George Washington American President

1
George Washington American President

• The French Problem
• The Whiskey Rebellion
• Washingtons Farewell Address

2
Washington and The Presidency

• Unanimously elected president by electoral
  college
• He brings dignity, strength, and a sense of
  purpose to the office
• Knows that he will set precedents concerning the
  office and how government operates

3
Those Crazy French!

• In 1789 the French Revolution occurs. The United
  States supports it until the bourgeoisie are
  being executed at the guillotine.
• The French Revolution is responsible for a war
  that involves many nations from Europe who are
  tied up in numerous alliances.

4
The Guillotine
5
Washington on Alliances

• Washington does not want the United States
  dragged into the war in Europe caused by the
  French revolution.
• To avoid warfare, the Neutrality Act of 1793
  barred ships of nations fighting from American
  ports.
• American merchants will trade with both the
  British and the French. The economy booms!

6
The CitizenGenêt Affair

• French diplomat Edmond Genêt visits in 1793 the
  United States to raise money and recruit
  privateers to fight the British.
• He publicly challenges Congress to debate the
  Neutrality Act. He hopes that Congress will side
  with the French and declare war with the British.
• Washington will send Genêt back to France.

7
George Washington vs. Citizen Edmond Genêt
8
Jays Treaty 1794

• British have seized 250 American ships and have
  impressed thousands of American sailors.
• The treaty demands that the United States pay
  British debts from the war and that British ships
  can seize French goods on American ships.

American sailors captured by a British warship.
9
Jays Treaty 1794

• John Jay is sent to negotiate peace with England
• England agrees to the treaty because America is
  indebt to them and agrees to remove their forts
  from America
• But they refuse to call the seas neutral for
  others

10
Pinckneys Treaty, 1795

• Fearing and alliance between America and England
  the Spanish offers free navigation of the
  Mississippi and the right to land in New Orleans
• Both sides promised no to entice Indian attacks
  on each other
• The treaty also settled the boundary disputes
  over Florida

11
The Ohio Question

• Desire to move West continues to plague the
  government
• English forts still on American soil
• Indians are attacking American settlers in Ohio
  Valley
• Americans in West feel government is ignoring them

12
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

• A Whiskey Tax was placed to collect money on
  whiskey. Poor farmers complain that they are
  already taxed because they use corn to produce
  the Whiskey!
• They will rebel against local sheriffs who
  enforce tax

Washington reviewing troops.
13
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

• The farmers threaten to burn Pittsburgh
• Washington leads a large federal force to
  confront farmers, at the sight of Washingtons
  army they flee
• People will now respect the federal government

14
Washingtons Farewell Address

• Washington warned of the baneful effects of the
  spirit of party.
• That the United States should actively pursue
  extending commercial relations.
• And avoid as little political connection as
  possible with foreign nations.

Peace and prosperity.