What domestic policy issues did George Washington address?

George Washington faced several domestic issues while he was President. One was dealing with the national debt. Alexander Hamilton, his Secretary of the Treasury, proposed a plan that would combine state debts with federal debts. The government would issue new bonds to pay the debt as well as using tax revenues. This plan was somewhat controversial, but it eventually passed. Southern states that had paid their debts didn’t want to pay debts of other states....

George Washington faced several domestic issues while he was President. One was dealing with the national debt. Alexander Hamilton, his Secretary of the Treasury, proposed a plan that would combine state debts with federal debts. The government would issue new bonds to pay the debt as well as using tax revenues. This plan was somewhat controversial, but it eventually passed. Southern states that had paid their debts didn’t want to pay debts of other states. There was also the question if this was even legal for the federal government to do. As a compromise, the South accepted the plan, and the capital would to Washington, D.C. from New York City.

Washington had to deal with the internal rebellion created by Hamilton's tax plan. When farmers in western Pennsylvania rebelled about having to pay a tax on whiskey, President Washington sent the military to the area to end the rebellion. There would be no question about the power of the federal government in ending disputes such as this.

Washington also had to deal with attacks by Native Americans. Our military responded and fought the Native Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The Native Americans were defeated. In the Treaty of Greenville, the Native Americans agreed to give up land and to move west.

Of course, Washington had to get the government created by the Constitution up and running. He appointed capable people to his cabinet including Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. It was no easy task to get the new government operational, but Washington, using his knowledge and skills, navigated us through this demanding period of time.