US History

U.S. History Study Guide

Congress Erects the Structure of the Government The new national government instituted the Bill of Rights, a promise made to the Ant-Federalists. Twelve amendments were drafted which guaranteed personal liberties, most of which had been given to English citizens. Ten of these were ratified by 1791, and they became the Bill of Rights. The first nine guaranteed personal freedoms, such as religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, and a speedy trial by one’s peers and the tenth amendment reserved to the states all the powers not granted to the federal government. The last amendment was for those who feared the central government could take the power away from the individual states. 8.4 The Establishment of the Federal Court System The Judiciary Act of 1789 provided for a Supreme Court, with six justices, and invested it with power to rule on the constitutional legitimacy of state laws. It was to be the interpreter of the “supreme law of the land.” A system of district courts was established to serve as courts of original jurisdiction and three courts of appeal were provided for. 8.5 The Establishment of the Executive Departments Congress established three offices in the Executive branch, including Secretary of State, and War and also the offices of Attorney General and Postmaster General. President Washington immediately appointed Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Henry Knox, to fill the executive posts, and Edmund Randolph became Attorney General. These four men worked regularly with the president, and they would be the precursor of the cabinet. 8.6 Washington’s Administration, 1789-1797 Hamilton’s Financial Program Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton wrote his famous summary of the United States financial crisis and ways to curb the economic burden in, “Report on the Public Credit” . He proposed that the Federal government fund the national debt, assume all the state debts, and create a national bank. In another famous analysis of the United States economic dilemma Hamilton wrote the, “Report on Manufactures” where he proposed a massive program for federal economic stimulation of industrial development. He planned to do this through subsidies and tax incentives. The money needed to fund these programs would come from a tax on distillers and from tariffs on imports. Opposition to Hamilton’s Program Jefferson and others objected to Hamilton’s proposal because they felt it would benefit the wealthy who had bought up state contracts and debts at depressed prices, and they would profit from their

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