculators to make a
profi t. Hamilton thought this was fair. He said,
“He [the speculator] paid what the commod-
ity [bond] was worth . . . and took the risks.”
Thomas Jefferson disagreed. He thought
the idea cheated bondholders who had sold
their bonds at low prices. Jefferson wrote,
“Immense sums were thus fi lched [stolen]
from the poor and ignorant.” But more poli-
ticians agreed with Hamilton. In 1790 the
government exchanged old bonds for new,
more reliable ones that were guaranteed.
States Debts
The states owed $25 million for Revolution-
ary War expenses. Hamilton wanted the
federal government to pay for $21.5 mil-
lion of this debt. Hamilton believed that this
action would help the federal government. He
thought that paying the states’ debts would
help the national economy. Debtor states
would not have to spend so much on repay-
ment and would have money to develop
business and trade. Increased business and
trade would put more money back into the
national economy.
The South, however, did not want to
help the federal government pay the debts of
other states. States such as Virginia and North
Carolina did not have many war debts. They
thought Hamilton’s idea was unfair. Patrick
Henry said he did not believe that the Con-
stitution gave Congress the power to pay
state debts. Hamilton knew that he needed
the help of southern representatives to get
his plan approved.
Moving the Capital
Hamilton also knew that he had something
to bargain with. Southern offi cials wanted
to change the location of the nation’s
capital. Many southerners thought that
having the capital in New York gave the
northern states too much infl uence over
national policy. Hamilton, Jefferson, and
James Madison, a congressman from Virginia,
LAUNCHING THE NATION 201
Alexander Hamilton developed a
three-point plan to solve the nation’s
financial problems.
Deal with the Debt
Take on the foreign and domestic debt by
replacing creditors’ old, low-value bonds
with new, interest-bearing bonds
Take over most of the states’ $25 million
Revolutionary War debts
Gain Revenue
Pass a tariff to both bring in money
and help American manufacturers
Stabilize the Banking System
Create a national bank
Create a national mint
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
1
2
3
would build
investor confidence
in the stability of
the new nation
would free up state
money for business
and trade
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met in June 1790. Hamilton promised to
convince northerners in Congress to move
the capital. Jefferson and Madison agreed to
gather support in the South for Hamilton’s
debt plan.
The compromise worked. The national
capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1791 for
10 years. For the capital’s permanent location,
Washington chose a place on the Potomac
River that included part of both Maryland and
Virginia. The land was made up of swamps
and farms. This site would eventually become
the city of Washington, D.C.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
How did southerners feel about the federal
government paying state war debts, and how
did Hamilton change their minds?
Jefferson Opposes Hamilton
Hamilton and Jefferson did not cooperate for
long. Instead, they began to disagree about
how to defi ne the authority of the central
government. Hamilton believed in a strong
federal government. Jefferson wanted to pro-
tect the powers of the states. Their confl ict
refl ected basic differences in their opinions
about democracy. Hamilton had little faith
in the average individual. He once said that
“the people . . . seldom judge or determine
[decide] right.”
Differing Views
Hamilton wanted a strong central govern-
ment that balanced power between the
“mass of the people” and wealthier citizens.
He believed that his approach would protect
everyone’s liberties while keeping the people
from having too much power.
Jefferson disagreed strongly with Hamil-
ton’s views of the average citizen’s ability to
make decisions for the country. He admitted
that “the people can not be all, and always,
well informed.” However, Jefferson believed
that it was the right of the people to rule
the country.
Economic Differences
Hamilton and Jefferson also fought over how
the country’s economy should grow. Hamil-
ton wanted new forms of economic growth.
He wanted to promote manufacturing,
business, and the future industrialization of
the nation. Hamilton even suggested that
U.S. Capitol in
Washington, D.C.
202 CHAPTER 6
Benjamin
Banneker
(17311806)
Benjamin Banneker was born to
a free African American family
in rural Maryland. He attended
a Quaker school but was largely
self-educated. He was a skilled mathematician
and scientist. His mathematical skills prompted
Thomas Jefferson to give him a job surveying the
land for the new national capital.
Draw Conclusions How was Benjamin
Banneker’s life different from most African
Americans’ of the time?
BIOGRAPHY
Washington, D.C.,
and the surround-
ing areas are home
to more than
7 million people
today. The city
is not only the
nation’s capital
but also a major
tourist attraction.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 203
the government award a prize to companies
that made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most indepen-
dent voters. They did not depend on other
people’s work to make a living.
Jefferson wrote, “Our governments will
remain virtuous [pure] for many centuries; as
long as they are chiefl y agricultural.” Jeffer-
son wanted to help farmers by keeping the
costs of the goods they bought low. Lower
tariffs would help keep prices low.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
the main differences between Hamilton and
Jefferson concerning the power of the nation’s
government?
National Debate
Hamilton’s and Jefferson’s differences became
more and more public in early 1791. The two
men had very different opinions about how
the government should approach its eco-
nomic problems.
Hamiltons Plan for a National Bank
Hamilton wanted to start a national bank
where the government could safely deposit
its money. The bank would also make loans
to the government and businesses to promote
industrialization. Hamilton also thought that
the United States should build a national mint,
a place to make coins. Then the country could
begin issuing its own money.
Hamilton knew that people who wanted
to protect states’ rights might have a strong
reaction to the idea of a national bank, so
he suggested limiting it to a 20-year char-
ter. After that time Congress could decide
whether to extend the charter. Hamil-
ton also asked each state to start its own
bank so the national bank would not have
a monopoly.
POINTS OF VIEW
Role of a Citizen
Alexander Hamilton thought that the average
citizen had no interest in public affairs.
We must take man as we
find him, and if we expect him
to serve the public, [we] must
interest his passions in doing so.
A reliance on pure patriotism
has been the source of many
of our errors.
—Alexander Hamilton,
quoted in Odd Destiny: The
Life of Alexander Hamilton by
Marie B. Hecht
Thomas Jefferson believed that each
citizen could work to better society.
It is my principle that the
will of the Majority should always
prevail [win] . . . Above all things
I hope the education of the com-
mon people will be attended to;
[I am] convinced that on their
good sense we may rely with
the most security for the
preservation of a due
degree of liberty.
—Thomas Jefferson,
from Thomas Jefferson:A
Biography in His Own Words
Primary Source
The U.S. Mint
was established
in 1792 and
now produces
between 11 billion
and 20 billion
coins each year.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
ANALYZING POINTS OF VIEW
How did the views of Hamilton and Jefferson differ?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-10
Section 2 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What economic problems did the
new government face?
b. Summarize What compromise did Alexander
Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison
reach regarding repayment of state debts?
2. a. Identify What disagreement did Jefferson and
Hamilton have over the central government?
b. Draw Conclusions Hamilton was a New Yorker,
while Jefferson was from Virginia. How do you
think that affected their views on the economy?
c. Elaborate Do you agree with Hamilton or
Jefferson regarding the average citizen’s ability
to make decisions for the country? Explain your
answer.
3. a. Recall Why did Jefferson oppose the creation
of the Bank of the United States?
b. Contrast What is the difference between loose
construction and strict construction of the
Constitution?
c. Elaborate Defend Alexander Hamilton’s stance
in favor of the creation of a national bank.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
contrast the ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson
on the topics listed.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about Hamilton
and Jefferson Both Hamilton and Jefferson were
strong leaders who helped shape the government
of the young United States. What could you say
about either of them to support a nomination for
a Nobel Prize?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
204 CHAPTER 6
Jefferson Opposes the Bank
Both Jefferson and Madison believed that
Hamilton’s plans for the economy gave too
much power to the federal government. They
also thought the U.S. Constitution did not
give Congress the power to create a bank. But
Hamilton quoted the elastic clause, which
states that Congress can “make all laws
which shall be necessary and proper” to
govern the nation.
Hamilton declared that the clause allowed
the government to create a national bank.
Hamilton believed in loose construction of
the Constitution.
Loose construction
Loose construction
means
means
that the federal government can take reason-
that the federal government can take reason-
able actions that the Constitution does not
able actions that the Constitution does not
specifi cally forbid
specifi cally forbid.
Jefferson thought that the elastic clause
should be used only in special cases. He wrote
to President Washington, “The Constitution
allows only the means which are ‘necessary,’
not those which are merely ‘convenient.’”
Jefferson believed in strict construction of
the Constitution.
People who favor
People who favor
strict
strict
construction
construction
think that the federal govern-
think that the federal govern-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
tion specifi cally says it can do
tion specifi cally says it can do.
President Washington and Congress
agreed with Hamilton. They hoped a bank
would offer stability for the U.S. economy.
In February 1791 Congress enacted the char-
ter for the
Bank of the United States
Bank of the United States
—the
—the
country’s rst national bank
country’s first national bank. The bank
played an important role in making the U.S.
economy more stable.
READING CHECK
Drawing Conclusions
Why did Congress and the president agree to
create a national bank?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Washington
and Hamilton developed plans for paying
the national debt. In the next section you
will read about the U.S. neutrality policy.
Hamilton Jefferson
Bonds
Democracy
Economy
Tariffs
National Bank
Constitution
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-11
Challenges for
the New Nation
1. The United States tried to
remain neutral regarding
events in Europe.
2. The United States and Native
Americans came into conflict
in the Northwest Territory.
3. The Whiskey Rebellion tested
Washington’s administration.
4. In his Farewell Address, Wash-
ington advised the nation.
The United States faced
significant foreign and domestic
challenges under Washington.
Key Terms and People
French Revolution, p. 205
Neutrality Proclamation, p. 206
privateers, p. 206
Jay’s Treaty, p. 207
Pinckney’s Treaty, p. 207
Little Turtle, p. 208
Battle of Fallen Timbers, p. 209
Treaty of Greenville, p. 209
Whiskey Rebellion, p. 209
The Big Idea
You are the captain of an American merchant ship in the 1790s.
Your ship has just picked up cargo in the French West Indies. You
are headed back to your home port of Philadelphia. Suddenly, a
British warship pulls alongside your ship. Marines swarm aboard.
They order you into the nearest harbor and seize your goods.
How would this incident affect
your views of Great Britain?
BUILDING BACKGROUND As the new nation tried to get organized,
it faced economic problems and internal divisions. Even more difficult
challenges came from conflicts in Europe. The United States could not
avoid being caught up in fighting between France and Great Britain.
Remaining Neutral
Tensions between France and Britain began to build after the French
people rebelled against their king. On July 14, 1789, citizens of Paris
attacked and captured the Bastille, a hated fortress and prison that
stood as a mighty symbol of royal power.
The storming of the Bastille was one of the fi rst acts of the
French Revolution
French Revolution
—a rebellion of French people against their
—a rebellion of French people against their
king in 1789
king in 1789. The French people overthrew their king and created
a republican government.
3
If YOU were there...
What You Will Learn…
SECTION
Main Ideas
LAUNCHING THE NATION 205
French revolutionaries storm the Bastille.
HSS
8.3.5
Know the significance of
domestic resistance movements and
ways in which the central government
responded to such movements (e.g.,
Shays’s Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebel-
lion).
8.4.2 Explain the policy signifi cance
of famous speeches (e.g., Washing-
ton’s Farewell Address, Jefferson’s
1801 Inaugural Address, John Q.
Adams’s Fourth of July 1821 Address).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-12
Time Line
206
Many French citizens had been inspired
to take action by the American Revolution.
Many Americans, in turn, supported the
French Revolution. They thought that France
was creating the same kind of democracy as
the United States.
Some Americans worried about the
French Revolution’s violent riots and attacks
on traditional authority. Revolutionaries
shocked many Americans by beheading King
Louis XVI in January 1793 and Queen Marie-
Antoinette later that year.
A few years after the French Revolution
started, France and Great Britain went to war.
Some Americans supported the French, while
others backed the British. Some wanted to
remain
neutral.
The Neutrality Proclamation
The debate divided Congress and Washing-
ton’s cabinet. Washington presented his opin-
ion to Congress on April 22, 1793:
The duty and interest of the United States
require that they should with sincerity and good
faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and
impartial [unbiased] towards the belligerent
[fi ghting] powers.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington by Parry et al.
This
This
Neutrality Proclamation
Neutrality Proclamation
stated that
stated that
the United States would not take sides with
the United States would not take sides with
any European countries that were at war
any European countries that were at war.
Washington believed his plan was the safest
for the long run, but not everyone agreed.
Some members of Congress criticized
Washington’s ideas. James Madison believed
that the president had gone beyond his
authority. He questioned Washington’s right
to issue the proclamation without the
approval of Congress.
The French Question
France’s new representative to the United
States, Edmond Genet (zhuh-
NAY), asked
American sailors to help France fi ght England
by commanding
privateers
privateers.
Privateers were
Privateers were
private ships hired by a country to attack
private ships hired by a country to attack
its
its
enemies
enemies. Washington told Genet that using
American privateers violated U.S. neutrality.
Jefferson wanted the French revolutionaries
to succeed, but even he agreed that allowing
France to use American privateers against
England was a bad idea.
Jefferson was still upset by U.S. policy
toward France. He believed that the United
States should back France because France had
supported the United States during the Revo-
lutionary War. Hamilton, on the other hand,
was pro-British. He hoped to strengthen trad-
ing ties with Britain—the most powerful trad-
ing nation in the world at the time. Jefferson
thought that Hamilton had too much infl u-
ence on the president’s foreign policy and
that Hamilton consequently interfered with
Jefferson’s role as secretary of state. Jefferson
decided to resign from Washington’s cabinet
in 1793.
The Struggle for Neutrality
July 1789
French citizens
storm the
Bastille.
April 1789 George Washington
becomes president.
October 1790
British-backed
Little Turtle
defeats U.S.
forces under
General Josiah
Harmar.
November 1794
Jays Treaty
sparks protest
throughout the
United States.
April 1793 President Washington
issues the Neutrality Proclamation.
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
neutral
unbiased, not
favoring either
side in a conflict
FOCUS ON
READING
What can you tell
about France
before 1793 using
this paragraph
and what you
already know
about democra-
cies?
178 9 1793
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-13
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7
9
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Gulf of Mexico
31°N
30°N
90°W
80°W
SPANISH
TERRITORY
UNITED STATES
New Orleans
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 -ILES
 +ILOMETERS
LAUNCHING THE NATION 207
Jay’s Treaty
There were other threats to U.S. neutrality.
In late 1793 the British seized ships carrying
food to the French West Indies. Hundreds of
the ships were neutral American merchant
ships. Also, British offi cers were helping
Native Americans fi ght settlers.
Washington wanted to prevent another
war with the British. He sent Chief Justice John
Jay to London to work out a compromise. The
British knew the United States lacked a strong
navy and that U.S. businesses relied heavily
on British trade. However, the British did not
want to fi ght another war in America.
In November 1794 the two sides signed
Jay’s Treaty.
Jay’s Treaty
Jay’s Treaty
settled the disputes
settled the disputes
that had arisen between the United States and
that had arisen between the United States and
Great Britain in the early 1790s
Great Britain in the early 1790s. The British
would pay damages on seized American ships
and abandon their forts on the northwestern
frontier. The United States agreed to pay debts
it owed the British.
The treaty was unpopular and sparked
violent protests. Citizens and congressional
leaders thought the treaty hurt trade and
did not punish Britain enough for some
of its actions. Southerners were especially
angry that the treaty did not ask Britain to
repay them for slaves that Britain had set
free during the Revolutionary War. Wash-
ington did not like the treaty but believed
it was the most that could be done. At
his urging the Senate approved the treaty.
Pinckneys Treaty
American businesses faced problems as well.
The Spanish disputed the border between the
United States and Florida. Spain closed the
port of New Orleans to U.S. trade in 1784.
This hurt the American economy because all
goods moving down the Mississippi to places
in the East or overseas had to pass through
New Orleans.
Washington asked Ambassador Thomas
Pinckney to meet with Spanish offi cials to
discuss the problem. He asked the Spaniards
to reopen New Orleans to U.S. trade. Pinck-
ney also asked for the right of deposit in New
Orleans. This right would allow American
boats to transfer goods in New Orleans with-
out paying cargo fees.
Spanish minister Manuel de Godoy (goh-
THOY) tried to delay reaching an agreement,
hoping Pinckney would become desperate
and sign a treaty that favored the Spanish.
He was worried that the United States and
Great Britain might join against Spain after
signing Jay’s Treaty. Pinckney was patient,
however, and his patience was rewarded.
In October 1795, Godoy agreed to
Pinckney’s
Pinckney’s
Treaty
Treaty
,
,
which settled the border
which settled the border
and trade disputes with Spain.
and trade disputes with Spain. Under the
treaty Spain agreed to recognize the U.S.
southern boundary as 31˚N latitude. Spain’s
government also reopened the port at
August 1795
The Treaty of Greenville
ends fighting in the Northwest Territory.
October 1795 Pinckneys Treaty
reopens the port of New Orleans.
1795
Pinckney’s Treaty
READING TIME LINES
To what extent was President Washington successful
in maintaining American neutrality?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-14
Northwest
T
erritory
Land ceded by
Native Americans
in Treaty of
Greenville (1795)
American victory
Fort
0
50
100 Miles
0
50
100 Kilometers
208 CHAPTER 6
General Wayne Takes Command
In 1792 President Washington gave com-
mand of the army in the West to General
Anthony Wayne. Wayne’s task was to bring
troops to the frontier to fi ght against the
Indians. In 1793 General Wayne arrived in
Ohio. Many of his men were ill from small-
pox and infl uenza, so they were unable to
ght well.
Wayne’s troops moved north and built
Fort Greenville, where they remained
during the winter. They built additional
forts for protection and to have supplies
at hand.
As the summer of 1794 neared, several
Native American groups led by Little Turtle
attacked a supply train near the fort. Wayne
and his men responded. They attacked Native
American towns and burned crops.
The British no longer aided the Native
Americans after this defeat, and Little
Turtle realized that they were outmatched.
He urged his people to seek peace.
New Orleans to American ships and gave them
the right of deposit. Because it opened the
frontier to more expansion, Washington and
most other Americans believed that Pinckney’s
Treaty was a successful compromise.
READING CHECK
Summarizing Why did
President Washington want the United States to
remain neutral?
Conflict in the Northwest
Territory
As the United States dealt with international
confl icts, trouble was also brewing at home.
Americans continued to settle the Northwest
Territory despite Native Americans’ protests.
Supplied by British traders with guns, Native
Americans went to war. In 1790 a Native
American alliance under the command of
Miami chief
Little Turtle defeated U.S. forces
under General Josiah Harmar. Then in 1791,
Native Americans defeated General Arthur
St. Clair’s troops.
Fighting in the Northwest Territory
Interactive Map
ANALYZING VISUALS
What types of weapons were used in the fighting in the
Northwest Territory?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
KEYWORD: SS8 CH6
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-15
LAUNCHING THE NATION 209
the corn. Because cash was rare, whiskey
became like money in their region. The farm-
ers believed that the tax was aimed specifi -
cally at them.
Farmers who produced small amounts
of whiskey for trade argued that they could
not afford the tax. They believed they should
be able to keep the money they had made
from a product they created themselves. Pro-
tests in 1792 led President Washington to
issue a proclamation saying that people had
to obey the law.
Westerners also disliked the fact that cases
about the law were to be tried in a district
court. These courts were usually far away
from the people they affected and were a
great inconvenience to them.
Whiskey Rebellion Is Crushed
The complaints of western Pennsylvanians
were at fi rst expressed peacefully. But by 1794
ghting had broken out.
In what became
In what became
known as the
known as the
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion,
farmers
farmers
lashed out against the tax on whiskey.
lashed out against the tax on whiskey. Protest-
ers refused to pay the tax. They even tarred
and feathered tax collectors. Some called
themselves the new Sons of Liberty.
Incidents of violence spread to other
states. President Washington feared that the
rebels threatened the federal government’s
authority. He believed he needed to make
people understand that the Constitution
gave Congress the right to pass and enforce
the tax.
Washington declared that he could “no lon-
ger remain a passive [inactive] spectator” in the
event. He personally led the army in military
action against the rebellion—the fi rst and only
time an American president has done so. The
army of about 13,000 men approached western
Pennsylvania in November 1794. By this time
most of the rebels had fl ed. The Whiskey Rebel-
lion ended without a battle.
READING CHECK
Supporting a Point of View
Defend the viewpoint of the Pennsylvania farmers
who did not want to pay the whiskey tax.
The trail has been long and bloody; it has no
end. The [whites] . . . are many. They are like the
leaves of the trees. When the frost comes they
fall and are blown away. But when the sunshine
comes again they come back more plentiful
than ever before.
—Little Turtle, quoted in The Ohio Frontier
by Douglas Hurt
The End of Confl ict
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
Wayne’s troops in the
Wayne’s troops in the
Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
and were defeated.
and were defeated. The battle was named for
an area where many trees had been destroyed
by a tornado. Wayne’s forces burned Indians’
villages and fi elds. The strength of Indian
forces in the region was broken.
The frontier war soon ended. In August
1795, Native American leaders signed the
Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville,
which gave the United
which gave the United
States claim to most Indian lands in the
States claim to most Indian lands in the
Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory. The treaty also guaran-
teed the safety of citizens there. In exchange,
Native Americans received $20,000 worth
of goods and an acknowledgment of their
claim to the lands they still held.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
conflicts did the United States face in the late 1700s?
The Whiskey Rebellion
Other confl icts occurred on the frontier. Con-
gress passed a tax on American-made whiskey
in March 1791. The tax was part of Hamilton’s
plan to raise money to help pay the federal
debt. He was also testing the power of the fed-
eral government to control the states’ actions.
Reaction in the West
People in areas such as western Pennsylvania
were bitter about the tax. They were already
angry with the federal government, which
they believed did not protect settlers from
Native American attacks and did not allow
settlers enough opportunities for trade. The
farmers’ corn crops were often made into
whiskey, which was easier to transport than
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-16
210 CHAPTER 6
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
Washington’s Farewell Address
On September 19,1796, President George Washington’s Farewell Address first
appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper. In it, Washington wrote about the nation’s
economy, political parties, and foreign policy.
Primary Source
ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES
1. What events happened before Washington left office that
might have led to his warning against political parties?
2. Why did Washington suggest neutrality as a foreign policy?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
While, then, every part of our country . . . feels an immediate and particular in-
terest in union, all the parts combined cannot fail to find in the united mass . . .
greater strength, greater resource, proportionally greater security from external
danger, [and] a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations; . . .
I have already intimated
1
to you the danger of [political] parties in the state, with
particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations
2
.
Let me now take a more comprehensive
3
view, and warn you in the most solemn
manner against the baneful
4
effects of the spirit of party, generally.
If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification
5
of the constitu-
tional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment . . .
Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general
diffusion
6
of knowledge . . . As the structure of a government gives force to
public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened . . .
[Avoid] likewise the accumulation of debt, . . . not ungenerously throwing upon
posterity
7
the burden, which we ourselves ought to bear . . .
Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate
8
peace and harmony
with all . . .
The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is . . . to have with
them as little political connection as possible.
It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the
foreign world . . . There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate
9
upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion, which experience must
cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred . . . from the obligation
which justice and humanity impose on every nation . . . to maintain inviolate
10
the relations of peace and amity
11
towards other nations.
1
intimated: told
2
discriminations: differences
3
comprehensive: complete
4
baneful: destructive
5
modification: change
6
diffusion: spreading
7
posterity: future generations
8
cultivate: seek
9
calculate: plan
10
inviolate: unchanging
11
amity: friendship
In this phrase,
Washington
emphasizes his
warning against
the dangers of
political parties.
Washington points
out the need for
education.
This is Washington’s
advice to the new nation
about foreign policy.
Washington lists the
benefits of uniting
the states under one
government.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-17
LAUNCHING THE NATION 211
Washington left offi ce warning the nation
to work out its differences and protect its inde-
pendence. Washington also warned against too
much public debt. He thought the government
should try not to borrow money. He wanted
future generations to be protected from debt.
He concluded his speech by looking
forward to his retirement and praising
his country. “I anticipate . . . the sweet enjoy-
ment . . . of good laws under a free govern-
ment, the ever favorite object of my heart.”
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What issues did Washington believe were most
dangerous to the future of the new nation?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans res-
ponded to foreign and domestic confl ict
during Washington’s presidency. In the
next section you will read about the forma-
tion of political parties in the United States
and the presidency of John Adams.
Washington Says Farewell
In 1796 Washington decided not to run for a
third presidential term. He wrote that he was
“tired of public life” and “devoutly [strongly]
wished for retirement.” He also wanted to
remind Americans that the people were the
country’s true leaders.
With the help of Alexander Hamilton and
James Madison, Washington wrote his Farewell
Address. In it he spoke about what he believed
were the greatest dangers to the American
republic. Among these were the dangers of for-
eign ties and political confl icts at home. Wash-
ington warned against forming permanent ties
with other countries because choosing sides
could draw the United States into war.
He also worried about growing politi-
cal confl icts within the nation. Washington
believed that disagreements between politi-
cal groups weakened government. Political
unity, he said, was a key to national success.
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What did Washington’s
Neutrality Proclamation state?
b. Compare and Contrast In what ways were Jay’s
Treaty and Pinckney’s Treaty similar and different?
2. a. Identify Who were the leaders of American
Indian and U.S. forces in the confl ict in the North-
west Territory?
b. Predict What are some possible consequences
of the Treaty of Greenville for American Indians in
the Northwest Territory?
3. a. Recall Why did Congress tax American-made
whiskey?
b. Explain How did the tax lead to the Whiskey
Rebellion?
c. Elaborate Why do you think that President
Washington personally led the army against west-
erners in the Whiskey Rebellion?
4. a. Describe What warnings did Washington give
the nation in his Farewell Address?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Washington not
run for a third term as president?
Critical Thinking
5. Categorizing Copy the graphic organizer below
and use it to identify the causes and effects of con-
ict in the Northwest Territory.
Causes
Effects
FOCUS ON WRITING
6. Thinking about Washington, Hamilton, and
Jefferson In this section you read about the
activities of these three men during a diffi cult
time for our country. What did you learn that
you could add to a Nobel Prize nomination for
any of these leaders?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.5,
8.4.2
Confl ict in the
Northwest Territory
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-18
You are a newspaper editor in Virginia in 1798. You’ve joined Jef-
ferson’s political party, which opposes the new president. In fact,
your paper has printed many articles that criticize him, calling him
greedy and foolish. You believe thats your right in a free country.
But now Congress has passed a law that makes it illegal to criticize
the government. You could be arrested for your articles!
Would you stop criticizing the government? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND People within the new United States
had differing viewpoints on many issues. Personal rivalries among
political leaders also created divisions in the new nation. Trying to
limit dissent in the country, the federal government passed several
unpopular laws.
The Election of 1796
The election of 1796 began a new era in U.S. politics. For the fi rst
time, more than one candidate ran for president.
Political parties
Political parties,
groups that help elect people and shape policies
groups that help elect people and shape policies, had begun to form
during Washington’s presidency. Despite Washington’s warnings
about political parties, the rivalry between two parties dominated
the 1796 election.
Alexander Hamilton helped found the
Federalist Party
Federalist Party,
which
which
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
trade
trade. The Federalists chose John Adams and Thomas Pinckney as
candidates. Adams knew he was not well liked in the South or the
West, but he hoped people would support him after they thought
about his years of loyal public service.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison founded the
Democratic-
Democratic-
Republican Party
Republican Party.
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
the federal government
the federal government
s power
s power. (This party is not related to today’s
Republican Party.) They chose Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr as
their candidates.
SECTION
4
What You Will Learn…
If YOU were there...
John Adamss
Presidency
212 CHAPTER 6
Key Terms
political parties, p. 212
Federalist Party, p. 212
Democratic-Republican Party, p. 212
XYZ affair, p. 214
Alien and Sedition Acts, p. 215
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions,
p. 215
The development of political par-
ties in the United States contrib-
uted to differing ideas about the
role of the federal government.
The Big Idea
1. The rise of political parties
created competition in the
election of 1796.
2. The XYZ affair caused
problems for President
John Adams.
3. Controversy broke out over
the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Main Ideas
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-19
TERRITORY
NORTHWEST
OF OHIO RIVER
SOUTHWEST
TERRITORY
VT
4
NH
6
MA
16
NY
12
CT
9
RI
4
PA
DR-14
F-1
NJ
7
DE
3
MD
DR-4
F-7
VA
DR-20
F-1
NC
DR-11
F-1
SC
8
GA
4
KY
4
TN
3
70°W
90°W
N
S
W
E
INTERPRETING MAPS
John Adams John Jay
0
150
300 Miles
0
150
300 Kilometers
Federalist
(Adams)
Democratic-
Republican
(Jefferson)
Number of
electoral votes
11
LAUNCHING THE NATION 213
President Adams and the
XYZ Affair
John Adams had the challenging task of fol-
lowing Washington as president. The people
had adored Washington. Adams would have
to work hard to win the people’s trust.
A New President
At fi rst glance, John Adams did not appear
well suited for the presidency. Although
Adams had been a leading Patriot dur-
ing the American Revolution and had
later served as a foreign diplomat, he lacked
Washington’s dignity, and most people
saw him as a cold and distant person. Still,
many people—even his opponents—respected
Adams. They recognized his hard work,
honesty, and intelligence.
Party differences were based partly on
where and how people lived. Businesspeople
in the cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. Both sides
attacked each other. Republicans called Adams
a royalist—an insult to a man so involved in
the Revolution. The Federalists accused the
Republicans of favoring the French.
In the end, Adams defeated Jefferson.
At the time, the person who came in sec-
ond in a presidential election became vice
president. So, after months of campaigning
against one another, Adams and Jefferson
took offi ce together.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
How did the election of 1796 change the nature
of politics in the United States?
The First Political Parties, 1796
Alexander Hamilton
Republicans/South
Thomas Jefferson James Madison Albert Gallatin
Federalists/North
Region Which political party had
more electoral votes in 1796?
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
11
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-20
214 CHAPTER 6
The United States and France
One of Adams’s fi rst goals as president was to
improve the relationship between the United
States and France. You may remember that
the French had once tried to hire American
privateers to help them fi ght Great Britain, a
practice Washington frowned upon. Adams
sent U.S. diplomats to Paris to smooth over
the confl ict and to negotiate a treaty to pro-
tect U.S. shipping.
When the diplomats arrived in France,
they learned that French foreign minister
Talleyrand would not speak with them. Instead,
they had a strange and secret visit from three
French agents. Shockingly, the agents said that
Talleyrand would discuss a treaty only in
exchange for a $250,000 bribe. The French
government also wanted a loan of $12 mil-
lion. The amazed diplomats refused these
demands.
In March 1798 President Adams told
Congress that the peace-seeking mission had
failed. He described the French terms, substi-
tuting the letters X, Y, and Z for the names
of the French agents. Upon hearing the dis-
graceful news, Federalists in Congress called
for war with France.
The
The
XYZ affair
XYZ affair,
as the French demand
as the French demand
for a bribe came to be
for a bribe came to be
called
called, outraged the
American public. “Millions for defense, but
not one cent for tribute!” became the rally-
ing cry of the American people.
Preparations for War
Fearing war, Adams asked Congress to expand
the navy to a fl eet of more than 30 ships. He
thought war with France might be unavoid-
able. He also decided the United States should
keep a peacetime army. Congress approved
both measures.
Although Adams had asked Congress for
military support, he did not want to go to war
with France. He was worried about its cost. So
he did not ask Congress to declare war. Instead,
he tried to reopen peace talks with France.
Peace Efforts
Adams’s decision not to declare war stunned
Federalists. Despite intense pressure from
members of his own party, Adams refused to
change his mind.
American and French ships, however,
began fi ghting each other in the Caribbean.
Adams sent a representative to France to
engage in talks to try to end the fi ghting. The
United States and France eventually signed a
treaty. Adams then forced two members of
his cabinet to resign for trying to block his
peace efforts.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
What did Americans mean when they said
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”?
Why do you think this
man is encouraging the
woman to look away?
These people aren’t
helping the woman. What
do you think the cartoon
is suggesting by this?
POLITICAL CARTOON
After the XYZ affair, French ships continued to attack American
merchant ships. In this cartoon, the United States is repre-
sented by the woman. The men, symbolizing the French, are
taking valuables from her. The people in the distance are
other European nations.
Primary Source
INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS
How does the cartoon show that America is being
preyed upon by the French?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 215
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Many Democratic-Republicans continued to
sympathize with France. Federalists, angered
by their stand, called them “democrats, mob-
ocrats, and all other kinds of rats.”
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
gress passed four laws known together as the
gress passed four laws known together as the
Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien and Sedition Acts.
These laws were said
These laws were said
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
The most controversial was the Sedition Act,
which forbade anyone from publishing or
voicing criticism of the federal government.
In effect, this cancelled basic protections of
freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The two main Democratic-Republican
leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madi-
son, viewed these acts as a misuse of the gov-
ernment’s power. Attacking the problem at
the state level, they wrote resolutions passed
by the Kentucky legislature in 1798 and in
Virginia in 1799. Known as the
Kentucky
Kentucky
and Virginia Resolutions
and Virginia Resolutions,
these documents
these documents
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
unconstitutional.
unconstitutional. They stated that the federal
government could not pass these acts because
they interfered with state government. Madi-
son and Jefferson pressured Congress to
repeal the Alien and Sedition Acts. Congress
did not, although it allowed the acts to expire
within a few years.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
did not have the force of national law, but
they supported the idea that states could
challenge the federal government. This idea
would grow to have a tremendous impact on
American history later in the 1800s.
READING CHECK
Analyzing How did the
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support the
rights of states?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Political par-
ties formed to refl ect different viewpoints.
In the next chapter you will read about
Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.
Section 4 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Recall What two political parties emerged
before the election of 1796? Who were the
founders of each party?
b. Analyze What effect did political parties have
on the election of 1796?
c. Elaborate Do you think it was diffi cult for
Adams and Jefferson to serve together as presi-
dent and vice president? Explain your answer.
2. a. Recall What was one of Adams’s fi rst goals as
president?
b. Make Inferences Why were Federalists
shocked by Adams’s decision to resume peace
talks with the French?
3. a. Identify What did the Alien and Sedition Acts
state?
b. Explain What idea regarding states’ rights did
the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support?
c. Elaborate Would you have supported the Alien
and Sedition Acts? Explain your answer.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
identify the differences between the two political
parties that emerged in the late 1700s.
Democratic-Republican Party
Federalist Party
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about John Adams
Take some notes about John Adams’s contribu-
tions that would support his nomination for the
Nobel Prize. Then begin to compare and contrast
all four leaders you have studied in this chapter.
Which one will you nominate?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-22
Social Studies Skills
Analysis Critical Thinking
Define the Skill
Democracy is one of the most valued principles of
American society. It is based on the idea that the
members of society, or representatives they choose,
make the decisions that affect society. Decision-
making would be much more effi cient if just
one person decided what to do and how to do it.
However, that method is not at all democratic.
Making decisions as a group is a complicated
and diffi cult skill. However, it is an important one
at all levels of society—from governing the nation
to making group decisions at school, in the commu-
nity, and with your friends. At every level, the skill
is based on the ability of the group’s members to
interact in effective and cooperative ways.
Learn the Skill
Think about the job the fi rst Congress faced after
the Constitution was ratifi ed. The nation was still
millions of dollars in debt from the Revolutionary
War. Congress had to fi nd a way to pay these debts
as well as raise money to run the government.
Leaders like Jefferson and Hamilton had ideas
about how to accomplish these goals. However,
neither man could act alone. In a democracy the
group—in this case Congress—must make the deci-
sions and take the actions.
This task was complicated by the fact that
Jefferson and Hamilton disagreed on what to do.
Each man’s supporters in Congress pushed his point
of view. Fortunately, its members were able to over-
come their differences, compromise on goals and
actions, and accept group decisions they might not
have agreed with personally. Had they not possessed
Making Group Decisions
this ability and skill, the nation’s early years might
have been even more diffi cult than they were.
Like that fi rst Congress, being part of an effec-
tive group requires that you behave in certain ways.
1
Be an active member. Take part in setting
the group’s goals and in making its decisions.
Participate in planning and taking group action.
2
Take a position. State your views and work
to persuade other members to accept them.
However, also be open to negotiating and com-
promising to settle differences within the group.
3
Be willing to take charge if leadership is
needed. But also be willing to follow the lead-
ership of other members.
Practice the Skill
Suppose that you are a member of the fi rst
Congress. With a group of classmates, you must
decide what and who should be taxed to raise the
money the government needs. Remember that you
are an elected offi cial. If you do something to upset
the people, you could lose your job. When your
group has fi nished, answer the following questions.
1. Did your group have a plan for completing
its task? Did it discuss what taxes to pass?
Compared to other members, how much did
you take part in those activities?
2. How well did your group work together? What
role did you play in that? Was it a positive con-
tribution or a negative one? Explain.
3. Was your group able to make a decision? If not,
why? If so, was compromise involved? Do you
support the decision? Explain why or why not.
216 CHAPTER 6
Participation
Study
HSS
Participation Skill Develop group
interaction skills.
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 217LAUNCHING THE NATION 217
CHAPTER
6
Reviewing Vocabulary, Terms,
and People
Complete each sentence by fi lling in the blank with the
correct term or person.
1. The _______________ established the structure of
the federal court system and its relationship to
state courts.
2. Federalists angered many Republicans when
they passed the ________________ to protect the
United States from traitors.
3. As president, Washington was able to establish
several ___________, or decisions that serve as
examples for later action.
4. Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested
taxes in the _____________.
5. The ________________ was created in order to
strengthen the U.S. economy.
Comprehension and
Critical Thinking
SECTION 1 (Pages 196–199)
HSS
8.1
6. a. Recall What precedents did President Wash-
ington and Congress establish for the executive
and judicial branches?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Americans select
George Washington as their first president?
c. Evaluate Do you think the newly established
government met the expectations of its citizens?
Why or why not?
SECTION 2
(Pages 200–204)
HSS
8.3.4
7. a. Identify What changes did Alexander Hamil-
ton make to the national economy?
b. Contrast In what ways did Hamilton and Jef-
ferson disagree on the economy?
c. Evaluate Which of Hamilton’s economic
plans do you think was the most important to
the new nation? Why?
Standards Review
Use the visual summary below to help you review the main
ideas of the chapter.
Visual
Summary
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-24
SECTION 3 (Pages 205–211)
HSS
8.3.5, 8.4.2
8. a. Describe What challenges did the nation face
during Washington’s presidency?
b. Make Inferences Why did Washington
believe that it was important for the United
States to remain neutral in foreign conflicts?
c. Evaluate Rate the success of Washington’s
presidency. Explain the reasons for your rating.
SECTION 4
(Pages 212–215)
HSS
8.3.4
9. a. Describe What role did political parties play
in the election of 1796?
b. Analyze How did the Alien and Sedition Acts
create division among some Americans?
c. Predict How might the political attacks between
the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties
lead to problems in the future?
Reviewing Themes
10. Economics What economic problems troubled
the nation at the beginning of Washington’s
presidency? How were they solved?
11. Politics How did the creation of political parties
change politics in the United States?
Using the Internet
KEYWORD: SS8 US6
12. Activity: Creating a Poster In 1798 war with
France seemed on the horizon. The Federalist-
controlled Congress passed a law that made it
a crime to criticize the government in print. In
1971 war raged in Vietnam and the president
used a court order to stop publication of infor-
mation critical of the government’s actions in
Vietnam. What do these events have in com-
mon? Enter the activity keyword. Then research
the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Pentagon
Papers case during the Vietnam War. Create a
poster to display your information and to illus-
trate the connection between a free press and a
democratic society.
Reading Skills
Understanding Assumptions by Inferring Use the
Reading Skills taught in this chapter to answer the ques-
tion about the reading selection below.
Party differences were based partly on where
and how people lived. Businesspeople in the
cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. (p. 213)
13. Which of the following statements can be
inferred from the selection?
a. Farmers wanted a large federal government.
b. Urban Americans were usually Republicans.
c. Merchants supported John Adams.
d. People in the cities had different concerns
than did the rural population.
Social Studies Skills
Making Group Decisions Use the Social Studies Skills
taught in this chapter to answer the questions below.
Get together with a group of three or four
students and discuss the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Answer the following questions individually and
as a group.
14. Do you think that limits were needed on Ameri-
cans’ speeches and printed articles at the time?
15. What other ideas might Congress have consid-
ered to solve the problem of disagreement?
FOCUS ON WRITING
16. Writing a Nobel Nomination Now that you’ve
chosen your nominee for the Nobel Prize, you
can start to write your nomination. Begin with
a sentence that identifies the person you are
nominating. Then give at least three reasons for
your nomination. Each reason should include a
specific achievement or contribution of this per-
son. End your nomination with a sentence that
sums up your reasons for nominating this person
for the Nobel Prize. Be persuasive. You need to
convince the Nobel Prize committee that this
person deserves the prize more than anyone else
in the world!
218 CHAPTER 6
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 219
DIRECTIONS: Read each question and write the
letter of the best response.
!
Increase the federal government·s power
so it can provide strong leadership.
Allow the federal government to pay the
states· Revolutionary War debts.
Encourage the growth of American
manufacturing and business.
Create a national bank that could make
loans to the government and to business.
Which early leader would have been most
opposed to such ideas?
A John Adams
B Alexander Hamilton
C Thomas Jefferson
D George Washington
@
In the 1790s, most Americans
A lived in the countryside and worked on family
farms.
B lived in small towns and worked as laborers or
craftspeople.
C lived in cities and worked as laborers, crafts-
people, or merchants.
D lived west of the Appalachian Mountains or
wanted to move West.
#
In his Farewell Address in 1796, President
Washington advised Americans of
A the nation·s need for a national bank.
B his fear of a British invasion to end American
independence.
C his wish that the offi ce of president be given
more power.
D the dangers of ties with foreign nations.
$
President Washington demonstrated the
government’s power under the new Consti-
tution to enforce federal law in the way he
handled the
A Whiskey Rebellion.
B Alien and Sedition Acts.
C XYZ affair.
D Judiciary Act of 1789.
%
The two-party system that exists in American
politics today fi rst arose during the election
of which president?
A George Washington
B John Adams
C Thomas Jefferson
D James Madison
Connecting with Past Learning
^
The war between Great Britain and France
that raged during the presidencies of Wash-
inton and Adams was one of many confl icts
between those two nations. Earlier wars
between them included
A the War of the Roses.
B the Glorious Revolution.
C the Hundred Years· War.
D the Crusades.
&
In Grade 7 you learned about Martin Luthers
protest of the way in which the Catholic
Church raised money. Which event in the
United States was also a protest against
methods of raising money?
A the XYZ affair
B Washington·s Farewell Address
C the Judiciary Act of 1789
D the Whiskey Rebellion
Standards Assessment
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-26
220 UNIT 2
Assignment
Write a paper explaining how
the federal system balances
power among the legisla-
tive, executive, and judicial
branches of government.
Explaining a
Political Process
H
ow do you register to vote? What is the difference
between a civil court and a federal court? When we
want to know about a process or system of our govern-
ment, we often turn to written explanations.
1. Prewrite
Considering Purpose and Audience
In this assignment, you will be writing for an audience of middle
school students. You’ll need to
identify questions they might have about the process or system
identify factors or details that might confuse them
As you plan your paper, keep your audience in mind.
Collecting and Organizing the Information
The big idea, or thesis, of your explanation will be that the federal sys-
tem balances the power among the three branches of government. To
collect information about each branch and its powers, you can use a
chart like the one on the left. Be sure to note the relationships among
the parts. Also, note the important characteristics of each part. When
you have completed the chart, you will have the basic organization of
your paper.
2. Write
You can use this framework to help you write your first draft.
TIP
Using a Graphic Organizer
A chart like the following can help
you organize the body of your
explanation.
Introduction
State the big idea of your paper.
Explain briefly why this topic is
important to the reader.
Body
Identify the important characteristics
of each part of the process or system.
Explain any relationships between or
among the parts.
Define terms your readers might
not know.
Where appropriate, include graphics
to illustrate your explanation.
Conclusion
Restate your big idea in different
words.
Summarize your main points.
A Writer’s Framework
Legislative Executive Judicial
ELA
Writing 8.2.6 Write technical
documents.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-27
3. Evaluate and Revise
Evaluating
Clear, straightforward language is important when explaining how
things work. Use the following questions to discover ways to improve
your paper.
Evaluation Questions for an Explanation of a Process or System
Does your big-idea statement
accurately reflect your explanation
of the process or system?
Do you discuss each part of the
process or system in logical order?
Do you include details and
information to explain each part of
the process or system?
If you used bulleted or numbered
lists, are the items parallel—that is,
do they have the same grammatical
forms or structures?
Does your conclusion restate your
big idea and explain the importance
of your topic?
Revising
Sometimes a complex explanation sounds even more complex when
you try to explain it in a paragraph. In those cases, a bulleted list of
facts or examples may make it easier for your readers to understand
the information you are presenting. As you revise your paper, consider
whether you have any information you should put in a bulleted list.
4. Proofread and Publish
Proofreading
If you use special formatting in your paper, it is important to make
sure that it is consistent. Here are some things to check:
If you have used boldface or italic type, have you always used it
in the same way—for important information, for a heading, for a
technical term?
If you have used a list of items, have you consistently used num-
bers or bullets?
Publishing
Since you are writing this paper for students, you might find a student
in the sixth or seventh grade to read it. Find out whether your expla-
nation seems clear and interesting.
5. Practice and Apply
Use the steps and strategies outlined in this workshop to write your
explanation of a process or system.
TIP
Using Bulleted Lists The
items in a bulleted list should be
in the same grammatical forms or
structures.
Not the same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpret laws
overseeing lower courts
The same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpreting laws
overseeing lower courts
A NEW NATION
221
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX PDF
FOCUS ON WRITING
1785
1789
George
Washington
becomes the
first president.
1789
The French
Revolution begins.
CHAPTER
6
1789–1800
Launching
Launching
the Nation
the Nation
192 CHAPTER 6
A Nobel Nomination Every year a few people are
nominated for a Nobel Prize for their work to improve
the world. In this chapter you will read about four great
Americans—Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams.
Then you’ll choose one of these great leaders and write a
Nobel Prize nomination for him.
History–Social Science
8.1 Students understand the major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their significance to the development of
American constitutional democracy.
8.3 Students understand the foundation of the American political
system and the ways in which citizens participate in it.
8.4 Students analyze the aspirations and ideals of the people of the
new nation.
8.5 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy in the early republic.
English–Language Arts
Writing 2.4.a Write persuasive compositions that provide details,
reasons, and examples.
California Standards
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Download
HOLT
18 0 0179 0
1795
1794
The Whiskey
Rebellion begins
in Pennsylvania.
1796
John Adams is
elected president
on December 7.
1793
French
revolutionaries
behead King
Louis XVI.
1795
Native American
leaders sign
the Treaty of
Greenville.
1799
George Washington dies
at Mount Vernon, Virginia,
on December 14.
1799
The Rosetta Stone is discovered
in Egypt. Inscriptions on the stone
make it possible for researchers
to read Egyptian hieroglyphics.
LAUNCHING THE NATION
193
What You Will Learn…
In this chapter you will learn about the first
presidency and how it affected the country.
George Washington began many of the traditions
of the president and of the nation. He is honored
with statues and memorials across the country,
including the Washington Monument in
Washington, D.C.
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of
political parties.
History’s Impact
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX PDF Download
194 CHAPTER 00194 CHAPTER 6
Focus on Reading What’s the difference between a good guess
and a weak guess? A good guess is an educated guess. In other words,
the guess is based on some knowledge or information. That’s what an
inference is, an educated guess.
Making Inferences About What You Read To make an inference,
combine information from your reading with what you already know,
and make an educated guess about what it all means. Once you have
made several inferences, you may be able to draw a conclusion that ties
them all together.
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
This chapter, titled
“Launching a Nation,” describes how the early leaders
established this nation’s political and economic
systems. You will read about Washington’s presi-
dency, Hamilton’s plan for fi nancial security for the
nation, the establishment of two parties to elect
the president, and Jefferson’s struggles with both
Washington and Hamilton. Throughout the chapter,
you will see that disagreement often defi ned these
early days.
Geography
PoliticsEconomics
Religion
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Inside the Text
Hamilton ran a
company when he
was just a teenager.
He had a career as
a lawyer.
He became the
Secretary of the
Treasury under
Washington.
Inference Alexander Hamilton was an intelligent, clever, and
dedicated man.
Outside the Text
Running a company
takes intelligence
and cleverness.
Becoming a lawyer
takes dedication.
Washington
probably wanted
someone clever and
capable.
Inferences about History
Steps for Making Inferences
1. Ask a question.
2. Note information “Inside the Text.”
3. Note information “Outside the Text.”
4. Use both sets of information
to make an educated guess, or
inference.
Question What kind of person was Alexander Hamilton?
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-1
SECTION TITLE 195LAUNCHING THE NATION 195
ELA
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
As you read Chapter 6, remember that
you need to combine what you already
know with the information in the chapter
to make inferences.
You Try It!
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Economic Differences
Hamilton wanted new forms of economic
growth. He wanted to promote manufactur-
ing and business. He even suggested that the
government award a prize to companies that
made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most inde-
pendent voters . . . Jefferson wanted to help
farmers by keeping the costs of the goods
they bought low. Lower tariffs would help
keep prices low.
From
Chapter 6,
p. 202–203
After you read the passage, answer the following questions.
1. Which two questions can be answered directly from the text
above and which one requires that you make an inference?
a. Who wanted higher tariffs, Hamilton or Jefferson?
b. Why do you think Hamilton and Jefferson had different views
on the importance of manufacturing?
c. Which man wanted to help the farmers?
2. To answer question b, it might help to know that Hamilton lived
in New York City and Jefferson was from the more rural area of
Virginia. Use that information and information in the passage to
explain why one man valued manufacturing more than the other.
Chapter 6
Section 1
electoral college (p. 196)
Martha Washington (p. 196)
precedent (p. 197)
Judiciary Act of 1789 (p. 198)
Section 2
Alexander Hamilton (p. 200)
national debt (p. 200)
bonds (p. 201)
speculators (p. 201)
Thomas Jefferson (p. 201)
loose construction (p. 204)
strict construction (p. 204)
Bank of the United States (p. 204)
Section 3
French Revolution (p. 205)
Neutrality Proclamation (p. 206)
privateers (p. 206)
Jay’s Treaty (p. 207)
Pinckney’s Treaty (p. 207)
Little Turtle (p. 208)
Battle of Fallen Timbers (p. 209)
Treaty of Greenville (p. 209)
Whiskey Rebellion (p. 209)
Section 4
political parties (p. 212)
Federalist Party (p. 212)
Democratic-Republican Party (p. 212)
XYZ affair (p. 214)
Alien and Sedition Acts (p. 215)
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
(p. 215)
Academic Vocabulary
In this chapter, you will learn the
following academic words:
agreement (p. 199)
neutral (p. 206)
ELA
Reading 8.2.0 Read and understand grade-level-appropriate
material.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-2
The First President
Americans believed in George Washington. They saw him as an hon-
est leader and a hero of the Revolution. Many believed he should be
the fi rst U.S. president. Washington had been looking forward to
retirement and a quiet life on his Virginia farm. When he hesitated
at becoming a candidate for the presidency, his friends convinced
him to run. Fellow politician Gouverneur Morris told him, “Should
the idea prevail [win] that you would not accept the presidency, it
should prove fatal . . . to the new government.” Morris concluded
confi dently, “Of all men, you are the best fi tted to fi ll that offi ce.”
In January 1789 each of the 11 states that had passed the Con-
stitution sent electors to choose the fi rst president. These delegates
formed a group called the
electoral college
electoral college
a body of electors
a body of electors
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president.
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president. The elec-
toral college selected Washington unanimously, and John Adams
became his vice president.
Washington’s wife, First Lady
Martha Washington, entertained
guests and attended social events with her husband. She described the
1
1. In 1789 George Washington
became the first president of
the United States.
2. Congress and the president
organized the executive
and judicial branches of
government.
3. Americans had high expecta-
tions of their new government.
Key Terms and People
George Washington, p. 196
electoral college, p. 196
Martha Washington, p. 196
precedent, p. 197
Judiciary Act of 1789, p. 198
President Washington and
members of Congress established
a new national government.
The Big Idea
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
196 CHAPTER 6
Washington Leads
a New Nation
You are a seamstress in New York City in 1789. You’ve joined the
excited crowd in the streets for inauguration day. Church bells
are ringing, and people are cheering. Even though you were just
a young child during the Revolution, Washington is your hero. Now
you watch as he takes the oath of offi ce. You are proud to see
that he is wearing a suit of American-made cloth.
What would you think America’s future would be
like under President Washington?
BUILDING BACKGROUND George Washington was more than
just a popular war hero. People naturally looked to him as a national
leader. He had taken part in the Continental Congresses and in creat-
ing the Constitution. He helped establish and strengthen the new
national government.
If YOU were there...
HSS
8.1
Students understand the
major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their signifi -
cance to the development of Ameri-
can constitutional democracy.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-3
LAUNCHING THE NATION 197
scene to her niece: “I have not had one half-
hour to myself since the day of my arrival.”
She ran the presidential household with style.
Other women, such as author Judith
Sargent Murray, believed that women needed
to play a greater role in the new nation than
Martha Washington did. Murray, Abigail
Adams, and others believed in Republican
Motherhood, the idea that women played
an important role in teaching their children
to be good citizens.
Some promoters of Republican Mother-
hood did not expect women to participate in
politics or business. Other people, however,
hoped that Republican Motherhood would
lead to greater opportunities for women. They
hoped more women would receive an educa-
tion. Only a few families were willing to pro-
vide much education for their daughters, and
adult women rarely had the time or money to
get an education later in life. Most women in
the early republic faced long days managing
their households and working hard inside or
outside the home to support their families.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was
Washington selected to be president?
Organizing the Government
Hard work also lay ahead for members of
the new government. The new federal gov-
ernment had to create policies and proce-
dures that would determine the future of the
country. As President Washington noted in a
letter to James Madison, “The fi rst of every-
thing in our situation will serve to establish a
precedent.”
A
A
precedent
precedent
is an action or deci-
is an action or deci-
sion that later serves as an example.
sion that later serves as an example.
The First Congress created departments
in the executive branch for different areas
of national policy. Washington met with
the department heads, or cabinet members,
who advised him. For two of his most impor-
tant cabinet positions, Washington chose
carefully. He picked Alexander Hamilton
as secretary of the treasury and Thomas
Jefferson as secretary of state. Henry Knox
served as secretary of war, and Samuel
Osgood was chosen as postmaster general.
Hamilton was a gifted economic planner,
and Jefferson had served as ambassador to
France. Knox had helped Washington run the
Continental Army, and Osgood had govern-
ment experience.
4
3
2
1
5
1
2
3
Henry Knox, secretary of war
Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state
Edmund Randolph, attorney general
Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the
treasury
George Washington, president
Washington’s cabinet members kept him
informed on political matters and debated
important issues with one another. Each of
the men chosen had experience that made
him a wise choice to advise the nation’s first
president. By 1792 cabinet meetings were a
common practice.
The First Cabinet
4
5
ANALYZING VISUALS
How do you think a modern cabinet
meeting might look different from
the one shown here?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-4
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0OPULATION
2URAL

5RBAN

198 CHAPTER 6
Today we know that presidents have
cabinet meetings with their top advisers.
This practice started during Washington’s
presidency and was common by 1792.
To set up the federal court system and the
courts’ location, Congress passed the
Judiciary
Judiciary
Act of 1789
Act of 1789.
This act created three levels of fed-
This act created three levels of fed-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
tionship to the state courts.
tionship to the state courts. It set up federal
district courts and circuit courts of appeals. The
president nominated candidates for federal
judgeships. Those candidates then had to be
approved or rejected by the Senate. Washington
wrote about the importance of these duties:
I have always been persuaded that the stability
and success of the national government . . . would
depend in a considerable degree on the inter-
pretation and execution of its laws. In my opinion,
therefore, it is important that the judiciary system
should not only be independent in its operations,
but as perfect as possible in its formation.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington, edited by Parry et al.
The basic parts of the federal government
were now in place. Leaders began to face
the challenges of the new nation. Hard work
lay ahead.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What two important precedents were established
for the federal government?
Americans Expectations
of Government
Most Americans had high expectations for
their government. They wanted improved
trade, free from too many restrictions. But
they also expected the government to pro-
tect them and to keep the economy stable.
However, the idea of belonging to one united
nation was new to them.
In 1790 the United States was home to
almost 4 million people. Most Americans
lived in the countryside and worked on farms.
Farmers wanted fair tax laws and the right to
settle western lands. They did not want the
government to interfere with their daily lives.
Other Americans worked in towns as crafts-
people, laborers, or merchants. These people
looked to the government to help their busi-
nesses. Most merchants wanted simpler trade
laws established. Manufacturers wanted laws
to protect them from foreign competitors.
A Rural Nation
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-5
LAUNCHING THE NATION 199
Most cities were small. Only New York
City and Philadelphia had populations larger
than 25,000. New York City was the fi rst capi-
tal of the United States, and it represented the
spirit of the new nation. Although badly dam-
aged during the Revolution, the city had already
begun to recover. Citizens got rid of many signs
of British rule.
New York City had a bustling economy.
International trade and business became more
active. A French visitor to New York City noted
the city’s energy.
Everything in the city is in motion; everywhere
the shops resound [ring out] with the noise of
workers . . . one sees vessels arriving from every
part of the world.
—A French visitor to New York, quoted in New York in the
American Revolution by Wilbur Abbott
In 1792 some 24 stockbrokers signed an
agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall
Street. This agreement was the foundation
for what later became the New York Stock
Exchange. It cemented Wall Street’s image as
the economic hub of the United States.
By 1790 the city’s population had topped
33,000 and was growing rapidly. To many
offi cials, this vibrant city refl ected the poten-
tial future of the new nation. It was thus a
tting place for the capital.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was New York
City chosen as the first capital of the United States?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans, led
by President George Washington, set up
their new government. In the next section
you will read about Alexander Hamilton’s
economic plan.
Today the
New York Stock
Exchange is the
largest market
for securities,
or stocks, in
the world.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What role did the electoral college play
in George Washington’s election to the presidency?
b. Summarize What were some of Martha
Washington’s duties as First Lady?
2. a. Describe What precedent did President
Washington and Congress establish regarding the
executive branch?
b. Explain What was the purpose of the Judiciary
Act of 1789?
c. Evaluate What do you think was the most impor-
tant element of the Judiciary Act of 1789? Why?
3. a. Recall What city served as the fi rst capital of the
United States? Why?
b. Draw Conclusions What expectations did most
Americans have of their government?
Critical Thinking
4. Generalizing Copy the graphic organizer below.
Use it to identify the expectations that farmers
and merchants had of the new U.S. government.
Expectations of
Government
Farmers
Merchants
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Thinking about Washington’s Contributions
In this section you learned some things about
George Washington as president. Jot down
one or two things you could use to support
his nomination for a Nobel Prize.
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
HSS
8.1
Some Americans lived in growing cities like
New York, shown above. However, the new
republic was overwhelmingly rural. Most
Americans lived and worked on farms.
Why might rural Americans and urban
Americans want different things from their
new government?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
agreement
a decision
reached by two
or more people
or groups
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
© Collection of The New-York Historical Society
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-6
You live on a plantation in North Carolina in the 1790s. You have
just heard that the federal government plans to pay most of the
northern states’ debts from the war. Now your neighbors are out-
raged about this idea. It means more taxes and tariffs! New York
and Massachusetts are far away, they say. Why should North
Carolina farmers have to pay northern debts?
Would you pay other states’ war debts? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND Some of the new nation’s biggest prob-
lems were economic. The national and state governments had run
up huge debts during the war. But the proposed solutions to these
problems revealed differences in regional viewpoints. Southern plant-
ers and northern businesspeople had very different views of how the
national economy should develop.
Settling the Debt
Alexander Hamilton seemed born with a head for economics. While
still in his teens, he helped run a shipping company in his native Brit-
ish West Indies. Family friends then sent him to the American colo-
nies for an education. Hamilton eventually married into a wealthy
New York family and began practicing law. He served as Washing-
ton’s aide and as a delegate to four Continental Congresses.
National Debt
As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton’s biggest challenge was pay-
ing off the
national debt
national debt
money owed by the United States
money owed by the United States
from the Revolutionary War. The United States owed about
$11.7 million to foreign countries and about $40.4 million to
U.S. citizens. During the war the government raised money with
bonds.
Bonds
Bonds
are
are
certifi cates
certifi cates
of debt that carry a
of debt that carry a
promise to buy
promise to buy
back the bonds at a higher price
back the bonds at a higher price. But the government could not
afford to keep this promise. Bondholders who needed money sold
2
Hamilton and
National Finances
If YOU were there...
1. Hamilton tackled the prob-
lem of settling national and
state debt.
2. Thomas Jefferson opposed
Hamilton’s views on govern-
ment and the economy.
3. Hamilton created a national
bank to strengthen the U.S.
economy.
Treasury secretary Alexander
Hamilton developed a financial
plan for the national government.
The Big Idea
Key Terms and People
Alexander Hamilton, p. 200
national debt, p. 200
bonds, p. 200
speculators, p. 201
Thomas Jefferson, p. 201
loose construction, p. 204
strict construction, p. 204
Bank of the United States, p. 204
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
200 CHAPTER 6
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-7
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DEBT

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&OREIGNDEBT
MILLION
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their bonds for less than the original value
to
speculators
speculators
,
,
or people who buy items at
or people who buy items at
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
and they can sell the items for a profi t.
Hamilton wanted to pay the foreign debt
immediately and gradually repay the total
value of all bonds. The second part of his plan
caused disagreements because paying full
value would allow speculators to make a
profi t. Hamilton thought this was fair. He said,
“He [the speculator] paid what the commod-
ity [bond] was worth . . . and took the risks.”
Thomas Jefferson disagreed. He thought
the idea cheated bondholders who had sold
their bonds at low prices. Jefferson wrote,
“Immense sums were thus fi lched [stolen]
from the poor and ignorant.” But more poli-
ticians agreed with Hamilton. In 1790 the
government exchanged old bonds for new,
more reliable ones that were guaranteed.
States Debts
The states owed $25 million for Revolution-
ary War expenses. Hamilton wanted the
federal government to pay for $21.5 mil-
lion of this debt. Hamilton believed that this
action would help the federal government. He
thought that paying the states’ debts would
help the national economy. Debtor states
would not have to spend so much on repay-
ment and would have money to develop
business and trade. Increased business and
trade would put more money back into the
national economy.
The South, however, did not want to
help the federal government pay the debts of
other states. States such as Virginia and North
Carolina did not have many war debts. They
thought Hamilton’s idea was unfair. Patrick
Henry said he did not believe that the Con-
stitution gave Congress the power to pay
state debts. Hamilton knew that he needed
the help of southern representatives to get
his plan approved.
Moving the Capital
Hamilton also knew that he had something
to bargain with. Southern offi cials wanted
to change the location of the nation’s
capital. Many southerners thought that
having the capital in New York gave the
northern states too much infl uence over
national policy. Hamilton, Jefferson, and
James Madison, a congressman from Virginia,
LAUNCHING THE NATION 201
Alexander Hamilton developed a
three-point plan to solve the nation’s
financial problems.
Deal with the Debt
Take on the foreign and domestic debt by
replacing creditors’ old, low-value bonds
with new, interest-bearing bonds
Take over most of the states’ $25 million
Revolutionary War debts
Gain Revenue
Pass a tariff to both bring in money
and help American manufacturers
Stabilize the Banking System
Create a national bank
Create a national mint
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
1
2
3
would build
investor confidence
in the stability of
the new nation
would free up state
money for business
and trade
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-8
met in June 1790. Hamilton promised to
convince northerners in Congress to move
the capital. Jefferson and Madison agreed to
gather support in the South for Hamilton’s
debt plan.
The compromise worked. The national
capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1791 for
10 years. For the capital’s permanent location,
Washington chose a place on the Potomac
River that included part of both Maryland and
Virginia. The land was made up of swamps
and farms. This site would eventually become
the city of Washington, D.C.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
How did southerners feel about the federal
government paying state war debts, and how
did Hamilton change their minds?
Jefferson Opposes Hamilton
Hamilton and Jefferson did not cooperate for
long. Instead, they began to disagree about
how to defi ne the authority of the central
government. Hamilton believed in a strong
federal government. Jefferson wanted to pro-
tect the powers of the states. Their confl ict
refl ected basic differences in their opinions
about democracy. Hamilton had little faith
in the average individual. He once said that
“the people . . . seldom judge or determine
[decide] right.”
Differing Views
Hamilton wanted a strong central govern-
ment that balanced power between the
“mass of the people” and wealthier citizens.
He believed that his approach would protect
everyone’s liberties while keeping the people
from having too much power.
Jefferson disagreed strongly with Hamil-
ton’s views of the average citizen’s ability to
make decisions for the country. He admitted
that “the people can not be all, and always,
well informed.” However, Jefferson believed
that it was the right of the people to rule
the country.
Economic Differences
Hamilton and Jefferson also fought over how
the country’s economy should grow. Hamil-
ton wanted new forms of economic growth.
He wanted to promote manufacturing,
business, and the future industrialization of
the nation. Hamilton even suggested that
U.S. Capitol in
Washington, D.C.
202 CHAPTER 6
Benjamin
Banneker
(17311806)
Benjamin Banneker was born to
a free African American family
in rural Maryland. He attended
a Quaker school but was largely
self-educated. He was a skilled mathematician
and scientist. His mathematical skills prompted
Thomas Jefferson to give him a job surveying the
land for the new national capital.
Draw Conclusions How was Benjamin
Banneker’s life different from most African
Americans’ of the time?
BIOGRAPHY
Washington, D.C.,
and the surround-
ing areas are home
to more than
7 million people
today. The city
is not only the
nation’s capital
but also a major
tourist attraction.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-9
LAUNCHING THE NATION 203
the government award a prize to companies
that made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most indepen-
dent voters. They did not depend on other
people’s work to make a living.
Jefferson wrote, “Our governments will
remain virtuous [pure] for many centuries; as
long as they are chiefl y agricultural.” Jeffer-
son wanted to help farmers by keeping the
costs of the goods they bought low. Lower
tariffs would help keep prices low.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
the main differences between Hamilton and
Jefferson concerning the power of the nation’s
government?
National Debate
Hamilton’s and Jefferson’s differences became
more and more public in early 1791. The two
men had very different opinions about how
the government should approach its eco-
nomic problems.
Hamiltons Plan for a National Bank
Hamilton wanted to start a national bank
where the government could safely deposit
its money. The bank would also make loans
to the government and businesses to promote
industrialization. Hamilton also thought that
the United States should build a national mint,
a place to make coins. Then the country could
begin issuing its own money.
Hamilton knew that people who wanted
to protect states’ rights might have a strong
reaction to the idea of a national bank, so
he suggested limiting it to a 20-year char-
ter. After that time Congress could decide
whether to extend the charter. Hamil-
ton also asked each state to start its own
bank so the national bank would not have
a monopoly.
POINTS OF VIEW
Role of a Citizen
Alexander Hamilton thought that the average
citizen had no interest in public affairs.
We must take man as we
find him, and if we expect him
to serve the public, [we] must
interest his passions in doing so.
A reliance on pure patriotism
has been the source of many
of our errors.
—Alexander Hamilton,
quoted in Odd Destiny: The
Life of Alexander Hamilton by
Marie B. Hecht
Thomas Jefferson believed that each
citizen could work to better society.
It is my principle that the
will of the Majority should always
prevail [win] . . . Above all things
I hope the education of the com-
mon people will be attended to;
[I am] convinced that on their
good sense we may rely with
the most security for the
preservation of a due
degree of liberty.
—Thomas Jefferson,
from Thomas Jefferson:A
Biography in His Own Words
Primary Source
The U.S. Mint
was established
in 1792 and
now produces
between 11 billion
and 20 billion
coins each year.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
ANALYZING POINTS OF VIEW
How did the views of Hamilton and Jefferson differ?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-10
Section 2 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What economic problems did the
new government face?
b. Summarize What compromise did Alexander
Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison
reach regarding repayment of state debts?
2. a. Identify What disagreement did Jefferson and
Hamilton have over the central government?
b. Draw Conclusions Hamilton was a New Yorker,
while Jefferson was from Virginia. How do you
think that affected their views on the economy?
c. Elaborate Do you agree with Hamilton or
Jefferson regarding the average citizen’s ability
to make decisions for the country? Explain your
answer.
3. a. Recall Why did Jefferson oppose the creation
of the Bank of the United States?
b. Contrast What is the difference between loose
construction and strict construction of the
Constitution?
c. Elaborate Defend Alexander Hamilton’s stance
in favor of the creation of a national bank.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
contrast the ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson
on the topics listed.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about Hamilton
and Jefferson Both Hamilton and Jefferson were
strong leaders who helped shape the government
of the young United States. What could you say
about either of them to support a nomination for
a Nobel Prize?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
204 CHAPTER 6
Jefferson Opposes the Bank
Both Jefferson and Madison believed that
Hamilton’s plans for the economy gave too
much power to the federal government. They
also thought the U.S. Constitution did not
give Congress the power to create a bank. But
Hamilton quoted the elastic clause, which
states that Congress can “make all laws
which shall be necessary and proper” to
govern the nation.
Hamilton declared that the clause allowed
the government to create a national bank.
Hamilton believed in loose construction of
the Constitution.
Loose construction
Loose construction
means
means
that the federal government can take reason-
that the federal government can take reason-
able actions that the Constitution does not
able actions that the Constitution does not
specifi cally forbid
specifi cally forbid.
Jefferson thought that the elastic clause
should be used only in special cases. He wrote
to President Washington, “The Constitution
allows only the means which are ‘necessary,’
not those which are merely ‘convenient.’”
Jefferson believed in strict construction of
the Constitution.
People who favor
People who favor
strict
strict
construction
construction
think that the federal govern-
think that the federal govern-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
tion specifi cally says it can do
tion specifi cally says it can do.
President Washington and Congress
agreed with Hamilton. They hoped a bank
would offer stability for the U.S. economy.
In February 1791 Congress enacted the char-
ter for the
Bank of the United States
Bank of the United States
—the
—the
country’s rst national bank
country’s first national bank. The bank
played an important role in making the U.S.
economy more stable.
READING CHECK
Drawing Conclusions
Why did Congress and the president agree to
create a national bank?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Washington
and Hamilton developed plans for paying
the national debt. In the next section you
will read about the U.S. neutrality policy.
Hamilton Jefferson
Bonds
Democracy
Economy
Tariffs
National Bank
Constitution
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-11
Challenges for
the New Nation
1. The United States tried to
remain neutral regarding
events in Europe.
2. The United States and Native
Americans came into conflict
in the Northwest Territory.
3. The Whiskey Rebellion tested
Washington’s administration.
4. In his Farewell Address, Wash-
ington advised the nation.
The United States faced
significant foreign and domestic
challenges under Washington.
Key Terms and People
French Revolution, p. 205
Neutrality Proclamation, p. 206
privateers, p. 206
Jay’s Treaty, p. 207
Pinckney’s Treaty, p. 207
Little Turtle, p. 208
Battle of Fallen Timbers, p. 209
Treaty of Greenville, p. 209
Whiskey Rebellion, p. 209
The Big Idea
You are the captain of an American merchant ship in the 1790s.
Your ship has just picked up cargo in the French West Indies. You
are headed back to your home port of Philadelphia. Suddenly, a
British warship pulls alongside your ship. Marines swarm aboard.
They order you into the nearest harbor and seize your goods.
How would this incident affect
your views of Great Britain?
BUILDING BACKGROUND As the new nation tried to get organized,
it faced economic problems and internal divisions. Even more difficult
challenges came from conflicts in Europe. The United States could not
avoid being caught up in fighting between France and Great Britain.
Remaining Neutral
Tensions between France and Britain began to build after the French
people rebelled against their king. On July 14, 1789, citizens of Paris
attacked and captured the Bastille, a hated fortress and prison that
stood as a mighty symbol of royal power.
The storming of the Bastille was one of the fi rst acts of the
French Revolution
French Revolution
—a rebellion of French people against their
—a rebellion of French people against their
king in 1789
king in 1789. The French people overthrew their king and created
a republican government.
3
If YOU were there...
What You Will Learn…
SECTION
Main Ideas
LAUNCHING THE NATION 205
French revolutionaries storm the Bastille.
HSS
8.3.5
Know the significance of
domestic resistance movements and
ways in which the central government
responded to such movements (e.g.,
Shays’s Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebel-
lion).
8.4.2 Explain the policy signifi cance
of famous speeches (e.g., Washing-
ton’s Farewell Address, Jefferson’s
1801 Inaugural Address, John Q.
Adams’s Fourth of July 1821 Address).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-12
Time Line
206
Many French citizens had been inspired
to take action by the American Revolution.
Many Americans, in turn, supported the
French Revolution. They thought that France
was creating the same kind of democracy as
the United States.
Some Americans worried about the
French Revolution’s violent riots and attacks
on traditional authority. Revolutionaries
shocked many Americans by beheading King
Louis XVI in January 1793 and Queen Marie-
Antoinette later that year.
A few years after the French Revolution
started, France and Great Britain went to war.
Some Americans supported the French, while
others backed the British. Some wanted to
remain
neutral.
The Neutrality Proclamation
The debate divided Congress and Washing-
ton’s cabinet. Washington presented his opin-
ion to Congress on April 22, 1793:
The duty and interest of the United States
require that they should with sincerity and good
faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and
impartial [unbiased] towards the belligerent
[fi ghting] powers.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington by Parry et al.
This
This
Neutrality Proclamation
Neutrality Proclamation
stated that
stated that
the United States would not take sides with
the United States would not take sides with
any European countries that were at war
any European countries that were at war.
Washington believed his plan was the safest
for the long run, but not everyone agreed.
Some members of Congress criticized
Washington’s ideas. James Madison believed
that the president had gone beyond his
authority. He questioned Washington’s right
to issue the proclamation without the
approval of Congress.
The French Question
France’s new representative to the United
States, Edmond Genet (zhuh-
NAY), asked
American sailors to help France fi ght England
by commanding
privateers
privateers.
Privateers were
Privateers were
private ships hired by a country to attack
private ships hired by a country to attack
its
its
enemies
enemies. Washington told Genet that using
American privateers violated U.S. neutrality.
Jefferson wanted the French revolutionaries
to succeed, but even he agreed that allowing
France to use American privateers against
England was a bad idea.
Jefferson was still upset by U.S. policy
toward France. He believed that the United
States should back France because France had
supported the United States during the Revo-
lutionary War. Hamilton, on the other hand,
was pro-British. He hoped to strengthen trad-
ing ties with Britain—the most powerful trad-
ing nation in the world at the time. Jefferson
thought that Hamilton had too much infl u-
ence on the president’s foreign policy and
that Hamilton consequently interfered with
Jefferson’s role as secretary of state. Jefferson
decided to resign from Washington’s cabinet
in 1793.
The Struggle for Neutrality
July 1789
French citizens
storm the
Bastille.
April 1789 George Washington
becomes president.
October 1790
British-backed
Little Turtle
defeats U.S.
forces under
General Josiah
Harmar.
November 1794
Jays Treaty
sparks protest
throughout the
United States.
April 1793 President Washington
issues the Neutrality Proclamation.
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
neutral
unbiased, not
favoring either
side in a conflict
FOCUS ON
READING
What can you tell
about France
before 1793 using
this paragraph
and what you
already know
about democra-
cies?
178 9 1793
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-13
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k
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e
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7
9
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31°N
30°N
90°W
80°W
SPANISH
TERRITORY
UNITED STATES
New Orleans
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E
 -ILES
 +ILOMETERS
LAUNCHING THE NATION 207
Jay’s Treaty
There were other threats to U.S. neutrality.
In late 1793 the British seized ships carrying
food to the French West Indies. Hundreds of
the ships were neutral American merchant
ships. Also, British offi cers were helping
Native Americans fi ght settlers.
Washington wanted to prevent another
war with the British. He sent Chief Justice John
Jay to London to work out a compromise. The
British knew the United States lacked a strong
navy and that U.S. businesses relied heavily
on British trade. However, the British did not
want to fi ght another war in America.
In November 1794 the two sides signed
Jay’s Treaty.
Jay’s Treaty
Jay’s Treaty
settled the disputes
settled the disputes
that had arisen between the United States and
that had arisen between the United States and
Great Britain in the early 1790s
Great Britain in the early 1790s. The British
would pay damages on seized American ships
and abandon their forts on the northwestern
frontier. The United States agreed to pay debts
it owed the British.
The treaty was unpopular and sparked
violent protests. Citizens and congressional
leaders thought the treaty hurt trade and
did not punish Britain enough for some
of its actions. Southerners were especially
angry that the treaty did not ask Britain to
repay them for slaves that Britain had set
free during the Revolutionary War. Wash-
ington did not like the treaty but believed
it was the most that could be done. At
his urging the Senate approved the treaty.
Pinckneys Treaty
American businesses faced problems as well.
The Spanish disputed the border between the
United States and Florida. Spain closed the
port of New Orleans to U.S. trade in 1784.
This hurt the American economy because all
goods moving down the Mississippi to places
in the East or overseas had to pass through
New Orleans.
Washington asked Ambassador Thomas
Pinckney to meet with Spanish offi cials to
discuss the problem. He asked the Spaniards
to reopen New Orleans to U.S. trade. Pinck-
ney also asked for the right of deposit in New
Orleans. This right would allow American
boats to transfer goods in New Orleans with-
out paying cargo fees.
Spanish minister Manuel de Godoy (goh-
THOY) tried to delay reaching an agreement,
hoping Pinckney would become desperate
and sign a treaty that favored the Spanish.
He was worried that the United States and
Great Britain might join against Spain after
signing Jay’s Treaty. Pinckney was patient,
however, and his patience was rewarded.
In October 1795, Godoy agreed to
Pinckney’s
Pinckney’s
Treaty
Treaty
,
,
which settled the border
which settled the border
and trade disputes with Spain.
and trade disputes with Spain. Under the
treaty Spain agreed to recognize the U.S.
southern boundary as 31˚N latitude. Spain’s
government also reopened the port at
August 1795
The Treaty of Greenville
ends fighting in the Northwest Territory.
October 1795 Pinckneys Treaty
reopens the port of New Orleans.
1795
Pinckney’s Treaty
READING TIME LINES
To what extent was President Washington successful
in maintaining American neutrality?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-14
Northwest
T
erritory
Land ceded by
Native Americans
in Treaty of
Greenville (1795)
American victory
Fort
0
50
100 Miles
0
50
100 Kilometers
208 CHAPTER 6
General Wayne Takes Command
In 1792 President Washington gave com-
mand of the army in the West to General
Anthony Wayne. Wayne’s task was to bring
troops to the frontier to fi ght against the
Indians. In 1793 General Wayne arrived in
Ohio. Many of his men were ill from small-
pox and infl uenza, so they were unable to
ght well.
Wayne’s troops moved north and built
Fort Greenville, where they remained
during the winter. They built additional
forts for protection and to have supplies
at hand.
As the summer of 1794 neared, several
Native American groups led by Little Turtle
attacked a supply train near the fort. Wayne
and his men responded. They attacked Native
American towns and burned crops.
The British no longer aided the Native
Americans after this defeat, and Little
Turtle realized that they were outmatched.
He urged his people to seek peace.
New Orleans to American ships and gave them
the right of deposit. Because it opened the
frontier to more expansion, Washington and
most other Americans believed that Pinckney’s
Treaty was a successful compromise.
READING CHECK
Summarizing Why did
President Washington want the United States to
remain neutral?
Conflict in the Northwest
Territory
As the United States dealt with international
confl icts, trouble was also brewing at home.
Americans continued to settle the Northwest
Territory despite Native Americans’ protests.
Supplied by British traders with guns, Native
Americans went to war. In 1790 a Native
American alliance under the command of
Miami chief
Little Turtle defeated U.S. forces
under General Josiah Harmar. Then in 1791,
Native Americans defeated General Arthur
St. Clair’s troops.
Fighting in the Northwest Territory
Interactive Map
ANALYZING VISUALS
What types of weapons were used in the fighting in the
Northwest Territory?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
KEYWORD: SS8 CH6
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-15
LAUNCHING THE NATION 209
the corn. Because cash was rare, whiskey
became like money in their region. The farm-
ers believed that the tax was aimed specifi -
cally at them.
Farmers who produced small amounts
of whiskey for trade argued that they could
not afford the tax. They believed they should
be able to keep the money they had made
from a product they created themselves. Pro-
tests in 1792 led President Washington to
issue a proclamation saying that people had
to obey the law.
Westerners also disliked the fact that cases
about the law were to be tried in a district
court. These courts were usually far away
from the people they affected and were a
great inconvenience to them.
Whiskey Rebellion Is Crushed
The complaints of western Pennsylvanians
were at fi rst expressed peacefully. But by 1794
ghting had broken out.
In what became
In what became
known as the
known as the
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion,
farmers
farmers
lashed out against the tax on whiskey.
lashed out against the tax on whiskey. Protest-
ers refused to pay the tax. They even tarred
and feathered tax collectors. Some called
themselves the new Sons of Liberty.
Incidents of violence spread to other
states. President Washington feared that the
rebels threatened the federal government’s
authority. He believed he needed to make
people understand that the Constitution
gave Congress the right to pass and enforce
the tax.
Washington declared that he could “no lon-
ger remain a passive [inactive] spectator” in the
event. He personally led the army in military
action against the rebellion—the fi rst and only
time an American president has done so. The
army of about 13,000 men approached western
Pennsylvania in November 1794. By this time
most of the rebels had fl ed. The Whiskey Rebel-
lion ended without a battle.
READING CHECK
Supporting a Point of View
Defend the viewpoint of the Pennsylvania farmers
who did not want to pay the whiskey tax.
The trail has been long and bloody; it has no
end. The [whites] . . . are many. They are like the
leaves of the trees. When the frost comes they
fall and are blown away. But when the sunshine
comes again they come back more plentiful
than ever before.
—Little Turtle, quoted in The Ohio Frontier
by Douglas Hurt
The End of Confl ict
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
Wayne’s troops in the
Wayne’s troops in the
Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
and were defeated.
and were defeated. The battle was named for
an area where many trees had been destroyed
by a tornado. Wayne’s forces burned Indians’
villages and fi elds. The strength of Indian
forces in the region was broken.
The frontier war soon ended. In August
1795, Native American leaders signed the
Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville,
which gave the United
which gave the United
States claim to most Indian lands in the
States claim to most Indian lands in the
Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory. The treaty also guaran-
teed the safety of citizens there. In exchange,
Native Americans received $20,000 worth
of goods and an acknowledgment of their
claim to the lands they still held.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
conflicts did the United States face in the late 1700s?
The Whiskey Rebellion
Other confl icts occurred on the frontier. Con-
gress passed a tax on American-made whiskey
in March 1791. The tax was part of Hamilton’s
plan to raise money to help pay the federal
debt. He was also testing the power of the fed-
eral government to control the states’ actions.
Reaction in the West
People in areas such as western Pennsylvania
were bitter about the tax. They were already
angry with the federal government, which
they believed did not protect settlers from
Native American attacks and did not allow
settlers enough opportunities for trade. The
farmers’ corn crops were often made into
whiskey, which was easier to transport than
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-16
210 CHAPTER 6
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
Washington’s Farewell Address
On September 19,1796, President George Washington’s Farewell Address first
appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper. In it, Washington wrote about the nation’s
economy, political parties, and foreign policy.
Primary Source
ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES
1. What events happened before Washington left office that
might have led to his warning against political parties?
2. Why did Washington suggest neutrality as a foreign policy?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
While, then, every part of our country . . . feels an immediate and particular in-
terest in union, all the parts combined cannot fail to find in the united mass . . .
greater strength, greater resource, proportionally greater security from external
danger, [and] a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations; . . .
I have already intimated
1
to you the danger of [political] parties in the state, with
particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations
2
.
Let me now take a more comprehensive
3
view, and warn you in the most solemn
manner against the baneful
4
effects of the spirit of party, generally.
If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification
5
of the constitu-
tional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment . . .
Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general
diffusion
6
of knowledge . . . As the structure of a government gives force to
public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened . . .
[Avoid] likewise the accumulation of debt, . . . not ungenerously throwing upon
posterity
7
the burden, which we ourselves ought to bear . . .
Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate
8
peace and harmony
with all . . .
The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is . . . to have with
them as little political connection as possible.
It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the
foreign world . . . There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate
9
upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion, which experience must
cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred . . . from the obligation
which justice and humanity impose on every nation . . . to maintain inviolate
10
the relations of peace and amity
11
towards other nations.
1
intimated: told
2
discriminations: differences
3
comprehensive: complete
4
baneful: destructive
5
modification: change
6
diffusion: spreading
7
posterity: future generations
8
cultivate: seek
9
calculate: plan
10
inviolate: unchanging
11
amity: friendship
In this phrase,
Washington
emphasizes his
warning against
the dangers of
political parties.
Washington points
out the need for
education.
This is Washington’s
advice to the new nation
about foreign policy.
Washington lists the
benefits of uniting
the states under one
government.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-17
LAUNCHING THE NATION 211
Washington left offi ce warning the nation
to work out its differences and protect its inde-
pendence. Washington also warned against too
much public debt. He thought the government
should try not to borrow money. He wanted
future generations to be protected from debt.
He concluded his speech by looking
forward to his retirement and praising
his country. “I anticipate . . . the sweet enjoy-
ment . . . of good laws under a free govern-
ment, the ever favorite object of my heart.”
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What issues did Washington believe were most
dangerous to the future of the new nation?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans res-
ponded to foreign and domestic confl ict
during Washington’s presidency. In the
next section you will read about the forma-
tion of political parties in the United States
and the presidency of John Adams.
Washington Says Farewell
In 1796 Washington decided not to run for a
third presidential term. He wrote that he was
“tired of public life” and “devoutly [strongly]
wished for retirement.” He also wanted to
remind Americans that the people were the
country’s true leaders.
With the help of Alexander Hamilton and
James Madison, Washington wrote his Farewell
Address. In it he spoke about what he believed
were the greatest dangers to the American
republic. Among these were the dangers of for-
eign ties and political confl icts at home. Wash-
ington warned against forming permanent ties
with other countries because choosing sides
could draw the United States into war.
He also worried about growing politi-
cal confl icts within the nation. Washington
believed that disagreements between politi-
cal groups weakened government. Political
unity, he said, was a key to national success.
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What did Washington’s
Neutrality Proclamation state?
b. Compare and Contrast In what ways were Jay’s
Treaty and Pinckney’s Treaty similar and different?
2. a. Identify Who were the leaders of American
Indian and U.S. forces in the confl ict in the North-
west Territory?
b. Predict What are some possible consequences
of the Treaty of Greenville for American Indians in
the Northwest Territory?
3. a. Recall Why did Congress tax American-made
whiskey?
b. Explain How did the tax lead to the Whiskey
Rebellion?
c. Elaborate Why do you think that President
Washington personally led the army against west-
erners in the Whiskey Rebellion?
4. a. Describe What warnings did Washington give
the nation in his Farewell Address?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Washington not
run for a third term as president?
Critical Thinking
5. Categorizing Copy the graphic organizer below
and use it to identify the causes and effects of con-
ict in the Northwest Territory.
Causes
Effects
FOCUS ON WRITING
6. Thinking about Washington, Hamilton, and
Jefferson In this section you read about the
activities of these three men during a diffi cult
time for our country. What did you learn that
you could add to a Nobel Prize nomination for
any of these leaders?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.5,
8.4.2
Confl ict in the
Northwest Territory
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-18
You are a newspaper editor in Virginia in 1798. You’ve joined Jef-
ferson’s political party, which opposes the new president. In fact,
your paper has printed many articles that criticize him, calling him
greedy and foolish. You believe thats your right in a free country.
But now Congress has passed a law that makes it illegal to criticize
the government. You could be arrested for your articles!
Would you stop criticizing the government? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND People within the new United States
had differing viewpoints on many issues. Personal rivalries among
political leaders also created divisions in the new nation. Trying to
limit dissent in the country, the federal government passed several
unpopular laws.
The Election of 1796
The election of 1796 began a new era in U.S. politics. For the fi rst
time, more than one candidate ran for president.
Political parties
Political parties,
groups that help elect people and shape policies
groups that help elect people and shape policies, had begun to form
during Washington’s presidency. Despite Washington’s warnings
about political parties, the rivalry between two parties dominated
the 1796 election.
Alexander Hamilton helped found the
Federalist Party
Federalist Party,
which
which
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
trade
trade. The Federalists chose John Adams and Thomas Pinckney as
candidates. Adams knew he was not well liked in the South or the
West, but he hoped people would support him after they thought
about his years of loyal public service.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison founded the
Democratic-
Democratic-
Republican Party
Republican Party.
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
the federal government
the federal government
s power
s power. (This party is not related to today’s
Republican Party.) They chose Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr as
their candidates.
SECTION
4
What You Will Learn…
If YOU were there...
John Adamss
Presidency
212 CHAPTER 6
Key Terms
political parties, p. 212
Federalist Party, p. 212
Democratic-Republican Party, p. 212
XYZ affair, p. 214
Alien and Sedition Acts, p. 215
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions,
p. 215
The development of political par-
ties in the United States contrib-
uted to differing ideas about the
role of the federal government.
The Big Idea
1. The rise of political parties
created competition in the
election of 1796.
2. The XYZ affair caused
problems for President
John Adams.
3. Controversy broke out over
the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Main Ideas
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-19
TERRITORY
NORTHWEST
OF OHIO RIVER
SOUTHWEST
TERRITORY
VT
4
NH
6
MA
16
NY
12
CT
9
RI
4
PA
DR-14
F-1
NJ
7
DE
3
MD
DR-4
F-7
VA
DR-20
F-1
NC
DR-11
F-1
SC
8
GA
4
KY
4
TN
3
70°W
90°W
N
S
W
E
INTERPRETING MAPS
John Adams John Jay
0
150
300 Miles
0
150
300 Kilometers
Federalist
(Adams)
Democratic-
Republican
(Jefferson)
Number of
electoral votes
11
LAUNCHING THE NATION 213
President Adams and the
XYZ Affair
John Adams had the challenging task of fol-
lowing Washington as president. The people
had adored Washington. Adams would have
to work hard to win the people’s trust.
A New President
At fi rst glance, John Adams did not appear
well suited for the presidency. Although
Adams had been a leading Patriot dur-
ing the American Revolution and had
later served as a foreign diplomat, he lacked
Washington’s dignity, and most people
saw him as a cold and distant person. Still,
many people—even his opponents—respected
Adams. They recognized his hard work,
honesty, and intelligence.
Party differences were based partly on
where and how people lived. Businesspeople
in the cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. Both sides
attacked each other. Republicans called Adams
a royalist—an insult to a man so involved in
the Revolution. The Federalists accused the
Republicans of favoring the French.
In the end, Adams defeated Jefferson.
At the time, the person who came in sec-
ond in a presidential election became vice
president. So, after months of campaigning
against one another, Adams and Jefferson
took offi ce together.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
How did the election of 1796 change the nature
of politics in the United States?
The First Political Parties, 1796
Alexander Hamilton
Republicans/South
Thomas Jefferson James Madison Albert Gallatin
Federalists/North
Region Which political party had
more electoral votes in 1796?
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
11
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-20
214 CHAPTER 6
The United States and France
One of Adams’s fi rst goals as president was to
improve the relationship between the United
States and France. You may remember that
the French had once tried to hire American
privateers to help them fi ght Great Britain, a
practice Washington frowned upon. Adams
sent U.S. diplomats to Paris to smooth over
the confl ict and to negotiate a treaty to pro-
tect U.S. shipping.
When the diplomats arrived in France,
they learned that French foreign minister
Talleyrand would not speak with them. Instead,
they had a strange and secret visit from three
French agents. Shockingly, the agents said that
Talleyrand would discuss a treaty only in
exchange for a $250,000 bribe. The French
government also wanted a loan of $12 mil-
lion. The amazed diplomats refused these
demands.
In March 1798 President Adams told
Congress that the peace-seeking mission had
failed. He described the French terms, substi-
tuting the letters X, Y, and Z for the names
of the French agents. Upon hearing the dis-
graceful news, Federalists in Congress called
for war with France.
The
The
XYZ affair
XYZ affair,
as the French demand
as the French demand
for a bribe came to be
for a bribe came to be
called
called, outraged the
American public. “Millions for defense, but
not one cent for tribute!” became the rally-
ing cry of the American people.
Preparations for War
Fearing war, Adams asked Congress to expand
the navy to a fl eet of more than 30 ships. He
thought war with France might be unavoid-
able. He also decided the United States should
keep a peacetime army. Congress approved
both measures.
Although Adams had asked Congress for
military support, he did not want to go to war
with France. He was worried about its cost. So
he did not ask Congress to declare war. Instead,
he tried to reopen peace talks with France.
Peace Efforts
Adams’s decision not to declare war stunned
Federalists. Despite intense pressure from
members of his own party, Adams refused to
change his mind.
American and French ships, however,
began fi ghting each other in the Caribbean.
Adams sent a representative to France to
engage in talks to try to end the fi ghting. The
United States and France eventually signed a
treaty. Adams then forced two members of
his cabinet to resign for trying to block his
peace efforts.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
What did Americans mean when they said
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”?
Why do you think this
man is encouraging the
woman to look away?
These people aren’t
helping the woman. What
do you think the cartoon
is suggesting by this?
POLITICAL CARTOON
After the XYZ affair, French ships continued to attack American
merchant ships. In this cartoon, the United States is repre-
sented by the woman. The men, symbolizing the French, are
taking valuables from her. The people in the distance are
other European nations.
Primary Source
INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS
How does the cartoon show that America is being
preyed upon by the French?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 215
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Many Democratic-Republicans continued to
sympathize with France. Federalists, angered
by their stand, called them “democrats, mob-
ocrats, and all other kinds of rats.”
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
gress passed four laws known together as the
gress passed four laws known together as the
Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien and Sedition Acts.
These laws were said
These laws were said
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
The most controversial was the Sedition Act,
which forbade anyone from publishing or
voicing criticism of the federal government.
In effect, this cancelled basic protections of
freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The two main Democratic-Republican
leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madi-
son, viewed these acts as a misuse of the gov-
ernment’s power. Attacking the problem at
the state level, they wrote resolutions passed
by the Kentucky legislature in 1798 and in
Virginia in 1799. Known as the
Kentucky
Kentucky
and Virginia Resolutions
and Virginia Resolutions,
these documents
these documents
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
unconstitutional.
unconstitutional. They stated that the federal
government could not pass these acts because
they interfered with state government. Madi-
son and Jefferson pressured Congress to
repeal the Alien and Sedition Acts. Congress
did not, although it allowed the acts to expire
within a few years.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
did not have the force of national law, but
they supported the idea that states could
challenge the federal government. This idea
would grow to have a tremendous impact on
American history later in the 1800s.
READING CHECK
Analyzing How did the
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support the
rights of states?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Political par-
ties formed to refl ect different viewpoints.
In the next chapter you will read about
Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.
Section 4 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Recall What two political parties emerged
before the election of 1796? Who were the
founders of each party?
b. Analyze What effect did political parties have
on the election of 1796?
c. Elaborate Do you think it was diffi cult for
Adams and Jefferson to serve together as presi-
dent and vice president? Explain your answer.
2. a. Recall What was one of Adams’s fi rst goals as
president?
b. Make Inferences Why were Federalists
shocked by Adams’s decision to resume peace
talks with the French?
3. a. Identify What did the Alien and Sedition Acts
state?
b. Explain What idea regarding states’ rights did
the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support?
c. Elaborate Would you have supported the Alien
and Sedition Acts? Explain your answer.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
identify the differences between the two political
parties that emerged in the late 1700s.
Democratic-Republican Party
Federalist Party
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about John Adams
Take some notes about John Adams’s contribu-
tions that would support his nomination for the
Nobel Prize. Then begin to compare and contrast
all four leaders you have studied in this chapter.
Which one will you nominate?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-22
Social Studies Skills
Analysis Critical Thinking
Define the Skill
Democracy is one of the most valued principles of
American society. It is based on the idea that the
members of society, or representatives they choose,
make the decisions that affect society. Decision-
making would be much more effi cient if just
one person decided what to do and how to do it.
However, that method is not at all democratic.
Making decisions as a group is a complicated
and diffi cult skill. However, it is an important one
at all levels of society—from governing the nation
to making group decisions at school, in the commu-
nity, and with your friends. At every level, the skill
is based on the ability of the group’s members to
interact in effective and cooperative ways.
Learn the Skill
Think about the job the fi rst Congress faced after
the Constitution was ratifi ed. The nation was still
millions of dollars in debt from the Revolutionary
War. Congress had to fi nd a way to pay these debts
as well as raise money to run the government.
Leaders like Jefferson and Hamilton had ideas
about how to accomplish these goals. However,
neither man could act alone. In a democracy the
group—in this case Congress—must make the deci-
sions and take the actions.
This task was complicated by the fact that
Jefferson and Hamilton disagreed on what to do.
Each man’s supporters in Congress pushed his point
of view. Fortunately, its members were able to over-
come their differences, compromise on goals and
actions, and accept group decisions they might not
have agreed with personally. Had they not possessed
Making Group Decisions
this ability and skill, the nation’s early years might
have been even more diffi cult than they were.
Like that fi rst Congress, being part of an effec-
tive group requires that you behave in certain ways.
1
Be an active member. Take part in setting
the group’s goals and in making its decisions.
Participate in planning and taking group action.
2
Take a position. State your views and work
to persuade other members to accept them.
However, also be open to negotiating and com-
promising to settle differences within the group.
3
Be willing to take charge if leadership is
needed. But also be willing to follow the lead-
ership of other members.
Practice the Skill
Suppose that you are a member of the fi rst
Congress. With a group of classmates, you must
decide what and who should be taxed to raise the
money the government needs. Remember that you
are an elected offi cial. If you do something to upset
the people, you could lose your job. When your
group has fi nished, answer the following questions.
1. Did your group have a plan for completing
its task? Did it discuss what taxes to pass?
Compared to other members, how much did
you take part in those activities?
2. How well did your group work together? What
role did you play in that? Was it a positive con-
tribution or a negative one? Explain.
3. Was your group able to make a decision? If not,
why? If so, was compromise involved? Do you
support the decision? Explain why or why not.
216 CHAPTER 6
Participation
Study
HSS
Participation Skill Develop group
interaction skills.
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 217LAUNCHING THE NATION 217
CHAPTER
6
Reviewing Vocabulary, Terms,
and People
Complete each sentence by fi lling in the blank with the
correct term or person.
1. The _______________ established the structure of
the federal court system and its relationship to
state courts.
2. Federalists angered many Republicans when
they passed the ________________ to protect the
United States from traitors.
3. As president, Washington was able to establish
several ___________, or decisions that serve as
examples for later action.
4. Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested
taxes in the _____________.
5. The ________________ was created in order to
strengthen the U.S. economy.
Comprehension and
Critical Thinking
SECTION 1 (Pages 196–199)
HSS
8.1
6. a. Recall What precedents did President Wash-
ington and Congress establish for the executive
and judicial branches?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Americans select
George Washington as their first president?
c. Evaluate Do you think the newly established
government met the expectations of its citizens?
Why or why not?
SECTION 2
(Pages 200–204)
HSS
8.3.4
7. a. Identify What changes did Alexander Hamil-
ton make to the national economy?
b. Contrast In what ways did Hamilton and Jef-
ferson disagree on the economy?
c. Evaluate Which of Hamilton’s economic
plans do you think was the most important to
the new nation? Why?
Standards Review
Use the visual summary below to help you review the main
ideas of the chapter.
Visual
Summary
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-24
SECTION 3 (Pages 205–211)
HSS
8.3.5, 8.4.2
8. a. Describe What challenges did the nation face
during Washington’s presidency?
b. Make Inferences Why did Washington
believe that it was important for the United
States to remain neutral in foreign conflicts?
c. Evaluate Rate the success of Washington’s
presidency. Explain the reasons for your rating.
SECTION 4
(Pages 212–215)
HSS
8.3.4
9. a. Describe What role did political parties play
in the election of 1796?
b. Analyze How did the Alien and Sedition Acts
create division among some Americans?
c. Predict How might the political attacks between
the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties
lead to problems in the future?
Reviewing Themes
10. Economics What economic problems troubled
the nation at the beginning of Washington’s
presidency? How were they solved?
11. Politics How did the creation of political parties
change politics in the United States?
Using the Internet
KEYWORD: SS8 US6
12. Activity: Creating a Poster In 1798 war with
France seemed on the horizon. The Federalist-
controlled Congress passed a law that made it
a crime to criticize the government in print. In
1971 war raged in Vietnam and the president
used a court order to stop publication of infor-
mation critical of the government’s actions in
Vietnam. What do these events have in com-
mon? Enter the activity keyword. Then research
the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Pentagon
Papers case during the Vietnam War. Create a
poster to display your information and to illus-
trate the connection between a free press and a
democratic society.
Reading Skills
Understanding Assumptions by Inferring Use the
Reading Skills taught in this chapter to answer the ques-
tion about the reading selection below.
Party differences were based partly on where
and how people lived. Businesspeople in the
cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. (p. 213)
13. Which of the following statements can be
inferred from the selection?
a. Farmers wanted a large federal government.
b. Urban Americans were usually Republicans.
c. Merchants supported John Adams.
d. People in the cities had different concerns
than did the rural population.
Social Studies Skills
Making Group Decisions Use the Social Studies Skills
taught in this chapter to answer the questions below.
Get together with a group of three or four
students and discuss the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Answer the following questions individually and
as a group.
14. Do you think that limits were needed on Ameri-
cans’ speeches and printed articles at the time?
15. What other ideas might Congress have consid-
ered to solve the problem of disagreement?
FOCUS ON WRITING
16. Writing a Nobel Nomination Now that you’ve
chosen your nominee for the Nobel Prize, you
can start to write your nomination. Begin with
a sentence that identifies the person you are
nominating. Then give at least three reasons for
your nomination. Each reason should include a
specific achievement or contribution of this per-
son. End your nomination with a sentence that
sums up your reasons for nominating this person
for the Nobel Prize. Be persuasive. You need to
convince the Nobel Prize committee that this
person deserves the prize more than anyone else
in the world!
218 CHAPTER 6
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 219
DIRECTIONS: Read each question and write the
letter of the best response.
!
Increase the federal government·s power
so it can provide strong leadership.
Allow the federal government to pay the
states· Revolutionary War debts.
Encourage the growth of American
manufacturing and business.
Create a national bank that could make
loans to the government and to business.
Which early leader would have been most
opposed to such ideas?
A John Adams
B Alexander Hamilton
C Thomas Jefferson
D George Washington
@
In the 1790s, most Americans
A lived in the countryside and worked on family
farms.
B lived in small towns and worked as laborers or
craftspeople.
C lived in cities and worked as laborers, crafts-
people, or merchants.
D lived west of the Appalachian Mountains or
wanted to move West.
#
In his Farewell Address in 1796, President
Washington advised Americans of
A the nation·s need for a national bank.
B his fear of a British invasion to end American
independence.
C his wish that the offi ce of president be given
more power.
D the dangers of ties with foreign nations.
$
President Washington demonstrated the
government’s power under the new Consti-
tution to enforce federal law in the way he
handled the
A Whiskey Rebellion.
B Alien and Sedition Acts.
C XYZ affair.
D Judiciary Act of 1789.
%
The two-party system that exists in American
politics today fi rst arose during the election
of which president?
A George Washington
B John Adams
C Thomas Jefferson
D James Madison
Connecting with Past Learning
^
The war between Great Britain and France
that raged during the presidencies of Wash-
inton and Adams was one of many confl icts
between those two nations. Earlier wars
between them included
A the War of the Roses.
B the Glorious Revolution.
C the Hundred Years· War.
D the Crusades.
&
In Grade 7 you learned about Martin Luthers
protest of the way in which the Catholic
Church raised money. Which event in the
United States was also a protest against
methods of raising money?
A the XYZ affair
B Washington·s Farewell Address
C the Judiciary Act of 1789
D the Whiskey Rebellion
Standards Assessment
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220 UNIT 2
Assignment
Write a paper explaining how
the federal system balances
power among the legisla-
tive, executive, and judicial
branches of government.
Explaining a
Political Process
H
ow do you register to vote? What is the difference
between a civil court and a federal court? When we
want to know about a process or system of our govern-
ment, we often turn to written explanations.
1. Prewrite
Considering Purpose and Audience
In this assignment, you will be writing for an audience of middle
school students. You’ll need to
identify questions they might have about the process or system
identify factors or details that might confuse them
As you plan your paper, keep your audience in mind.
Collecting and Organizing the Information
The big idea, or thesis, of your explanation will be that the federal sys-
tem balances the power among the three branches of government. To
collect information about each branch and its powers, you can use a
chart like the one on the left. Be sure to note the relationships among
the parts. Also, note the important characteristics of each part. When
you have completed the chart, you will have the basic organization of
your paper.
2. Write
You can use this framework to help you write your first draft.
TIP
Using a Graphic Organizer
A chart like the following can help
you organize the body of your
explanation.
Introduction
State the big idea of your paper.
Explain briefly why this topic is
important to the reader.
Body
Identify the important characteristics
of each part of the process or system.
Explain any relationships between or
among the parts.
Define terms your readers might
not know.
Where appropriate, include graphics
to illustrate your explanation.
Conclusion
Restate your big idea in different
words.
Summarize your main points.
A Writer’s Framework
Legislative Executive Judicial
ELA
Writing 8.2.6
Write technical
documents.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-27
3. Evaluate and Revise
Evaluating
Clear, straightforward language is important when explaining how
things work. Use the following questions to discover ways to improve
your paper.
Evaluation Questions for an Explanation of a Process or System
Does your big-idea statement
accurately reflect your explanation
of the process or system?
Do you discuss each part of the
process or system in logical order?
Do you include details and
information to explain each part of
the process or system?
If you used bulleted or numbered
lists, are the items parallel—that is,
do they have the same grammatical
forms or structures?
Does your conclusion restate your
big idea and explain the importance
of your topic?
Revising
Sometimes a complex explanation sounds even more complex when
you try to explain it in a paragraph. In those cases, a bulleted list of
facts or examples may make it easier for your readers to understand
the information you are presenting. As you revise your paper, consider
whether you have any information you should put in a bulleted list.
4. Proofread and Publish
Proofreading
If you use special formatting in your paper, it is important to make
sure that it is consistent. Here are some things to check:
If you have used boldface or italic type, have you always used it
in the same way—for important information, for a heading, for a
technical term?
If you have used a list of items, have you consistently used num-
bers or bullets?
Publishing
Since you are writing this paper for students, you might find a student
in the sixth or seventh grade to read it. Find out whether your expla-
nation seems clear and interesting.
5. Practice and Apply
Use the steps and strategies outlined in this workshop to write your
explanation of a process or system.
TIP
Using Bulleted Lists The
items in a bulleted list should be
in the same grammatical forms or
structures.
Not the same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpret laws
overseeing lower courts
The same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpreting laws
overseeing lower courts
A NEW NATION
221
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX PDF
FOCUS ON WRITING
1785
1789
George
Washington
becomes the
first president.
1789
The French
Revolution begins.
CHAPTER
6
1789–1800
Launching
Launching
the Nation
the Nation
192 CHAPTER 6
A Nobel Nomination Every year a few people are
nominated for a Nobel Prize for their work to improve
the world. In this chapter you will read about four great
Americans—Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams.
Then you’ll choose one of these great leaders and write a
Nobel Prize nomination for him.
History–Social Science
8.1 Students understand the major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their significance to the development of
American constitutional democracy.
8.3 Students understand the foundation of the American political
system and the ways in which citizens participate in it.
8.4 Students analyze the aspirations and ideals of the people of the
new nation.
8.5 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy in the early republic.
English–Language Arts
Writing 2.4.a Write persuasive compositions that provide details,
reasons, and examples.
California Standards
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Download
HOLT
18 0 0179 0
1795
1794
The Whiskey
Rebellion begins
in Pennsylvania.
1796
John Adams is
elected president
on December 7.
1793
French
revolutionaries
behead King
Louis XVI.
1795
Native American
leaders sign
the Treaty of
Greenville.
1799
George Washington dies
at Mount Vernon, Virginia,
on December 14.
1799
The Rosetta Stone is discovered
in Egypt. Inscriptions on the stone
make it possible for researchers
to read Egyptian hieroglyphics.
LAUNCHING THE NATION
193
What You Will Learn…
In this chapter you will learn about the first
presidency and how it affected the country.
George Washington began many of the traditions
of the president and of the nation. He is honored
with statues and memorials across the country,
including the Washington Monument in
Washington, D.C.
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of
political parties.
History’s Impact
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX PDF Download
194 CHAPTER 00194 CHAPTER 6
Focus on Reading What’s the difference between a good guess
and a weak guess? A good guess is an educated guess. In other words,
the guess is based on some knowledge or information. That’s what an
inference is, an educated guess.
Making Inferences About What You Read To make an inference,
combine information from your reading with what you already know,
and make an educated guess about what it all means. Once you have
made several inferences, you may be able to draw a conclusion that ties
them all together.
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
This chapter, titled
“Launching a Nation,” describes how the early leaders
established this nation’s political and economic
systems. You will read about Washington’s presi-
dency, Hamilton’s plan for fi nancial security for the
nation, the establishment of two parties to elect
the president, and Jefferson’s struggles with both
Washington and Hamilton. Throughout the chapter,
you will see that disagreement often defi ned these
early days.
Geography
PoliticsEconomics
Religion
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Inside the Text
Hamilton ran a
company when he
was just a teenager.
He had a career as
a lawyer.
He became the
Secretary of the
Treasury under
Washington.
Inference Alexander Hamilton was an intelligent, clever, and
dedicated man.
Outside the Text
Running a company
takes intelligence
and cleverness.
Becoming a lawyer
takes dedication.
Washington
probably wanted
someone clever and
capable.
Inferences about History
Steps for Making Inferences
1. Ask a question.
2. Note information “Inside the Text.”
3. Note information “Outside the Text.”
4. Use both sets of information
to make an educated guess, or
inference.
Question What kind of person was Alexander Hamilton?
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-1
SECTION TITLE 195LAUNCHING THE NATION 195
ELA
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
As you read Chapter 6, remember that
you need to combine what you already
know with the information in the chapter
to make inferences.
You Try It!
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Economic Differences
Hamilton wanted new forms of economic
growth. He wanted to promote manufactur-
ing and business. He even suggested that the
government award a prize to companies that
made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most inde-
pendent voters . . . Jefferson wanted to help
farmers by keeping the costs of the goods
they bought low. Lower tariffs would help
keep prices low.
From
Chapter 6,
p. 202–203
After you read the passage, answer the following questions.
1. Which two questions can be answered directly from the text
above and which one requires that you make an inference?
a. Who wanted higher tariffs, Hamilton or Jefferson?
b. Why do you think Hamilton and Jefferson had different views
on the importance of manufacturing?
c. Which man wanted to help the farmers?
2. To answer question b, it might help to know that Hamilton lived
in New York City and Jefferson was from the more rural area of
Virginia. Use that information and information in the passage to
explain why one man valued manufacturing more than the other.
Chapter 6
Section 1
electoral college (p. 196)
Martha Washington (p. 196)
precedent (p. 197)
Judiciary Act of 1789 (p. 198)
Section 2
Alexander Hamilton (p. 200)
national debt (p. 200)
bonds (p. 201)
speculators (p. 201)
Thomas Jefferson (p. 201)
loose construction (p. 204)
strict construction (p. 204)
Bank of the United States (p. 204)
Section 3
French Revolution (p. 205)
Neutrality Proclamation (p. 206)
privateers (p. 206)
Jay’s Treaty (p. 207)
Pinckney’s Treaty (p. 207)
Little Turtle (p. 208)
Battle of Fallen Timbers (p. 209)
Treaty of Greenville (p. 209)
Whiskey Rebellion (p. 209)
Section 4
political parties (p. 212)
Federalist Party (p. 212)
Democratic-Republican Party (p. 212)
XYZ affair (p. 214)
Alien and Sedition Acts (p. 215)
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
(p. 215)
Academic Vocabulary
In this chapter, you will learn the
following academic words:
agreement (p. 199)
neutral (p. 206)
ELA
Reading 8.2.0 Read and understand grade-level-appropriate
material.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-2
The First President
Americans believed in George Washington. They saw him as an hon-
est leader and a hero of the Revolution. Many believed he should be
the fi rst U.S. president. Washington had been looking forward to
retirement and a quiet life on his Virginia farm. When he hesitated
at becoming a candidate for the presidency, his friends convinced
him to run. Fellow politician Gouverneur Morris told him, “Should
the idea prevail [win] that you would not accept the presidency, it
should prove fatal . . . to the new government.” Morris concluded
confi dently, “Of all men, you are the best fi tted to fi ll that offi ce.”
In January 1789 each of the 11 states that had passed the Con-
stitution sent electors to choose the fi rst president. These delegates
formed a group called the
electoral college
electoral college
a body of electors
a body of electors
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president.
who represent each state’s vote in choosing the president. The elec-
toral college selected Washington unanimously, and John Adams
became his vice president.
Washington’s wife, First Lady
Martha Washington, entertained
guests and attended social events with her husband. She described the
1
1. In 1789 George Washington
became the first president of
the United States.
2. Congress and the president
organized the executive
and judicial branches of
government.
3. Americans had high expecta-
tions of their new government.
Key Terms and People
George Washington, p. 196
electoral college, p. 196
Martha Washington, p. 196
precedent, p. 197
Judiciary Act of 1789, p. 198
President Washington and
members of Congress established
a new national government.
The Big Idea
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
196 CHAPTER 6
Washington Leads
a New Nation
You are a seamstress in New York City in 1789. You’ve joined the
excited crowd in the streets for inauguration day. Church bells
are ringing, and people are cheering. Even though you were just
a young child during the Revolution, Washington is your hero. Now
you watch as he takes the oath of offi ce. You are proud to see
that he is wearing a suit of American-made cloth.
What would you think America’s future would be
like under President Washington?
BUILDING BACKGROUND George Washington was more than
just a popular war hero. People naturally looked to him as a national
leader. He had taken part in the Continental Congresses and in creat-
ing the Constitution. He helped establish and strengthen the new
national government.
If YOU were there...
HSS
8.1
Students understand the
major events preceding the founding
of the nation and relate their signifi -
cance to the development of Ameri-
can constitutional democracy.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-3
LAUNCHING THE NATION 197
scene to her niece: “I have not had one half-
hour to myself since the day of my arrival.”
She ran the presidential household with style.
Other women, such as author Judith
Sargent Murray, believed that women needed
to play a greater role in the new nation than
Martha Washington did. Murray, Abigail
Adams, and others believed in Republican
Motherhood, the idea that women played
an important role in teaching their children
to be good citizens.
Some promoters of Republican Mother-
hood did not expect women to participate in
politics or business. Other people, however,
hoped that Republican Motherhood would
lead to greater opportunities for women. They
hoped more women would receive an educa-
tion. Only a few families were willing to pro-
vide much education for their daughters, and
adult women rarely had the time or money to
get an education later in life. Most women in
the early republic faced long days managing
their households and working hard inside or
outside the home to support their families.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was
Washington selected to be president?
Organizing the Government
Hard work also lay ahead for members of
the new government. The new federal gov-
ernment had to create policies and proce-
dures that would determine the future of the
country. As President Washington noted in a
letter to James Madison, “The fi rst of every-
thing in our situation will serve to establish a
precedent.”
A
A
precedent
precedent
is an action or deci-
is an action or deci-
sion that later serves as an example.
sion that later serves as an example.
The First Congress created departments
in the executive branch for different areas
of national policy. Washington met with
the department heads, or cabinet members,
who advised him. For two of his most impor-
tant cabinet positions, Washington chose
carefully. He picked Alexander Hamilton
as secretary of the treasury and Thomas
Jefferson as secretary of state. Henry Knox
served as secretary of war, and Samuel
Osgood was chosen as postmaster general.
Hamilton was a gifted economic planner,
and Jefferson had served as ambassador to
France. Knox had helped Washington run the
Continental Army, and Osgood had govern-
ment experience.
4
3
2
1
5
1
2
3
Henry Knox, secretary of war
Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state
Edmund Randolph, attorney general
Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the
treasury
George Washington, president
Washington’s cabinet members kept him
informed on political matters and debated
important issues with one another. Each of
the men chosen had experience that made
him a wise choice to advise the nation’s first
president. By 1792 cabinet meetings were a
common practice.
The First Cabinet
4
5
ANALYZING VISUALS
How do you think a modern cabinet
meeting might look different from
the one shown here?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-4
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2URAL
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5RBAN
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198 CHAPTER 6
Today we know that presidents have
cabinet meetings with their top advisers.
This practice started during Washington’s
presidency and was common by 1792.
To set up the federal court system and the
courts’ location, Congress passed the
Judiciary
Judiciary
Act of 1789
Act of 1789.
This act created three levels of fed-
This act created three levels of fed-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
eral courts and defi ned their powers and rela-
tionship to the state courts.
tionship to the state courts. It set up federal
district courts and circuit courts of appeals. The
president nominated candidates for federal
judgeships. Those candidates then had to be
approved or rejected by the Senate. Washington
wrote about the importance of these duties:
I have always been persuaded that the stability
and success of the national government . . . would
depend in a considerable degree on the inter-
pretation and execution of its laws. In my opinion,
therefore, it is important that the judiciary system
should not only be independent in its operations,
but as perfect as possible in its formation.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington, edited by Parry et al.
The basic parts of the federal government
were now in place. Leaders began to face
the challenges of the new nation. Hard work
lay ahead.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What two important precedents were established
for the federal government?
Americans Expectations
of Government
Most Americans had high expectations for
their government. They wanted improved
trade, free from too many restrictions. But
they also expected the government to pro-
tect them and to keep the economy stable.
However, the idea of belonging to one united
nation was new to them.
In 1790 the United States was home to
almost 4 million people. Most Americans
lived in the countryside and worked on farms.
Farmers wanted fair tax laws and the right to
settle western lands. They did not want the
government to interfere with their daily lives.
Other Americans worked in towns as crafts-
people, laborers, or merchants. These people
looked to the government to help their busi-
nesses. Most merchants wanted simpler trade
laws established. Manufacturers wanted laws
to protect them from foreign competitors.
A Rural Nation
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 199
Most cities were small. Only New York
City and Philadelphia had populations larger
than 25,000. New York City was the fi rst capi-
tal of the United States, and it represented the
spirit of the new nation. Although badly dam-
aged during the Revolution, the city had already
begun to recover. Citizens got rid of many signs
of British rule.
New York City had a bustling economy.
International trade and business became more
active. A French visitor to New York City noted
the city’s energy.
Everything in the city is in motion; everywhere
the shops resound [ring out] with the noise of
workers . . . one sees vessels arriving from every
part of the world.
—A French visitor to New York, quoted in New York in the
American Revolution by Wilbur Abbott
In 1792 some 24 stockbrokers signed an
agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall
Street. This agreement was the foundation
for what later became the New York Stock
Exchange. It cemented Wall Street’s image as
the economic hub of the United States.
By 1790 the city’s population had topped
33,000 and was growing rapidly. To many
offi cials, this vibrant city refl ected the poten-
tial future of the new nation. It was thus a
tting place for the capital.
READING CHECK
Analyzing Why was New York
City chosen as the first capital of the United States?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans, led
by President George Washington, set up
their new government. In the next section
you will read about Alexander Hamilton’s
economic plan.
Today the
New York Stock
Exchange is the
largest market
for securities,
or stocks, in
the world.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What role did the electoral college play
in George Washington’s election to the presidency?
b. Summarize What were some of Martha
Washington’s duties as First Lady?
2. a. Describe What precedent did President
Washington and Congress establish regarding the
executive branch?
b. Explain What was the purpose of the Judiciary
Act of 1789?
c. Evaluate What do you think was the most impor-
tant element of the Judiciary Act of 1789? Why?
3. a. Recall What city served as the fi rst capital of the
United States? Why?
b. Draw Conclusions What expectations did most
Americans have of their government?
Critical Thinking
4. Generalizing Copy the graphic organizer below.
Use it to identify the expectations that farmers
and merchants had of the new U.S. government.
Expectations of
Government
Farmers
Merchants
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Thinking about Washington’s Contributions
In this section you learned some things about
George Washington as president. Jot down
one or two things you could use to support
his nomination for a Nobel Prize.
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
HSS
8.1
Some Americans lived in growing cities like
New York, shown above. However, the new
republic was overwhelmingly rural. Most
Americans lived and worked on farms.
Why might rural Americans and urban
Americans want different things from their
new government?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
agreement
a decision
reached by two
or more people
or groups
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
© Collection of The New-York Historical Society
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-6
You live on a plantation in North Carolina in the 1790s. You have
just heard that the federal government plans to pay most of the
northern states’ debts from the war. Now your neighbors are out-
raged about this idea. It means more taxes and tariffs! New York
and Massachusetts are far away, they say. Why should North
Carolina farmers have to pay northern debts?
Would you pay other states’ war debts? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND Some of the new nation’s biggest prob-
lems were economic. The national and state governments had run
up huge debts during the war. But the proposed solutions to these
problems revealed differences in regional viewpoints. Southern plant-
ers and northern businesspeople had very different views of how the
national economy should develop.
Settling the Debt
Alexander Hamilton seemed born with a head for economics. While
still in his teens, he helped run a shipping company in his native Brit-
ish West Indies. Family friends then sent him to the American colo-
nies for an education. Hamilton eventually married into a wealthy
New York family and began practicing law. He served as Washing-
ton’s aide and as a delegate to four Continental Congresses.
National Debt
As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton’s biggest challenge was pay-
ing off the
national debt
national debt
money owed by the United States
money owed by the United States
from the Revolutionary War. The United States owed about
$11.7 million to foreign countries and about $40.4 million to
U.S. citizens. During the war the government raised money with
bonds.
Bonds
Bonds
are
are
certifi cates
certifi cates
of debt that carry a
of debt that carry a
promise to buy
promise to buy
back the bonds at a higher price
back the bonds at a higher price. But the government could not
afford to keep this promise. Bondholders who needed money sold
2
Hamilton and
National Finances
If YOU were there...
1. Hamilton tackled the prob-
lem of settling national and
state debt.
2. Thomas Jefferson opposed
Hamilton’s views on govern-
ment and the economy.
3. Hamilton created a national
bank to strengthen the U.S.
economy.
Treasury secretary Alexander
Hamilton developed a financial
plan for the national government.
The Big Idea
Key Terms and People
Alexander Hamilton, p. 200
national debt, p. 200
bonds, p. 200
speculators, p. 201
Thomas Jefferson, p. 201
loose construction, p. 204
strict construction, p. 204
Bank of the United States, p. 204
Main Ideas
SECTION
What You Will Learn…
200 CHAPTER 6
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-7
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DEBT
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their bonds for less than the original value
to
speculators
speculators
,
,
or people who buy items at
or people who buy items at
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
low prices in the hope that the value will rise
and they can sell the items for a profi t.
Hamilton wanted to pay the foreign debt
immediately and gradually repay the total
value of all bonds. The second part of his plan
caused disagreements because paying full
value would allow speculators to make a
profi t. Hamilton thought this was fair. He said,
“He [the speculator] paid what the commod-
ity [bond] was worth . . . and took the risks.”
Thomas Jefferson disagreed. He thought
the idea cheated bondholders who had sold
their bonds at low prices. Jefferson wrote,
“Immense sums were thus fi lched [stolen]
from the poor and ignorant.” But more poli-
ticians agreed with Hamilton. In 1790 the
government exchanged old bonds for new,
more reliable ones that were guaranteed.
States Debts
The states owed $25 million for Revolution-
ary War expenses. Hamilton wanted the
federal government to pay for $21.5 mil-
lion of this debt. Hamilton believed that this
action would help the federal government. He
thought that paying the states’ debts would
help the national economy. Debtor states
would not have to spend so much on repay-
ment and would have money to develop
business and trade. Increased business and
trade would put more money back into the
national economy.
The South, however, did not want to
help the federal government pay the debts of
other states. States such as Virginia and North
Carolina did not have many war debts. They
thought Hamilton’s idea was unfair. Patrick
Henry said he did not believe that the Con-
stitution gave Congress the power to pay
state debts. Hamilton knew that he needed
the help of southern representatives to get
his plan approved.
Moving the Capital
Hamilton also knew that he had something
to bargain with. Southern offi cials wanted
to change the location of the nation’s
capital. Many southerners thought that
having the capital in New York gave the
northern states too much infl uence over
national policy. Hamilton, Jefferson, and
James Madison, a congressman from Virginia,
LAUNCHING THE NATION 201
Alexander Hamilton developed a
three-point plan to solve the nation’s
financial problems.
Deal with the Debt
Take on the foreign and domestic debt by
replacing creditors’ old, low-value bonds
with new, interest-bearing bonds
Take over most of the states’ $25 million
Revolutionary War debts
Gain Revenue
Pass a tariff to both bring in money
and help American manufacturers
Stabilize the Banking System
Create a national bank
Create a national mint
Hamilton’s Economic Plan
1
2
3
would build
investor confidence
in the stability of
the new nation
would free up state
money for business
and trade
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-8
met in June 1790. Hamilton promised to
convince northerners in Congress to move
the capital. Jefferson and Madison agreed to
gather support in the South for Hamilton’s
debt plan.
The compromise worked. The national
capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1791 for
10 years. For the capital’s permanent location,
Washington chose a place on the Potomac
River that included part of both Maryland and
Virginia. The land was made up of swamps
and farms. This site would eventually become
the city of Washington, D.C.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
How did southerners feel about the federal
government paying state war debts, and how
did Hamilton change their minds?
Jefferson Opposes Hamilton
Hamilton and Jefferson did not cooperate for
long. Instead, they began to disagree about
how to defi ne the authority of the central
government. Hamilton believed in a strong
federal government. Jefferson wanted to pro-
tect the powers of the states. Their confl ict
refl ected basic differences in their opinions
about democracy. Hamilton had little faith
in the average individual. He once said that
“the people . . . seldom judge or determine
[decide] right.”
Differing Views
Hamilton wanted a strong central govern-
ment that balanced power between the
“mass of the people” and wealthier citizens.
He believed that his approach would protect
everyone’s liberties while keeping the people
from having too much power.
Jefferson disagreed strongly with Hamil-
ton’s views of the average citizen’s ability to
make decisions for the country. He admitted
that “the people can not be all, and always,
well informed.” However, Jefferson believed
that it was the right of the people to rule
the country.
Economic Differences
Hamilton and Jefferson also fought over how
the country’s economy should grow. Hamil-
ton wanted new forms of economic growth.
He wanted to promote manufacturing,
business, and the future industrialization of
the nation. Hamilton even suggested that
U.S. Capitol in
Washington, D.C.
202 CHAPTER 6
Benjamin
Banneker
(17311806)
Benjamin Banneker was born to
a free African American family
in rural Maryland. He attended
a Quaker school but was largely
self-educated. He was a skilled mathematician
and scientist. His mathematical skills prompted
Thomas Jefferson to give him a job surveying the
land for the new national capital.
Draw Conclusions How was Benjamin
Banneker’s life different from most African
Americans’ of the time?
BIOGRAPHY
Washington, D.C.,
and the surround-
ing areas are home
to more than
7 million people
today. The city
is not only the
nation’s capital
but also a major
tourist attraction.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-9
LAUNCHING THE NATION 203
the government award a prize to companies
that made excellent products.
In addition, Hamilton wanted to pass
higher tariffs. Known as protective tariffs,
these taxes would raise the prices of foreign
products. Hamilton hoped this would cause
Americans to buy U.S. goods. As a result,
American manufacturing would be protected
from foreign competition.
Jefferson worried about depending too
much on business and manufacturing. He
believed that farmers were the most indepen-
dent voters. They did not depend on other
people’s work to make a living.
Jefferson wrote, “Our governments will
remain virtuous [pure] for many centuries; as
long as they are chiefl y agricultural.” Jeffer-
son wanted to help farmers by keeping the
costs of the goods they bought low. Lower
tariffs would help keep prices low.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
the main differences between Hamilton and
Jefferson concerning the power of the nation’s
government?
National Debate
Hamilton’s and Jefferson’s differences became
more and more public in early 1791. The two
men had very different opinions about how
the government should approach its eco-
nomic problems.
Hamiltons Plan for a National Bank
Hamilton wanted to start a national bank
where the government could safely deposit
its money. The bank would also make loans
to the government and businesses to promote
industrialization. Hamilton also thought that
the United States should build a national mint,
a place to make coins. Then the country could
begin issuing its own money.
Hamilton knew that people who wanted
to protect states’ rights might have a strong
reaction to the idea of a national bank, so
he suggested limiting it to a 20-year char-
ter. After that time Congress could decide
whether to extend the charter. Hamil-
ton also asked each state to start its own
bank so the national bank would not have
a monopoly.
POINTS OF VIEW
Role of a Citizen
Alexander Hamilton thought that the average
citizen had no interest in public affairs.
We must take man as we
find him, and if we expect him
to serve the public, [we] must
interest his passions in doing so.
A reliance on pure patriotism
has been the source of many
of our errors.
—Alexander Hamilton,
quoted in Odd Destiny: The
Life of Alexander Hamilton by
Marie B. Hecht
Thomas Jefferson believed that each
citizen could work to better society.
It is my principle that the
will of the Majority should always
prevail [win] . . . Above all things
I hope the education of the com-
mon people will be attended to;
[I am] convinced that on their
good sense we may rely with
the most security for the
preservation of a due
degree of liberty.
—Thomas Jefferson,
from Thomas Jefferson:A
Biography in His Own Words
Primary Source
The U.S. Mint
was established
in 1792 and
now produces
between 11 billion
and 20 billion
coins each year.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
ANALYZING POINTS OF VIEW
How did the views of Hamilton and Jefferson differ?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-10
Section 2 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What economic problems did the
new government face?
b. Summarize What compromise did Alexander
Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison
reach regarding repayment of state debts?
2. a. Identify What disagreement did Jefferson and
Hamilton have over the central government?
b. Draw Conclusions Hamilton was a New Yorker,
while Jefferson was from Virginia. How do you
think that affected their views on the economy?
c. Elaborate Do you agree with Hamilton or
Jefferson regarding the average citizen’s ability
to make decisions for the country? Explain your
answer.
3. a. Recall Why did Jefferson oppose the creation
of the Bank of the United States?
b. Contrast What is the difference between loose
construction and strict construction of the
Constitution?
c. Elaborate Defend Alexander Hamilton’s stance
in favor of the creation of a national bank.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
contrast the ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson
on the topics listed.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about Hamilton
and Jefferson Both Hamilton and Jefferson were
strong leaders who helped shape the government
of the young United States. What could you say
about either of them to support a nomination for
a Nobel Prize?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
204 CHAPTER 6
Jefferson Opposes the Bank
Both Jefferson and Madison believed that
Hamilton’s plans for the economy gave too
much power to the federal government. They
also thought the U.S. Constitution did not
give Congress the power to create a bank. But
Hamilton quoted the elastic clause, which
states that Congress can “make all laws
which shall be necessary and proper” to
govern the nation.
Hamilton declared that the clause allowed
the government to create a national bank.
Hamilton believed in loose construction of
the Constitution.
Loose construction
Loose construction
means
means
that the federal government can take reason-
that the federal government can take reason-
able actions that the Constitution does not
able actions that the Constitution does not
specifi cally forbid
specifi cally forbid.
Jefferson thought that the elastic clause
should be used only in special cases. He wrote
to President Washington, “The Constitution
allows only the means which are ‘necessary,’
not those which are merely ‘convenient.’”
Jefferson believed in strict construction of
the Constitution.
People who favor
People who favor
strict
strict
construction
construction
think that the federal govern-
think that the federal govern-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
ment should do only what the Constitu-
tion specifi cally says it can do
tion specifi cally says it can do.
President Washington and Congress
agreed with Hamilton. They hoped a bank
would offer stability for the U.S. economy.
In February 1791 Congress enacted the char-
ter for the
Bank of the United States
Bank of the United States
—the
—the
country’s rst national bank
country’s first national bank. The bank
played an important role in making the U.S.
economy more stable.
READING CHECK
Drawing Conclusions
Why did Congress and the president agree to
create a national bank?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Washington
and Hamilton developed plans for paying
the national debt. In the next section you
will read about the U.S. neutrality policy.
Hamilton Jefferson
Bonds
Democracy
Economy
Tariffs
National Bank
Constitution
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-11
Challenges for
the New Nation
1. The United States tried to
remain neutral regarding
events in Europe.
2. The United States and Native
Americans came into conflict
in the Northwest Territory.
3. The Whiskey Rebellion tested
Washington’s administration.
4. In his Farewell Address, Wash-
ington advised the nation.
The United States faced
significant foreign and domestic
challenges under Washington.
Key Terms and People
French Revolution, p. 205
Neutrality Proclamation, p. 206
privateers, p. 206
Jay’s Treaty, p. 207
Pinckney’s Treaty, p. 207
Little Turtle, p. 208
Battle of Fallen Timbers, p. 209
Treaty of Greenville, p. 209
Whiskey Rebellion, p. 209
The Big Idea
You are the captain of an American merchant ship in the 1790s.
Your ship has just picked up cargo in the French West Indies. You
are headed back to your home port of Philadelphia. Suddenly, a
British warship pulls alongside your ship. Marines swarm aboard.
They order you into the nearest harbor and seize your goods.
How would this incident affect
your views of Great Britain?
BUILDING BACKGROUND As the new nation tried to get organized,
it faced economic problems and internal divisions. Even more difficult
challenges came from conflicts in Europe. The United States could not
avoid being caught up in fighting between France and Great Britain.
Remaining Neutral
Tensions between France and Britain began to build after the French
people rebelled against their king. On July 14, 1789, citizens of Paris
attacked and captured the Bastille, a hated fortress and prison that
stood as a mighty symbol of royal power.
The storming of the Bastille was one of the fi rst acts of the
French Revolution
French Revolution
—a rebellion of French people against their
—a rebellion of French people against their
king in 1789
king in 1789. The French people overthrew their king and created
a republican government.
3
If YOU were there...
What You Will Learn…
SECTION
Main Ideas
LAUNCHING THE NATION 205
French revolutionaries storm the Bastille.
HSS
8.3.5
Know the significance of
domestic resistance movements and
ways in which the central government
responded to such movements (e.g.,
Shays’s Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebel-
lion).
8.4.2 Explain the policy signifi cance
of famous speeches (e.g., Washing-
ton’s Farewell Address, Jefferson’s
1801 Inaugural Address, John Q.
Adams’s Fourth of July 1821 Address).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-12
Time Line
206
Many French citizens had been inspired
to take action by the American Revolution.
Many Americans, in turn, supported the
French Revolution. They thought that France
was creating the same kind of democracy as
the United States.
Some Americans worried about the
French Revolution’s violent riots and attacks
on traditional authority. Revolutionaries
shocked many Americans by beheading King
Louis XVI in January 1793 and Queen Marie-
Antoinette later that year.
A few years after the French Revolution
started, France and Great Britain went to war.
Some Americans supported the French, while
others backed the British. Some wanted to
remain
neutral.
The Neutrality Proclamation
The debate divided Congress and Washing-
ton’s cabinet. Washington presented his opin-
ion to Congress on April 22, 1793:
The duty and interest of the United States
require that they should with sincerity and good
faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and
impartial [unbiased] towards the belligerent
[fi ghting] powers.
—George Washington, quoted in The Real George
Washington by Parry et al.
This
This
Neutrality Proclamation
Neutrality Proclamation
stated that
stated that
the United States would not take sides with
the United States would not take sides with
any European countries that were at war
any European countries that were at war.
Washington believed his plan was the safest
for the long run, but not everyone agreed.
Some members of Congress criticized
Washington’s ideas. James Madison believed
that the president had gone beyond his
authority. He questioned Washington’s right
to issue the proclamation without the
approval of Congress.
The French Question
France’s new representative to the United
States, Edmond Genet (zhuh-
NAY), asked
American sailors to help France fi ght England
by commanding
privateers
privateers.
Privateers were
Privateers were
private ships hired by a country to attack
private ships hired by a country to attack
its
its
enemies
enemies. Washington told Genet that using
American privateers violated U.S. neutrality.
Jefferson wanted the French revolutionaries
to succeed, but even he agreed that allowing
France to use American privateers against
England was a bad idea.
Jefferson was still upset by U.S. policy
toward France. He believed that the United
States should back France because France had
supported the United States during the Revo-
lutionary War. Hamilton, on the other hand,
was pro-British. He hoped to strengthen trad-
ing ties with Britain—the most powerful trad-
ing nation in the world at the time. Jefferson
thought that Hamilton had too much infl u-
ence on the president’s foreign policy and
that Hamilton consequently interfered with
Jefferson’s role as secretary of state. Jefferson
decided to resign from Washington’s cabinet
in 1793.
The Struggle for Neutrality
July 1789
French citizens
storm the
Bastille.
April 1789 George Washington
becomes president.
October 1790
British-backed
Little Turtle
defeats U.S.
forces under
General Josiah
Harmar.
November 1794
Jays Treaty
sparks protest
throughout the
United States.
April 1793 President Washington
issues the Neutrality Proclamation.
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
neutral
unbiased, not
favoring either
side in a conflict
FOCUS ON
READING
What can you tell
about France
before 1793 using
this paragraph
and what you
already know
about democra-
cies?
178 9 1793
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-13
P
i
n
c
k
n
e
y
'
s
T
r
e
a
t
y
,
1
7
9
5
Gulf of Mexico
31°N
30°N
90°W
80°W
SPANISH
TERRITORY
UNITED STATES
New Orleans
N
S
W
E
 -ILES
 +ILOMETERS
LAUNCHING THE NATION 207
Jay’s Treaty
There were other threats to U.S. neutrality.
In late 1793 the British seized ships carrying
food to the French West Indies. Hundreds of
the ships were neutral American merchant
ships. Also, British offi cers were helping
Native Americans fi ght settlers.
Washington wanted to prevent another
war with the British. He sent Chief Justice John
Jay to London to work out a compromise. The
British knew the United States lacked a strong
navy and that U.S. businesses relied heavily
on British trade. However, the British did not
want to fi ght another war in America.
In November 1794 the two sides signed
Jay’s Treaty.
Jay’s Treaty
Jay’s Treaty
settled the disputes
settled the disputes
that had arisen between the United States and
that had arisen between the United States and
Great Britain in the early 1790s
Great Britain in the early 1790s. The British
would pay damages on seized American ships
and abandon their forts on the northwestern
frontier. The United States agreed to pay debts
it owed the British.
The treaty was unpopular and sparked
violent protests. Citizens and congressional
leaders thought the treaty hurt trade and
did not punish Britain enough for some
of its actions. Southerners were especially
angry that the treaty did not ask Britain to
repay them for slaves that Britain had set
free during the Revolutionary War. Wash-
ington did not like the treaty but believed
it was the most that could be done. At
his urging the Senate approved the treaty.
Pinckneys Treaty
American businesses faced problems as well.
The Spanish disputed the border between the
United States and Florida. Spain closed the
port of New Orleans to U.S. trade in 1784.
This hurt the American economy because all
goods moving down the Mississippi to places
in the East or overseas had to pass through
New Orleans.
Washington asked Ambassador Thomas
Pinckney to meet with Spanish offi cials to
discuss the problem. He asked the Spaniards
to reopen New Orleans to U.S. trade. Pinck-
ney also asked for the right of deposit in New
Orleans. This right would allow American
boats to transfer goods in New Orleans with-
out paying cargo fees.
Spanish minister Manuel de Godoy (goh-
THOY) tried to delay reaching an agreement,
hoping Pinckney would become desperate
and sign a treaty that favored the Spanish.
He was worried that the United States and
Great Britain might join against Spain after
signing Jay’s Treaty. Pinckney was patient,
however, and his patience was rewarded.
In October 1795, Godoy agreed to
Pinckney’s
Pinckney’s
Treaty
Treaty
,
,
which settled the border
which settled the border
and trade disputes with Spain.
and trade disputes with Spain. Under the
treaty Spain agreed to recognize the U.S.
southern boundary as 31˚N latitude. Spain’s
government also reopened the port at
August 1795
The Treaty of Greenville
ends fighting in the Northwest Territory.
October 1795 Pinckneys Treaty
reopens the port of New Orleans.
1795
Pinckney’s Treaty
READING TIME LINES
To what extent was President Washington successful
in maintaining American neutrality?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-14
Northwest
T
erritory
Land ceded by
Native Americans
in Treaty of
Greenville (1795)
American victory
Fort
0
50
100 Miles
0
50
100 Kilometers
208 CHAPTER 6
General Wayne Takes Command
In 1792 President Washington gave com-
mand of the army in the West to General
Anthony Wayne. Wayne’s task was to bring
troops to the frontier to fi ght against the
Indians. In 1793 General Wayne arrived in
Ohio. Many of his men were ill from small-
pox and infl uenza, so they were unable to
ght well.
Wayne’s troops moved north and built
Fort Greenville, where they remained
during the winter. They built additional
forts for protection and to have supplies
at hand.
As the summer of 1794 neared, several
Native American groups led by Little Turtle
attacked a supply train near the fort. Wayne
and his men responded. They attacked Native
American towns and burned crops.
The British no longer aided the Native
Americans after this defeat, and Little
Turtle realized that they were outmatched.
He urged his people to seek peace.
New Orleans to American ships and gave them
the right of deposit. Because it opened the
frontier to more expansion, Washington and
most other Americans believed that Pinckney’s
Treaty was a successful compromise.
READING CHECK
Summarizing Why did
President Washington want the United States to
remain neutral?
Conflict in the Northwest
Territory
As the United States dealt with international
confl icts, trouble was also brewing at home.
Americans continued to settle the Northwest
Territory despite Native Americans’ protests.
Supplied by British traders with guns, Native
Americans went to war. In 1790 a Native
American alliance under the command of
Miami chief
Little Turtle defeated U.S. forces
under General Josiah Harmar. Then in 1791,
Native Americans defeated General Arthur
St. Clair’s troops.
Fighting in the Northwest Territory
Interactive Map
ANALYZING VISUALS
What types of weapons were used in the fighting in the
Northwest Territory?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
KEYWORD: SS8 CH6
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-15
LAUNCHING THE NATION 209
the corn. Because cash was rare, whiskey
became like money in their region. The farm-
ers believed that the tax was aimed specifi -
cally at them.
Farmers who produced small amounts
of whiskey for trade argued that they could
not afford the tax. They believed they should
be able to keep the money they had made
from a product they created themselves. Pro-
tests in 1792 led President Washington to
issue a proclamation saying that people had
to obey the law.
Westerners also disliked the fact that cases
about the law were to be tried in a district
court. These courts were usually far away
from the people they affected and were a
great inconvenience to them.
Whiskey Rebellion Is Crushed
The complaints of western Pennsylvanians
were at fi rst expressed peacefully. But by 1794
ghting had broken out.
In what became
In what became
known as the
known as the
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion,
farmers
farmers
lashed out against the tax on whiskey.
lashed out against the tax on whiskey. Protest-
ers refused to pay the tax. They even tarred
and feathered tax collectors. Some called
themselves the new Sons of Liberty.
Incidents of violence spread to other
states. President Washington feared that the
rebels threatened the federal government’s
authority. He believed he needed to make
people understand that the Constitution
gave Congress the right to pass and enforce
the tax.
Washington declared that he could “no lon-
ger remain a passive [inactive] spectator” in the
event. He personally led the army in military
action against the rebellion—the fi rst and only
time an American president has done so. The
army of about 13,000 men approached western
Pennsylvania in November 1794. By this time
most of the rebels had fl ed. The Whiskey Rebel-
lion ended without a battle.
READING CHECK
Supporting a Point of View
Defend the viewpoint of the Pennsylvania farmers
who did not want to pay the whiskey tax.
The trail has been long and bloody; it has no
end. The [whites] . . . are many. They are like the
leaves of the trees. When the frost comes they
fall and are blown away. But when the sunshine
comes again they come back more plentiful
than ever before.
—Little Turtle, quoted in The Ohio Frontier
by Douglas Hurt
The End of Confl ict
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
On August 20, 1794, Native Americans fought
Wayne’s troops in the
Wayne’s troops in the
Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
and were defeated.
and were defeated. The battle was named for
an area where many trees had been destroyed
by a tornado. Wayne’s forces burned Indians’
villages and fi elds. The strength of Indian
forces in the region was broken.
The frontier war soon ended. In August
1795, Native American leaders signed the
Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville,
which gave the United
which gave the United
States claim to most Indian lands in the
States claim to most Indian lands in the
Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory. The treaty also guaran-
teed the safety of citizens there. In exchange,
Native Americans received $20,000 worth
of goods and an acknowledgment of their
claim to the lands they still held.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
conflicts did the United States face in the late 1700s?
The Whiskey Rebellion
Other confl icts occurred on the frontier. Con-
gress passed a tax on American-made whiskey
in March 1791. The tax was part of Hamilton’s
plan to raise money to help pay the federal
debt. He was also testing the power of the fed-
eral government to control the states’ actions.
Reaction in the West
People in areas such as western Pennsylvania
were bitter about the tax. They were already
angry with the federal government, which
they believed did not protect settlers from
Native American attacks and did not allow
settlers enough opportunities for trade. The
farmers’ corn crops were often made into
whiskey, which was easier to transport than
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-16
210 CHAPTER 6
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
Washington’s Farewell Address
On September 19,1796, President George Washington’s Farewell Address first
appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper. In it, Washington wrote about the nation’s
economy, political parties, and foreign policy.
Primary Source
ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES
1. What events happened before Washington left office that
might have led to his warning against political parties?
2. Why did Washington suggest neutrality as a foreign policy?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
While, then, every part of our country . . . feels an immediate and particular in-
terest in union, all the parts combined cannot fail to find in the united mass . . .
greater strength, greater resource, proportionally greater security from external
danger, [and] a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations; . . .
I have already intimated
1
to you the danger of [political] parties in the state, with
particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations
2
.
Let me now take a more comprehensive
3
view, and warn you in the most solemn
manner against the baneful
4
effects of the spirit of party, generally.
If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification
5
of the constitu-
tional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment . . .
Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general
diffusion
6
of knowledge . . . As the structure of a government gives force to
public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened . . .
[Avoid] likewise the accumulation of debt, . . . not ungenerously throwing upon
posterity
7
the burden, which we ourselves ought to bear . . .
Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate
8
peace and harmony
with all . . .
The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is . . . to have with
them as little political connection as possible.
It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the
foreign world . . . There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate
9
upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion, which experience must
cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred . . . from the obligation
which justice and humanity impose on every nation . . . to maintain inviolate
10
the relations of peace and amity
11
towards other nations.
1
intimated: told
2
discriminations: differences
3
comprehensive: complete
4
baneful: destructive
5
modification: change
6
diffusion: spreading
7
posterity: future generations
8
cultivate: seek
9
calculate: plan
10
inviolate: unchanging
11
amity: friendship
In this phrase,
Washington
emphasizes his
warning against
the dangers of
political parties.
Washington points
out the need for
education.
This is Washington’s
advice to the new nation
about foreign policy.
Washington lists the
benefits of uniting
the states under one
government.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-17
LAUNCHING THE NATION 211
Washington left offi ce warning the nation
to work out its differences and protect its inde-
pendence. Washington also warned against too
much public debt. He thought the government
should try not to borrow money. He wanted
future generations to be protected from debt.
He concluded his speech by looking
forward to his retirement and praising
his country. “I anticipate . . . the sweet enjoy-
ment . . . of good laws under a free govern-
ment, the ever favorite object of my heart.”
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
What issues did Washington believe were most
dangerous to the future of the new nation?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans res-
ponded to foreign and domestic confl ict
during Washington’s presidency. In the
next section you will read about the forma-
tion of political parties in the United States
and the presidency of John Adams.
Washington Says Farewell
In 1796 Washington decided not to run for a
third presidential term. He wrote that he was
“tired of public life” and “devoutly [strongly]
wished for retirement.” He also wanted to
remind Americans that the people were the
country’s true leaders.
With the help of Alexander Hamilton and
James Madison, Washington wrote his Farewell
Address. In it he spoke about what he believed
were the greatest dangers to the American
republic. Among these were the dangers of for-
eign ties and political confl icts at home. Wash-
ington warned against forming permanent ties
with other countries because choosing sides
could draw the United States into war.
He also worried about growing politi-
cal confl icts within the nation. Washington
believed that disagreements between politi-
cal groups weakened government. Political
unity, he said, was a key to national success.
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Describe What did Washington’s
Neutrality Proclamation state?
b. Compare and Contrast In what ways were Jay’s
Treaty and Pinckney’s Treaty similar and different?
2. a. Identify Who were the leaders of American
Indian and U.S. forces in the confl ict in the North-
west Territory?
b. Predict What are some possible consequences
of the Treaty of Greenville for American Indians in
the Northwest Territory?
3. a. Recall Why did Congress tax American-made
whiskey?
b. Explain How did the tax lead to the Whiskey
Rebellion?
c. Elaborate Why do you think that President
Washington personally led the army against west-
erners in the Whiskey Rebellion?
4. a. Describe What warnings did Washington give
the nation in his Farewell Address?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Washington not
run for a third term as president?
Critical Thinking
5. Categorizing Copy the graphic organizer below
and use it to identify the causes and effects of con-
ict in the Northwest Territory.
Causes
Effects
FOCUS ON WRITING
6. Thinking about Washington, Hamilton, and
Jefferson In this section you read about the
activities of these three men during a diffi cult
time for our country. What did you learn that
you could add to a Nobel Prize nomination for
any of these leaders?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.5,
8.4.2
Confl ict in the
Northwest Territory
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-18
You are a newspaper editor in Virginia in 1798. You’ve joined Jef-
ferson’s political party, which opposes the new president. In fact,
your paper has printed many articles that criticize him, calling him
greedy and foolish. You believe thats your right in a free country.
But now Congress has passed a law that makes it illegal to criticize
the government. You could be arrested for your articles!
Would you stop criticizing the government? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND People within the new United States
had differing viewpoints on many issues. Personal rivalries among
political leaders also created divisions in the new nation. Trying to
limit dissent in the country, the federal government passed several
unpopular laws.
The Election of 1796
The election of 1796 began a new era in U.S. politics. For the fi rst
time, more than one candidate ran for president.
Political parties
Political parties,
groups that help elect people and shape policies
groups that help elect people and shape policies, had begun to form
during Washington’s presidency. Despite Washington’s warnings
about political parties, the rivalry between two parties dominated
the 1796 election.
Alexander Hamilton helped found the
Federalist Party
Federalist Party,
which
which
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and
trade
trade. The Federalists chose John Adams and Thomas Pinckney as
candidates. Adams knew he was not well liked in the South or the
West, but he hoped people would support him after they thought
about his years of loyal public service.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison founded the
Democratic-
Democratic-
Republican Party
Republican Party.
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
Its members, called Republicans, wanted to limit
the federal government
the federal government
s power
s power. (This party is not related to today’s
Republican Party.) They chose Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr as
their candidates.
SECTION
4
What You Will Learn…
If YOU were there...
John Adamss
Presidency
212 CHAPTER 6
Key Terms
political parties, p. 212
Federalist Party, p. 212
Democratic-Republican Party, p. 212
XYZ affair, p. 214
Alien and Sedition Acts, p. 215
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions,
p. 215
The development of political par-
ties in the United States contrib-
uted to differing ideas about the
role of the federal government.
The Big Idea
1. The rise of political parties
created competition in the
election of 1796.
2. The XYZ affair caused
problems for President
John Adams.
3. Controversy broke out over
the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Main Ideas
HSS
8.3.4
Understand how the
confl icts between Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton resulted in
the emergence of two political par-
ties (e.g., view of foreign policy, Alien
and Sedition Acts, economic policy,
National Bank, funding and assump-
tion of the Revolutionary debt).
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-19
TERRITORY
NORTHWEST
OF OHIO RIVER
SOUTHWEST
TERRITORY
VT
4
NH
6
MA
16
NY
12
CT
9
RI
4
PA
DR-14
F-1
NJ
7
DE
3
MD
DR-4
F-7
VA
DR-20
F-1
NC
DR-11
F-1
SC
8
GA
4
KY
4
TN
3
70°W
90°W
N
S
W
E
INTERPRETING MAPS
John Adams John Jay
0
150
300 Miles
0
150
300 Kilometers
Federalist
(Adams)
Democratic-
Republican
(Jefferson)
Number of
electoral votes
11
LAUNCHING THE NATION 213
President Adams and the
XYZ Affair
John Adams had the challenging task of fol-
lowing Washington as president. The people
had adored Washington. Adams would have
to work hard to win the people’s trust.
A New President
At fi rst glance, John Adams did not appear
well suited for the presidency. Although
Adams had been a leading Patriot dur-
ing the American Revolution and had
later served as a foreign diplomat, he lacked
Washington’s dignity, and most people
saw him as a cold and distant person. Still,
many people—even his opponents—respected
Adams. They recognized his hard work,
honesty, and intelligence.
Party differences were based partly on
where and how people lived. Businesspeople
in the cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. Both sides
attacked each other. Republicans called Adams
a royalist—an insult to a man so involved in
the Revolution. The Federalists accused the
Republicans of favoring the French.
In the end, Adams defeated Jefferson.
At the time, the person who came in sec-
ond in a presidential election became vice
president. So, after months of campaigning
against one another, Adams and Jefferson
took offi ce together.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
How did the election of 1796 change the nature
of politics in the United States?
The First Political Parties, 1796
Alexander Hamilton
Republicans/South
Thomas Jefferson James Madison Albert Gallatin
Federalists/North
Region Which political party had
more electoral votes in 1796?
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
11
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-20
214 CHAPTER 6
The United States and France
One of Adams’s fi rst goals as president was to
improve the relationship between the United
States and France. You may remember that
the French had once tried to hire American
privateers to help them fi ght Great Britain, a
practice Washington frowned upon. Adams
sent U.S. diplomats to Paris to smooth over
the confl ict and to negotiate a treaty to pro-
tect U.S. shipping.
When the diplomats arrived in France,
they learned that French foreign minister
Talleyrand would not speak with them. Instead,
they had a strange and secret visit from three
French agents. Shockingly, the agents said that
Talleyrand would discuss a treaty only in
exchange for a $250,000 bribe. The French
government also wanted a loan of $12 mil-
lion. The amazed diplomats refused these
demands.
In March 1798 President Adams told
Congress that the peace-seeking mission had
failed. He described the French terms, substi-
tuting the letters X, Y, and Z for the names
of the French agents. Upon hearing the dis-
graceful news, Federalists in Congress called
for war with France.
The
The
XYZ affair
XYZ affair,
as the French demand
as the French demand
for a bribe came to be
for a bribe came to be
called
called, outraged the
American public. “Millions for defense, but
not one cent for tribute!” became the rally-
ing cry of the American people.
Preparations for War
Fearing war, Adams asked Congress to expand
the navy to a fl eet of more than 30 ships. He
thought war with France might be unavoid-
able. He also decided the United States should
keep a peacetime army. Congress approved
both measures.
Although Adams had asked Congress for
military support, he did not want to go to war
with France. He was worried about its cost. So
he did not ask Congress to declare war. Instead,
he tried to reopen peace talks with France.
Peace Efforts
Adams’s decision not to declare war stunned
Federalists. Despite intense pressure from
members of his own party, Adams refused to
change his mind.
American and French ships, however,
began fi ghting each other in the Caribbean.
Adams sent a representative to France to
engage in talks to try to end the fi ghting. The
United States and France eventually signed a
treaty. Adams then forced two members of
his cabinet to resign for trying to block his
peace efforts.
READING CHECK
Identifying Points of View
What did Americans mean when they said
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”?
Why do you think this
man is encouraging the
woman to look away?
These people aren’t
helping the woman. What
do you think the cartoon
is suggesting by this?
POLITICAL CARTOON
After the XYZ affair, French ships continued to attack American
merchant ships. In this cartoon, the United States is repre-
sented by the woman. The men, symbolizing the French, are
taking valuables from her. The people in the distance are
other European nations.
Primary Source
INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS
How does the cartoon show that America is being
preyed upon by the French?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-21
LAUNCHING THE NATION 215
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Many Democratic-Republicans continued to
sympathize with France. Federalists, angered
by their stand, called them “democrats, mob-
ocrats, and all other kinds of rats.”
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
In 1798, the Federalist-controlled Con-
gress passed four laws known together as the
gress passed four laws known together as the
Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien and Sedition Acts.
These laws were said
These laws were said
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
to protect the United States, but the Federal-
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
ists intended them to crush opposition to war.
The most controversial was the Sedition Act,
which forbade anyone from publishing or
voicing criticism of the federal government.
In effect, this cancelled basic protections of
freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The two main Democratic-Republican
leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madi-
son, viewed these acts as a misuse of the gov-
ernment’s power. Attacking the problem at
the state level, they wrote resolutions passed
by the Kentucky legislature in 1798 and in
Virginia in 1799. Known as the
Kentucky
Kentucky
and Virginia Resolutions
and Virginia Resolutions,
these documents
these documents
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were
unconstitutional.
unconstitutional. They stated that the federal
government could not pass these acts because
they interfered with state government. Madi-
son and Jefferson pressured Congress to
repeal the Alien and Sedition Acts. Congress
did not, although it allowed the acts to expire
within a few years.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
did not have the force of national law, but
they supported the idea that states could
challenge the federal government. This idea
would grow to have a tremendous impact on
American history later in the 1800s.
READING CHECK
Analyzing How did the
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support the
rights of states?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Political par-
ties formed to refl ect different viewpoints.
In the next chapter you will read about
Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.
Section 4 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Recall What two political parties emerged
before the election of 1796? Who were the
founders of each party?
b. Analyze What effect did political parties have
on the election of 1796?
c. Elaborate Do you think it was diffi cult for
Adams and Jefferson to serve together as presi-
dent and vice president? Explain your answer.
2. a. Recall What was one of Adams’s fi rst goals as
president?
b. Make Inferences Why were Federalists
shocked by Adams’s decision to resume peace
talks with the French?
3. a. Identify What did the Alien and Sedition Acts
state?
b. Explain What idea regarding states’ rights did
the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support?
c. Elaborate Would you have supported the Alien
and Sedition Acts? Explain your answer.
Critical Thinking
4. Contrasting Copy the chart below. Use it to
identify the differences between the two political
parties that emerged in the late 1700s.
Democratic-Republican Party
Federalist Party
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Gathering Information about John Adams
Take some notes about John Adams’s contribu-
tions that would support his nomination for the
Nobel Prize. Then begin to compare and contrast
all four leaders you have studied in this chapter.
Which one will you nominate?
KEYWORD: SS8 HP6
Online Quiz
HSS
8.3.4
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-22
Social Studies Skills
Analysis Critical Thinking
Define the Skill
Democracy is one of the most valued principles of
American society. It is based on the idea that the
members of society, or representatives they choose,
make the decisions that affect society. Decision-
making would be much more effi cient if just
one person decided what to do and how to do it.
However, that method is not at all democratic.
Making decisions as a group is a complicated
and diffi cult skill. However, it is an important one
at all levels of society—from governing the nation
to making group decisions at school, in the commu-
nity, and with your friends. At every level, the skill
is based on the ability of the group’s members to
interact in effective and cooperative ways.
Learn the Skill
Think about the job the fi rst Congress faced after
the Constitution was ratifi ed. The nation was still
millions of dollars in debt from the Revolutionary
War. Congress had to fi nd a way to pay these debts
as well as raise money to run the government.
Leaders like Jefferson and Hamilton had ideas
about how to accomplish these goals. However,
neither man could act alone. In a democracy the
group—in this case Congress—must make the deci-
sions and take the actions.
This task was complicated by the fact that
Jefferson and Hamilton disagreed on what to do.
Each man’s supporters in Congress pushed his point
of view. Fortunately, its members were able to over-
come their differences, compromise on goals and
actions, and accept group decisions they might not
have agreed with personally. Had they not possessed
Making Group Decisions
this ability and skill, the nation’s early years might
have been even more diffi cult than they were.
Like that fi rst Congress, being part of an effec-
tive group requires that you behave in certain ways.
1
Be an active member. Take part in setting
the group’s goals and in making its decisions.
Participate in planning and taking group action.
2
Take a position. State your views and work
to persuade other members to accept them.
However, also be open to negotiating and com-
promising to settle differences within the group.
3
Be willing to take charge if leadership is
needed. But also be willing to follow the lead-
ership of other members.
Practice the Skill
Suppose that you are a member of the fi rst
Congress. With a group of classmates, you must
decide what and who should be taxed to raise the
money the government needs. Remember that you
are an elected offi cial. If you do something to upset
the people, you could lose your job. When your
group has fi nished, answer the following questions.
1. Did your group have a plan for completing
its task? Did it discuss what taxes to pass?
Compared to other members, how much did
you take part in those activities?
2. How well did your group work together? What
role did you play in that? Was it a positive con-
tribution or a negative one? Explain.
3. Was your group able to make a decision? If not,
why? If so, was compromise involved? Do you
support the decision? Explain why or why not.
216 CHAPTER 6
Participation
Study
HSS
Participation Skill Develop group
interaction skills.
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LAUNCHING THE NATION 217LAUNCHING THE NATION 217
CHAPTER
6
Reviewing Vocabulary, Terms,
and People
Complete each sentence by fi lling in the blank with the
correct term or person.
1. The _______________ established the structure of
the federal court system and its relationship to
state courts.
2. Federalists angered many Republicans when
they passed the ________________ to protect the
United States from traitors.
3. As president, Washington was able to establish
several ___________, or decisions that serve as
examples for later action.
4. Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested
taxes in the _____________.
5. The ________________ was created in order to
strengthen the U.S. economy.
Comprehension and
Critical Thinking
SECTION 1 (Pages 196–199)
HSS
8.1
6. a. Recall What precedents did President Wash-
ington and Congress establish for the executive
and judicial branches?
b. Draw Conclusions Why did Americans select
George Washington as their first president?
c. Evaluate Do you think the newly established
government met the expectations of its citizens?
Why or why not?
SECTION 2
(Pages 200–204)
HSS
8.3.4
7. a. Identify What changes did Alexander Hamil-
ton make to the national economy?
b. Contrast In what ways did Hamilton and Jef-
ferson disagree on the economy?
c. Evaluate Which of Hamilton’s economic
plans do you think was the most important to
the new nation? Why?
Standards Review
Use the visual summary below to help you review the main
ideas of the chapter.
Visual
Summary
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SECTION 3 (Pages 205–211)
HSS
8.3.5, 8.4.2
8. a. Describe What challenges did the nation face
during Washington’s presidency?
b. Make Inferences Why did Washington
believe that it was important for the United
States to remain neutral in foreign conflicts?
c. Evaluate Rate the success of Washington’s
presidency. Explain the reasons for your rating.
SECTION 4
(Pages 212–215)
HSS
8.3.4
9. a. Describe What role did political parties play
in the election of 1796?
b. Analyze How did the Alien and Sedition Acts
create division among some Americans?
c. Predict How might the political attacks between
the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties
lead to problems in the future?
Reviewing Themes
10. Economics What economic problems troubled
the nation at the beginning of Washington’s
presidency? How were they solved?
11. Politics How did the creation of political parties
change politics in the United States?
Using the Internet
KEYWORD: SS8 US6
12. Activity: Creating a Poster In 1798 war with
France seemed on the horizon. The Federalist-
controlled Congress passed a law that made it
a crime to criticize the government in print. In
1971 war raged in Vietnam and the president
used a court order to stop publication of infor-
mation critical of the government’s actions in
Vietnam. What do these events have in com-
mon? Enter the activity keyword. Then research
the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Pentagon
Papers case during the Vietnam War. Create a
poster to display your information and to illus-
trate the connection between a free press and a
democratic society.
Reading Skills
Understanding Assumptions by Inferring Use the
Reading Skills taught in this chapter to answer the ques-
tion about the reading selection below.
Party differences were based partly on where
and how people lived. Businesspeople in the
cities tended to support the Federalists.
Farmers in more isolated areas generally
favored the Democratic-Republicans. (p. 213)
13. Which of the following statements can be
inferred from the selection?
a. Farmers wanted a large federal government.
b. Urban Americans were usually Republicans.
c. Merchants supported John Adams.
d. People in the cities had different concerns
than did the rural population.
Social Studies Skills
Making Group Decisions Use the Social Studies Skills
taught in this chapter to answer the questions below.
Get together with a group of three or four
students and discuss the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Answer the following questions individually and
as a group.
14. Do you think that limits were needed on Ameri-
cans’ speeches and printed articles at the time?
15. What other ideas might Congress have consid-
ered to solve the problem of disagreement?
FOCUS ON WRITING
16. Writing a Nobel Nomination Now that you’ve
chosen your nominee for the Nobel Prize, you
can start to write your nomination. Begin with
a sentence that identifies the person you are
nominating. Then give at least three reasons for
your nomination. Each reason should include a
specific achievement or contribution of this per-
son. End your nomination with a sentence that
sums up your reasons for nominating this person
for the Nobel Prize. Be persuasive. You need to
convince the Nobel Prize committee that this
person deserves the prize more than anyone else
in the world!
218 CHAPTER 6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-25
LAUNCHING THE NATION 219
DIRECTIONS: Read each question and write the
letter of the best response.
!
Increase the federal government·s power
so it can provide strong leadership.
Allow the federal government to pay the
states· Revolutionary War debts.
Encourage the growth of American
manufacturing and business.
Create a national bank that could make
loans to the government and to business.
Which early leader would have been most
opposed to such ideas?
A John Adams
B Alexander Hamilton
C Thomas Jefferson
D George Washington
@
In the 1790s, most Americans
A lived in the countryside and worked on family
farms.
B lived in small towns and worked as laborers or
craftspeople.
C lived in cities and worked as laborers, crafts-
people, or merchants.
D lived west of the Appalachian Mountains or
wanted to move West.
#
In his Farewell Address in 1796, President
Washington advised Americans of
A the nation·s need for a national bank.
B his fear of a British invasion to end American
independence.
C his wish that the offi ce of president be given
more power.
D the dangers of ties with foreign nations.
$
President Washington demonstrated the
government’s power under the new Consti-
tution to enforce federal law in the way he
handled the
A Whiskey Rebellion.
B Alien and Sedition Acts.
C XYZ affair.
D Judiciary Act of 1789.
%
The two-party system that exists in American
politics today fi rst arose during the election
of which president?
A George Washington
B John Adams
C Thomas Jefferson
D James Madison
Connecting with Past Learning
^
The war between Great Britain and France
that raged during the presidencies of Wash-
inton and Adams was one of many confl icts
between those two nations. Earlier wars
between them included
A the War of the Roses.
B the Glorious Revolution.
C the Hundred Years· War.
D the Crusades.
&
In Grade 7 you learned about Martin Luthers
protest of the way in which the Catholic
Church raised money. Which event in the
United States was also a protest against
methods of raising money?
A the XYZ affair
B Washington·s Farewell Address
C the Judiciary Act of 1789
D the Whiskey Rebellion
Standards Assessment
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-26
220 UNIT 2
Assignment
Write a paper explaining how
the federal system balances
power among the legisla-
tive, executive, and judicial
branches of government.
Explaining a
Political Process
H
ow do you register to vote? What is the difference
between a civil court and a federal court? When we
want to know about a process or system of our govern-
ment, we often turn to written explanations.
1. Prewrite
Considering Purpose and Audience
In this assignment, you will be writing for an audience of middle
school students. You’ll need to
identify questions they might have about the process or system
identify factors or details that might confuse them
As you plan your paper, keep your audience in mind.
Collecting and Organizing the Information
The big idea, or thesis, of your explanation will be that the federal sys-
tem balances the power among the three branches of government. To
collect information about each branch and its powers, you can use a
chart like the one on the left. Be sure to note the relationships among
the parts. Also, note the important characteristics of each part. When
you have completed the chart, you will have the basic organization of
your paper.
2. Write
You can use this framework to help you write your first draft.
TIP
Using a Graphic Organizer
A chart like the following can help
you organize the body of your
explanation.
Introduction
State the big idea of your paper.
Explain briefly why this topic is
important to the reader.
Body
Identify the important characteristics
of each part of the process or system.
Explain any relationships between or
among the parts.
Define terms your readers might
not know.
Where appropriate, include graphics
to illustrate your explanation.
Conclusion
Restate your big idea in different
words.
Summarize your main points.
A Writer’s Framework
Legislative Executive Judicial
ELA
Writing 8.2.6
Write technical
documents.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_6_Launching_the_Nation_bQLeyRX Image-27
3. Evaluate and Revise
Evaluating
Clear, straightforward language is important when explaining how
things work. Use the following questions to discover ways to improve
your paper.
Evaluation Questions for an Explanation of a Process or System
Does your big-idea statement
accurately reflect your explanation
of the process or system?
Do you discuss each part of the
process or system in logical order?
Do you include details and
information to explain each part of
the process or system?
If you used bulleted or numbered
lists, are the items parallel—that is,
do they have the same grammatical
forms or structures?
Does your conclusion restate your
big idea and explain the importance
of your topic?
Revising
Sometimes a complex explanation sounds even more complex when
you try to explain it in a paragraph. In those cases, a bulleted list of
facts or examples may make it easier for your readers to understand
the information you are presenting. As you revise your paper, consider
whether you have any information you should put in a bulleted list.
4. Proofread and Publish
Proofreading
If you use special formatting in your paper, it is important to make
sure that it is consistent. Here are some things to check:
If you have used boldface or italic type, have you always used it
in the same way—for important information, for a heading, for a
technical term?
If you have used a list of items, have you consistently used num-
bers or bullets?
Publishing
Since you are writing this paper for students, you might find a student
in the sixth or seventh grade to read it. Find out whether your expla-
nation seems clear and interesting.
5. Practice and Apply
Use the steps and strategies outlined in this workshop to write your
explanation of a process or system.
TIP
Using Bulleted Lists The
items in a bulleted list should be
in the same grammatical forms or
structures.
Not the same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpret laws
overseeing lower courts
The same:
Duties of the legislative branch
include
interpreting laws
overseeing lower courts
A NEW NATION
221

Subjects

U.S. History

Grade Levels

K12

Resource Type

PDF

US History Textbook 8th Grade Chapter 6 Launching the Nation PDF Download

CHAPTER Elbe California Standards Science Students understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation a elate their significance to the development of American constitutional democracy . Students understand the foundation of the American political system and the ways in which citizens participate in it . Students analyze the aspirations and ideals of the people of the new nation . Students analyze foreign policy in the early republic . Arts Writing Write persuasive compositions that provide details , reasons , and examples . FOCUS ON WRITING A Nobel Nomination Every year a few people are nominated for a Nobel Prize for their work to improve the world . In this chapter you will read about four great . Hamilton , Jefferson , and Adams . Then you choose one of these great leaders and write a Nobel Prize nomination for him . George Washington becomes the first president . Revolution begins . CHAPTER

History Impact video series Watch the video to stand the impact of political parties . an I . What You Will Learn In this chapter you will learn about the first presidency and how it affected the country . George Washington began many of the traditions of the president and of the nation . He is honored ' with statues and memorials across the country , including the Washington Monument in , Washington , 1795 I 794 Native American I 796 The Whiskey leaders sign John Adams is George Washington dies Rebellion begins the Treaty of elected president at Mount Vernon , Virginia , in Pennsylvania . Greenville . on December on December 14 . 1799 French The Rosetta Stone is discovered revolutionaries in Egypt . Inscriptions on the stone behead King make it possible for researchers Louis XVI . I to read Egyptian hieroglyphics . LAUNCHING THE NATION

Reading Social Studies Economics Politics ' Focus on Themes This chapter , titled nation , the establishment of two parties to elect Launching a describes how the early leaders the president , and Jefferson struggles with both established this nation political and economic Washington and Hamilton . Throughout the chapter , systems . You will read about Washington you will see that disagreement often defined these , Hamilton plan for financial security for the early days . about History FOCUS on Reading What the difference between a good guess and a weak guess ?

A good guess is an educated guess . In other words , the guess is based on some knowledge or information . That what an inference is , an educated guess . Making About What You Read To make an inference , combine information from your reading with what you already know , and make an educated guess about what it all means . Once you have made several inferences , you may be able to draw a conclusion that ties them all together . Question What kind of person was Alexander Hamilton ?

Steps for Making Ask a question . Note information Inside the ! Inside the Text Outside the Text , Note information Outside the Text . Hamilton ran a Running a company . company when he takes intelligence Use both sets of to make an educated guess , or and cleverness . inference . Becoming a lawyer was just a teenager . He had a career as a lawyer . takes dedication . He became the Washington Secretary of the probably wanted Treasury under someone clever and Washington . capable . Additional reading Inference Alexander Hamilton was an intelligent , clever , and Can be dedicated man . found in CHAPTER

ELA Reading Read and understand material . You Try It ! Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow . Economic Differences Hamilton wanted new forms of economic From growth . He wanted to promote ing and business . He even suggested that the government award a prize to companies that made excellent products . In addition , Hamilton wanted to pass higher tariffs . Known as protective tariffs , these taxes would raise the prices of foreign products . Hamilton hoped this would cause Americans to buy goods . As a result , American manufacturing would be protected from foreign competition . Jefferson worried about depending too much on business and manufacturing . He believed that farmers were the most pendent voters . wanted to help farmers by keeping the costs of the goods they bought low . Lower tariffs would help keep prices low . After you read the passage , answer the following questions . Which two questions can be answered directly from the text above and which one requires that you make an inference ?

a . Who wanted higher tariffs , Hamilton ?

Why do you think Hamilton and Jefferson had different views on the importance of manufacturing ?

Which man wanted to help the farmers ?

To answer question , it might help to know that Hamilton lived in New York City and Jefferson was from the more rural area of Virginia . Use that information and information in the passage to explain why one man valued manufacturing more than the other . and ! People Chapter Section electoral college ( 196 ) Martha Washington ( 196 ) precedent ( 197 ) Judiciary Act of 1789 ( 198 ) Section Alexander Hamilton ( 200 ) national debt ( 200 ) bonds ( 201 ) speculators ( 201 ) Thomas Jefferson ( 201 ) loose construction ( strict construction ( 204 ) Bank of the United States ( Section French Revolution ( Neutrality Proclamation ( 206 ) privateers ( 206 ) Jay Treaty ( 207 ) Treaty ( Little Turtle ( 208 ) Battle of Fallen ' 209 ) Treaty of Greenville ( Whiskey Rebellion ( Section political parties ( 212 ) Federalist Party ( 212 ) Party ( 212 ) XYZ affair ( 214 ) Allen and Sedition Acts ( 215 ) Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions ( 215 ) Academic Vocabulary In this chapter , you will learn the following academic words agreement ( 99 ) neutral ( 206 ) As you read Chapter , rememberthat you need to combine what you already know with the information in the chapter to make inferences . LAUNCHING THE NATION

SECTION What You Will Learn in George Washington became the first president of the United States . Congress and the president organized the executive and judicial branches of government . Americans had high tions of their new government . The Big Idea and members of Congress established a new national government . Key Terms and People George Washington , 196 electoral college , 196 Martha Washington , 196 precedent , 197 Judiciary Act of 1789 , 198 ! IE Students understand the major events preceding the founding ofthe nation and relate their to the development of can constitutional democracy . CHAPTER Washington Leads a New Nation If YOU were there You are a seamstress in New York City in 1789 . You ve joined the excited crowd in the streets for inauguration day . Church bells are ringing , and people are cheering . Even though you were just a young child during the Revolution , Washington is your hero . Now you watch as he takes the oath of office . You are proud to see that he is wearing a suit of cloth . What would you think America future would be like under President Washington ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND George Washington was more than just a hero . People naturally looked to him as a national leader . He had taken part in the Continental Congresses and in ing the Constitution . He helped establish and strengthen the new national government . The First President Americans believed in . They saw him as an est leader and a hero of the Revolution . Many believed he should be the first president . Washington had been looking forward to retirement and a quiet life on his Virginia farm . When he hesitated at becoming a candidate for the presidency , his friends convinced him to run . Fellow politician Morris told him , Should the idea prevail win that you would not accept the presidency , it should prove fatal . to the new Morris concluded , Of all men , you are the best fitted to that In January 1789 each of the 11 states that had passed the sent electors to choose the first president . These delegates formed a group called the electoral college body of electors who represent each state vote in choosing the president . The toral college selected Washington unanimously , and John Adams became his vice president . Washington wife , First lady Martha Washington , entertained guests and attended social events with her husband . She described the

scene to her niece I have not had one organizing the Government hour to myself since the day of my She ran the presidential household with style . Other women , such as author Judith Sargent Murray , believed that women needed to play a greater role in the new nation than Martha Washington did . Murray , Abigail Adams , and others believed in Republican Motherhood , the idea that women played an important role in teaching their children to be good citizens . Some promoters of Republican hood did not expect women to participate in politics or business . Other people , however , hoped that Republican Motherhood would lead to greater opportunities for women . They hoped more women would receive an tion . Only a few families were willing to vide much education for their daughters , and adult women rarely had the time or money to get an education later in life . Most women in the early republic faced long days managing their households and working hard inside or outside the home to support their families . Hard work also lay ahead for members of the new government . The new federal had to create policies and that would determine the future of the country . As President Washington noted in a letter to James Madison , The first of thing in our situation will serve to establish a A precedent is an action or sion that later serves as an example . The First Congress created departments in the executive branch for different areas of national policy . Washington met with the department heads , or cabinet members , who advised him . For two of his most tant cabinet positions , Washington chose carefully . He picked Alexander Hamilton as secretary of the treasury and Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state . Henry Knox served as secretary of war , and Samuel Osgood was chosen as postmaster general . Hamilton was a gifted economic planner , and Jefferson had served as ambassador to France . Knox had helped Washington run the why was Continental Army , and Osgood had Washington selected to be president ?

ment The First Cabinet Washington cabinet members kept him informed on political matters and debated important issues with one another . Each of the men chosen had experience that made him a wise choice to advise the nation president . By 1792 cabinet meetings were a common practice . SKILL ANALYZING How do you think a modern cabinet meeting might look different from the one shown here ! Henry Knox , secretary of war Alexander Hamilton , secretary ofthe Thomas Jefferson , secretary of state Edmund Randolph , attorney general . LAUNCHING THE NATION

A Rural Nation Urban . Rural Population , 1790 Today we know that presidents have cabinet meetings with their top advisers . This practice started during Washington presidency and was common by 1792 . To set up the federal court system and the courts location , Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 789 . This act created three levels of eral courts and their powers and to the state courts . It set up federal district courts and circuit courts of appeals . The president nominated candidates for federal . Those candidates then had to be approved or rejected by the Senate . Washington wrote about the importance of these duties I have always been persuaded that the stability and success of the national government . would depend in a considerable degree on the and execution of its laws . In my opinion , therefore , it is important that system should not only be independent in its operations , but as perfect as possible in its Washington , quoted in The Real George Washington , edited by Parry et al . The basic parts of the federal government were now in place . Leaders began to face the challenges of the new nation . Hard work lay ahead . CHAPTER Finding Main Ideas What two important precedents were established for the federal government ?

Americans Expectations of Government Most Americans had high expectations for their government . They wanted improved trade , free from too many restrictions . But they also expected the government to them and to keep the economy stable . However , the idea of belonging to one united nation was new to them . In 1790 the United States was home to almost million people . Most Americans lived in the countryside and worked on farms . Farmers wanted fair tax laws and the right to settle western lands . They did not want the government to interfere with their daily lives . Other Americans worked in towns as people , laborers , or merchants . These people looked to the government to help their . Most merchants wanted simpler trade laws established . Manufacturers wanted laws to protect them from foreign competitors .

active . A French visitor to New York City noted A ( the city energy , VOCABULARY agreement Everything in the city is in motion everywhere a decision the shops resound ring out with the noise of reached by two workers one sees vessels arriving from every or groups part of the French visitor to New York quoted in New York in the American Revolution by Wilbur Abbott In 1792 some 24 stockbrokers signed an agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street . This agreement was the foundation for what later became the New York Stock rue IMPACT TODAY Exchange . It cemented Wall Street image as . New York Stock the economic hub of the United States . Exchange is the By 1790 the city population had topped largest market for securities , new government ?

was To many or stocks , in , this vibrant city the the World . future of the new nation . It was thus a Most cities were small . Only New York place for the Capital City and Philadelphia had populations larger Analyzing Why was ew York than 25900 New York City was the first Cam City chosen as the first capital of the United States ?

tal of the United States , and it represented the spirit of the new nation . Although badly aged during the Revolution , the city had already SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans , led begun to recover . Citizens got rid of many signs by President George Washington , set up of British rule . their new government . In the next section New York City had a bustling economy . you will read about Alexander trade and business became more economic plan . 30 ram Section Assessment online Quiz Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People a . Describe What role did the electoral college play in George Washington election to the presidency ?

Summarize What were some of Martha Washington duties as First Lady ?

a . Describe What precedent did President Washington and Congress establish regarding the executive branch ?

Explain What was the purpose of the Judiciary Act of ?

Evaluate What do you think was the most tant element of the Judiciary Act of 1789 ?

Why ?

a . Recall What city served as the first capital of the United States ?

Why ?

Draw Conclusions What expectations did most Americans have of their government ?

Critical Thinking . Generalizing Copy the graphic organizer below . Use it to identify the expectations that farmers and merchants had of the new government . Expectations of Government . Thinking about Washington Contributions In this section you learned some things about George Washington as president . Jot down one or two things you could use to support his nomination for a Nobel Prize . LAUNCHING THE NATION

SECTION What You Will Learn . Hamilton tackled the lem of settling national and state debt . Thomas Jefferson opposed Hamilton views on ment and the economy . Hamilton created a national strengthen the economy . The Big Idea Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton developed a financial plan forthe national government . Key Terms and People Alexander Hamilton , national debt , 200 bonds , speculators , 201 Thomas Jefferson , 201 loose construction , strict construction , Bank of the United States , 204 ! IE Understand how the conflicts between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton resulted in the emergence of two political ties ( view of foreign policy , Alien and Sedition Acts , economic policy , National Bank , funding and tion of the Revolutionary debt ) 200 CHAPTER Hamilton and National Finances If YOU were there You live on a plantation in North Carolina in the . You have just heard that the federal government plans to pay most of the northern states debts from the war Now your neighbors are raged about this idea . It means more taxes and tariffs ! New York and Massachusetts are far away , they say . Why should North Carolina farmers have to pay northern debts ?

Would you pay other states war debts ?

Why ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND Some ofthe new nation biggest were economic . The national and state governments had run up huge debts during the war . Butthe proposed solutions to these problems revealed differences in regional viewpoints . Southern ers and northern businesspeople had very different views of how the national economy should develop . Settling the Debt Alexander Hamilton seemed born with a head for economics . While still in his teens , he helped run a shipping company in his native ish West Indies . Family friends then sent him to the American for an education . Hamilton eventually married into a wealthy New York family and began practicing law . He served as ton aide and as a delegate to four Continental Congresses . National Debt As secretary of the treasury , Hamilton biggest challenge was ing off the national debt owed by the United from the Revolutionary War . The United States owed about million to foreign countries and about million to citizens . During the war the government raised money with bonds . Bonds are of debt that cany a promise to buy back the bonds at a higher price . But the government could not afford to keep this promise . who needed money sold

Alexander Hamilton developed a plan to solve the nation financial problems . Total Debt State debt 25 million Domestic debt million Foreign debt million their bonds for less than the original value to speculators , or people who buy items at low prices in the hope that the value will rise and they can sell the items for a . Hamilton wanted to pay the foreign debt immediately and gradually repay the total value of all bonds . The second part of his plan caused disagreements because paying full value would allow speculators to make a . Hamilton thought this was fair . He said , He the speculator paid what the ity bond was worth . and took the Thomas Jefferson disagreed . He thought the idea cheated who had sold their bonds at low prices . Jefferson wrote , Immense sums were thus stolen from the poor and But more agreed with Hamilton . In 1790 the government exchanged old bonds for new , more reliable ones that were guaranteed . States Debts The states owed 25 million for ary War expenses . Hamilton wanted the federal government to pay for lion of this debt . Hamilton believed that this action would help the federal government . He Hamilton Economic Plan mu Deal with the Debt Take on the foreign and domestic debt replacing creditors old , bonds with new , bonds Take over most ofthe states 25 million Revolutionary War debts Gain Revenue Pass a tariff to both bring in money and help American manufacturers Stabilize the Banking System Create a national bank Create a national mint thought that paying the states debts would help the national economy . Debtor states would not have to spend so much on ment and would have money to develop business and trade . Increased business and trade would put more money back into the national economy The South , however , did not want to help the federal government pay the debts of other states . States such as Virginia and North Carolina did not have many war debts . They thought Hamilton idea was unfair . Patrick Henry said he did not believe that the gave Congress the power to pay state debts . Hamilton knew that he needed the help of southern representatives to get his plan approved . Moving the Capital Hamilton also knew that he had something to bargain with . Southern officials wanted to change the location of the capital . Many southerners thought that having the capital in New York gave the northern states too much over national policy . Hamilton , Jefferson , and James Madison , a congressman from Virginia , LAUNCHING THE NATION 201 would build investor confidence in the stability of the new nation I would free up state money for business and trade

111 IMPACT TODAY met in June 1790 . Hamilton promised to convince in Congress to move the capital . Jefferson and Madison agreed to gather support in the South for Hamilton debt plan . The compromise worked . The national capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1791 for 10 years . For the capitals permanent location , Washington chose a place on the Potomac River that included part of both Maryland and Jefferson Opposes Hamilton Hamilton and Jefferson did not cooperate for long . Instead , they began to disagree about how to the authority of the central government . Hamilton believed in a strong federal government . Jefferson wanted to the powers of the states . Their basic differences in their opinions about democracy . Hamilton had little faith Washington , Virginia . The land was made up of Swamps in the average individual . He once said that a ' the people . seldom judge or determine areas are home and farms . This site would eventually become decide Ii to more than the City of Washington , million people . i Identifying Points ofView ' Hamilton wanted a strong central Ca How did southerners feel federal government paying state and how ment that balanced power between the tourist mass of the people and wealthier citizens . did Hamilton minds ! BIOGRAPHY Benjamin ( Benjamin was born to a free African American family in rural Maryland . He attended a Quaker school but was largely He believed that his approach would protect everyone liberties while keeping the people from having too much power . Jefferson disagreed strongly with ton views of the average citizen ability to make decisions for the country . He admitted that the people can not be all , and always , well However , Jefferson believed that it was the right of the people to rule . He was a skilled mathematician the Country and scientist . His mathematical skills prompted Thomas Jefferson to give him a job surveying the land for the new national capital . Economic Differences Hamilton and Jefferson also fought over how the country economy should grow . ton wanted new forms of economic growth . He wanted to promote manufacturing , business , and the future industrialization of the nation . Hamilton even suggested that Draw Conclusions How was Benjamin life different from most African Americans of the time ?

Capitol in Washington , 202 CHAPTER Primary Source POINTS OF VIEW Role of a Citizen Alexander Hamilton thought that the average citizen had no interest in public affairs . We must take man as we find him , and if we expect him to serve the public , we must interest his passions in doing so . A reliance on pure patriotism has been the source of many of our errors . Hamilton , quoted in Odd Destiny The Life Hamilton by Marie Hecht the government award a prize to companies that made excellent products . In addition , Hamilton wanted to pass higher tariffs . Known as protective tariffs , these taxes would raise the prices of foreign products . Hamilton hoped this would cause Americans to buy goods . As a result , American manufacturing would be protected from foreign competition . Jefferson worried about depending too much on business and manufacturing . He believed that farmers were the most dent voters . They did not depend on other peoples work to make a living . Jefferson wrote , Our governments will remain virtuous pure for many centuries as long as they are son wanted to help farmers by keeping the costs of the goods they bought low . Lower tariffs would help keep prices low . Summarizing What were the main differences between Hamilton and Jefferson concerning the power of the government ?

believed that each citizen could work to better society It is my principle that the will of the Majority should always prevail win . Above all things I hope the education of the mon people will be attended to I am convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty . Jefferson , from Thomas Jefferson A Biography in His Own Words ANALYSIS SKILL ANALYZING or VIEW How did the views of Hamilton and Jefferson differ ?

National Debate Hamilton differences became more and more public in early 791 . The two men had very different opinions about how the government should approach its nomic problems . Hamilton Plan for a National Bank Hamilton wanted to start a national bank where the government could safely deposit its money . The bank would also make loans to the government and businesses to promote industrialization . Hamilton also thought that the United States should build a national mint , a place to make coins . Then the country could begin issuing its own money . Hamilton knew that people who wanted to protect states rights might have a strong reaction to the idea of a national bank , so he suggested limiting it to a ter . After that time Congress could decide whether to extend the charter . ton also asked each state to start its own bank so the national bank would not have a monopoly . TODAY The US . Mint was established in 1792 and now produces between billion and 20 billion coins each year . LAUNCHING THE NATION 203

Jefferson Opposes the Bank Both Jefferson and Madison believed that Hamilton plans for the economy gave too much power to the federal government . They also thought the Constitution did not give Congress the power to create a bank . But Hamilton quoted the elastic clause , which states that Congress can make all laws which shall be necessary and proper to govern the nation . Hamilton declared that the clause allowed the government to create a national bank . Hamilton believed in loose construction of the Constitution . Loose construction means that the federal government can take able actions that the Constitution does not forbid . Jefferson thought that the elastic clause should be used only in special cases . He wrote to President Washington , The Constitution allows only the means which are necessary , not those which are merely Jefferson believed in strict construction of the Constitution . People who favor strict construction think that the federal ment should do only what the tion says it can do . President Washington and Congress agreed with Hamilton . They hoped a bank would offer stability for the US . economy . In February 1791 Congress enacted the ter for the Bank of the United country first national bank . The bank played an important role in making the US . economy more stable . Drawing Conclusions Why did Congress and the president agree to create a national bank ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Washington and Hamilton developed plans for paying the debt . In the next section you will read about the neutrality policy . go um ne Quiz Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People IE a . Describe What economic problems did the Critical Thinking . Contrasting Copy the chart below . Use it to new government face ?

Summarize What compromise did Alexander Hamilton , Thomas Jefferson , and James Madison reach regarding repayment of state debts ?

a . Identify What disagreement did Jefferson and Hamilton have over the central government ?

Draw Conclusions Hamilton was a New Yorker , while Jefferson was from Virginia . How do you think that affected their views on the economy ?

Elaborate Do you agree with Hamilton or Jefferson regarding the average citizen ability to make decisions for the country ?

Explain your answer . a . Recall Why did Jefferson oppose the creation of the Bank of the United States ?

Contrast What is the difference between loose construction and strict construction of the Constitution ?

Elaborate Defend Alexander Hamilton stance in favor of the creation of a national bank . 204 CHAPTER contrast the ideas of Hamilton and Jefferson on the topics listed . Gathering Information about Hamilton and Jefferson Both Hamilton and Jefferson were strong leaders who helped shape the government of the young United States . What could you say about either of them to support a nomination for a Nobel Prize ?

Challenges for the New Nation If YOU were there You are the captain of an American merchant ship in the 17905 . Your ship hasjust picked up cargo in the French West Indies . You are headed back to your home port of Philadelphia . Suddenly , a British warship pulls alongside your ship . Marines swarm aboard . They order you into the nearest harbor and seize your goods . How would this incident affect your views of Great Britain ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND As the new nation tried to get organized , economic problems and internal divisions . Even more difficult challenges came from conflicts in Europe . The United States could not avoid being caught up in fighting between France and Great Britain . Remaining Neutral Tensions between France and Britain began to build after the French people rebelled against their king . On July 14 , 1789 , citizens of Paris attacked and captured the Bastille , a hated fortress and prison that stood as a mighty symbol of royal power . The storming of the Bastille was one of the first acts of the French Revolution rebellion of French people against their king in 1789 . The French people overthrew their king and created a republican government . French revolutionaries storm the Bastille . SECTION What You will Learn . The United States tried to remain neutral regarding events in Europe . The United States and Native Americans came into conflict in the Northwest Territory . The Whiskey Rebellion tested Washington administration . In his Farewell Address , advised the nation . The Big Idea The United States faced significant foreign and domestic challenges . Key Terms and People French Revolution , Neutrality Proclamation , 206 privateers , 206 Jay Treaty , 207 Treaty , Little Turtle , 208 Battle of Fallen Timbers , 209 Treaty of Greenville , Whiskey Rebellion , Knowthe of domestic resistance movements and ways in which the central government responded to such movements , Shays Rebellion , the Whiskey lion ) Explain the policy significance of famous speeches ( ton Farewell Address , 1801 Inaugural Address , John ( Adams Fourth 1821 Address ) LAUNCHING THE NATION 205

FOCUS ON READING Whatcan youtell about France before 1793 using this paragraph and what you already know about ?

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY neutral unbiased , not favoring either side in a conflict Many French citizens had been inspired to take action by the American Revolution . Many Americans , in turn , supported the French Revolution . They thought that France was creating the same kind of democracy as the United States . Some Americans worried about the French Revolution violent riots and attacks on traditional authority . Revolutionaries shocked many Americans by beheading King Louis XVI in January 1793 and Queen Antoinette later that year . A few years after the French Revolution started , France and Great Britain went to war . Some Americans supported the French , while others backed the British . Some wanted to remain neutral . The Neutrality Proclamation The debate divided Congress and ton cabinet . Washington presented his ion to Congress on April 22 , 1793 The duty and interest of the United States require that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial unbiased towards the belligerent Washington , quoted in The Real George Washington by Parry et al . This Neutrality Proclamation stated that the United States would not take sides with any European countries that were at war . Washington believed his plan was the safest for the long run , but not everyone agreed . The Struggle for Neutrality April 1789 George Washington becomes president . July 1189 French citizens storm the Bastille . October 1190 , Little Turtle defeats forces under . Some members of Congress criticized Washington ideas . James Madison believed that the president had gone beyond his authority . He questioned Washington right to issue the proclamation without the approval of Congress . The French Question France new representative to the United States , Edmond Genet ( asked American sailors to help France England by commanding privateers . Privateers were private ships hired by a country to attack its enemies . Washington told Genet that using American privateers violated neutrality . Jefferson wanted the French revolutionaries to succeed , but even he agreed that allowing France to use American privateers against England was a bad idea . Jefferson was still upset by policy toward France . He believed that the United States should back France because France had supported the United States during the War . Hamilton , on the other hand , was . He hoped to strengthen ing ties with most powerful ing nation in the world at the time . Jefferson thought that Hamilton had too much ence on the president foreign policy and that Hamilton consequently interfered with Jefferson role as secretary of state . Jefferson decided to resign from Washington cabinet in 1793 . April 1793 President Washington issues the Neutrality Proclamation . November 1194 Jay Treaty . sparks protest throughout the United States .

Jay Treaty Treaty There were other threats to neutrality . American businesses faced problems as well . In late 1793 the British seized ships carrying The Spanish disputed the border between the food to the French West Indies . Hundreds of United States and Florida . Spain closed the the ships were neutral American merchant port of New Orleans to trade in ships . Also , British officers were helping This hurt the American economy because all Native Americans settlers . goods moving down the Mississippi to places Washington wanted to prevent another in the East or overseas had to pass through war with the British . He sent New Orleans . Jay to London to work out a compromise . The Washington asked Ambassador Thomas British knew the United States lacked a strong to meet with Spanish to navy and that businesses relied heavily discuss the problem . He asked the Spaniards on British trade . However , the British did not to reopen New Orleans to trade . want to another war in America . ney also asked for the right of deposit in New In November 1794 the two sides signed Orleans . This right would allow American Jay Treaty . Jay Treaty settled the disputes boats to transfer goods in New Orleans that had arisen between the United States and out paying cargo fees . Great Britain in the early . The British Spanish minister Manuel de ( would pay damages on seized American ships ) tried to delay reaching an agreement , and abandon their forts on the northwestern hoping would become desperate frontier . The United States agreed to pay debts and sign a treaty that favored the Spanish . it owed the British . He was worried that the United States and The treaty was unpopular and sparked Great Britain might join against Spain after violent protests . Citizens and congressional signing Jay Treaty . was patient , leaders thought the treaty hurt trade and however , and his patience was rewarded . did not punish Britain enough for some In October 1795 , agreed to of its actions . Southerners were especially Treaty , which settled the border angry that the treaty did not ask Britain to and trade disputes with Spain . Under the repay them for slaves that Britain had set treaty Spain agreed to recognize the free during the Revolutionary War . southern boundary as latitude . Spain did not like the treaty but believed government also reopened the port at it was the most that could be done . At his urging the Senate approved the treaty . Treaty SPANISH TERRITORY August 1795 The Treaty of Greenville ends fighting in the Northwest Territory . October 1795 Treaty reopens the port of New Orleans . 200 Miles 100 200 Kilometers To what extent was President Washington successful in maintaining American neutrality ?

LAUNCHING THE NATION 201 Interactive ) Territory NORTHWEST TERRITORY Northwest Territory Land ceded by Native Americans in Treaty of ) Indian victory American victory 50 Fort so 100 New Orleans to American ships and gave them the right of deposit . Because it opened the frontier to more expansion , Washington and most other Americans believed that Treaty was a successful compromise . Summarizing Why did President Washington want the United States to remain neutral ?

Conflict in the Northwest Territory As the United States dealt with international , trouble was also brewing at home . Americans continued to settle the Northwest Territory despite Native Americans protests . Supplied by British traders with guns , Native Americans went to war . In 1790 a Native American alliance under the command of Miami chief Little Turtle defeated forces under General Josiah . Then in 1791 , Native Americans defeated General Arthur Clair troops . 208 CHAPTER ANALYSIS SKILL ANALYZING VISUALS Si , haw ( om Interactive Map KEYWORD . What types of weapons were used in the fighting in the Northwest ?

General Wayne Takes Command In 1792 President Washington gave mand of the army in the West to General Anthony Wayne . Wayne task was to bring troops to the frontier to against the Indians . In 1793 General Wayne arrived in Ohio . Many of his men were ill from pox and , so they were unable to well . Wayne troops moved north and built Fort Greenville , where they remained during the winter . They built additional forts for protection and to have supplies at hand . As the summer of 1794 neared , several Native American groups led by Little Turtle attacked a supply train near the fort . Wayne and his men responded . They attacked Native American towns and bumed crops . The British no longer aided the Native Americans after this defeat , and Little Turtle realized that they were outmatched . He urged his people to seek peace .

The trail has been long and bloody it has no end . The whites are many . They are like the leaves of the trees . When the frost comes they fall and are blown away . But when the sunshine comes again they come back more plentiful than ever , quoted in The Ohio Frontier by Douglas Hurt The End of On August 20 , 794 , Native Americans fought Wayne troops in the Battle of and were defeated . The battle was named for an area where many trees had been destroyed by a tornado . Wayne forces burned Indians villages and . The strength of Indian forces in the region was broken . The frontier war soon ended . In August 1795 , Native American leaders signed the Treaty of Greenville , which gave the United States claim to most Indian lands in the Northwest Territory . The treaty also teed the safety of citizens there . In exchange , Native Americans received worth of goods and an acknowledgment of their claim to the lands they still held . Finding Main Ideas What conflicts did the United States face in the late ! The Whiskey Rebellion Other occurred on the frontier . passed a tax on whiskey in March 1791 . The tax was part of Hamilton plan to raise money to help pay the federal debt . He was also testing the power of the eral government to control the states actions . Reaction in the West People in areas such as western Pennsylvania were bitter about the tax . They were already angry with the federal government , which they believed did not protect settlers from Native American attacks and did not allow settlers enough opportunities for trade . The farmers corn crops were often made into whiskey , which was easier to transport than the corn . Because cash was rare , whiskey became like money in their region . The ers believed that the tax was aimed cally at them . Farmers who produced small amounts of whiskey for trade argued that they could not afford the tax . They believed they should be able to keep the money they had made from a product they created themselves . tests in 1792 led President Washington to issue a proclamation saying that people had to obey the law . Westerners also disliked the fact that cases about the law were to be tried in a district court . These courts were usually far away from the people they affected and were a great inconvenience to them . Whiskey Rebellion Crushed The complaints of western were at first expressed peacefully . But by 1794 had broken out . In what became known as the Whiskey Rebellion , farmers lashed out against the tax on whiskey . ers refused to pay the tax . They even tarred and feathered tax collectors . Some called themselves the new Sons of Liberty . Incidents of violence spread to other states . President Washington feared that the rebels threatened the federal governments authority . He believed he needed to make people understand that the Constitution gave Congress the right to pass and enforce the tax . Washington declared that he could no ger remain a passive inactive spectator in the event . He personally led the army in military action against the rebel and only time an American president has done so . The army of about men approached western Pennsylvania in November 1794 . By this time most of the rebels had . The Whiskey lion ended without a battle . Supporting a Point of View Defend the viewpoint of the Pennsylvania farmers who did not want to pay the whiskey tax . LAUNCHING THE NATION 209

Primary Source HISTORICAL DOCUMENT Washington Farewell Address On September , President George first appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper In it , Washington Wrote about the nations economy , political parties , and foreign policy . While , then , every part of our country . an immediate and particular in union , all the parts combined can not fail to find in the united mass . greater strength , greater resource , proportionally greater security from external danger , and a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations . have already intimated to you the danger of political parties in the state , with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical . Washington lists the Let me now take a more view , and warn you in the most solemn benefits of uniting manner against the effects of the spirit of party , generally . the states under one government . If , in the opinion of the people , the distribution or modification of the powers be in any particular wrong , let it be corrected by an amendment . In this phrase , Promote , then , as an object of primary importance , institutions for the general Washington of knowledge . As the structure of a government gives force to emphasizes his public opinion , it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened . the dangers of Avoid likewise the accumulation of debt , not ungenerously throwing upon political parties . the burden , which we ourselves ought to bear . Observe good faith and justice towards all nations peace and harmony I Washington with an ' out for education . The great rule of conduct for us , in regard to foreign nations , is . to have with them as little political connection as possible . It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the i This is . foreign world . There can be no greater error than to expect , or calculate to the new anon upon real favors from nation to nation . It is an illusion , which experience must about foreign cure , which a just pride ought to discard . The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred . from the obligation which justice and humanity impose on every nation . to maintain the relations of peace and towards other nations . intimated told cultivate seek differences calculate plan comprehensive complete ' inviolate unchanging destructive amity friendship modification change diffusion spreading posterity future generations ANALYSIS SKILL ANALYZING PRIMARY . What events happened before Washington left office that might have led to his warning against political parties ?

Why did Washington suggest neutrality as a foreign policy ?

210 CHAPTER Washington Says Farewell In 1796 Washington decided not to run for a third presidential term . He wrote that he was tired of public life and devoutly strongly wished for He also wanted to remind Americans that the people were the country true leaders . With the help of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison , Washington wrote his Farewell Address . In it he spoke about what he believed were the greatest dangers to the American republic . Among these were the dangers of eign ties and political at home . warned against forming permanent ties with other countries because choosing sides could draw the United States into war . He also worried about growing cal conflicts within the nation . Washington believed that disagreements between cal groups weakened government . Political unity , he said , was a key to national success . Washington left warning the nation to work out its differences and protect its . Washington also warned against too much public debt . He thought the government should try not to borrow money . He wanted future generations to be protected from debt . He concluded his speech by looking forward to his retirement and praising his country . I anticipate . the sweet ment . of good laws under a free ment , the ever favorite object of my Finding Main Ideas What issues did Washington believe were most dangerous to the future ofthe new nation ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Americans to foreign and domestic during Washington presidency . In the next section you will read about the tion of political parties in the United States and the presidency of John Adams . tom Section Assessment Online Quiz KEYWORD Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People , Critical Thinking a . Describe What did Washington Neutrality Proclamation state ?

Compare and Contrast In what ways were Treaty and Treaty similar and different ?

a . Identify Who were the leaders of American Indian and forces in the conflict in the west Territory ?

Predict What are some possible consequences of the Treaty of Greenville for American Indians in the Northwest Territory ?

a . Recall Why did Congress tax whiskey ?

Explain How did the tax lead to the Whiskey Rebellion ?

Elaborate Why do you think that President Washington personally led the army against in the Whiskey Rebellion ?

a . Describe What warnings did Washington give the nation in his Farewell Address ?

Draw Conclusions Why did Washington not run for a third term as president ?

Categorizing Copy the graphic organizer below and use it to identify the causes and effects of in the Northwest Territory . Conflict in the Northwest Territory Effects Causes . Thinking about Washington , Hamilton , and Jefferson In this section you read about the activities of these three men during a difficult time for our country . What did you learn that you could add to a Nobel Prize nomination for any of these leaders ?

LAUNCHING THE NATION 21 I SECTION What You Will Learn . The rise of political parties created competition in the election of 1796 . The XYZ affair caused problems for President John Adams . Controversy broke out over the Alien and Sedition Acts . The Big Idea The development of political ties in the United States to differing ideas about the role of the federal government . Key Terms political parties , 212 Federalist Party , 212 Party , 212 XYZ affair , 214 Alien and Sedition Acts , 215 Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions , 215 Understand howthe conflicts between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton resulted in the emergence political ties ( view of foreign policy , Alien and Sedition Acts , economic policy , National Bank , funding and tion of the Revolutionary debt ) I CHAPTER John Adams Presidency If YOU were there You are a newspaper editor in Virginia in 1798 . You joined political party , which opposes the new president . In fact , your paper has printed many articles that criticize him , calling him greedy and foolish . You believe that your right in a free country . But new Congress has passed a law that makes it illegal to criticize the government . You could be arrested for your articles ! Would you stop criticizing the government ?

Why ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND People within the new United States had differing viewpoints on many issues . Personal rivalries among political leaders also created divisions in the new nation . Trying to limit dissent in the country , the federal government passed several unpopular laws . The Election of 1796 The election of 1796 began a new era in politics . For the first time , more than one candidate ran for president . Political parties , groups that help elect people and shape policies , had begun to form during Washington presidency . Despite Washington warnings about political parties , the rivalry between two parties dominated the 1796 election . Alexander Hamilton helped found the Federalist Party , which wanted a strong federal government and supported industry and trade . The Federalists chose John Adams and Thomas as candidates . Adams knew he was not well liked in the South or the West , but he hoped people would support him after they thought about his years of loyal public service . Thomas Jefferson and James Madison founded the Republican Party . Its members , called Republicans , wanted to limit the federal government power . This party is not related to Republican Party . They chose Thomas Jefferson and Burr as their candidates .

I ) The First Political Parties , Alexander Hamilton John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison Party differences were based partly on where and how people lived . Businesspeople in the cities tended to support the Federalists . Farmers in more isolated areas generally favored the ' Both sides attacked each other . Republicans called Adams a insult to a man so involved in the Revolution . The Federalists accused the Republicans of favoring the French . In the end , Adams defeated Jefferson . At the time , the person who came in ond in a presidential election became vice president . So , after months of campaigning against one another , Adams and Jefferson took office together . Finding Main Ideas How did the election of 1796 change the nature of politics in the United States ?

TERRITORY NORTHWEST OF OHIO RIVER SOUTHWEST TERRITORY juju 300 Federalist ( Adams ) Republican ( Jefferson ) Number of electoral votes 150 SKILLS more electoral votes in ?

President Adams and the XYZ Affair John Adams had the challenging task of lowing Washington as president . The people had adored Washington . Adams would have to work hard to win the peoples trust . A New President At first glance , John Adams did not appear well suited for the presidency . Although Adams had been a leading Patriot ing the American Revolution and had later served as a foreign diplomat , he lacked Washington dignity , and most people saw him as a cold and distant person . Still , Adams . They recognized his hard work , honesty , and intelligence . INTERPRETING Region Which political party had LAUNCHING THE NATION 213 300

Primary Source POLITICAL CARTOON After the , French ships continued to attack American merchant ships . In this cartoon , the United States is by the woman . The men , symbolizing the French , are taking valuables from her The people in the distance are other European nations . These people helping the woman . What do you think the cartoon is suggesting by this ?

Why do you think this man is encouraging the woman to look away ?

SKILL INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS How does the cartoon show that America is being preyed upon by the French ?

The United States and France One of Adams first goals as president was to improve the relationship between the United States and France . You may remember that the French had once tried to hire American privateers to help them Great Britain , a practice Washington frowned upon . Adams sent diplomats to Paris to smooth over the and to negotiate a treaty to shipping . When the diplomats arrived in France , they learned that French foreign minister not speakwith them . Instead , they had a strange and secret Visit from three French agents . Shockingly , the agents said that Talleyrand would discuss a treaty only in I CHAPTER exchange for a bribe . The French government also wanted a loan of 12 lion . The amazed diplomats refused these demands . In March 1798 President told Congress that the mission had failed . He described the French terms , the letters , and for the names of the French agents . Upon hearing the graceful news , Federalists in Congress called for war with France . The XYZ affair , as the French demand for a bribe came to be called , outraged the American public . Millions for defense , but not one cent for tribute ! became the ing cry of the American people . Preparations for War Fearing war , Adams asked Congress to expand the navy to a of more than 30 ships . He thought war with France might be able . He also decided the United States should keep a peacetime army . Congress approved both measures . Although Adams had asked Congress for military support , he did not want to go to war with France . He was worried about its cost . So he did not ask Congress to declare war . Instead , he tried to reopen peace talks with France . Peace Efforts Adams decision not to declare war stunned Federalists . Despite intense pressure from members of his own party , Adams refused to change his mind . American and French ships , however , began fighting each other in the Caribbean . Adams sent a representative to France to engage in talks to try to end the fighting . The United States and France eventually signed a treaty . Adams then forced two members of his cabinet to resign for trying to block his peace efforts . Identifying Points of View What did Americans mean when they said Millions for defense , but not one cent for tribute ?

The Alien and Sedition Acts Many continued to sympathize with France . Federalists , angered by their stand , called them democrats , and all other kinds of In 1798 , the passed four laws known together as the Alien and Sedition Acts . These laws were said to protect the United States , but the intended them to crush opposition to war . The most controversial was the Sedition Act , which forbade anyone from publishing or voicing criticism of the federal government . In effect , this cancelled basic protections of freedom of speech and freedom of the press . The two main leaders , Thomas Jefferson and James son , viewed these acts as a misuse of the power . Attacking the problem at the state level , they wrote resolutions passed by the Kentucky legislature in 1798 and in Virginia in 1799 . Known as the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions , these documents argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional . They stated that the federal government could not pass these acts because they interfered with state government . son and Jefferson pressured Congress to repeal the Alien and Sedition Acts . Congress did not , although it allowed the acts to expire within a few years . The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions did not have the force of national law , but they supported the idea that states could challenge the federal government . This idea would grow to have a tremendous impact on American history later in the 18005 . Analyzing the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions rights of states ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Political ties formed to different viewpoints . In the next chapter you will read about Thomas Jefferson presidency . tom Online Quiz Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People Em Critical Thinking a . Recall What two political parties emerged . Contrasting Copy the chart below . Use it to before the election of 1796 ?

Who were the identify the differences between the two political founders of each party ?

parties that emerged in the late Analyze What effect did political parties have on the election of 1796 ?

Elaborate Do you think it was difficult for Adams and Jefferson to serve together as dent and vice president ?

Explain your answer . a . Recall What was one of Adams first goals as president ?

Make Why were Federalists shocked by Adams decision to resume peace talks with the French ?

a . Identify What did the Alien and Sedition Acts state ?

Explain What idea regarding states rights did the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions support ?

Elaborate Would you have supported the Alien and Sedition Acts ?

Explain your answer . Federalist Party Party . Gathering Information about John Adams Take some notes about John Adams tions that would support his nomination for the Nobel Prize . Then begin to compare and contrast all four leaders you have studied in this chapter . Which one will you nominate ?

LAUNCHING THE NATION 215 Social Studies Skills Analysis Critical Thinking Participation Participation Skill Develop group interaction skills . Making Group Decisions Define the Skill Democracy is one of the most valued principles of American society . It is based on the idea that the members of society , or representatives they choose , make the decisions that affect society . making would be much more if just one person decided what to do and how to do it . However , that method is not at all democratic . Making decisions as a group is a complicated and skill . However , it is an important one at all levels of governing the nation to making group decisions at school , in the nity , and with your friends . At every level , the skill is based on the ability of the group members to interact in effective and cooperative ways . Learn the Skill Think about the job the first Congress faced after the Constitution was . The nation was still millions of dollars in debt from the Revolutionary War . Congress had to find a way to pay these debts as well as raise money to run the government . Leaders like Jefferson and Hamilton had ideas about how to accomplish these goals . However , neither man could act alone . In a democracy the this case make the and take the actions . This task was complicated by the fact that Jefferson and Hamilton disagreed on what to do . Each man supporters in Congress pushed his point of view . Fortunately , its members were able to come their differences , compromise on goals and actions , and accept group decisions they might not have agreed with personally . Had they not possessed I CHAPTER this ability and skill , the nations early years might have been even more difficult than they were . Like that first Congress , being part of an tive group requires that you behave in certain ways . Be an active member . Take part in setting the group goals and in making its decisions . Participate in planning and taking group action . Take a position . State your views and work to persuade other members to accept them . However , also be open to negotiating and promising to settle differences within the group . Be willing to take charge if leadership is needed . But also be willing to follow the of other members . Practice the Skill Suppose that you are a member of the first Congress . With a group of classmates , you must decide what and who should be taxed to raise the money the government needs . Remember that you are an elected official . If you do something to upset the people , you could lose your job . When your group has , answer the following questions . I . Did your group have a plan for completing its task ?

Did it discuss what taxes to pass ?

Compared to other members , how much did you take part in those activities ?

How well did your group work together ?

What role did you play in that ?

Was it a positive or a negative one ?

Explain . Was your group able to make a decision ?

If not , why ?

If so , was compromise involved ?

Do you support the decision ?

Explain why or why not .

Visual Summary Reviewing Vocabulary , Terms , and People Complete each sentence by in the blank with the correct term or person . established the structure of the federal court system and its relationship to state courts . Federalists angered many Republicans when they passed the United States from traitors . to protect the . As president , Washington was able to establish several , or decisions that serve as examples for later action . Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested taxes in the was created in order to strengthen the economy . Standards Review Use the visual summary below to help you review the main ideas of the chapter Comprehension and Critical Thinking SECTION ( Pages ) a . Recall What precedents did President and Congress establish for the executive and judicial branches ?

Draw Conclusions Why did Americans select George Washington as their first president ?

Evaluate Do you think the newly established government met the expectations of its citizens ?

Why or why not ?

SECTION ( Pages ) a . Identify What changes did Alexander ton make to the national economy ?

Contrast In what ways did Hamilton and disagree on the economy ?

Evaluate Which of Hamilton economic plans do you think was the most important to the new nation ?

Why ?

LAUNCHING THE NATION 211 ( Pages ) a . Describe What challenges did the nation face during Washington presidency ?

Make Why did Washington believe that it was important for the United States to remain neutral in foreign ?

Evaluate Rate the success of presidency . Explain the reasons for your rating . Pages ) a . Describe What role did political parties play in the election of 1796 ?

Analyze How did the Alien and Sedition Acts create division among some Americans ?

Predict How might the political attacks between the Federalist and parties lead to problems in the future ?

Reviewing Themes . Economics What economic problems troubled the nation at the beginning of presidency ?

How were they solved ?

Politics How did the creation of political parties change politics in the United States ?

Using the Internet . Activity Creating a Poster In 1798 war with France seemed on the horizon . The controlled Congress passed a law that made it a crime to criticize the government in print . In 1971 war raged in Vietnam and the president used a court order to stop publication of mation critical of the governments actions in Vietnam . What do these events have in mon ?

Enter the activity keyword . Then research the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Pentagon Papers case during the Vietnam War . Create a poster to display your information and to the connection between a free press and a democratic society . I CHAPTER Reading Skills Understanding Assumptions by Inferring Use the Reading Skills taught in this chapter to answer the tion about the reading selection below . Party differences were based partly on where and how people lived . Businesspeople in the cities tended to support the Federalists . Farmers in more isolated areas generally favored the . 213 ) Which of the following statements can be inferred from the selection ?

a . Farmers wanted a large federal government . Urban Americans were usually Republicans . Merchants supported John Adams . People in the cities had different concerns than did the rural population . Social Studies Skills Making Group Decisions Use the Social Studies Skills taught in this chapter to answer the questions below . Get together with a group of three or four students and discuss the Alien and Sedition Acts . Answer the following questions individually and as a group . Do you think that limits were needed on cans speeches and printed articles at the time ?

What other ideas might Congress have ered to solve the problem of disagreement ?

16 . Writing a Nobel Nomination Now that chosen your nominee for the Nobel Prize , you can start to write your nomination . Begin with a sentence that the person you are nominating . Then give at least three reasons for your nomination . Each reason should include a achievement or contribution of this son . End your nomination with a sentence that sums up your reasons for nominating this person for the Nobel Prize . Be persuasive . You need to convince the Nobel Prize committee that this person deserves the prize more than anyone else in the world !

Standards Assessment DIRECTIONS Read each question and write the letter of the best response . Increase the federal government power so it can provide strong leadership . Allow the federal government to pay the states Revolutionary War debts . Encourage the growth of American manufacturing and business . Create a national bank that could make loans to the government and to business . Which early leader would have been most opposed to such ideas ?

A John Adams Alexander Hamilton Thomas Jefferson George Washington In the , most Americans A lived in the countryside and worked on family farms . lived in small towns and worked as laborers or craftspeople . lived in cities and worked as laborers , people , or merchants . lived west of the Appalachian Mountains or wanted to move West . In his Farewell Address in 1796 , President Washington advised Americans of A the nation need for a national bank . his fear of a British invasion to end American independence . his wish that the office of president be given more power . the dangers of ties with foreign nations . I President Washington demonstrated the government power under the new to enforce federal law in the way he handled the A Whiskey Rebellion . Alien and Sedition Acts . XYZ affair . Judiciary Act of 1789 . The system that exists in American politics today first arose during the election of which president ?

A George Washington John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Madison Connecting with Past Learning a The war between Great Britain and France that raged during the presidencies of and Adams was one of many conflicts between those two nations . Earlier wars between them included A the War of the Roses . the Glorious Revolution . the Hundred Years War . the Crusades . In Grade you learned about Martin Luther protest of the way in which the Catholic Church raised money . Which event in the United States was also a protest against methods of raising money ?

A the XYZ affair Washington Farewell Address the Judiciary Act of 1789 the Whiskey Rebellion LAUNCHING THE NATION 219 Writing Workshop Assignment Write a paper explaining how the federal system balances power among the tive , executive , and judicial branches of government . Using a Graphic Organizer A chart like the following can help you organize the body of your explanation . Legislative Executive Judicial Writing Write technical documents . A Writer Framework Introduction I State the big idea of your paper . I Explain briefly why this topic is important to the reader . 220 UNIT Explaining a Political Process ow do you register to vote ?

What is the difference between a civil court and a federal court ?

When we want to know about a process or system of our ment , we often turn to written explanations . Considering Purpose and Audience In this assignment , you will be writing for an audience of middle school students . You need to I identify questions they might have about the process or system I identify factors or details that might confuse them As you plan your paper , keep your audience in mind . Collecting and Organizing the Information The big idea , or thesis , of your explanation will be that the federal tem balances the power among the three branches of government . To collect information about each branch and its powers , you can use a chart like the one on the left . Be sure to note the relationships among the parts . Also , note the important characteristics of each part . When you have completed the chart , you will have the basic organization of your paper . Write You can use this framework to help you write your first draft . Body I Identify the important characteristics of each part of the process or system . I Explain any relationships between or among the parts . I Define terms your readers might not know . I Where appropriate , include graphics to illustrate your explanation . Conclusion I Restate your big idea in different words . I Summarize your main points .

. Evaluate and Revise Evaluating Clear , straightforward language is important when explaining how things work . Use the following questions to discover ways to improve your paper . Evaluation Questions for an Explanation of a Process or System I lfyou used bulleted or numbered lists , are the items is , do they have the same grammatical forms or structures ?

I Does your conclusion restate your big idea and explain the importance of ?

I Does your statement accurately reflect your explanation of the process or system ?

I Do you discuss each part ofthe process or system in logical order ?

I Do you include details and information to explain each part of the process or system ?

Revising Sometimes a complex explanation sounds even more complex when you try to explain it in a paragraph . In those cases , a bulleted list of facts or examples may make it easier for your readers to understand the information you are presenting . As you revise your paper , consider whether you have any information you should put in a bulleted list . Proofread and Publish Proofreading If you use special formatting in your paper , it is important to make sure that it is consistent . Here are some things to check I If you have used boldface or italic type , have you always used it in the same important information , for a heading , for a technical term ?

I If you have used a list of items , have you consistently used bers or bullets ?

Publishing Since you are writing this paper for students , you might a student in the sixth or seventh grade to read it . Find out whether your nation seems clear and interesting . Practice and Apply Use the steps and strategies outlined in this workshop to write your explanation of a process or system . Using Bulleted Lists The items in a bulleted list should be in the same grammatical forms or structures . Not the same Duties ofthe legislative branch include I interpret laws I overseeing lower courts The same Duties ofthe legislative branch include I interpreting laws I overseeing lower courts A NEW NATION 221