What are strongest arguments brought by anti-Federalists against strong executive?

-Don’t want to recreate monarchy

Based on Lincoln’s actions do you think Presdent should be able to assume extratextual powers during war?

-vacuum of congressional authority during his term

-rising military and

-can’t do so arbitrarily

-Lincoln exhibited restraint whereas other may have not

- actions were conditional – divided nation

- rebellion of south nothing outlined in constitution so taking actions beyond constitution might be permitted but should not go against constitution (suspending writ of habeas corpus)

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President Jackson ran his administration in the name of the common man – was he a people’s president?

-Humble origins, background was among the people, came from rural area

-Advocated universal white male suffrage, common man voting

-Conventions established (first was actually by Anti-masonists)

-Jackson felt cheated out of previous election, made his mark on presidency

-Invited everyone to the inauguration

-Jeffersonian: acted through the people

-Opposition to the bank = favored Jeffersonian agrarian ideal, led to more credit; against stereotypical

-Jackson built on Jeffersonian tradition of agrarian interests ; builds on Jefferson

-Marks generation shift

-Not from original 13 countries

-Hadn’t been previous political experience

-WASN”T: against women, blacks, Indians

What went wrong during the election of 1800?

-did not predict tie

-Georgia ballet filled out wrong

-Vote-counter should not be candidate

-No clear distinction who was president and vice-president

-Founding father did not consider political parties/factions but more considered with balance of states

-Undefined if they didn’t figure out problem before the next president was to be inaugurated

-Rise of Plebiscitarian president above procedurial presidency

-Mob was convening and there was threatening military action

How did congress weaken the presidency following Lincoln’s term?

-Johnson turned out to be against congress

-Congress assault on presidency

-Congress stayed in session – took away pocket veto

-Congress tried to impeach him twice and tried to eliminate checks and balances by getting rid of president’s opposition

-Pendleton Act – put limits on patronage system and long-term limitation of presidential authority; civil service – positions no longer filled by patronage but by merit

-Line of weak presidents did not help executive branch

-Ability of congress to get 2/3 majority to overrule veto

-Tenure of Office Act: officials could not be appointed without Congress’ concent – went against Washington’s precedent ; punitive measure against Andrew Johnson

-Ability to elect cabinet officials

Do you believe if, had Lincoln lived, reconstruction would have been a less divisive and painful process?

-possibly in abasense of war, Lincoln would not have been as powerful

-10 percent plan still opposed

-Many of his policies still controversial

-Tension with radical republicans would not have been as severe

-Lincoln was a good politician and might have been able to handle opposition

-Could have pushed people to do what he wanted and less hard-lined than radicals were

-If Lincoln had lived, successors still would have been less competent than Lincoln

What kind of successor would Lincoln groom?

-may have chosen someone who was classical Whig who advocated less presidential authority

-someone from the West

Explain the foundation of the system of parties? What caused faction to coalesce into parties? How did affect the later election of 1800?

-domestically, argument over constitution on whether strong or weak president would prevail between Federalists and Democratic Republicans

-split over the Jay Treaty

-Washington’s international policy – side with France or over England? Sympathies with French revolution

-Foreign policy issues influence division

-States rights, Hamilton and Federalists

Consider the broad sweep of Presidential History from 1789 to 1883, which branch of government has been more influential?

-war time presidencies were mostly successful but then there was Madison

-congressional power came after war time

-presidents often expanded territory

-presidents had more leniency to shape office since constitution was vague but legislature’s role largely established

-presidents more popular

-time sensitive 