The Early Republic, 1789–1823

The Establishment of the Early Republic

The U.S. presidential election in 1789 marked the commencement of the Early Republic, with George Washington elected as the first President of the United States.
The Bill of Rights was ratified by the states in 1791, becoming the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution ensuring individual liberties and state rights.
The formation of the Cabinet System under President Washington, a group of advisors to the President, became an important aspect of American politics.

The Early Republic era was marked by disputes between two burgeoning political factions that would become the Federalist and the Democratic-Republican Parties.
Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, introduced policies for a strong central government, a national bank, and state debts to be funded by the federal government.
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was an early test of the new government’s authority, wherein a tax protest was squashed demonstrating government’s power to enforce laws.

The Jay’s Treaty with Britain in 1794 and Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain in 1795 helped to establish America’s position in international trade and territorial boundaries.
The Monroe Doctrine in 1823 set out U.S policy to oppose European intervention in the Americas, asserting U.S dominance over the Western hemisphere.

The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 doubled the territory of the United States, granting control of the Mississippi River and opening vast lands for settlement.
The war of 1812 against Britain, although ending in a military stalemate, marked a robust demonstration of American independence and created a surge of nationalism.
The period witnessed early waves of westward expansion and the movement of white settlers into Native American lands, sparking conflicts and treaties.
Society in the Early Republic was marked by changes in gender roles and family structures, with notions such as “Republican Motherhood” asserting women’s role in shaping the new nation’s citizens.