History of the United States

With the election of George Washington as the first president in 1789, the new government acted quickly to rebuild the nation's financial structure. Enacting the program of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, the government assumed the Revolutionary war debts of the state and the national government, and refinanced them with new federal bonds. It paid for the program through new tariffs and taxes, especially the controversial Whiskey Tax. Congress adopted and sent to the states a Bill of Rights as 10 amendments to the new constitution; these amendments, written by Madison, are the U.S. Bill of Rights. President Washington set up a cabinet form of government, with departments of State, Treasury, and War, along with an Attorney General...