Interactive American History

[Wakie]

Ok, so this is sort of a redo of what I tried to do before.  We are starting from scratch.  One vote per person, try to keep it on the honor system.  I'll write the history you make the choices.

The only decisions I will leave open for a vote will be

• Who will be the Presidential Candidate for each Major party?
• Who wins the general election?

We will start in 1789.  All history up to this point is the same as in reality.  There really are no major political parties so to speak at this point.  As in reality, the candidate with the most votes becomes President.  The runner up will be Vice President.  Although Washington is running unopposed there are a # of candidates who are also in the running mainly to be VP.

One vote per person.  You can only vote for 1 person (NOT a Pres and VP).  Once the 12th Amendment is passed this will change.

Your candidates are:

• George Washington
• John Adams
• John Jay
• Robert Harrison
• John Rutledge
• John Hancock
• George Clinton
• Samuel Huntington
• John Milton
• James Armstrong
• Benjamin Lincoln
• Edward Telfair

[Hash]

George Washington

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Washington

[Lief 🗽]

Write-In: Thomas Jefferson.

[HappyWarrior]

George Clinton

[True Democrat]

Back then they had two votes per person, but I will be voting for John Adams.

[Reluctant Republican]

George Washington

[StateBoiler]

General George Washington

[Bacon King]

Hancock

[HappyWarrior]

How often will you update this TL?

[Wakie]

I'll try to keep up with it pretty regularly.  Much more so than my Reagan timeline.  I think this one will move faster as it requires less research.

Vote totals thus far:

Washington = 4
Hancock = 1
Jefferson = 1
Clinton = 1
Adams = 1

Waiting on a tiebreaker for the VP ....

[Wakie]

Ok ... no votes came in and I don't want to let this stagnate so .... Washington wins and the VP will be selected at random from the 4 single vote getters.  The first VP of the United States is ..... John Hancock.

The history to follow ....

[Wakie]

Life After the Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War was only the first step for the 13 American States to become a nation.  The Treaty of Paris left the United States independent and at peace but with an unsettled governmental structure.  Congress had drawn up Articles of Confederation in 1777, granting itself a permanent confederation, but leaving it as the only federal instituition and with little power to finance itself or enforce resolutions.

Following the war an economic depression set in on the country.  The ports of the British West Indies were closed to all staple products not carried in British ships.  Soon France and Spain established similar policies.  British products were soon filling American ports.  The apparent inability of the Congress to redeem the public debts incurred during the war, or to become a forum for productive cooperation among the states to encourage commerce and economic development, only aggravated the already gloomy situation.

Congress had issued bills of credit, but by the end of the war its paper money had so far depreciated that it ceased to pass as currency, spawning the expression "not worth a continental".  Congress couldn't levy taxes, and less than a million and half dollars came into the treasury between 1781 and 1784.

When John Adams went to London in 1785 as the first American representative of the United States he found it impossible to secure a treaty for unrestricted commerce.  Adams stated it was necessary for the States to confer the power of passing navigation laws to Congress, or that the States themselves pass retaliatory acts against Great Britain.  Congress had already requested and failed to get power over navigation laws.  Meanwhile, the States acted individually against Great Britain to little effect.  When other New England states closed their ports to British shipping, Connecticut hastened to profit by opening its ports.

Debtors' problems came to a head in Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts when a group of small farmers took up arms.  A Massacusetts militia was raised as a private army and quickly, and with virtually no blood shed, put down the rebellion.  The lack of an instituitional/Federal response energized calls to reevaluate the Articles of Confederation and gave strong impetus to the Constituitional Convention of 1787.

The Constituitional Convention

A series of attempts to organize a movement to outline and press reforms culminated in the Congress calling a Convention which met in Philadelphia in the Summer of 1787.  The meeting was called to suggest reforms to the Articles of Confederation but rapidly resulted in the creation of a wholly new Constituition which created a federal government.

Under this new Constituition the Federal Government would be limited in scope but independent of, and superior to, the States.  Three branches of government were established.  A bicameral Legislature to draft policy and laws; a Federal Judiciary to interpret laws and settle disputes between states; and an Executive which would be charged with enforcing laws which were unenforcible at the state level.

The Constituition called for ratification by the states.  Several of the smaller ones, led by Delaware, embraced the Constituition with little reservations.  Some of the larger and wealthier states were hesitant to accept a strong Federal government. Ultimately though, with the support of George Washington and the promise of a Bill of Rights, all 13 American states ratified the Constituition.

The First President

Congress made the necessary arrangements for the first national election.  For all intents and purposes, George Washington ran unopposed for election as President.  Under the system then in place, each voting elector cast two votes, and the recipient of the greatest number of votes was elected President, providing they equaled or exceeded half the total number of electors.  The runner-up became Vice-President.

In the absence of political parties, there was no formal nomination process.  George Washington handily was the election as President.  John Hancock, receiving the full endorsement of John Adams, was elected Vice-President.  New York City was designated as the first temporary capital and in April, 1789 at Federal Hall in Manhattan George Washington was inaugurated.

[Wakie]

1789

The French Revolution
Shortly after Washington took office events in France which ultimately led to the French citizenry taking up arms against the monarchy and beginning the French Revolution.  Despite internal pressures to aid French republicans, Washington resisted such efforts on the grounds that the United States were still too weak and unstable to fight another war with a major European power and, thus, provided no assistance to the French.

Organizing the Government
Immediately upon becoming President, George Washington began organizing the Federal Government.  He established a Department of Foreign Affairs, a Department of War, a Treasury Department, and a Federal Judiciary which would include a Supreme Court consisting of 6 Justices.

Under the leadership of James Madison, the first Congress made good on the Federalist pledge of a Bill of Rights, proposing to the states twelve amendments, ten of which were speedily adopted.  The Bill of Rights limited the powers of the federal government while protecting the rights of the citizenry.

1790

Emergence of Political Parties and the Compromise of 1790
Very soon after the acceptance of the Constituition, two strong political parties grew into being.  The first, led by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and known as the Federalist party, believed in the value of a strong federal system, advocated a national bank, and were relatively pro-British.  The second, which came to be known as the Democratic-Republicans and was led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, were proponents of stronger states' rights, were strongly opposed to a national bank, and were pro-French (seeing France during the French Revolution as a democratic ally).

Washington, a strict opponent of political parties, refused to take sides in the numerous battles between the two, although it is said he favored Hamilton more often.

One of the earliest "battles" between the two revolved around the location of the national Capital.  A compromise was struck allowing for the creation of the capital city along the Potomac River after a 10 year temporary residence in Philadelphia.  This carried the strong implication that the North would not raise objections to the instituition of slavery, since the capital would be located in two slave states, Maryland and Virginia.  In return Jefferson agreed to support the creation of the First National Bank of the United States.

Northwest Indian War
When Washington assumed the Presidency he was faced with the on going challenge of the Northwest Indian War.  The Indian Western Lakes Confederacy had been making raids in the Northwest Territory on both sides of the Ohio River and had grown increasingly dangerous.  With casualties mounting, in October, 1790 President Washington ordered Brigadier General Josiah Harmar to launch a major offensive into the Shawnee and Miami Indian country.

Harmar's forces were sorely defeated, resulting in Washington ordering Major General Arthur St Clair to mount a more vigorous campaign the following year.  General St Clair's forces were more sorely defeated than General Harmar's.  Of his force of 920 soldiers, 632 were killed and 264 were wounded.

1791

Vermont
Early in 1791 Vermont was admitted as the 14th U.S. state.

The First Bank of the United States
The First Bank of the United States was chartered in early 1791.  Along with establishing a mint and an excise tax, the bank was to establish financial order and credit within the young nation.  It would also resolve the issue of the flat currency issued by the Continental Congress.

To raise funds for the bank Hamilton proposed a sale of $10 million in stock and through the increase of the duty on imported spirits and the excise tax on domestic liquors.

1792

The Coinage Act
Congress establishes the US Mint and introduces regulated coinage to the United States.  This sets the dollar as the unit of money declared to be lawful tender and creates a decimal system for US currency.

Kentucky
Kentucky is admitted as the 15th state.

[Wakie]

Ok, time for the 2nd Presidential election.  I will allow each person to vote twice.  Washington is running pretty much unopposed.  Top vote getter becomes Pres, runner up is VP.

Your candidates are:

George Washington
John Hancock
George Clinton
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr

[Lief 🗽]

Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Washington and Hancock

[HappyWarrior]

Two votes guys  George Washington and George Clinton.

[Hash]

Washington and Jefferson

[Robespierre's Jaw]

For the Office of President of the United States:



GEORGE WASHINGTON

For the Office of Vice Presidency of the United States:



THOMAS JEFFERSON

[Wakie]

As in 1789, President George Washington ran unopposed for a second term as President.  Under the system in place then though, each voting elector cast two votes – with the recipient of the greatest number of votes becoming President and the runner-up Vice President.  As with his first term, Washington’s victory was considered inevitable.

Despite the “inevitability” of Washington’s election, Vice-President Hancock’s was not.  By this time in American politics a strong party division had emerged between the Federalists, led by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republicans led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

Although both parties supported Washington’s reelection, they strongly contested the Vice Presidency.  The Democratic-Republicans stood unified in their support of Thomas Jefferson.  The Federalists divided their support between incumbent John Hancock, who some felt was aging too rapidly to follow Washington into the White House, and Massachusetts Governor John Adams.  Ultimately this led to Jefferson’s election as Vice President.

1793

The French Revolution and The Neutrality Proclamation
Shortly after Washington’s reelection to the Presidency the issue of foreign affairs once more reared its head, primarily through the troubles in France.  Although Washington had taken a firm stance that the United States should stay out of European affairs, there were many, including his new Vice President Thomas Jefferson, who disagreed.

When French Revolutionaries guillotined King Louis XVI the British declared war on France, ostensibly to restore the monarchy but truly to extend their own position against their long-time rival.  France, in turn, declared war on a host of European powers.

France dispatched diplomat Edmond-Charles Genet to America.  Genet’s mission was to drum up support for the French cause.  Genet issued letters of marque and reprisal to American ships so they could capture British merchant ships.

The issue of “Citizen Genet” caused a serious rift between Washington and Jefferson.  Washington was deeply irritated by what he saw as the subversive meddling of France in America.  But he was even more troubled by the actions of Vice President Jefferson, who Washington felt overstepped the powers of his office.  When Jefferson authorized a French-sponsored warship to sail out of Philadelphia against direct presidential orders, Washington demanded that France recall Genet.  However, by this time the temperament in France had turned extraordinarily bloody and had Genet returned he surely would have been guillotined.  Together with Jefferson he appealed to Washington and was pardoned and allowed to remain in the United States so long as he halted his behavior.

As punishment for Jefferson, Washington elevated former Massachusetts Governor and Federalist John Adams to the position of Secretary of State (a roll which had been left empty and whose primary responsibilities Jefferson was, here to now, still fulfilling).  Privately Washington chastised Jefferson and suggested that he focus his attentions on being President of the Senate.

Washington closed the matter completely by issuing a formal announcement declaring the United States would be neutral in the European conflict.  This Proclamation of Neutrality threatened legal proceedings against any American providing assistance to any of the warring nations.

Alexander Hamilton, the Reynolds Affair, and The Jefferson Resolutions
In late 1792 three Democratic-Republican congressmen, James Monroe, Abraham Venable, and Frederick Muhlenberg, confronted Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton with charges of shady dealings with one James Reynolds, currently in jail.  Reynolds claimed that Hamilton had given him Treasury Department funds to play the stock market.  Hamilton admitted he had given Reynolds money, but said it was his own, not Treasury funds.  He further explained it was to pay Reynolds off as he was having an affair with Reynolds’ wife.  Hamilton penned a full confession of the incident in lurid detail.

Sensing the time was ripe to strike at his political opponent, Vice President Thomas Jefferson introduced to Congress a series of resolutions questioning Hamilton’s appropriations of foreign loan funds and demanded a concise accounting of his handling of such funds.  Hamilton responded by handing over spotless records in impeccable order in less than a month.  Stymied, Jefferson tried again, this time drafting a series of resolutions explicitly accusing Hamilton of violating numerous laws and calling for his removal from office.  Being virtually without merit, this second set of resolutions was soundly defeated.

Fugitive Slave Law
Although the issue of slavery was assumed to be addressed by the Constituitional Convention of 1787, the differences over the moral attitudes and its questions came to a head in 1793.  Pennsylvania’s governor, Thomas Mifflin, sought the extradition of 3 Virginians accused of kidnapping a black man from Pennsylvania.  Virginia’s governor, Beverly Randolph, refused extradition on the grounds the man was a fugitive slave subject to rendition.  Mifflin objected, saying he was a free man and thereby protected.

In response to the legal struggle Congress drafted the Fugitive Slave law.  This law disqualified escaped slaves from jury trials and gave teeth to the provisions in the Constitution protecting slavery.  It made it a federal crime to assist an escaping slave, and established the legal mechanism by which escaped slaves could be seized, even in “free states”.

John Hancock Dies
In October of 1793 the first Vice President of the United States, John Hancock died.

The British Problem
In 1793, Great Britain stated that it would not follow the provisions of the Treaty of Paris and would not leave its posts on the Great Lakes until the United States repaid all debts to Great Britain.  Partially in response to the privateers being recruited by “Citizen Genet” Britain announced that it would seize any ships trading with the French, even if they were flying the American flag.

Tensions escalated and in early 1794 George Washington ordered the construction of 6 warships to combat the British navy.  President Washington dispatched his new Secretary of State, John Adams to negotiate with the British and to oversee affairs on the issue.  The British continued to seize American vessels and Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and many of the other prominent Democratic-Republicans called for war.

Northwest Indian War
Still looking to avenge earlier defeats in the Northwest Indian War, President Washington ordered Revolutionary War veteran General “Mad” Anthony Wayne to launch a new expedition of well trained troops against a coalition of tribes led by Miami Chief Little Turtle.  Wayne spent months training his troops to fight using forest warfare in the style of the Indians before marching boldly into the region.  He rapidly constructed a chain of forts in Indian country.

Wayne’s men scored a series of victories over Indian forces and advanced further into the territory.  When Indian forces attempted to withdraw to the safety of their British allies’ forts, they found themselves locked out and betrayed.  The British and Americans were reaching a close rapprochement at this time to counter Jacobin France in its French Revolution.  The American troops decimated Indian villages and crops in the area, and then withdrew.  Defeated, the seven Indian tribes ceded large portions of their lands to the United States and moved west, officially ending the hostilities.

1794

The Whiskey Rebellion
As a way of financing Alexander Hamilton’s First Bank and paying down the national debt, the federal government had implements a system of taxes on distilled spirits.  The tax favored larger distillers who could pay a flat rate, whereas smaller distillers had to pay by the gallon.  So strong was the opposition to this program that from Pennsylvania to Georgia, western counties engaged in a campaign of routine harassment of tax collectors.

By the Summer of 1794 tensions reached a fevered pitch all along the western frontier and civil protests turned to an armed rebellion.  The first shots were fired just south of Pittsburgh and as news spread so did a period of mild anarchy.

Washington, remembering Shays’ Rebellion just 8 years prior, decided to make Pennsylvania a testing ground for federal authority.  Washington invoked martial law and summoned the militias of Pennsylvania and Virginia and personally led the army into Western Pennsylvania.  They encountered virtually no resistance and the uprising was ended with no violence.  It proved the authority of a federal government to regulate the people.

The 11th Amendment
On March 4, 1794 Congress passes the 11th Amendment to the Constitution.  The Amendment read, ”The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.”

[Wakie]

1795

The Treaty of Madrid
Since the British had expanded the territory of the Florida colonies while it was in their possession, there had been a standing dispute over the boundaries of the United States (then the British colonies) and the Spanish colonies.  Largely through the efforts of Thomas Pinckney and Don Manuel de Godoy, a treaty was settled between the United States and Spain which established intentions of friendship between the two, defined the boundaries between their holdings, and guaranteed the United States navigation rights on the Mississippi River.

By terms of the treaty, the southern boundary of the United States with the Spanish Colonies of East and West Florida was a line beginning on the Mississippi River at the 31st degree north latitude (or roughly the current boundary between Florida and Georgia).

The Adams Treaty
At the direction of President Washington, John Adams had actively been in London working on resolving many of the issues left open following the Revolutionary War.  Finally, in 1795 Adams obtained a settlement which included the following terms:

• British withdrawal from their posts in the Northwest Territory
• American ship owners would be compensated for damages sustained at the hands of the British
• The United States were granted trade rights with India and the Caribbean in exchange for limits on the export of cotton
• The United States granted Britain “most favored nation” trading status and would acquiesce to British anti-French maritime policy
• A firm border with Canada was established on the St Croix River
• The issue of compensating Southern slaveowners was dropped
• Wartime debts would be submitted to arbitration

Washington submitted the treaty to the Senate for ratification.  Intensely unpopular in the South, it gave Jeffersonians a rallying platform.  Jefferson and Madison raised public opinion to a fever pitch by accusing the British of promoting Indian atrocities on the frontier.  More than any other issue it organized and unified the Democratic-Republican movement into a single party.

The Federalists fought back in the Congress saying this treaty was imperative for the success of the nation.  Hamilton convinced Washington to throw his enormous prestige behind the treaty and public opinion was almost immediately rallied behind it.  Ultimately his prestige carried the day and the treaty passed through Congress.

1796

Tennessee
Tennessee was admitted as the 16th state.

The Treaty of Tripoli
For almost 300 years the Mediterranean Sea lanes had largely been controlled by North African Muslim states on the Barbary Coast (Tripoli, Algiers, Morocco, and Tunis) through piracy.  Ships were frequently waylaid, goods seized, and hostages taken and ransomed or sold into slavery.  Most countries solved the issue by paying a yearly tribute to the Barbary Sultans in exchange for safe passage.  Following the American Revolution, American vessels were no longer under the protection of British tribute treaties, effectively halting American commerce in the Mediterranean.  With only 6 ships in its Navy the Federal government decided to form tribute treaties with the Barbary states.  The result was the creation of the Treaty of Tripoli wherein the United States agreed to pay an annual fee to the aforementioned states.

Washington’s Farewell
After 8 years as President Washington had proven himself an able administrator, an excellent delegator, and a phenomenal judge of talent and character.  He established a standard for the office of the Presidency.

Although it was his for the taking, Washington had only reluctantly agreed to serve a second term and he outright refused a third.  He was physically, mentally, and financially exhausted.  He closed his administration with a thoughtful farewell address.  He spoke passionately on the necessity and importance of a national union, the value of the Constitution and rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of the people.

[Wakie]

Ok, time for the 3rd Presidential election.  I will allow each person to vote twice as the same general rules still apply as in 1792.  Top vote getter becomes Pres, runner up is VP.

Each of the two major parties has 4 candidates.  And no, there are no primaries ... yet.


Your candidates are:

Federalist Party
John Adams
Thomas Pinckney
John Jay
Oliver Ellsworth

Democratic-Republicans
Thomas Jefferson
Aaron Burr
Samuel Adams
George Clinton

[HappyWarrior]

George Clinton and Aaron Burr.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Thomas Jefferson and Samuel Adams