Washington Leads a New Nation

Washington Leads a New Nation

Americans believed in George Washington. They saw him as an honest leader and a hero of the Revolution. Many believed he should be the first U.S. president. Washington had been looking forward to retirement and a quiet life on his Virginia farm. When he hesitated at becoming a candidate for the presidency, his friends convinced him to run.

​In January 1789 each of the 11 states that had passed the Constitution sent electors to choose the first president. These delegates formed a group called the electoral college. The electoral college is a body of electors who represent the people’s vote in choosing the president. The electoral college selected Washington unanimously, and John Adams became his vice-president.

Multiple Choice

Who was considered an honest leader, a hero of the Revolution, and the first U.S. president

• Benjamin Franklin

• George Washington

• Alexander Hamilton

Multiple Choice

Each of the eleven states that had passed the Constitution sent delegates to a group called the ____________________ in order to choose the first president.

• Cabinet

• Electoral College

• Continental Congress

Multiple Choice

What role did the electoral college play in George Washington’s election to the presidency?

• It represented the people’s vote and unanimously selected the new president.

• It supported the idea that women should teach their children to be good citizens.

• It convinced the public that voting was necessary for a democracy to work properly.

​Washington’s wife, First Lady Martha Washington, entertained guests and attended social events with her husband. She described the scene to her niece: “I have not had one half-hour to myself since the day of my arrival.” She ran the presidential household with style.

​Organizing the Government

​Hard work also lay ahead for members of the new government. The new federal government had to create policies and procedures that would determine the future of the country. As President Washington noted in a letter to James Madison, “The first of everything in our situation will serve to establish a precedent.” A precedent is an action or decision that later serves as an example.

​The First Congress created departments in the executive branch for different areas of national policy. Washington met with the department heads, or cabinet members, who advised him.

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Today we know that presidents have cabinet meetings with their top advisers. This practice started during Washington’s presidency and was common by 1792.

​Washington's Cabinet Members

​For two of his most important cabinet positions, Washington chose carefully. He picked Alexander Hamilton as secretary of the treasury and Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state. Henry Knox served as secretary of war, and Samuel Osgood was chosen as postmaster general. Hamilton was a gifted economic planner, and Jefferson had served as ambassador to France. Knox had helped Washington run the Continental army, and Osgood had government experience.

Multiple Choice

What do we call an action or a decision that later serves as an example?

• Precedent

• Contradiction

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

Who had to entertain guests and attend social events with the president of the United States?

• Abigail Adams

• Martha Washington

• Benjamin Franklin

Multiple Choice

Who was chosen by the electoral college as the first vice president?

• Samuel Oswell

• Thomas Jefferson

• John Adams

​To set up the federal court system and the courts’ locations, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789. This act gave the Supreme Court six members: a chief justice, or judge, and five associate justices. Over time, that number has grown to nine. The president nominated candidates for federal judgeships. Those candidates then had to be approved or rejected by the Senate. For chief justice, Washington appointed John Jay, the prominent New York lawyer.

​Americans' Expectations for the New Nation

​Most Americans had high expectations for the new country. They wanted improved trade, free from too many restrictions. But they also expected the government to protect them and to keep the economy stable. However, the idea of belonging to one united nation was new to them.

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In 1790 the United States was home to almost 4 million people. Most Americans lived in the countryside and worked on farms. Farmers wanted fair tax laws and the right to settle western lands. They did not want the government to interfere with their daily lives.

Multiple Choice

What did Congress pass to set up the number of federal courts and their locations?

• Constitution

• Supreme Court

• Judiciary Act of 1789

Multiple Choice

What was the population of the United States in 1790?

• 4 million

• 1 million

• 55 thousand