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Washington’s Presidency

Washington’s Presidency

Assessment

Presentation

Social Studies

8th Grade

Easy

Created by

Matthew Bissette

Used 89+ times

FREE Resource

16 Slides • 9 Questions

1

Washington’s Presidency

Normal = Read it.

​ALL CAPS = WRITE IT

2

​How’d he get elected?

  • Constitution ratified in 1789​

  • ​11 of 13 states send delegates to the first Electoral College (Rhode Island and North Carolina hadn’t ratified Constitution yet)

    • ​ELECTORS: PEOPLE CHOSEN BY STATES TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT

    • ​ELECTORAL COLLEGE: MEETING OF ALL ELECTORS TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT

  • ​WASHINGTON WAS CHOSEN UNANIMOUSLY

    • ​JOHN ADAMS RECEIVED 2ND MOST VOTES AND NAMED VP

3

Multiple Choice

What is the Electoral College

1

The #1 team in College Football this year

2

The best Political Science school in the country

3

A meeting of all Presidential Electors to vote on the President

4

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5

​What now?

  • ​EVERYTHING WASHINGTON DOES ESTABLISHES A PRECEDENT

    • ​PRECEDENT: AN ACTION THAT SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE FUTURE.

  • ​Washington’s Presidency sets an example for the role for future Presidents.

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6

Multiple Choice

What is a precedent?

1

The leader of the United States’ executive branch.

2

LeBron James

3

An example for future

4

A made up US History word.

7

​Who Helped?

  • ​The Constitution says the President can receive help from the heads of Executive Departments, but doesn’t name them.

  • ​WASHINGTON CREATES 4 DEPARTMENTS, WITH THE HEADS BEING CALLED THE SECRETARY OF _______

    • ​WAR DEPARTMENT: OVERSEES NATION’S DEFENSE (HENRY KNOX)

    • ​STATE DEPARTMENT: HANDLES RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES (THOMAS JEFFERSON)

    • ​TREASURY DEPARTMENT: HANDLES NATION’S FINANCES

    • ​ATTORNEY GENERAL: ADVISES ON LEGAL MATTERS. HEAD PROSECUTOR (EDMOND RANDOLPH)

8

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9

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT one of the first executive departments?

1

Treasury Department

2

State Department

3

Defense Department

4

Attorney General

10

​What Precedents did Washington set?

  • JUDICIARY ACT OF 1789: CREATES THE NATION’S COURT SYSTEM

  • WASHINGTON NAMES JOHN JAY FIRST CHIEF JUSTICE

    • People were not all fans of Jay, hanged and burned him in effigy because ​

    • ​Also named 4 associate justices, now there are 9 Justices total.

11

​Precedents Continued

  • ​NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1789 ESTABLISHED HOW NEW STATES COULD ENTER THE COUNTRY

    • ​Government would send a governor and judges to watch over territory

    • ​Once state had 5k inhabitants (male) they could elect own government leaders

    • ​Once self sufficient, could apply for statehood

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12

Poll

Do you think the Judiciary Act or the Northwest Ordinance was more important?

Judiciary Act of 1789

Northwest Ordinance of 1789

13

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​("Enter, me")

Jefferson vs. Hamilton, Fight!

14

​Jefferson & Hamilton Argue Over Everything?

  • ​HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON HAD OPPOSITE VIEW POINTS ON ALMOST EVERYTHING

    • ​JEFFERSON: STRICT INTERPRETATION OF CONSTITUTION

      • ​Unless Constitution says it, it can’t be done.

    • ​HAMILTON: LOOSE INTERPRETATION OF CONSTIUTION

      • ​ELASTIC CLAUSE GIVES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING NECESSARY AND PROPER.

15

​Hamilton’s Financial Plan

  • ​As Secretary of Treasury, Hamilton wanted to create a strong financial system, and needed several things

    1. ​FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSUMES STATE DEBTS

      1. ​Would make States more unified

    2. ​HIGH TARIFFS ON IMPORTS (TARIFFS ARE TAXES ON GOODS)

      1. ​Would make American made products more competitive, keep money here.

    3. ​CREATE A NATIONAL BANK

      1. ​Government could control inflation, regulate the new banking industry, people would be borrowing from the country.

16

​Jefferson Argues Back

  • ​THOUGHT A NATIONAL BANK WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

  • ​SOUTHERN STATES (like Jefferson’s home in Virginia) HAD LESS DEBT THAN THE NORTH.

    • ​War was fought mostly in the North.

  • ​THOUGHT THAT BANKS WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE POOR AND FARMERS.

17

​What Gives? Compromise

  • ​Hamilton, Jefferson, and Senator James Madison come to an agreement.

  • ​HAMILTON’S PLAN WOULD PASS, IN RETURN, NEW CAPITAL WOULD BE BUILT IN “THE SOUTH”.

    • ​Washington, D.C. sits on land made up of Virginia and Maryland (Maryland backed out of deal).

18

Multiple Choice

Who had a Strict Interpretation of the Constitution?

1

Thomas Jefferson

2

Alexander Hamilton

19

Multiple Choice

What compromise settled the Financial Crisis

1

The Great Compromise

2

The 3/5 Compromise

3

Hamilton gets his financial plan, South gets the capital.

20

​The French Revolution

  • ​Inspired by the American Revolution, FRANCE OVERTHREW THEIR MONARCHY AND STARTED A NEW GOVERNMENT.

    • ​This caused other monarchies in Europe to want to help the French monarchy.

  • ​JEFFERSON WANTED TO HELP THE FRENCH LIKE THEY HELPED OUR REVOLUTION.

  • ​HAMILTON WANTED TO STAY OUT OF IT TO HELP THE BRITISH, OUR #1 TRADING PARTNER.

  • ​WASHINGTON CHOSE NEUTRALITY: TOOK NO SIDE

    • ​Didn't think the country or military were in a position to engage in another war.

21

Poll

Who would you have sided with?

The British

The French

Neither

22

​Whiskey Rebellion

  • ​FEDERALISTS PASSED TAX ON WHISKEY

    • ​Whiskey is made from grain, at the time grown in the former Middle Colonies. Many there were Anti-Federalists, and Federalists passed the taxes.

  • ​FARMERS IN PENNSYLVANIA OPENLY REBELLED, NOT PAYING TAX

    • ​Thought they'd have the same outcome as Shay's Rebellion.

  • ​WASHINGTON LED TROOPS TO PA HIMSELF, AND REBELS FLED W/O A FIGHT.

23

​First President's Last Precedents

  • ​RETIRED AFTER SECOND TERM, NO PRESIDENT WOULD SERVE MORE FOR 150 YEARS

    • ​Did not want to become a King and wanted to move the country to its next leaders.

  • ​GAVE A FAREWELL ADDRESS (Written by Hamilton in part)

    • ​URGED AMERICA TO STAY NEUTRAL

    • ​URGED AGAINST POLITICAL PARTIES FORMING

      • ​Had already started happening, stay tuned until next time...

24

Multiple Select

What were Washington's last precedents and President? (CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)

1

He gave a farewell address

2

He stepped down after serving 2 terms.

3

He threw an elaborate political party and invited all citizens

4

All of the above.

25

Open Ended

Of all of George Washington's actions as America's first president, what do you think was most important?

Washington’s Presidency

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​ALL CAPS = WRITE IT

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