The federalist period, 1789-1801

The new Congress got elected in January 1789. In April, George Washington was chosen unanimously to be the United States’ first President and installed his office in New-York, provisory capital of the country, where he swore on the bible. In September, a Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution by the Congress, it got ratified in December 1791.

Debates went on about the role of the federal state: federalists joined Alexander Hamilton and desired a strong federal power; they were against egalitarianism. The republicans, or anti-federalists, joined Thomas Jefferson and wanted a limited federal government. French Revolution accentuated the differences between the two parties: while federalists rejected the radical turn events took in 1793, Republicans were enthusiastic about equality and French democracy. George Washington preferred neutrality towards France and its enemy Great Britain, which stayed America’s first business partner. The Jay Treaty, which got ratified in 1794, was supposed to solve some disagreements that occurred after the war of Independence between the United States and London, it was considered a treason to France.

This period saw the strengthening of the American institutions: in such a difficult indebtedness context, the bank of the United States was created in 1791. The dollar went up. Inequalities widened even further because confiscated lands for indebtedness were sold to the wealthiest. Part of the loyalists came back after the war and got their lands back. Numerous peasants were unhappy with taxes and the democratic deficit linked to the censitary suffrage (only rich landowners could vote).

Taxes were implemented on alcohol to increase the federal states revenues. But this rise hit the lower class and led to the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794: the federal government sent soldiers under the command of Alexander Hamilton in Pennsylvania to soothe tensions.