Unit 3: The New Nation Flashcards
Virginia Plan
(also known as the Randolph Plan, after its sponsor, or the Large-State Plan) was a proposal by Virginia delegates for a bicameral legislative branch. The plan was drafted by James Madison while he waited for a quorum to assemble at the Constitutional Convention of 1787
New Jersey Plan
(also widely known as the Small State Plan or the Paterson Plan) was a proposal for the structure of the United States Government presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention on June 15, 1787.
Connecticut Plan
also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or Sherman’s Compromise) was an agreement that large and small states reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States
House of Representatives
one of the two houses of the United States Congress (a bicameral legislature) alongside the Senate
Senate
a legislative chamber in the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the House of Representatives makes up the U.S. Congress
Three-Fifths Compromise
The population of slaves would be counted as three-fifths in total when apportioning Representatives, as well as Presidential electors and taxes. The Three-Fifths Compromise was proposed by James Wilson and Roger Sherman, who were both delegates for the Constitutional Convention of 1787
Commercial Compromise
Commercial Compromise. Imports taxed, but not exports; states prohibited from taxing goods going to or from other states. Northern states wanted tariffs on imports; southern states wanted neither tariffs, nor taxes on exports.
Electoral College System
the body that elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. Citizens of the United States do not directly elect the president or the vice president; instead they choose “electors”, who usually pledge to vote for particular candidates
Federalist
The supporters of the proposed Constitution called themselves “Federalists.” Their adopted name implied a commitment to a loose, decentralized system of government. In many respects “federalism” — which implies a strong central government — was the opposite of the proposed plan that they supported
Anti-Federalists
a diverse coalition of people who opposed ratification of the Constitution
The Federalist Papers
a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Bill Of Rights
the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution
Amendments
- a minor change in a document
1) a change or addition to a legal or statutory document.
2) “an amendment to existing bail laws”
an article added to the US Constitution.
Legislative Branch
is made up of the two houses of Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives. The most important duty of the legislative branch is to make laws. Laws are written, discussed and voted on in Congress. There are 100 senators in the Senate, two from each state
Congress
the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives
Executive Departments
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments — the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General
Cabinet
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments
Henry Knox
a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, who also served as the first United States Secretary of War from 1789 to 1794
Edmund Randolph
an American attorney, the seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General
Judiciary Act
officially titled “An Act to Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States,” was signed into law by President George Washington on September 24, 1789. Article III of the Constitution established a Supreme Court, but left to Congress the authority to create lower federal courts as needed
Federal courts
The federal court system has three main levels: district courts (the trial court), circuit courts which are the first level of appeal, and the Supreme Court of the United States, the final level of appeal in the federal system
Supreme Courts
the highest federal court of the United States
National Debt
the amount owed by the federal government of the United States. The measure of the public debt is the value of the outstanding Treasury securities at a point of time that have been issued by the Treasury and other federal government agencies.
Infant industries
a new industry, which in its early stages experiences relative difficulty or is absolutely incapable in competing with established competitors abroad
National Bank
was a national bank, chartered for a term of twenty years, by the United States Congress on February 25, 1791
Tariff
a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports
Excise Taxes
taxes paid when purchases are made on a specific good, such as gasoline. Excise taxes are often included in the price of the product. There are also excise taxes on activities, such as on wagering or on highway usage by trucks
French Revolution
was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799, and was partially carried forward by Napoleon during the later expansion of the French Empire. The Revolution overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, experienced violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon that rapidly brought many of its principles to Western Europe and beyond
Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)
was a formal announcement issued by U.S. President George Washington on April 22, 1793, declaring the nation neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. It threatened legal proceedings against any American providing assistance to any country at war
Citizen Edmund Genet
was the French ambassador to the United States during the French Revolution
Jay Treaty
was a 1795 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that is credited with averting war,[3] resolving issues remaining since the Treaty of Paris of 1783 (which ended the American Revolutionary War),[4] and facilitating ten years of peaceful trade between the United States and Britain in the midst of the French Revolutionary Wars, which began in 1792
Pinckney Treaty
was signed in San Lorenzo de El Escorial on October 27, 1795 and established intentions of friendship between the United
Right of Deposit
In 1795, the border was settled, and the US and Spain had a trade agreement. New Orleans was reopened, and Americans could transfer goods without paying cargo fees (right of deposit) when they transferred goods from one ship to another
Battle of Fallen Timbers
was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between Native American tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy
Whiskey Rebellion
was a tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791, during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called “whiskey tax” was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government
Public Land Act
was U.S. legislation that refined provisions for the purchase of U.S. public land north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi river
Federalist Era
ran from roughly 1789-1801, a time when the Federalist Party was dominant in American politics. This period saw the adoption of the United States Constitution, the expansion of the federal government, and its move to Washington D.C., the newly created national capital
Democratic Republican Party
By 1792, opposition to the policies of the Federalist Party was growing. Led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), critics of the Federalists banded together to form the Republican Party . They were also called Democratic-Republicans or Jeffersonian Republicans
Permanent Alliances
It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliance with any portion of the foreign world”: it was George Washington’s Farewell Address to us. The inaugural pledge of Thomas Jefferson was no less clear: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations-entangling alliances with none.”
2- Term Tradition
George Washington set the informal precedent for a two-term limit for the Presidency—a tradition that prevailed until Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency, after which the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1951 formally establishing in law the two-term limit
John Adams
an American lawyer, author, statesman, and diplomat. He served as the second President of the United States and the first Vice President and, as a Founding Father, he was a leader of American independence from Great Britain
XYZ Affair
was a diplomatic incident between French and United States diplomats that resulted in a limited, undeclared war known as the Quasi-War. U.S. and French negotiators restored peace with the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine
Alien and Sedition Acts
were passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President Adams. These laws included new powers to deport foreigners as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
were political statements drafted in 1798 and 1799, in which the Kentucky and Virginia legislatures took the position that the federal Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional. The resolutions argued that the states had the right and the duty to declare unconstitutional acts of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution. In doing so, they argued for states’ rights and strict constructionism of the Constitution. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 were written secretly by Vice President Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, respectively
Revolution of 1800
Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated President John Adams. The election was a realigning election that ushered in a generation of Democratic-Republican Party rule and the eventual demise of the Federalist Party in the First Party System
Thomas Jefferson
was an American Founding Father and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He was elected the second Vice President of the United States, serving under John Adams and was elected the third President in 1800
Louisiana Purchase
a land deal between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million
Republican Agarianism
a political philosophy that stresses the idea that a country populated by free citizens involved in agriculture is the freest, most equal type of society. This idea was advanced most prominently by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America
Re-exportation
may occur when one member of a free trade agreement charges lower tariffs to external nations to win trade, and then re-exports the same product to another partner in the trade agreement, but tariff-free. Re-exportation can be used to avoid sanctions by other nations
Essay on the Principle of Population
The book predicted a grim future, as population would increase geometrically, doubling every 25 years, but food production would only grow arithmetically (rising as 1,2,3,4, etc.), which would result in famine and starvation, unless births were controlled. The book overlooked potential improvements in farming such as steam-powered machines, chemical fertilizers, drip irrigation, night lighting, or genetically modified organisms (GMO)
Napoleon Bonaparte
was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and again in 1815. Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars
Toussaint l’Ouverture
was the best-known leader of the Haitian Revolution. His military and political acumen saved the gains of the first Black insurrection in November 1791
Lewis and Clark
A journey made by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, to explore the American Northwest, newly purchased from France, and some territories beyond
John Marshall
was the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1801–1835). His court opinions helped lay the basis for United States constitutional law and many say made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches
Judicial Review
a process under which executive and (in some countries) legislative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A court with judicial review power may invalidate laws and decisions that are incompatible with a higher authority
Marbury v. Madison
was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court formed the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States under Article III of the Constitution
Aaron Burr
was an American politician. He was the third Vice President of the United States (1801–1805), serving during President Thomas Jefferson’s first term
“Quids”
a lump of tobacco for chewing
Barbary Pirates
were pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa
Impressment
Of all the causes for the War of 1812, the impressment of American sailors into the Royal Navy was the most important for many Americans. The British practice of manning naval ships with “pressed” men, who were forcibly placed into service, was a common one in English history, dating back to medieval times
Chesapeake-Leopold Affair
was a naval engagement that occurred off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, on 22 June 1807, between the British warship HMS Leopard and American frigate USS Chesapeake, when the crew of Leopard pursued, attacked and boarded the American frigate looking for deserters from the Royal Navy.[1] Chesapeake was caught unprepared and after a short battle involving broadsides from Leopard, her commander, James Barron, surrendered his vessel to the British after firing only one shot. Four crew members were removed from the American vessel and were tried for desertion, one of whom was subsequently hanged. Chesapeake was allowed to return home where James Barron was court martialed and suspended from command.
Embargo Act 1807
was a general embargo enacted by the United States Congress against Great Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars
James Madison
was a political theorist, American statesman, and the fourth President of the United States (1809–17). He is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Non-inter course Act 1809
the collective name given to six statutes passed by the Congress in 1790, 1793, 1796, 1799, 1802, and 1834 to set Amerindian boundaries of reservations
Macon’s Bill No.2 1810
was intended to motivate Great Britain and France to stop seizing American vessels during the Napoleonic Wars
Tecumseh
was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh’s War and became an ally of Britain in the War of 1812
William Henry Harrison
was the ninth President of the United States, an American military officer and politician, and the last president born as a British subject. He was also the first president to die in office
Battle of Tippecanoe
was fought on November 7, 1811, near present-day Lafayette, Indiana between American forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh
War Hawks
a term used in politics for someone favoring war in a debate over whether to go to war, or whether to continue or escalate an existing war
Henry Clay
was an American lawyer and planter, politician, and skilled orator who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives
John C. Calhoun
was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina, and the seventh Vice President of the United States
War of 1812
was a military conflict that lasted from June 18, 1812 to February 18, 1815, fought between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, its North American colonies, and its Native American allies
Old Ironsides
This sort of biting sarcasm is exactly the tone Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes set for his most famous work, ‘Old Ironsides’, which is a poem written in 1830 to commemorate a frigate named the U.S.S. Constitution
Battle of Lake Erie
Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of British Royal Navy. This ensured American control of the lake for the rest of the war, which in turn allowed the Americans to recover Detroit and win the Battle of the Thames to break the Indian confederation of Tecumseh. It was one of the biggest naval battles of the War of 1812
Oliver Hazard Perry
was an American naval commander, born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He was the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and of Sarah Wallace Alexander, and the older brother of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
Battle of Thames River
also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was a United States victory in the War of 1812 against the United Kingdom and Tecumseh’s Confederacy
Thomas Macdonough
was an early-19th-century American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonough, Sr. who lived near Middletown, Delaware
Battle of Lake Champlain
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states of the United States during the War of 1812
Francis Scott Key
was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Georgetown who wrote the lyrics to the United States’ national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner
Andrew Jackson
was an American statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
was fought during the War of 1812 in the Mississippi Territory, now central Alabama. On March 27, 1814, United States forces and Indian allies under Major General Andrew Jackson[2] defeated the Red Sticks, a part of the Creek Indian tribe who opposed American expansion, effectively ending the Creek War
Creek Nation
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Muscogee people, also known as the Creek, based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Calling themselves Este Mvskokvlke[needs IPA], they are regarded as one of the historical Five Civilized Tribes of the American Southeast.[2] The tribe is descended from the historic Creek Confederacy, a large, heterogeneous group of indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands
Battle of New Orleans
was an engagement fought between January 8 and January 18, 1815, constituting the final major battle of the War of 1812, and the most one-sided battle of that war
Treaty of Ghent 1814
was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom
Hartford Convention 1814
was a series of meetings from December 15, 1814 – January 5, 1815 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States, in which the New England Federalist Party met to discuss their grievances concerning the ongoing War of 1812 and the political problems arising from the federal government’s increasing power
