Kara Sears
George Washington was the first President of the United States, and during his time in office, he was responsible for creating and signing a number of laws. Washington's presidency lasted from 1789 to 1797, and he was responsible for establishing the foundations of a powerful national government. Washington's notable achievements include his role in shaping the institutions, offices, and political practices of the US government, as well as his ability to maintain peace at home and abroad. In this paragraph, we will explore the laws that Washington created during his time in office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First protective tariff | Tariff of 1789 |
| First United States copyright law | Copyright Act of 1790 |
| First naturalization law | N/A |
| Location of the nation's capital | Along the Potomac River, in the District of Columbia |
| First Bank of the United States | N/A |
| First federal copyright legislation | N/A |
| First accounting, tax, and budgetary procedures | N/A |
| United States Mint | N/A |
| United States dollar | N/A |
| United States Navy | N/A |
| Vetoed the Apportionment Bill of April 5, 1792 | N/A |
| Treaty with the Creek | N/A |
| Treaty with Spain | Pinckney's Treaty (1795) |
| Treaty with Tripoli | Treaty of Tripoli (1796) |
| Neutrality in the conflict between Britain and revolutionary France | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
George Washington's copyright laws
George Washington, the first President of the United States, signed the first United States copyright law, the Copyright Act of 1790. This was in response to Washington's first 1790 State of the Union Address, in which he urged Congress to pass legislation to promote "the encouragement of learning" and "the promotion of Science and Literature" to better educate the public.
The Act was formally titled "An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned". The legislation was the first law protecting copyright in the United States. It explained that it intended to protect "the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States". The Act granted copyright for a term of "fourteen years from the time of recording the title thereof", with one optional renewal. It restricted the reprinting of books, maps, and charts.
Although musical compositions were not mentioned in the text of the Act, and were not expressly covered by copyright until the Copyright Act of 1831, they were routinely registered under the 1790 Act as "books". The Act also did not mention paintings or drawings, which were not covered until the enactment of the Copyright Act of 1870. The Copyright Act of 1790 applied exclusively to citizens of the United States; works created outside the United States or by non-citizens were not copyrightable in the U.S. until the International Copyright Act of 1891.
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Washington's role in the creation of the US Navy
George Washington was the first President of the United States. During his presidency, he played a crucial role in establishing the foundations of the country's laws and governance.
One of Washington's most significant contributions was his support for the establishment of a strong central government. He signed the Copyright Act of 1790, the first law protecting copyright in the United States. This legislation encouraged learning and creativity by securing the rights of authors, mapmakers, and creators of charts and books.
Washington also took an active role in shaping the federal judiciary. With the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789, he had the opportunity to appoint all the initial justices to the Supreme Court, leaving a lasting impact on the interpretation and enforcement of federal laws.
In terms of economic policy, Washington is known for signing the first protective tariff into law, as well as establishing the First Bank of the United States and the United States Mint. He also supported Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's proposal for an excise tax on distilled spirits, which, although controversial, became law in 1791.
Washington was also involved in foreign policy and treaty negotiations. He signed the Jay Treaty with Great Britain, normalizing trade relations and resolving border and debt issues. Additionally, Pinckney's Treaty with Spain clarified borders and opened the Mississippi River to American commerce.
While Washington did not personally create the US Navy, he played a pivotal role in the early development of America's naval capabilities. As the Continental Navy's first commander, he began acquiring ships, starting with the schooner USS Hannah, even before the Continental Congress had approved funding. Washington assumed command of these ships to intercept the supply of arms and provisions to British forces, which had placed Boston under martial law.
In summary, George Washington's role in the creation of the US Navy was indirect but significant. His early leadership of the Continental Navy laid the groundwork for the future development of a formal US Navy.
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Washington's stance on slavery
George Washington's stance on slavery evolved over the course of his life. He was born into a slave-owning family and inherited his first slaves at the age of 11 when his father died in 1743. Growing up in Virginia, he was surrounded by a society that reinforced the notion that slavery was both right and natural. As a young Virginia planter, he initially accepted slavery without apparent concern.
However, his views began to change during the Revolutionary War. He confided to a cousin that he longed "every day...more and more to get clear" of the ownership of enslaved people. He was influenced by the views of abolitionists like the Marquis de Lafayette, whom he met during the war, and his young aides, John Laurens and the Marquis de Lafayette, who also opposed slavery. He also witnessed Black soldiers fighting bravely in the Continental Army and approved the enlistment of free Black soldiers.
In the Fairfax Resolves of 1774, Washington publicly denounced the slave trade on moral grounds. After the war, he continued to express his opposition to slavery in private, stating that he no longer wanted to be a slave owner and supporting a plan for gradual abolition. He found slavery to be economically inefficient and morally objectionable.
Despite his changing views, Washington did not publicly speak out against slavery during his presidency, believing that bitter debates over the issue could tear apart the fragile nation. He also continued to pursue those who escaped slavery and signed laws that protected slavery. He freed one slave immediately upon his death and provided for the eventual emancipation of the remaining 123 slaves he owned, who were to serve his wife until her death.
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Washington's impact on the Supreme Court
George Washington, the first President of the United States, had a significant impact on the Supreme Court. When Washington took office in 1789, there were no sitting justices on the Supreme Court. This presented him with the unique opportunity to fill all the empty seats in the Supreme Court.
Washington's presidency was marked by his commitment to establishing a strong federal government and upholding the rule of law. He played a crucial role in shaping the Supreme Court's composition and solidifying its authority. During his first term, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, which formally established the federal judiciary and laid the foundation for the Supreme Court's structure and jurisdiction.
Washington was also faced with the task of establishing the nation's capital. He directed that the permanent federal capital be positioned along the Potomac River, near Georgetown, which would eventually become Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court met in Philadelphia's city hall, which was located in the temporary capital while the buildings in Washington, D.C., were under construction.
Additionally, Washington's handling of the Whiskey Rebellion demonstrated his commitment to upholding the law and the authority of the federal government. The rebellion, sparked by opposition to an excise tax on distilled spirits, threatened the stability of the United States. Washington's firm response, which included leading troops to suppress the uprising, affirmed the government's power and the rule of law.
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Washington's response to the Whiskey Rebellion
In 1791, Congress approved an excise tax on spirits and the stills that produced them. This tax was proposed by George Washington's Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, as a way to pay off the country's debts from the American Revolution. However, this tax adversely impacted small-scale farmers on the western frontier, who relied on distilling spirits for income and found it difficult to pay the tax.
By 1794, the protests against this tax had become violent, and the Whiskey Rebellion threatened the stability of the newly formed United States. In July, nearly 400 whiskey rebels set fire to the home of John Neville, the regional tax collection supervisor. In response, President Washington sought to resolve the dispute peacefully. He issued a proclamation admonishing westerners for their resistance to the tax and attempted to prosecute the resistors in the court system.
However, when 6,000 men gathered near Pittsburgh in August 1794, Washington took a more decisive course of action. In a proclamation issued on August 7, he identified the frontier violence as treasonous acts that amounted to levying war against the United States. He gave his Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, the power to organize troops to put down the rebellion. Washington called up state militias from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, amounting to almost 13,000 troops, and led them towards Western Pennsylvania.
The calling of the militia ended the rebellion. By the time the militia reached Pittsburgh, the rebels had dispersed. The militia apprehended about 150 men and tried them for treason. Two men were found guilty of treason and were pardoned by President Washington.
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Frequently asked questions
George Washington signed the first United States copyright law, the Copyright Act of 1790, into law.
Washington signed a bill into law that permanently placed the nation's capital along the Potomac River, in an area called the District of Columbia.
George Washington helped establish the federal judiciary and filled all the empty seats in the Supreme Court during his first term.
The Naval Act of 1794 ordered that six frigates be built and created the United States Navy.
