Name ______________________________________ Teacher_______________________ Social Studies 7

First Presidents
Document Based Essay

Directions:

Read the documents and answer the scaffolding questions after each document as completely
as possible. Once you have finished the scaffolding questions, read the task and write your
essay.

Historical Context:

In order for a nation to be successful, a balance must be struck between strong government and
the rights of the people.

Task:

Explain two differing points of view on how much power the federal government should have.

DOCUMENT 1

Source: George Washington letter to Henry Lee, August 1794

George Washington was president of the United States when the Whiskey Rebellion broke out in 1794. In a
letter to Henry Lee, Washington explains what he plans to do about the rebellion in western Pennsylvania.
 “There has been an uprising [against] the [tax] laws placed on whiskey in some of
the western parts of Pennsylvania … These uprisings have been dangerous and
have resulted in injury to persons and property…Therefore I, George Washington,
President of the United States, command all of these rebels to disperse…and do
require all officers to work to suppress these insurgents.”

1. A. What was the historical context (the Occasion) of the Whiskey Rebellion?
(What is the background? What events led up to the Whiskey Rebellion?)

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B. Based on document 1, what was Washington’s (the Speaker) point of view about
the Whiskey Rebellion? Why does he feel this way (the Purpose)?

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C. How does Washington’s position as President shape his opinion/point of view?

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DOCUMENT 2

Source: Alexander Hamilton’s National Bank, 1791

George Washington chose Alexander Hamilton as his Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton’s
job was to help strengthen the finances of the U.S. government. One of his ideas was to
create a national bank.
 The proposed bank is to consist of an association of persons, for the
purpose of creating…loans…The bank will collect taxes, borrow money,
regulate trade between the States…For the simplest and most precise idea
of a bank is, a deposit of coin or other property, as a fund for circulating a
credit upon it, which is to answer the purpose of money…To deny the
power of the Government to add this ingredient to the plan, would be to
refine away all government.”

2. Based on document 2, what was Hamilton’s point of view about creating a

national bank? Why does he feel this way?

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DOCUMENT 3

Source: This excerpt is from An Essay on the Liberty of the Press, by George Hay
(1799). Hay was a member of the Virginia State Legislature and wrote this essay in
responseThe freedom
to the passingofofthe
thepress…means
Sedition Act.* the press is not under any
kind of legislative control, and therefore the Sedition Bill…is
a reduction of its liberty, and expressly forbidden in the
Constitution.
3A. Based on document 3, does the speaker support or oppose the Sedition Act?

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3B. What evidence in the text supports his opinion?

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*document has been edited

DOCUMENT 4
Source: The excerpt below is from Thomas Jefferson’s, “Opinion on the
Constitutionality of the Bill for Establishing a National Bank” 15 February 1791

The foundation of the Constitution is this: ‘all powers not delegated to the U.S. by
the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the
people’ [10th. Amendment.]. To take a single step beyond those boundaries
especially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of limitless
power...

It has been much advised that a bank will give great…convenience in the collection
of taxes…yet the Constitution allows only the means which are ‘necessary’ - not
those which are ‘convenient’... If the Constitution allowed ‘convenient’…It would
swallow up all the delegated powers…Therefore, it is the Constitution that restrained
them to the necessary means only…

4. A. Based on document 4, does Thomas Jefferson support or oppose strong

federal government?

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B. What evidence does he state to support his opinion?

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