The provided text examines the transitional period following the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, focusing on the challenges of ratification and the achievements of the First Federal Congress. Initial skepticism from the states regarding federal power led to the creation of the Federalist Papers to clarify the document and a promised Bill of Rights to secure essential liberties. Upon the government's formation in 1789, George Washington was unanimously elected president, intentionally utilizing pomp and ceremony to establish international prestige for the new office. This first legislative session was critical in "filling in the blanks" of the Constitution by passing the Judiciary Act, establishing the Northwest Ordinance, and managing revolutionary debt without immediate direct taxation. Ultimately, the source highlights a historical debate over whether this new system was a necessary stabilization of the nation or a strategic move by the wealthy elite to limit grassroots democracy.
