Vocab Part 2 Flashcards
The author of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, He was also the father of the Federalist party and the fourth President of the United States. He was President during the war of 1812 and was also Vice-President under Jefferson. He was a great statesman but was not a strong president.
James Madison
He emerged as a major political figure during the debate over the Constitution, as the outspoken leader of the Federalists and one of the authors of the Federalist Papers. Later, as secretary of treasury under Washington, He spearheaded the government’s Federalist initiatives, most notably through the creation of the Bank of the United States.
Alexander Hamilton
Although the Anti-Federalists failed to block the ratification of the Constitution, they did ensure that this would be created to protect individuals from government interference and possible tyranny. This was drafted by a group led by James Madison, consisted of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed the civil rights of American citizens.
Bill of Rights
Led by Alexander Hamilton, they believed in a strong central government, loose interpretation, and encouraged commerce and manufacturing. They were staunch supporters of the Constitution during ratification and were a political force during the early years of the United States. They influence declined after the election of Republican Thomas Jefferson to the presidency and disappeared completely after the Hartford Convention.
Federalists
They rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed the Constitution’s powerful centralized government, arguing that the Constitution gave too much political, economic, and military control. They instead advocated a decentralized governmental structure that granted most power to the states
Anti- Federalists
Five states sent delegates. They discussed ways to improve commercial relations among the states. After, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton persuaded others that another convention should be held in Philly to revise the Articles of Confederation.
Annapolis Convention
55 white male delegates, most were college-educated and relatively young (early 40s). Most were much wealthier than the average American. They new about law and politics, with many being lawyers and many having helped write their state’s constitutions.
Framers of the Constitution
Held in Philadelphia in 1787, with the original purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. Congress gave its approval and asked all 13 states to send delegates, only Rhode Island decided not to.
Constitutional Convention
A conference hosted by George Washington at his home in Mount Vernon, VA, to discuss what could be done about the country’s inability to overcome critical problems. Representatives from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania attended. They agreed to hold further discussions in Annapolis, MD, so other states could be represented.
Mt. Vernon Conference
A system of government where one branch of government has sufficient power to check the others
Checks and Balances
proposed by James Madison, it favored large states, basing the number of representatives a state was entitled to, on the size of it’s population
Virginia Plan
the counter to the Virginia plan, favor small states, wanted equal representation for each state in Congress regardless of population size
New Jersey Plan
a compromise solution, which provided for a two house Congress; each state would be given equal representation in the Senate; but a larger body, the House of Representatives, each state would be represented by the size of its population.
Connecticut Plan; Great Compromise
the larger of the two houses of congress, it is the lower house, with the number of representatives from each state being based on population
House of Representatives
the smaller of the two houses of Congress, it is the upper house and each state has equal representation in it (2 senators per state)
Senate
the agreement by which the number of each state’s representatives in Congress would be based on a count of all the free people plus blank of the slaves
Three-fifths Compromise
a decision was reached which guaranteed that they could be imported for at least 20 years longer (until 1808), at which time Congress could vote to abolish the practice
Slave Trade
allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, including placing tariffs (taxes) on foreign imports, but it prohibited placing taxes on exports.
Commercial Compromise
the system by which the US president and VP are elected. The states are assigned a number of elections equal to the total of that state’s representatives and senators, who cast votes for the candidates. Thus the president is not directly elected by the people. The delegates at Philadelphia instituted this system because they feared too much democracy would lead to mob rule.
Electoral College System
85 essays that were eventually published as a book, which presented cogent reasons for believing in the practicality of each major provision of the Constitution. The highly persuasive essays were originally published in an NY newspaper and were written by Madison, Hamilton and John Jay.
The Federalist Papers
Congress, the house and senate, the lawmaking body of the government
Legislative Branch
would be used for depositing government funds and for printing banknotes that would provide the basis for a stable U.S. currency.
National Bank
new and developing industries in the US
Infant Industries
the highest court in the land, composed of one chief justice and five associate justices, empowered to rule on the constitutionality of decisions made by state courts
Supreme Court
one of Congress’s first laws, established a Supreme Court with one chief justice and five associate justices. Also provided for a system of 13 district courts and three circuit courts of appeals
Judiciary Act
courts that hear federal cases
Federal Courts
secretary of war under Washington
Henry Knox
attorney general under Washington
Edmund Randolph
new army under General “Mad Anthony” Wayne routed the Miami Indians at this battle, and the British refused to shelter Indians fleeing from the battle
Battle of Fallen Timbers
These consist of four laws passed by the Federalist Congress and signed by President Adams in 1798: the Naturalization Act, which increased the waiting period for an immigrant to become a citizen from 5 to 14 years; this act, which empowered the president to arrest and deport dangerous aliens; the Alien Enemy Act, which allowed for the arrest and deportation of citizens of countries at was with the US; and the act, which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials. The first 3 were enacted in response to the XYZ Affair, and were aimed at French and Irish immigrants, who were considered subversives.
Alien and Sedition Acts
