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(1) Reasons for Independaence
As some smugglers were being brought back to England for trial, the colonists believed that this denied them their right of a trial by their peers.
In response, they developed the committees of correspondence to communicate with other colonies about British activities-. -
Period: to
Pre-Revolutionary War Period/End of Salutary Neglect
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(2) Popular Sovereignty
any male who paid taxes could vote or run for office.
Citizens are entitled to vote and elected leaders must govern according to laws or a constitution.
Many stated created constitutions embodied the ideas such as separation of powers and a list of rights. -
(3) Olive Branch Petition
Statement of loyalty to the king that blamed British ministers for colonial problems.
Asked to repeal to oppressive Parliamentary legislation. -
Period: to
Revolutionary War
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(4) Common Sense
a pamphlet by Thomas Paine that urged Americans to break away from England.
It denounced King George. -
(5) Decleration of Independnce
July 4, Congress formally approved a Declaration of Independence.
One-fourth influenced by John Locke.
Three-fourths were grievences to the king.
Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson.
Expressed principles that justified the revolution. -
(6) War finances
1776-1783
Borrowed money (which ran out) from wealthy individuals.
Issued new paper currency (results in inflation).
Borrowed from the French.
Requisitioned goods from civilians.
Women contributed homespun cloth. -
(7) Alliance with the French
1778-1783
Gave US new energy and confidence.
Help legitimize the dollar.
The French officially entered the war on the Patriot side in 1778.
Treaty of Alliance dictated that neither side sign a treaty without the other. -
(18) Constitution's Strengths
Land Ordinance-provided for sale of land, establishment of territories and admission to the union.
Congress. House and Senate = representation. -
(10) Women's Rights
Abigail Adams became a voice for American women when she insisted on equal legal rights for married women.
Judith Sargent Murray wrote “On the Equality of the Sexes” which advocated the expansion of education for women.
Gained access to greater education and could seek divorces among other legal rights. -
(11) Abigail Adams
Declared that women should have equal legal rights for married women.
Became a voice for American women when she insisted on equal legal rights for married women. -
(12) Judith Sargent Murray
Judith Sargent Murray wrote “On the Equality of the Sexes” which advocated the expansion of education for women.
Advocated the expansion of education for women. -
(13) Articles of Confederation
In March of 1781, the U.S. adopted the plan for a central government.
Did not want another government that might become tyrannical. -
(8) Treaty of Paris
The last major battle of the Revolutionary War was fought at Yorktown.
The United States of America was an independent nation with the Mississippi River as its western border.
The British kept Canada, but the y gave Florida back to Spain and made other concessions to France. -
Period: to
The New Republic
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(14) Western Land Expansion
1784:
If a small state reached a certain population, they could apply to be part of the union.
1785:
Grid surveying system to deter squatters
Sold in fee simple form
1787:
Spelled out how states would be created.
Freedom of religion and freedom from slavery. -
(9) Seperation of Church and State
States no longer had an official church and taxes could not be collected to support the church. -
(19) Shay's Rebellion
Rebellion in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays in protest of high taxes that was coupled with already hard times on Massachustts farmers.
They shut down courts to prevent seizure of property and to prevent people from going to debtors prison. -
(16) VA and NJ Plans
All the delegates wanted a stronger national government with the power to tax and make laws for all the states - they also accepted the idea of dividing the government into the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Smaller states proposed the New Jersey Plan where each state would have one vote in a unicameral congress.
Larger states insisted upon the Virginia Plan where representation would be based on population. -
(17) Three-fifths Compromise
Every five enslaved people in a state would count as three free persons for determining both representation and taxation.
Could not tax exports and it could not ban the slave trade until 1808. -
(20) Great Compromise
Connecticut Compromise.
The Congress would be divided into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Senate would have equal representation and the House would be based on population. -
(15) Constitutional Convention
In 1787, every state except Rhode Island met to revise the Articles of Confederation.
Instead of changing the Articles they decided that they should write a brand new framework of government.
This meeting was known as the Constitutional Convention. -
(21) Federalist Papers
Collection of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
Meant to convince Americans of the practicality of the new Constitution and to ratify it. -
(22) Cabinet
Washington's cabinet: Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton as Treasury Secretary. -
Period: to
The New Republic under the Constitution
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(24) French Revolution's effect on US
Dem-Republicans supported the French Revolution.
US adopted many French views
Citizens = Equality, Republicanism
Aristocrats did not like this
Supported by Jefferson -
(27) Alexander Hamilton
Established in 1791 for a 20 year period.
Ultimately successful in mainting the economy but it was not easily accomplished. -
(28) Thomas Jefferson
More Agriculture
Favored strict limits of federal power and wanted to protect state rights.
Strict interpretation; US bank unconstitutional and unnecessary.
Dem-Rep. -
(25) Federalists v Antifederalist
The Anti-Federalists did not want to ratify the Constitution. Basically, they argue that:
It gave too much power to the national government at the expense of the state governments.
There was no bill of rights.
The national government could maintain an army in peacetime.
Congress, because of the `necessary and proper clause,' wielded too much power.
The executive branch held too much power.
Feds were:
Large landowners who wanted the property protection a strong national government would provide. -
(26) Political parties - Federalists and Dem Repupublicans
Dem Republicans:
Jefferson’s supporters.
They favored strict limits on the federal government’s power and protection of states’ rights
They supported agriculture over commerce and trade
Had a strong base among farmers in the rural South and West.
Feds:
They included many manufacturers, merchants, and bankers who were mostly concentrated in the Northeast
they favored a strong federal government led by the rich and educated.
They also closely aligned themselves with the British philosophy of govt. -
(23) Bill of Rights
Protected citizens in the federal courts by mandating certain legal procedures and gave constitutional rights to certain individual rights.
Quieted fears of anti-federalists.
Federalists promised to attach a Bill of Rights once it was ratified.
Promises led to the Bill of Rights which is the first 10 amendments to the constitution.
First Congress acted to provide legal safeguards for the liberties of citizens.
First 10 amendments. -
(29) Proclamation of Nuetrality
Allowed US citizens to trade with Britain and France.
Us could pass through the English blockade.
This meant more jobs for Americans. -
(30) Battle of Fallen Timbers
Americans defeated Native Americans.
Signed the Treaty of Greenville. -
(31) Whiskey Rebellion
farmers in Western Pennsylvania angered over tax which would make grain unprofitable grain was distilled into liquors for transport which was taxed farmers rebelles but were controlled.
Protested Hamilton’s excise taxes on spirits.
Attacked tax collectors and challenged authority.
Thought it was another plot for the rich to get richer.
Washington acts quickly, showing that the new government was adept. -
Treaty of Greenville
Gave America the southeastern quarter of the Northwest Territory (Ohio and Indiana) for 10,000.
Treaty in which the Indians surrendered all of Ohio except for a small strip along the Lake Eerie. -
(33) Jay's Treaty
Make “full and complete compensation” for all pre-Revolution debts.
Britain was seizing American ships bound for France.
John Jay was sent to England, treaty was very controversial
Required to compensate British merchants for Revolutionary War, allowed Britain to remove property from ships.
Gave Americans the right to submit claims. -
(34) Election of 1796
First contested American president election; only one in which the president and vice president were from different parties.
John Adams – President, Federalist.
Thomas Jefferson – Vice President, Republican. -
Washington's Farewell Address
The dangers of political parties.
Sectionalism.
Permanent foreign alliances. -
(36) XYZ Affair
John Jay was sent to Britain to negotiate compensation for these losses.
Compensate British merchants for Revolutionary War debts
It allowed Britain to remove French property from American ships.
Gave Americans the right to submit claims to the British government for illegal seizures.
Required the British not to aid Native Americans in the West and remove military garrisons from the frontier. -
(37) Alien & Sedition Acts
Sedition Act: made it a crime to say or print anything malicious or scandalous against the federal government or a federal official.
Naturalization Act: increased from 5 to 14 the number of years required for immigrants to qualify for U.S. citizenship.
Alien Act: authorized the president to deport any aliens considered dangerous and to detain any aliens in time of war. -
(38) Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Made the alien and sedition acts void.
Laid theoretical basis for all states’ rights.
Declared their right to nullify acts. -
(39) Prosser's Rebellion and Revolution of 1800
Gabriel Prosser planned an uprising in 1800
for months he had laid the foundations for an uprising throughout the countryside in Virginia at the last moment by African American informers Prosser was hanged with thirty of his followers.
Throughout the South slavery was still the dominant institution regardless of republican ideals.
Election of 1800=Revolution of 1800.
Jefferson was elected president and proved that under new Constitution there could be peaceful transfer of power btwn parties.
