George Washington’s Presidency (1789-1797)
Dave Benner’s video series for George Washington’s Presidency (1789-1797).
Category Archives: George Washington
The Newburgh Conspiracy in a Nutshell
In an overlooked episode from the American War for Independence, rumors in the Continental Army implied a possible coup against the Confederation Congress. In the end, tensions were quelled only after an emotional appeal to republicanism and moderation.
The Compromise of 1790 in a Nutshell
In 1790, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton proposed assuming the outstanding state debts in order to create an overarching national debt. When he did so, uproar ensued. But why was this such a controversial subject, and how did it bring the United States Capitol to Washington, DC?
The Whiskey Rebellion in a Nutshell
The severance of the American colonies from Great Britain began, in large part, over the constitutional implications of British taxation. However, a concerted tax revolt in the early 1790s, the Whiskey Rebellion, was viewed as an existential threat to the fledgling United States.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 in a Nutshell
As one of the first pieces of legislation under the United States Constitution, the Judiciary Act of 1789 created a branch of government that did not exist under the Articles of Confederation. However, the law contained several aspects that proved controversial.
The Jay Treaty in a Nutshell
John Jay returned from Britain in 1794, carrying with him treaty that normalized relations between the United States and its former mother country. He was greeted to a hero’s welcome by the Federalists, but was held in contempt by Republicans. The country became bitterly divided, and Jay’s likeness was hung in effigy in every corner of the country.
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