George Washington was the first president even though it wasn't his original plan.
Becoming president
To win the election President Washington had to win the most electoral votes against John Adams. The people spoke when Washington unanimously won all 11 electoral votes. They said he was "an honest leader and a hero of the Revolution". This was the beginning of Washington's term as president.
The New government
As the first president Washington had a lot of work to do as of setting up the government and establishing precedents. His first action was to set up a cabinet. In his cabinet included Henry Knox, Edmund Raymond, Samuel Osgood, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Next he decided to set up the federal court system by passing the Judiciary Act of 1789. This act helped by creating 3 levels in the federal courts and defined their powers and relationship to the state courts. Doing these acts set up the basic act of the government letting the new challenges begin.
Above shows President Washington and his cabinet members. Starting from the top left: George Washington, Edmund Randolph and Thomas Jefferson Stating from the bottom left: Alexander Hamilton,Henry Knox and Samuel Osgood
Remaining Neutral
The U.S. didn't want to take sides in the French Revolution between Great Britain and France. To state the U.S. was neutral they created the Neutrality Proclamation. This proclamation lead to other treaties because U.S. neutrality was being threatened. These treaties were the Jay's treaty and Pinckney's.
Jay's Treaty and Pinckney's
As said above the Jay's Treaty and Pinckney's were a result from the French Revolution. Jay's treaty resulted because the U.S. neutrality was threatened in the late 1793. This was because the British was seizing U.S. ships going to France. This treaty settled disputes that had arise in the United States and Great Britain in the early 1790s. This treaty was very unpopular. Next Pinckney's Treaty, which settled disputes with Spain about the boarder and trade. Many believed this treaty was a success.
Conflicts in the Northwest territory
The United States at this time didn't only have world problems but also internal problems with the Native Americans wanted to have war. The Native Americans then had defeats in two battles in 1790 and 1791. After General Wayne took command the U.S finally won causing the British to stop helping leaving the Indians outmatched and seeking for peace. This conflict ended in 1794 with the Battle of Fallen Timbers won by the U.S. This lead to the Native Americans to sign of Greenville which gave the U.S. most of the Northwest land.
This is a picture of Northwest Indians.
The whiskey rebellion
This was when farmer lashed out against the tax on whiskey in 1794. Anyone who protested refused to pay the taxes . This violence spread to other states. To resolve this problem Washington personally led an army to western Pennsylvania but by the time they got their most have the rebels had left with no battle ending the Whiskey Rebellion.
WAshington says good bye
President Washington decided after a good two terms he was done and wasn't going to run for another term. Going into his retirement Wasington left a Farewell Address. This address included things he thought our new nation should avoid and his concerns.