The Constitution and Federalists Flashcards
Confederation
Close alliance of states
Articles of Confederation
Drafted June 7, 1776
Approved 1781
Governmental Charter written by 2nd Continental Congress
States are free, independent, in close alliance
Unicameral
Have only one house in a legislative body
Treaty of Paris
September 3, 1783
Officially marked the end of the Revolution
UK acknowledged US was a legitimate country
Signed by Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams and British peace commissioners in Paris.
U.S. gained all land east of the Mississippi (except for Florida.)
Northwest Territory
Lands north of the Ohio River that passed into US hands after Treaty of Paris
Ordinance of 1784
Written by Thomas Jefferson Create 10 new states out of Northwest Territory Equal to other states in the union Ban slavery in region Give land to settlers Failed because too far sighted
Land Ordinance of 1785
Concentrated on settlement, not politics
Divided lands into townships (36 lots, 1 sq. mi each)
Lots divided into half, quarter, half-quarter, quarter-quarter sections
Sale of lot 16 paid for schools
Cost $1 per acre ($640 per lot)
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Government of states
3-5 states
3 stages: Stage 1–completely fed. Gov./Stage 2–5k pop. became territory, elect legislature, had territorial governor (F.G. appointed-veto power)/Stage 3–60k pop. draw up state constitution, admitted into union as state
Hard money
Silver/gold currency
Continental Dollars
Money printed by the US under the Articles of Confederation
Overprinted, plummeted in value
“Not worth a Continental”–worthless
Newburgh Conspiracy
A conspiracy in 1783 by some military officers who wanted to force the US gov to pay them (by force). Some wanted to overthrow the gov. And make Washington king/dictator. Washington convinced the conspirators that this was a bad idea
Shays’ Rebellion
Massachusetts 1786
Daniel Shays led rebellion with arms against government
Used force to close courts
Combated and squashed by militia
Annapolis Convention
1786 Called by Maryland and Virginia
Trade convention
5 states showed up
Failed unity
Constitutional Convention
May-September 1787 12 states (No Rhode Island) met Revise (scrap) AoC Make lots of compromises Create Constitution
James Madison
“Father of the Constitution”
Virginian
Provided framework for Constitution in 1787
Virginia Plan
Bicameral Congress
Pop. Based
Members of lower house directly elected, members of upper house elected by lower house from state legislature nominees
FG Enforce Laws, elect executive, elect judiciary
Big state bias
New Jersey Plan
Unicameral Congress
States have 1 vote
Small state bias
Roger Sherman
Created Great/Connecticut Compromise and save Constitutional convention in 1787
Great/Connecticut Compromise
Compromise created by Roger Sherman–save CC
Bicameral–Lower house based on state pop. (Direct election), Senate equal for all states (Indirect election, see Virginia plan)
Three-Fifths Compromise
Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for representation, but slave states had to pay taxes on them at same rate. Temporarily solved slavery issues for CC.
Limited Government
Written Constitution–clearly defined Gov. limits
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Gov. won’t get too powerful
Separation of Powers
Gov. divided into 3 branches
Executive–execute and enforce laws
Legislative–Make laws
Judicial–interpret laws
Checks and Balances
Thwarts accumulation of power by any one branch
Powers given to branches over other branches, vice versa
Federalism
Division of power between national and state levels of gov.
Popular Sovereignty
Source of gov. power comes from people
Preamble (of the Constitution)
Introduction to Constitution
Electoral College
Group of people from each state that elect the president
Number corresponds to representation in congress
Usually all electoral votes in a state go to most popular candidate
Amendments (to the Constitution)
Changes or additions to the Constitution
Federalists
Those who supported the Constitution
Notable members: Hamilton “Publius”, Madison, Jay
Anti-Federalists
Those against the Constitution
Notable members: George Clinton, governor of NY “Cato”
“Sidney”
“Brutus”
The Federalist (Papers)
A volume of papers written by Hamilton, Madison and Jay defending the Constitution
Compiled May 1788
Very influential
Ratification of the Constitution
1788
Delaware first to ratify Dec. 7, 1787
9 states ratified–law
(NY, VI, RI, NC hadn’t yet)
March 4, 1789
First day of Congress under Constitution
February, 4 1789
George Washington unanimously elected president
Inaugurated April 30, 1789
George Washington
1st President of the US under constitution
Revolutionary War hero
President of CC
Cabinet
Advisors to pres.
GW–State, Treasury, War
Thomas Jefferson
Minister to France
Head of State Department
3rd pres.
Alexander Hamilton
Federalist, Secretary of the treasury under GW
Henry Knox
Rev. War hero
Head of War department under GW
Judiciary Act of 1789
Organized 13 district courts (1 per state)
3 circuit courts of appeals
Supreme Court justices=6
John Jay–1st Chief Justice
James Madison
Federalist, Federalist Papers
Leader in House
Bill of Rights
1st 10 Amendments to the Constitution
1789
Report on Public Credit
Hamilton’s first proposal–National debt must be paid off
Funding
The plan developed by Hamilton that proposed that the FG pay 6% interest back to those whom they owed from the RW. The bonds were recognized as currency (monetizing the debt)
$77 million dollars
Assumption
The plan dev. By Hamilton
US Gov. assume all state debt
So. Already paid most of debts–opposed
No. Hadn’t–bribe w/ location of capital city in south
National Bank
Hamilton proposed creation
Uniform currency, provide source for business loans
Passed
Constitutional?
Yes–necessary to fulfill end goals of Congress
Loose Constructionist
Those who advocated more flexibility in interpreting the Constitution
Strict Constructionists
Those who held to closer reading of the Constitution
Federalists (political party)
Political Party that claimed to be true keepers of the Constitution
Federalist
Pro-British
Democratic-Republicans (Republicans)
Political Party opposite Federalists
“Last line of defense between Federalist ‘tyranny’ and American Liberty”
Anti-federalist bent
Pro-French
French Revolution
1789
Blood-lusty, Reign of Terror
Political crisis–F declared war on Britain (1793)
America “obligated to aid” France (Treaty of Alliance 1778)
Proclamation of Neutrality
April 1793
US “pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent powers”
Neutral
Citizen Genêt
French Ambassador
Arrived in Charleston–toured country stirring up pro-french sentiment
Overdid it w/ Washington–Cold reception
Plotted to raise army to fight Spain in Florida
Plotting/personal attacks against W. published–embarrassed F+republicans
Jay’s Treaty
Treaty between G. Britain and US (1795)
Britain stay out of US, pay for damages, like Treaty of Paris
US had little bargaining power–no army/navy
“Federalist”–Jay burned in effigy
Whiskey Rebellion
Frontier farmers were discounted with tax against on alcohol–respond with violence
Washington led army to end rebellion
Distinguish between necessary exercise of law and oppression
Washington’s Farewell Address
September 17, 1796
Urged Americans to leave behind party divisions
Cultivate commercial ties but not political ones with Europe
Outlined US foreign policy up until WWII
Quasi War
(Undeclared) war
1797–French attack US–led to creation of US Navy
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.”
XYZ Affair
1797 French+American diplomats met to discuss peace–French demanded bribe to stop attacking US ships
Charles Maurice Talleyrand vs. John Marshal, C.C. Pinckney,Eldridge Gerry–US not pay–formed Navy instead
Alien and Sedition Acts
Federalist passed laws that placed restrictions on French, Irish, and other immigrant groups that were mostly Republican.
Alien–expanded power to expel/imprison these groups
Sedition–No speaking against gov. No riots/other “anti-gov. Activities”
Strict fines/penalties
Kentucky Resolutions
1798 Written by Jefferson
Response to A+S acts
Unconstitutional, states could nullify
Wanted repeal of A+S acts
Virginia Resolutions
1798 Madison wrote Response to A+S acts Unconstitutional, states could nullify Wanted repeal of A+S acts Similar to Kentucky Resolutions
Judiciary Act of 1801
Act passed by Federalist Congress before newly-elected Republicans that increased the number of Federal Judges.
“Midnight Appointments”
Accusation of Adams by Republicans that Adams had stayed up until midnight the night before Jeffersons Inauguration on March 4, 1801, signing commissions for new judges before the Federalists lost power.
