Early Republic 1789-1815 Flashcards
What were the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation were established during the Revolutionary War by the Continental Congress. Due to fears of concentrated power, the Articles intentionally established a weak central government.
The Constitutional Convention was called in response to the Annapolis Convention. What was the Constitutional Convention’s initial purpose?
The Constitutional Convention’s initial purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation. A group of strong nationalists, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, convinced the Convention to draft an entirely new governing document.
The first act of the Constitutional Convention was to name George Washington to preside over their activities. Why?
Washington was universally respected throughout the 13 colonies. As the presiding officer, Washington would hold the Constitutional Convention together, and provide legitimacy to the Convention’s activities.
To whom did the Constitutional Convention assign the task of drafting the Constitution?
James Madison
In preparing the section detailing the legislative branch, Madison suggested the Virginia Plan.
How did the Constitutional Convention resolve the differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?
The Convention adopted the Connecticut Plan, otherwise known as the Great Compromise. The Connecticut Plan established a bicameral legislature, in which the number of legislators in the House of Representatives was determined by population, while each state had an equal number of legislators in the Senate.
Slavery proved a divisive issue during the Convention, with the South wanting slaves counted for purposes of population, and the North insisting that they not be counted. How was the issue resolved?
The Convention passed the Three Fifths Compromise. For purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, each slave counted as 3/5 of a person.
In addition, the Constitution banned the importation of slaves after 1808.
Many different proposals were put forth regarding the office of the President. What powers did the Convention eventually provide the President?
The Convention gave the President the power to:
- Engage in foreign policy as the nation’s representative
- Have a four-year term limit (but could be re-elected to multiple terms)
- Veto legislation passed by Congress
As established in the Constitution, how did the Electoral College work?
- The President would be elected by an Electoral College
- Each state was given the same number of votes as they had Representatives and Senators
- The person with the most votes in the Electoral College would be elected President
- The person with the second most votes in the Electoral College would be elected Vice President
Between the President and Congress, the Constitution created three essential checks and balances, to prevent each from gaining too much power. What were they?
The three key checks and balances were:
- The President can exercise a veto over acts of Congress
- Congress can override a Presidential veto only with a 2/3 vote in each house
- Treaties negotiated by the President must be ratified by the Senate
What was Alexander Hamilton’s proposal to put the new nation on a firm financial footing?
As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton made three proposals:
- The federal government would assume the individual states’ Revolutionary War debt, and the debt would be paid off at face value
- A high tariff on imported goods, to protect domestic manufacturers
- A national bank, to protect the nation’s credit at home and abroad
How did Napoleon respond to the American offer to purchase New Orleans and parts of Florida for $10 million?
Desperate for funds to continue his war in Europe, and distracted by a slave revolution in Haiti, Napoleon and his ministers offered America the entirety of the Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Shocked at the fantastic bargain, the American diplomats made the deal, without seeking approval from Jefferson or the Congress.
What were the effects of the Louisiana Purchase?
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, and removed a potentially troubling foreign presence from the American frontier. Containing parts of what would eventually become 13 states, Jefferson hoped that this new land would strengthen the position of his cherished American farmer.
Who were the Barbary Pirates?
The Barbary Pirates were a group of small city-states on the north coast of Africa that demanded tribute from the American government to refrain from attacking American ships. Although Washington and Adams paid the tribute reluctantly, Jefferson dispatched a naval expedition (and a few Marines) to deal with the Barbary Pirates.
Although there was no decisive end to the war, a force of Marines achieved the first U.S. victory on foreign soil at the Battle of Derna. Their feat is commemorated in the Marines Hymn (“…to the shores of Tripoli…”).
Who was Tecumseh?
Tecumseh was a Shawnee, who tried to unite the Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River in a confederacy to resist white expansion.
Tecumseh’s army was defeated by William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Since they provided aid to the Indians, the British were blamed by Americans for Tecumseh’s activities, leading to further difficulties between the United States and Britain.
In 1814, after Napoleon’s first surrender, the British launched a counterattack with their freshly available forces. Where did this attack take place?
The British campaign was centered on the Chesapeake region. They captured and burned Washington, and then attempted to take Baltimore and Fort McHenry.
Fort McHenry withstood the British attack, and Francis Scott Key, who’d observed the bombardment of the fort, was inspired to write the “Star Spangled Banner.”
