Lesson 1: Washington’s Presidency

Key Idea

In 1789, George Washington became the first president under the new Constitution. The Constitution provided a basic blueprint for the presidency, but it left many practical details undecided. Washington knew his actions would set a powerful example for all future presidents.

He established many important traditions, or precedents, that shaped the office. These unwritten rules established by Washington helped define the role and power of the American president for generations to come.

Key Idea

The new United States faced huge debts from the Revolutionary War. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton created a bold plan to fix the nation's finances and build a strong economy.

His plan had the federal government take over state debts and create a national bank to manage government money. This aimed to prove the U.S. was financially responsible and encourage business.

Key Idea

As part of his financial plan, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton convinced Congress to pass an excise tax on whiskey. This tax heavily impacted farmers in western Pennsylvania, who often distilled their surplus grain into whiskey, which was easier to transport and more profitable. Feeling the tax was unfair and targeted them specifically, these farmers began to protest and engage in acts of violence against federal tax collectors.

This uprising, known as the Whiskey Rebellion, presented a direct challenge to the authority of the new federal government. In response, President George Washington took decisive action. He personally led a militia of nearly 13,000 soldiers into western Pennsylvania to put down the rebellion. The overwhelming show of force caused the rebellion to collapse with little bloodshed, demonstrating that the new national government had both the power and the will to enforce its laws.

Key Idea

When war erupted between France and Great Britain, the United States faced a difficult choice. Some Americans wanted to help France, their ally in the Revolution. Others sided with Britain, a vital trading partner.

President Washington believed the young nation was too fragile to join a war. He issued the Neutrality Proclamation, declaring that the United States would not take sides. This policy aimed to protect the country and keep it out of European conflicts.