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Election of George Washington
George Washington was the first president of the United States. He was president from April 30 1789 - March 4 1797. Washington was a dominant military and political leader of the United States from 1775 to 1799. Washington is normally named the “Father of the United States”. George Washington was born into a wealthy, Virginian family who owned tobacco plantations and slaves. -
Bill of Rights added to the Constitution
The Constitution had very few individual rights in 1787, Charles Pinckney sent a request for a Bill of Rights, and also sent in suggestions. His idea was shot down. With many attempts, the Bill of Rights finally added to the Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights includes the following: Freedom of speech, press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government, the right to bear arms, the quartering act and much more. -
Beginning of the Federalist Party
Was led by Alexander Hamilton.They wanted a strong federal government and supported a loose interpretation of the Constitution.. Federalists drew support mainly from merchants and manufacturers in such cities as Boston and New York. Also believed that the educated and wealthy should have say.They also supported the idea of protective tariff and the Bank of the United States. -
Beginning of Democratic-Republican Party
Was led by Thomas Jefferson. Unlike the Federalist Party, they favored the idea of state’s rights, or the rights of the states to limit the power of the federal government, thus would strengthen the state’s governments.They also believed in a very strict interpretation of the Constitution.This group was more for the common man and believed they should have an active role in government. -
Whiskey Rebellion
To raise money for the Treasury, Congress approved a tax on all liquor made and sold in the United States. Hamilton wanted this tax to raise money for the Treasury. Instead, the new tax started a rebellion that tested the strength of the U.S. government. Back country farmers hated the tax on whiskey. -
Election of John Adams
often called the “Corrupt Bargain”. Even though Jackson received the majority of votes, no candidate receive majority of electoral votes. John Adams persuaded Clay, Speaker of the House, to influence the House to vote John Adams .Clay in return would become the John Adams’ Secretary of State. -
XYZ affair
In 1797, President Adams sent three American diplomats to Paris to try to reach an agreement with France. The Americans were visited privately by three French officials, known as X, Y, and Z.They tried to make America bribe the French Directory for $250,000. When news of the bribe reached America, many Americans pushed for war. -
Alien Act
In 1798, federalists pushed the Alien Act through Congress and it became a law. With this law, the President could expel any foreign person from the country. Before this law, white immigrants could become citizens after living in the U.S. for five years. But after the law, immigrants had to wait 14 years to become a citizen. The act would keep these immigrants from voting for years. -
Sedition Act
The Alien and Sedition Acts were 4 bills that were passed by the Federalists after the French Revolution. They were signed into law by President John Adams. The Act was pretty much just an act for punishment of certain crimes against the United States. Opposition to Federalists & Democratic-Republicans reached new heights at this time, since the Democratic-Republicans had supported France. -
Election of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was President of the United States from March 4 1801 - March 4 1809. Jefferson was the Draftsman of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson’s shyness prevented him from playing a significant role in the debates within the Congress. Jefferson ran the “Embargo Act”. -
Marbury vs. Madison
In 1803, William Marbury sued James Madison for not delivering the official papers that confirms Marbury’s appointment as a judge. This court case increased the power of the Supreme Court. Adams made the appointment for Marbury on his last night of being President. According to the Judiciary Act of 1789, only the Supreme Court could take on this case. -
Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, Louisiana was bought by France. The purchase of this new territory nearly doubled the size of the U.S. With all this land bought, Lewis and Clark began exploring westward. After the Louisiana Purchase, many people began exploring the new westward land. -
Lewis and Clark expedition
A two and a half year journey that started in 1803 until 1806, was the one of the most known exploration in U.S. History. It began with Meriwether Lewis taking a trip into the new bought land of the United States. On his journey, he picks up William Clark to help him on this voyage. They also pick up Native American, Sacagawea, to help them communicate with other Native tribes and help guide them in the land. -
Embargo Act
The Embargo Act was a ban on trade. Thomas Jefferson hoped that this act would hurt the British and the French by cutting off needed supplies. Though it did hurt Britain and France, it hurt Americans even more. Supplies such as sugar, tea, and molasses were cut off completely. The Embargo Act hurt the citizens of New England the most. -
Election of James Madison
During the election of 1808, Democratic-Republican candidate James Madison defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotes worth Pinckney. Madison had served as United States Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson. Pinckney was the unsuccessful Federalist who lost the election in 1804. James Madison holds the name of the “Father of the Constitution” for being a big part of writing it. -
Non-Intercourse Act
The Embargo Act was replaced with the Non-Intercourse act. The Non-Intercourse act allowed Americans to carry on trade with all Nations except for Britain and France. Soon after the act was placed, James Madison became president. He hoped that Britain and France would soon agree to respect American neutrality. -
War of 1812
The United States wasn’t quite ready for war because they had a weak army, and a small population of soldiers. The war started when the British Navy blockaded American ports to stop American trade. Though unable to break the blockade, several American sea captains won stunning victories. In August of 1814, the British decided to burn down the White House. First Lady, Dolley Madison, escaped the building with nothing but a portrait of George Washington. -
Battle of the New Orleans
At the end of the War of 1812, a battle between British and American forces that ended in an American victory.overnight, Andrew Jackson became a national hero. His fame did not dim even when Americans learned that the battle had taken place two weeks after the war ended. The United States and Britain had already signed a treaty in Europe. -
Election of James Monroe
Monroe was elected president of the United States as the Republican candidate, defeating Rufus King, the Federalist candidate; Monroe received 183 electoral votes and King, 34.Both two terms of his presidency is described as the “Era of Good Feelings”- which contributed to a sense of unity. Monroe made a bold foreign policy statement, known as the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine is the best known U.S. policy toward the Western Hemisphere. The doctrine warns European nations that the U.S. -
Expanded suffrage to all white males
The people that followed Andrew Jackson, Jacksonians, believed that voting rights should be extended to all white men. This meant that all white males could vote without having to own a certain amount of land. By 1820, universal white male suffrage was normal. By 1850 nearly all requirements to own property or pay taxes had been dropped. -
Missouri Compromise
Agreement put forward by Henry Clay that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to enter the Union as a free state. The Compromise also drew an imaginary line at 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude, dividing the new Louisiana Territory into two areas, one north and one south. All of the Louisiana Territory north of this line was free territory, meaning that any territories that became states from this area would enable African-Americans to be free. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine declared that the United States would not interfere in the affairs of European nations. At the same time, he warned European nations not to attempt to regain control of the newly independent nations of Latin America. The Monroe Doctrine stated that the United States would oppose any attempt to build new colonies in the Americas. Monroe’s message showed that the United States was determined. It also showed that the U.S. kept European powers out of the Western Hemisphere -
Gibbons v. Ogden
the Supreme Court upheld the power of the federal government to regulate trade between states. The court struck down New York law that tried to control steamboat travel between the New York and New Jersey. The Court ruled that a state could regulate trade within its own borders. This decision ruled limited power of the state by forbidding states from interfering with federal banks within their borders. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
The state of Maryland wanted to limit the powers of the federal government. A tax was placed on all notes that the banks chartered outside of the state. The Second Bank of the United States, a federal group was the target of this attack. When James McCulloch refused to pay the tax, the court eventually went before the Supreme Court.This case brought limited power of the state by forbidding states from interfering with federal banks within their borders. -
Election of 1824 {"Corrupt Bargain"}
Four candidates: William Crawford, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson ran for President in 1824. Jackson won the popular vote, but no candidate won a majority of the electoral votes. No obvious winner came out from the election of 1824.Therefore; the House of Representatives had to choose the President from among the top three candidates. As Speaker of the House, Clay was able to persuade the House to vote for John Adams and by this Clay would become Secretary of State. -
Beginning of Democratic Party (Jacksonian Democracy)
By 1828, those who supported Jackson's bid for the presidency constituted a well- organized, national political party. The Democratic Party claimed to revive and represent the principles of Thomas Jefferson and his "Democratic-Republican" followers. This group was made up of mostly frontier farmers and factory workers. Many of these Democrats challenged the assumption of the founding fathers that political parties were inherently evil. Parties, they argued, empowered the masses, provided opportu -
Election of Andrew Jackson
The Jackson campaign in 1828 was the first to appeal directly for voter support through a professional political organization. For the first time in American history, a presidential election was the focus of public attention, and voter involvement increased dramatically. Jackson swept every state in the South and West and Adams won the electoral votes of every state in the North except Pennsylvania and part of New York. He support the interest of the common people. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was set by President Andrew Jackson in 1830. Andrew Jackson was president of the Unites States from 1829 - 1837. The Indian Removal Act was popular in the South because they were eager to have access to lands inhabited by the “Five Civilized Tribes”. The Removal Act forced tens of thousands of Indians to move West to make room for newcomers. This created the Trail of Tears. Andrew Jackson was president and ignored the Georgia Supreme Court. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Chief Justice John Marshal declared Georgia’s action, to make Indians in the state become governed by state laws, unconstitutional. He stated that Native Americans were protected by the United States Constitution. President Jackson refused to enforce the court’s decision. In the Nullification Crisis, he had defended federal power. -
Closing of the U.S. Bank
Andrew Jackson believed that the Second Bank of the United States was unconstitutional and that it posed a serious threat to the American economy and its democratic political institutions. Though its charter was not set to expire until 1836, BUS president Nicholas Biddle requested and received a congressional recharter in 1832. Jackson decided to veto the bill. Jackson escalated this so-called "Bank War" in 1833 when he removed federal government funds.
