Early Republic Era & Western Expansion Flashcards
What is the Article of Confederation? Why did it create the type of government it did? Why was it changed?
It was the first constitution. It created a weak central government that did not have the ability to maintain an army, to tax, or to regulate interstate commerce. Also, under the Article of Confederation, states had equal votes, regardless of their size.
The Article of Confederation created a limited central government because the colonists did not what a government that resembled a monarchy. After all, they were in the middle of a revolutionary war.
Thanks to the Shay’s Rebellion and interstate trade problems, Article of Confederation was retired. The founding fathers realized that the young nation needed a stronger central government to survive.
What is the Constitutional Convention (1787)?
It is the meeting that produced the current U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Why did the Western Expansion occur?
The main reason was the desire for economic expansion.
Or simply, white males wanted lands.
What is Manifest Destiny?
The idea that God ordained the U.S. to expand across the west to the pacific ocean.
Acting on Manifest Destiny did inflame the antagonism between the North and the South and between the Native Americans and white settlers.
What is the Louisiana Purchase (1803)?
The United States’ purchase of nearly a million square miles from France. This purchase eventually led to the creation of new states. This purchase occurred under the presidency of Thomas Jefferson.
What is the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-1806)?
Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the lands acquired through the Louisiana Purchase. The expedition was appointed by Thomas Jefferson, and although arduous, it provided detailed information about the social and economic landscape of the newly acquired lands.
What is the Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)?
This treaty assigned several Native American Tribes to specific lands (reservations). It was meant to be a peace treaty that would stop the constant wars and ambushes between native tribes and white settlers/explorers.
The United States broke the treaty once gold was discovered on some of the assigned lands.
What is the War of 1812?
A war between the United States and Britain over Britain limiting U.S. trade and impressing U.S. sailors.
Many native tribes fought along the British in an attempt to stop the U.S.’s expansion.
What was the significance of Marbury vs. Madison (1803)?
This case established the principle of judicial review i.e. the power of the Supreme Court to declare certain laws and executive acts as unconstitutional.
What is the Great Compromise?
Also known as the Connecticut Compromise. It joined the ideas of the Virginian Plan and the ideas of the Jersey Plan.
It proposed a bicameral legislature which had an elected lower house and an appointed upper house. Under this compromise, state representation in the upper house was equal, whereas the representation in the lower house was proportional to state size.
What were the main ideas of the constitution created in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 (2)?
These articles created 3 branches of government, which introduced the concept of separation of powers and checks and balances in government.
Hence, separation of power & check n balances
What was the origin of political parties?
The earliest political parties came about because some of the founding fathers eventually began to disagree about how the young republic should be organized.
The Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton) advocated for a strong central government, whereas the Democratic-Republicans (led by Thomas Jefferson) advocated for strong states and a weaker central government.
What is Jacksonian Democracy?
The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828 marked the transition from aristocratic rule of the early, early republic to mass democracy where common men could influence the government with their votes.
Jacksonian Democracy is mainly known for expanded suffrage to all white men. I would say, however, that the Jacksonian Democracy did start modern politics: campaigning, mudslinging, spoils system, and parlaying to commoners, regardless of whether their requests are fair and prudent.
Also, expanded the power of the president.
What began the Mexican War (1846-1848)?
The war started over a border dispute between the United States and Mexico.
After Texas was annexed, the U.S. and Mexico squabbled over what river marked the south boundary of Texas.
The U.S. won the war and got California, AZ, Nevada, Utah, etc.
What were the two main trails in the western expansion?
Oregon Trail (mainly used by those going to Portland, OR to do small family farming)
California Trail (mainly used by those going to CAL for the gold rush)
