Lesson 5 Small Republic, Big Shoulders 1

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Lesson 5

Small Republic, Big Shoulders 1

It was largely through the efforts of a handful of exceptional men, working from a foundation of a Republic based on a Constitution, that the United States overcame early internal challenges and attempts to drag it into a European war to gain its footing and even expand. Its “pillars” served it well, and when war did come in 1812, the United States was

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR Lesson 5

• Students will be able to list three accomplishments of each of the first four presidents.

• Students should be able to define “quasi-war,” embargo, and neutrality.

• Students should be able to explain the pressures within the United States to side with either England or France in the European war.

• Students should be able to argue the benefits and drawbacks of Alexander Hamilton’s fiscal policies.

• Students should identify the main strengths and weaknesses of several Founders, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.

• Students should identify the chief differences between the Federalists and the Jeffersonians.

• Students should be able to list America’s main advantages and disadvantages each side held in the War of 1812 against the British and their Indian allies.

VISUAL AIDS

They Made America (PBS, 2004)

George Washington (CBS miniseries, 2014)

How the West Was Won (1962)

Administer test # 1

Teachers should use their own judgment as to when it is best to test students. Some give tests immediately after the material is covered, others wait a bit to allow messages to sink in and allow time for review.

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1. Movers and Shakers, Creating the Cabinet

a) Why was George Washington considered the “natural” man to be the first president? What roles did John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton play in the new cabinet?

Washington was a Virginian who nevertheless had full support of New England; he was a proven wartime leader; and was viewed as the leading reason we won the Revolution.

! ??? " Learning at a higher level There is no cabinet mentioned in the Constitution. So where did Washington get the authority to create one? ! ??? "

Washington recognized that the Constitution in its “necessary and proper” clause gave Congress the authority to create whatever agencies or bodies were necessary to actually run the government.

b) What were Hamilton’s three reports and how did they lay a firm financial foundation for the young nation?

The Report on Public Credit, The Report on a National Bank, the Report on Manufactures all provided for a system of assuming the state debts and paying them and of a tariff on imported goods, and to create a national bank to lend the government money.

Documents from A Patriot’s History Reader George Washington’s First Inaugural Address, 1789, 89-92

2. Feuding Patriots

a) What was the “Whiskey Rebellion” and why was it a threat to the stability of the Republic?

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The Whiskey Rebellion was an internal (“excise”) tax on corn products from the West. It was the same type of rebellion that “Shays’ Rebellion” was that led to the creation of the Constitution in the first place—grass roots opposing federal overreach.

3. Beyond the Oceans

a) What were the military threats Washington faced while leading the young nation? Why was the Battle of Fallen Timbers significant?

The overseas threats were the Barbary Pirates, the domestic threats were Indian uprisings. The Battle of Fallen Timbers saw American troops defeat a large coalition of Indians in Ohio and open that up for white settlement.

4. The French Revolution and Neutrality

a) Why did a revolution in France threaten to drag the United States into a European war? Who was “Citizen Genet?”

Republicans in America wanted the US to ally with the republican forces in France, thereby drawing us into a war with Frances enemies. Citizen Genet was a French representative of the revolutionary government here who was trying to stir up an American alliance with the Revolution.

5. Jay’s Treaty

a) What issues did Jay’s Treaty try to resolve? Why was it controversial?

This settled the issue of the British forts on the northern and western frontier, turned Maine’s boundary over to a commission, and ended restitution for slaveowners’ losses during the Revolution.

6. Republicans Versus Federalists

a) How did the Federalists and Republicans differ on the major issues? Name some of the leaders of each party.

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Federalists (Washington, Adams, Madison—at first, and Hamilton) wanted a stronger national government, were mostly from New England, were urban, and had more merchants and lawyers. Republicans (Jefferson, Monroe, Madison later) wanted stronger states’ rights, were more southern and western, more rural, and more represented the “common man”)

7. Democracy’s First Test

a) Why was the election of 1796 a major test of American democracy?

The election of 1796 showed that the nation could have a peaceful transfer of power from one man to another (Washington to Adams).

8. Quasi-War

a) Why do historians use the term “quasi-war” to define the foreign policy of John Adams?

This was not quite a war. The US was neutral and was on the brink of war with either England or France.

9. Adams’s Mettle and the Election of 1800

a) How did this election differ from the one four years earlier and why, in many ways, was it more important?

This was the most important election in American history because not only did it transfer power from one man to another, but from one political group to another that was 180 degrees opposite in its ideology.

10. Growing America

a) What were some of the achievements—both in terms of exploration and technology—and hurdles America experienced in Jefferson’s terms?

The U.S. acquired Louisiana Territory and explored it, explored the Missouri River, had the Lewis and Clark Expedition, explored much of the southwest. Hurdles were that the British were still along the border and were agitating the Indians.

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11. We Are All Republicans • We Are All Federalists

a) What did President Jefferson mean by those words? How did he govern? Like a Federalist or like a Republican? How did his policies differ from those of Adams and Washington?

Jefferson meant that we were all Americans, but he governed like a Republican, reducing the size of the army and navy, reducing debt, avoiding foreign conflicts with the Barbary Pirates. ! ??? " Learning at a higher level

We are frequently told today that “politics has never been as vicious or dirty as it is today.” Is that true? Discuss the feud between Hamilton, Jefferson, and Adams and the Citizen Genet and the Aaron Burr affairs in light of political hostility toward sitting members of the government. ! ??? "

One only needs to point to the Burr-Hamilton duel to see how serious the fights then were. One editorial writer said John Adams should be shot with a cannon. Well up to the Civil War, various senators and congressmen arrived at their chambers with pistols.

12. Judiciary Waterloo for Minimalist Government

a) Who were the “Midnight Judges?” How did Chief Justice John Marshall enhance the power of the U.S. Supreme Court?

The “midnight judges” were the Federalist judges that outgoing president John Adams stayed up til midnight appointing. John Marshall established the notion of “judicial review” of both lower courts’ decisions and legislation.

b) What were the rulings in Marbury v. Madison, Fletcher v. Peck, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, and other major Marshall-ruled cases? Why did some of these have the effect of unleashing American industry and business?

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Marbury v. Madison, Fletcher v. Peck, and others established a business foundation for America that included contracts, competition, and “comity” or recognizing each state’s laws.

Documents from A Patriot’s History Reader Marbury v. Madison, 1803, 93-103

13. We Rush Like a Comet into Infinite Space

a) How did Jefferson acquire the Louisiana Territory? What role did Lewis and Clark play after the United States acquired Louisiana?

Jefferson used presidential authority (not granted by the Constitution) to acquire Louisiana. Lewis and Clark explored Louisiana. ! ??? " Learning at a higher level

Why was there controversy about the Constitutionality of Jefferson’s “purchase?” Define irony in the context of his belief in “small government” Jefferson greatly expanding the size and scope of the United States landmass. ! ??? "

Jefferson did not consult Congress when he spent more than had been allotted for the purchase of New Orleans. Ironically, the biggest expansion of the US came under “small government” Jefferson.

14. The Cataline of America

a) Why was Aaron Burr so distrusted by both parties, and how did he come to kill Alexander Hamilton?

Burr was a self-promoter, not interested in party. He and Hamilton engaged in a war of letters in newspaper columns and Hamilton insulted him, so Burr challenged him to a duel.

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15. America’s First Pre-Emptive War

a) Who were the Barbary Pirates and why did it take so long to deal with them? What was Jefferson’s policy?

The Barbary Pirates were Islamic pirates in N. Africa that boarded ships and took people hostage for ransom. The US didn’t have a deep sea navy until after 1801.

16. Exit the Sage of Monticello, Quids and War Hawks

a) How would you assess Jefferson’s policies when it came to dealing with England and France? Did he just leave a problem for someone else? How did the makeup of Congress change in 1812 so that a new group of war-minded congressmen came into office?

Jefferson tried for neutrality by punishing American merchants through an embargo. He did not take necessary action to deter England. The War Hawks favored war with England.

b) Besides British incursions on American shipping, Americans saw the British behind Indian troubles on the frontier. Why?

The British were urging the Indians to fight the US and arming them.

17. Half Horse and Half Alligator in the War of 1812

a) What were the major phases of the War of 1812? Why did America try to invade Canada? Where did the Americans win decisively and lose decisively?

Early phases were American invasions of Canada and the fight in the west against the Indians; middle phases were British invasions of New York and Baltimore; final phase was the Battle of New Orleans. Americans lost initial battles in Michigan and Canada, won later invasion of Canada & defeated the Indians; won vs. British in the New York invasion; lost around Washington D.C., but won convincingly at New Orleans.

b) Who was Andrew Jackson and why was the Battle of New Orleans so important?

Andrew Jackson was an American general who defeated the Indians in Alabama then defended New Orleans against a British force, inflicting serious damage.

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Documents from A Patriot’s History Reader James Madison’s Address for a Declaration of War, 1812, 104-110

18. A Nation Whose Spirit Was Everywhere

a) In what ways was the United States a much stronger nation in 1815 than it had been in 1783?

After 1815 the US had defeated the leading power in the world, solidified its borders, and established a navy.

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@ACTIVITIES

You listen to music. Did it occur to you that the Founders did too? That as “rebels,” perhaps even they liked the “rock and roll” of their day? We know what music is in George Washington’s collection at Mount Vernon, for example.

) Find out who the most influential composers were of the period 1780-1800. You can assume George Washington and other Founders had some of their sheet music. Go on line to search for “Scots-Irish folk tunes” and see if you can find any dating back to 1780-1800.

) “Yankee Doodle” is associated with the American Revolution. Here is a brief history of the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Doodlehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Yankee_Doodle

) If you can play any musical instrument—other than drums—learn to play Yankee Doodle.

) What do you suppose George Washington, John Adams, or Thomas Jefferson served at the Presidential house (remember, there was no “White House” til Jefferson!) when they had dinner guests over? Make an 1800s-era dish that might have been served and serve it to your family.

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) On large, sturdy paper, create a map of the United States when it had acquired the Louisiana Territory, then add the Louisiana Purchase. Using colored thumbtacks and string or yarn, show the route of Lewis and Clark’s expedition with one color, and of Zebulon Pike’s expedition with another.

) Explore some place neither you nor your parents have even been before. Make a rough map of your trek.

) Stage a debate between “Republicans” and “Federalists” using the chart in this chapter as your guide.

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opop

Creating the Wild World of History was a ton of fun. If you love it, tell your friends. Ask them to visit WildWorldOfHistory.com to purchase their very own copy. That way the wild ride can continue.

Thank you, Professor Larry opop