Early American Conflicts

10/12/17

Influx of movement West. Settlers into Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, W. New York

- Washington supported settlement with armies

Treaty of Greenville, 1795

- Native Americans succeeded much of their land in present day Ohio for cash and a promise to

treat them fairly in future land dealing.

- Later broken.

The British refused to evacuate forts in Northwest Territory

- Related to the Fur trade, they monopolized the fur trade

- Sold firearms to Native Americans, caused uprisings

- British warships stopped 300 American ships carrying supplies to France

o President Washington sent John Jay, Britain agreed to evacuate forts and stop harassing

American shipping as long as they stopped giving supplies to France. John Jay did not

receive any compensation for slaves freed during the revolution. (Jay Treaty)

o Jefferson was angry and denounced the Treaty, saw that it favored Northern sailors,

slave owners were angry.

President Washington’s Farewell Address in 1796

- Warned his countrymen against the growth of partisan divisions and urged them to avoid

permanent alliances.
Election of 1796

- First time in which voters could choose between competing political parties

- Transference of power through election

- Federalists: John Adams, Republicans: Thomas Jefferson

- John Adams wins, Jefferson became vice-president

John Adams is the first president

- First president to live in the (unfinished) White House

- Undeclared war with France, 1798

o Jay Treaty led France to see a shift in American attitudes to favor the British

o French captured hundreds of vessels

o French Emissaries: X, Y, Z (XYZ Affair)

 Demanded that Americans payed a bribe and provided a loan to France

 Washington was called out of retirement to lead an army against France

- Passed the Alien and Sedation Acts

o Sedation Act made it illegal to attack government with false, scandalous, or malicious

statements.

 Seen as suppression of opposition, tyranny.

o Alien Act lengthened period before immigrants could become citizens from 5 to 14

years.

 Allowed the government to deport any foreigner considered dangerous to the

U.S.
 o Virginia and Kentucky resolutions gave the states the right to declare federal laws null

and void.

 Response to alien and sedation acts

Election of 1800

- John Adams or Thomas Jefferson

- Many though John Adams overreached, were angry with his performance.

- Fear, Rhetoric against the Federalists

- Close election

- Three-fifths clause

o Slaves received three-fifths of a vote

- Same number of electoral votes for Jefferson and Burr

o Federalists Predicament, help Jefferson or Burr?

o House of Representations elected Jefferson president

o 12 Amendment: gave each state one vote for president, and one vote or vice president

Partisan Politics , Hamilton vs Burr

- Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr

- July 11, 1804, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel

o Burr killed Hamilton, Burr slayed Hamilton in an act of cold blooded murder

Jefferson’s Presidency, 1801

- Goal was to restore principles of American Revolution

- Majority rule, minority rights

- Limited government

- Difference in opinion, is not difference in principle

- Ran on the platform of: reducing public debt, States’ rights, Individual Freedoms

- Promised to repeal taxes, slash government expenses, cut military expenses, pay off public debt