Chapter 7: Hammering Out of Federal Republic

Question 1

Judiciary Act of 1789

Answer 1

An act passed by Congress that established the federal court system and the position of Attorney General.

Question 2

Bill of Rights

Answer 2

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which protect individual rights and limit the powers of the federal government.

Question 3

Report on the Public Credit

Answer 3

An economic proposal by Alexander Hamilton in 1790 that aimed to strengthen the nation’s credit by assuming state debts and creating a national bank.

Question 4

Bank of the United States

Answer 4

A central bank proposed by Alexander Hamilton and chartered by Congress in 1791, meant to manage the country’s finances and stimulate economic growth.

Question 5

Report on Manufacturers

Answer 5

Alexander Hamilton’s plan to promote American manufacturing and industry through protective tariffs and subsidies.

Question 6

Proclamation of Neutrality

Answer 6

A declaration by President George Washington in 1793 that the United States would remain neutral in the conflict between France and Britain during the French Revolution.

Question 7

French Revolution

Answer 7

A period of political upheaval in France from 1789 to 1799 that had a significant impact on American politics and foreign policy.

Question 8

Jacobins

Answer 8

Radical political activists in France during the French Revolution who played a key role in its more extreme phases.

Question 9

Whiskey Rebellion

Answer 9

An uprising in western Pennsylvania in 1794 against a federal excise tax on whiskey, which was suppressed by President Washington’s troops.

Question 10

Jay’s Treaty

Answer 10

A 1795 treaty negotiated by John Jay with Britain to resolve disputes from the Revolutionary War, but it was criticized for perceived concessions to Britain.

Question 11

Haitian Revolution

Answer 11

A successful slave rebellion and revolution in Haiti from 1791 to 1804, leading to the establishment of the independent nation of Haiti.

Question 12

XYZ Affair

Answer 12

A diplomatic incident in 1797-1798 when American envoys were approached by French agents (referred to as X, Y, and Z) demanding a bribe for negotiations, leading to a diplomatic crisis.

Question 13

Naturalization, Alien, and Sedition Acts

Answer 13

A series of laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress in 1798 that aimed to limit the influence of immigrants and suppress political dissent, raising concerns about civil liberties and freedom of speech.

Question 14

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Answer 14

Statements in 1798 and 1799 authored by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, respectively, asserting the rights of states to nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional.

Question 15

Treaty of Greenville

Answer 15

A 1795 treaty between the United States and various Native American tribes that ended the Northwest Indian War and ceded large territories to the U.S. in the Ohio River Valley.

Question 16

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 16

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1803 that established the principle of judicial review, giving the Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

Question 17

Louisiana Purchase

Answer 17

The 1803 acquisition of a vast territory from France, doubling the size of the United States and extending westward to the Rocky Mountains.

Question 18

Embargo Act of 1807

Answer 18

An embargo imposed by President Thomas Jefferson that prohibited American ships from trading with foreign nations, intended to avoid involvement in European conflicts but causing economic hardship.

Question 19

Battle of Tippecanoe

Answer 19

A 1811 battle in Indiana Territory between U.S. forces led by William Henry Harrison and Native American confederacy forces, weakening Native resistance in the western frontier.

Question 20

Treaty of Ghent

Answer 20

The 1814 treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain, restoring pre-war boundaries and recognizing U.S. sovereignty.

Question 21

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 21

A significant Supreme Court case in 1819 affirming the constitutionality of a national bank and asserting the supremacy of federal law over state law.

Question 22

Adams-Onís Treaty

Answer 22

A treaty in 1819 between the United States and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S. and established the western boundary of the U.S. in exchange for American renunciation of claims to Texas.

Question 23

Monroe Doctrine

Answer 23

A foreign policy statement in 1823 by President James Monroe that warned European powers against further colonization or intervention in the Western Hemisphere, asserting American influence in the region.