Explain how historians would characterize the use of executive orders for the first 100 years of American presidential history.

Question

There was very little change in the first 100 years of American history, making the need for executive orders very small.
For the first 100 years of American history, presidential employment of executive orders was the highest in American history.
There were significant changes, such as the Second Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression, and Congress was unwilling to act.
For the first 100 years of American history, despite significant societal changes, presidents deferred to congressional lawmaking to adapt to change.

Answer 1

Historians would characterize the use of executive orders for the first 100 years of American presidential history as relatively limited. During this period, from 1789 to 1889, there were relatively few executive orders compared to later periods in American history.

One reason for this was the limited scope of the federal government during this time. The Founding Fathers intended for the executive branch to have limited powers, with Congress being the primary institution responsible for making laws and shaping policy. As a result, presidents in the early years of the republic relied more on Congress to enact legislation and address societal changes.

Additionally, the lack of significant societal changes during this period also contributed to the lesser use of executive orders. The United States was still developing as a nation, and major transformations such as the Second Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression had not yet occurred. Therefore, there were fewer urgent issues or crises that necessitated immediate action from the executive branch.

Furthermore, presidents during this period generally respected the principle of separation of powers and deferred to Congress for lawmaking. They believed that it was the role of the legislature to address societal changes through legislation, rather than relying on executive orders.

Overall, historians would characterize the use of executive orders for the first 100 years of American presidential history as relatively limited, with presidents deferring to congressional lawmaking and the lack of significant societal changes reducing the need for executive action.