I much prefer Philadelphia as the capital pretty much entirely because i think have the capitol would suck in my home city.
The Hero of Saratoga: The Presidency of Benedict Arnold
- Thread starter IchBinDieKaiser
- Start date
Despite having earned their independence years earlier, foreign powers still threatened the sovereignty of the United States. Many feared the nation falling back under British control, or becoming a puppet of some other European power. To avoid these outcomes President George Washington pursued a non-interventionist foreign policy. Despite harsh feelings, Great Britain was still the US’ largest trading partner, while an official alliance existed with Great Britain’s enemy, France.
The Storming of the Bastille by peasants in France sparked the French revolution. This would throw a wrench into the foreign policy of all nations. Many in America wanted to aid France in overthrowing their King and fighting against the British as repayment for their having been helped by the French. Washington knew that the US was in no condition to fight the British, and chose not to send aid to France. However when a slave revolt erupted in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, Washington was willing to send aid to the slave owning colonists on the island to help suppress the revolt, fearing it might spread to the United States. Members of Washington’s administration, including Washington himself were accused of being secret monarchists by anti-federalists.
The British were refusing to follow the provisions of the Treaty of Paris by not leaving its forts on the great lakes until the US paid off its debt with Britain. They also said they would seize any American ship trading with the French. This was a front to American pride, but the nation was not ready for another fight with Great Britain. Washington would send Secretary of State John Jay to London in order to negotiate a new treaty. This resulted in the Jay Treaty. It resulted in America remaining neutral in the European conflict and growing more economically tied to Great Britain. In exchange for this the British would evacuate their posts in the Northwest territory, open their West Indies ports, and settle territorial disputes. The treaty would be condemned by revolutionary France. By the end of Washington’s presidency they would begin seizing Americans ships just as the British had.
American ships used to be under the protection of the Royal Navy until independence was declared. This responsibility was shortly filled by France after the revolution, however after America declared its Neutrality to the conflict in Europe, France ceased its protection of American ships. This left Americans susceptible to the Barbary Pirates along the coast of North Africa. In 1794 Washington signed the Naval Act of 1794, which ordered the construction of 4 ships for the Republic’s fledgling navy. This would not be enough to stop the pirates because the ships would not be finished until after Washington’s Presidency. The issue of the Barbary pirates was one of the few foreign relations issues that Washington was not able to create at least a temporary fix. The Barbary Pirate issue would be settled by Washington’s successor.
The Storming of the Bastille by peasants in France sparked the French revolution. This would throw a wrench into the foreign policy of all nations. Many in America wanted to aid France in overthrowing their King and fighting against the British as repayment for their having been helped by the French. Washington knew that the US was in no condition to fight the British, and chose not to send aid to France. However when a slave revolt erupted in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, Washington was willing to send aid to the slave owning colonists on the island to help suppress the revolt, fearing it might spread to the United States. Members of Washington’s administration, including Washington himself were accused of being secret monarchists by anti-federalists.
The British were refusing to follow the provisions of the Treaty of Paris by not leaving its forts on the great lakes until the US paid off its debt with Britain. They also said they would seize any American ship trading with the French. This was a front to American pride, but the nation was not ready for another fight with Great Britain. Washington would send Secretary of State John Jay to London in order to negotiate a new treaty. This resulted in the Jay Treaty. It resulted in America remaining neutral in the European conflict and growing more economically tied to Great Britain. In exchange for this the British would evacuate their posts in the Northwest territory, open their West Indies ports, and settle territorial disputes. The treaty would be condemned by revolutionary France. By the end of Washington’s presidency they would begin seizing Americans ships just as the British had.
American ships used to be under the protection of the Royal Navy until independence was declared. This responsibility was shortly filled by France after the revolution, however after America declared its Neutrality to the conflict in Europe, France ceased its protection of American ships. This left Americans susceptible to the Barbary Pirates along the coast of North Africa. In 1794 Washington signed the Naval Act of 1794, which ordered the construction of 4 ships for the Republic’s fledgling navy. This would not be enough to stop the pirates because the ships would not be finished until after Washington’s Presidency. The issue of the Barbary pirates was one of the few foreign relations issues that Washington was not able to create at least a temporary fix. The Barbary Pirate issue would be settled by Washington’s successor.
In 1792 George Washington reluctantly ran for a second term as President. He would run against his vice president John Adams, and New York governor George Clinton. Washington would win by a landslide against his opponents, however Washington would lose the state of New York to George Clinton. This was because the people of New York were quite angry at Washington and the Federalists for “stealing” New York City. Though Clinton would lose, it became clear that Washington was not perfect. John Adams would come in second to Washington, making him vice president.
There was much infighting in Washington’s cabinet, in particular between Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Vice President John Adams. The conflict between the two had less to do with politics and more to do with each others character. Adams was a well off man from an old established family in Massachusetts. Alexander Hamilton was bastard orphan climbing the social ladder. During the Revolution Adams had been in the continental congress and had been sent to Europe as a diplomat, while Hamilton served in the army next to Washington. This gave Hamilton a special relationship with the President that Adams could not relate to. With Washington constantly keeping Adams out of Cabinet meetings, the arguments he would have with Hamilton outside of those meetings were more explosive. This dispute came to a head in 1795 when John Adams resigned as his position as Vice President. He would achieve a seat in the Senate for Massachusetts in the 1796 election.
During the Presidency of George Washington there would be several military conflicts within the new Republic. The Northwest Indian War was one. The British had been inciting Indian attacks against Americans in order to prevent them from getting involved in the war in Europe. Secretary of War Benedict Arnold would lead several expeditions into the northwest territory personally to defeat the Shawne, Miami, and Lenape tribes. This conflict would end with the Treaty of Greenville. Along with the Northwest Indian War there was the Whiskey Rebellion, which Arnold would also personally put down.
Arnold’s service in the revolution as well as defeating the Indians and the Whisky rebels would increase his popularity to a point where he would be offered the presidential nomination of the newly created Federalist Party. The parties did not exist during Washington’s term in office. During his presidency politicians were labeled as being either pro-administration, or anti-administration. The reason for the formation of the party was Vice President John Adams leaving the administration. Adams would join James Madison in the Senate in an attempt to unify the anti-federalists. Their efforts in doing this would increase even more when Alexander Hamilton announced that he would also be running for the Presidency under the Federalist Party. The Federalists would nominate both Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton and Benedict Arnold as the Presidential candidates, with a mutual understanding that the Presidency was intended for Arnold and the Vice Presidency was intended for Hamilton.
They would not be the only candidates that would enter the race, but they would be the only ones with enough power to win. In New York governor George Clinton would run again as an opposition to Hamilton. Among the anti-federalists in the south, Patrick Henry would run for the office as well, being called on by the people of his state. Thanks to Arnold’s popularity, They were able win, all the presidential votes of the electors going to Arnold, with the vice presidential votes going to Hamilton.
The Congress would still be divided between the Federalists and anti-Federalists, however the Federalists were the only officially established party. More parties would officially establish themselves by the midterm election in 1798. Historians look back at Arnold's Presidency as a worthy successor to Washington's Presidency. The only man who could fill the fathers shoes.
There was much infighting in Washington’s cabinet, in particular between Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Vice President John Adams. The conflict between the two had less to do with politics and more to do with each others character. Adams was a well off man from an old established family in Massachusetts. Alexander Hamilton was bastard orphan climbing the social ladder. During the Revolution Adams had been in the continental congress and had been sent to Europe as a diplomat, while Hamilton served in the army next to Washington. This gave Hamilton a special relationship with the President that Adams could not relate to. With Washington constantly keeping Adams out of Cabinet meetings, the arguments he would have with Hamilton outside of those meetings were more explosive. This dispute came to a head in 1795 when John Adams resigned as his position as Vice President. He would achieve a seat in the Senate for Massachusetts in the 1796 election.
During the Presidency of George Washington there would be several military conflicts within the new Republic. The Northwest Indian War was one. The British had been inciting Indian attacks against Americans in order to prevent them from getting involved in the war in Europe. Secretary of War Benedict Arnold would lead several expeditions into the northwest territory personally to defeat the Shawne, Miami, and Lenape tribes. This conflict would end with the Treaty of Greenville. Along with the Northwest Indian War there was the Whiskey Rebellion, which Arnold would also personally put down.
Arnold’s service in the revolution as well as defeating the Indians and the Whisky rebels would increase his popularity to a point where he would be offered the presidential nomination of the newly created Federalist Party. The parties did not exist during Washington’s term in office. During his presidency politicians were labeled as being either pro-administration, or anti-administration. The reason for the formation of the party was Vice President John Adams leaving the administration. Adams would join James Madison in the Senate in an attempt to unify the anti-federalists. Their efforts in doing this would increase even more when Alexander Hamilton announced that he would also be running for the Presidency under the Federalist Party. The Federalists would nominate both Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton and Benedict Arnold as the Presidential candidates, with a mutual understanding that the Presidency was intended for Arnold and the Vice Presidency was intended for Hamilton.
They would not be the only candidates that would enter the race, but they would be the only ones with enough power to win. In New York governor George Clinton would run again as an opposition to Hamilton. Among the anti-federalists in the south, Patrick Henry would run for the office as well, being called on by the people of his state. Thanks to Arnold’s popularity, They were able win, all the presidential votes of the electors going to Arnold, with the vice presidential votes going to Hamilton.
The Congress would still be divided between the Federalists and anti-Federalists, however the Federalists were the only officially established party. More parties would officially establish themselves by the midterm election in 1798. Historians look back at Arnold's Presidency as a worthy successor to Washington's Presidency. The only man who could fill the fathers shoes.
I don't think that Adams would have resigned the Vice-Presidency, despite all the monotony and the dislike of Hamilton, Adams always supported the administration, and he knew that resigning would have damaged the unity that they were trying to present. Also him joining the Anti-federalist wouldn't have worked, he was an independent man, even tough he was the federalists candidate in 1796, also he was a firm believer in a strong central government, which was the opposite of what the anti-federalists believed.
Because Jefferson isn't there to serve as a buffer between Adams and Hamilton, his frustration with him has grown more so than OTL. Adams hasn't neccessarily become in favor of smaller government(in fact he will influence opposing parties) but he is anti-Hamilton enough to ally with Madison.
Well, I will say that an Adams will become president under a party opposing the Federalists.
Benedict Arnold was sworn in as President of the United States on March 4th, 1797. From his predecessor he inherited a Republic currently at peace, but looking ever more as on the brink of war. American ships at sea are in harms way from the French, the Barbary Pirates of North Africa, and on occasion from the British, despite treaties forbidding it. Arnold knew he had much to work with, but also much riding against him.
Just as his predecessor he would select his own cabinet. It was unclear in the early years of the republic whether or not it was constitutional for the President to fire a cabinet member, for nothing in the constitution was written about it. It would be latter assumed that the power to fire was inferred with the power to hire. However Arnold would not have to face this decision himself. When he asked Washington’s former cabinet members to resign, they did so gracefully. To the position of Secretary of State he would appoint Edmund Randolph. To the position of Secretary of the Treasury he would appoint Henry Knox. To the position of Attorney General he would appoint Rufus King. And to the position of Secretary of War he would appoint Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
Events abroad, especially in Europe, occupied much of President Arnold’s attention. The need for a stronger navy was evident, but ships could only be built so fast. Shortly after Arnold is inaugurated the first ship of the US navy is created, the USS United States. It was a small start, but it would have to do. Without a significant navy, fighting the Barbary Pirates in North Africa was not an option, however he did not want to give in to the demands of Muslim Pirates. There was also the problem with France. Since the Jay Treaty was signed with Britain, the government of Revolutionary France considered it to be a revocation of the treaty of alliance signed between the United States and France in 1778. Since that time, the British had ceased seizing American ships, but the French began the same practice. The British aren’t going to protect American ships at sea, not unless they were allied, which at this point was still politically unpopular.
The Indians in the northwest territory had been beaten down several years earlier and were a generation away from being able to rise up again.
Arnold had several responses to the international events, one in particular would shape the US in dramatic ways. In the summer of 1797 he signed the Army Act of 1797. This act, as the Naval Act of 1794 had, increase the size of the military. It would create a new standing army, which would soon be called the Army of the Republic. The idea of a standing army was appalling to the anti-Federalists, but President Arnold, with his experiences in the revolution, the Indian War, and the Whiskey Rebellion, he felt it was of utmost importance that the US have a large standing army ready to put down any insurrection from within, or any invasion from without. The anti-federalists in congress opposed this idea, believing a standing army was a threat to liberty. However when the nation seemed ever closer to the brink of war, the Act would pass.
Just as his predecessor he would select his own cabinet. It was unclear in the early years of the republic whether or not it was constitutional for the President to fire a cabinet member, for nothing in the constitution was written about it. It would be latter assumed that the power to fire was inferred with the power to hire. However Arnold would not have to face this decision himself. When he asked Washington’s former cabinet members to resign, they did so gracefully. To the position of Secretary of State he would appoint Edmund Randolph. To the position of Secretary of the Treasury he would appoint Henry Knox. To the position of Attorney General he would appoint Rufus King. And to the position of Secretary of War he would appoint Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
Events abroad, especially in Europe, occupied much of President Arnold’s attention. The need for a stronger navy was evident, but ships could only be built so fast. Shortly after Arnold is inaugurated the first ship of the US navy is created, the USS United States. It was a small start, but it would have to do. Without a significant navy, fighting the Barbary Pirates in North Africa was not an option, however he did not want to give in to the demands of Muslim Pirates. There was also the problem with France. Since the Jay Treaty was signed with Britain, the government of Revolutionary France considered it to be a revocation of the treaty of alliance signed between the United States and France in 1778. Since that time, the British had ceased seizing American ships, but the French began the same practice. The British aren’t going to protect American ships at sea, not unless they were allied, which at this point was still politically unpopular.
The Indians in the northwest territory had been beaten down several years earlier and were a generation away from being able to rise up again.
Arnold had several responses to the international events, one in particular would shape the US in dramatic ways. In the summer of 1797 he signed the Army Act of 1797. This act, as the Naval Act of 1794 had, increase the size of the military. It would create a new standing army, which would soon be called the Army of the Republic. The idea of a standing army was appalling to the anti-Federalists, but President Arnold, with his experiences in the revolution, the Indian War, and the Whiskey Rebellion, he felt it was of utmost importance that the US have a large standing army ready to put down any insurrection from within, or any invasion from without. The anti-federalists in congress opposed this idea, believing a standing army was a threat to liberty. However when the nation seemed ever closer to the brink of war, the Act would pass.
That's what she said.Oh my god yes. Yes. Double Yes.
Ok. Euphemisms aside. Things seem to be moving at a rather fast pace. The French have obviously taken the british place in this TL. Seems that the Federalists worries about France have been vindicated. That obviously upsets the Republicans, of course. Guessing that, war will soon come to Louisiana.
That's what she said.
When she heard that Benedict Arnold was becoming President of the United States. Im a huge FWOAN Fanboy and I've always thought Benedict Arnold would've been great if he hadn't a slimy lying traitor.
In 1798 the United States sent three delegates to Paris in order to discuss an end to French impressment of American ships on the seas. However when the American delegation arrived they were met by three French agents, infamously named by American Newspapers as “X, Y, and Z”. The French had already been demanding in exchange for peace at sea 50,000 pounds sterling, a 12 million dollar loan from the United States, and a formal apology for comments made by President Arnold toward French Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand. However on top of this the agents X, Y, and Z demanded a personal bribe from the American delegation to the three of them. This was met with repulsion by the American delegates. They left France shortly after this, and would give a detailed report to President Arnold and congress.
There was outrage in states, in particular among the Federalists. News papers denounced the events as an insult to America and her pride. The demands from the French government were one thing, but the treatment of her delegates on official business was unforgivable. Though outraged by the insult, President Arnold was not ready to jump off to war so lightly, that was until the actions of a “Citizen Genet” came to light.
A French Minister to the United States named Edmund-Charles Genet, dubbed by Francophiles in the US as “Citizen Genet” was known to cause trouble in the US. He was constantly trying to drum up American support for France. There were instances where he recruited Americans to fight the British and her allies at sea and in the colonies. Genet’s biggest attempt was revealed in the Spring of 1798 a group of radical Francophiles attempted a coup of the government of South Carolina. The coup was prevented before it could be attempted, but the fact that a foreign national attempted to overthrow a state government, it was enough to call for war. On July 4th, 1798 President Arnold requested that congress declare war on the Republic of France. The declaration of war on France would be nearly unanimous, with just 3 congressmen from the American Jacobin Party voting against it.
Shortly after this declaration another diplomatic mission was sent to Britain in order to form a formal alliance with Great Britain, with Senator John Adams as part of the delegation. They agreed to a formal alliance, with the United States joining the Second Coalition against France. Along with joining in alliance, Great Britain also agreed to defend American ships at sea from foreign powers, including the Barbary Pirates of North Africa. There were other areas of negotiation along with the treaty of alliance. The delegates also discussed a partitioning of the French Caribbean. The United States would receive St. Dominique, and the British would receive any of the remaining islands they can capture.
There was outrage in states, in particular among the Federalists. News papers denounced the events as an insult to America and her pride. The demands from the French government were one thing, but the treatment of her delegates on official business was unforgivable. Though outraged by the insult, President Arnold was not ready to jump off to war so lightly, that was until the actions of a “Citizen Genet” came to light.
A French Minister to the United States named Edmund-Charles Genet, dubbed by Francophiles in the US as “Citizen Genet” was known to cause trouble in the US. He was constantly trying to drum up American support for France. There were instances where he recruited Americans to fight the British and her allies at sea and in the colonies. Genet’s biggest attempt was revealed in the Spring of 1798 a group of radical Francophiles attempted a coup of the government of South Carolina. The coup was prevented before it could be attempted, but the fact that a foreign national attempted to overthrow a state government, it was enough to call for war. On July 4th, 1798 President Arnold requested that congress declare war on the Republic of France. The declaration of war on France would be nearly unanimous, with just 3 congressmen from the American Jacobin Party voting against it.
Shortly after this declaration another diplomatic mission was sent to Britain in order to form a formal alliance with Great Britain, with Senator John Adams as part of the delegation. They agreed to a formal alliance, with the United States joining the Second Coalition against France. Along with joining in alliance, Great Britain also agreed to defend American ships at sea from foreign powers, including the Barbary Pirates of North Africa. There were other areas of negotiation along with the treaty of alliance. The delegates also discussed a partitioning of the French Caribbean. The United States would receive St. Dominique, and the British would receive any of the remaining islands they can capture.
If Jefferson was alive, this would be an incredible bitch-slap to the face. Pretty impressive. A coup caused by "Citizen Genet". I really do not see how, even if the coup had succeeded they would have been successful in making the US more Francophone. Especially if it is just one state.
Anyway. Where did you get that cartoon? Because that is really cool.
Pretty impressive. A coup caused by "Citizen Genet". I really do not see how, even if the coup had succeeded they would have been successful in making the US more Francophone. Especially if it is just one state.
Anyway. Where did you get that cartoon? Because that is really cool.
Yes, it would be a slap in the face to Jefferson.
It wouldn't have made the US more Francophone, but with a Francophone state government it could cause some trouble.
The Cartoon I found on Wikipedia's XYZ Affair article.