TCC History 1301 Exam 2

The Great Compromise of the Constitution

What it is: Joined the Virginia plan and the NJ plan to have representation of the states based on both the population of said state and the state's statehood. What it did: Created a bicameral legi (house: virginia plan, senate: nj plan) Significance: Without this compromise, the constitution wouldn't have been ratified

Impressment

What it is: Kidnapping of American sailors by the Brits to force them to serve the British Navy What it did: Significance: Led to Jay's treaty

GENERAL George Washington

What it is: Leader of the Continental Army, appointed at the second continental congress What it did: From the beginning to the end GW was the leader of the continental army and through his leadership, America eventually won Significance: Without his leadership we wouldn't have won the war.

Stamp Act Congress

What it is: Made up of 27 delegates from 9 colonies. What it did: Created a resolution that began by affirming their allegiance to GB but threatening to boycott English goods if the Stamp Act wasn't repealed. It united the colonies against a common enemy, GB/taxation. Significance: It worked, not bc they complained, but bc they complained AS A UNIT which made the London merchants and manufacturers complain, and THESE complaints made movements in government... The people put pressure of the merchants who put pressure of the government (money is power)

Electoral College

What it is: Made up of politicians who are professionals in politics. Wealthy ind who were familiar w the law. When we elect president there is the popular vote and the electoral college that is made up of legislators voted for by the people. What it did: Significance: It is a mechanism to some degree to protect us from ourselves bc sometimes the general population isn't informed enough to make a decision so we elect people we trust to do so for us, but downside is that we end up not voting for the people in the electoral college.

The War of 1812

What it is: Madison asked Congress for a declaration of war against GB. GB put down two feeble American invasions in Canada. After GB defeat Nap Bon they seize and burn down the white house. What it did: Brits teamed up w the natives in this war, after some considerable losses, Battle of Thames and fighting off british invasion in new orleans, the british are just tired of war and sign treaty of ghent to end it. Significance: British recognize America as their own independent nation for real this time

The Louisiana Purchase

What it is: Napolean Bonaparte doesn't focus on Haiti while trying to win over Euro. the Haitians win the revolution and the slve rebellion hurts Nap so much that he offers America France's land in N. America for money. What it did: Doubled America's size for $15 million dollars Significance: Eliminates french presence in America. Also nowhere in in the constitution does it explicitly state that fed gov can buy territory from a foreign power but Jeff says it was necessary and proper.

The Intolerable Acts

What it is: Parliament closed the port of Boston to all trade until the debt created from the Boston Tea Party was paid. What it did: It limited the number of times the town council could meet and made it so that the governor had the power to appoint people to the council. Significance: Since these acts were severely affecting the economy, politics, and economic and political power in the colonies they were compelled to hold their own secret meetings to avoid their meetings being held under surveillance. Led to the Continental Congress.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

What it is: Said it was important to be confident in oneself and that self-realization was an open-ended process of constantly making and remaking oneself. Said it was okay to be wrong, ok to make mistakes. What it did: Significance: Furthered the idea of transcendentalism

The 10th Amendment

What it is: Said that all rights not explicitly stated in the constitution to the federal government were RESERVED for the states and the people. What it did: Significance: Gives states more power and gives the stats the impression that they already had that power since the power originated at the state level. This amendment is also a major area of contention btwn the state and fed gov and who held more power over the other.

The 9th Amendment

What it is: Said that just bc the rights had been specified, they didn't want to rush giving rights back to the people and that any rights stated did not mean people were limited to just those rights. What it did: Allows growth and change to the bill of rights and made it so that the first 10 amendments were just a base from which more liberties could sprout Significance: Allowed constitution to change and grow by adding more amendments

The Tea Act

What it is: Since colonists were drinking tea w.o. sugar, GB began taxing the tea itself. What it did: Compelled people to start drinking alcohol in replacement of the tea. Significance: The alcohol influenced people to act outrageously, thus the Boston Tea Party.

The Whiskey Rebellion

What it is: Tax on whiskey casues people to rebel What it did: Was not a repeat of shays, GW saw it coming and squashed it. Exemplified that now w have an executive branch at a national level w a leader to take care of issues like this. GW wanted to show every American what happens when you champion the constitution's strength and show the world the constitution's strength Significance: Proved the strength of the constitution where shays rebellion pointed out the flaws of the AoC

Yorktown

What it is: The final battle of the American Revolution. Cornered Cornwallis at sea by the French (support gained after winning Saratoga) and land by GW. What it did: Considered the final major battle of the war tho fighting still raged on Significance: Was the mark of the end of the American revolution and the beginning of America. Marked American victory.

The Second Continental Congress

What it is: The second secret meeting this time GA is in on it. What it did: Authorized the raising of an army, printed money to pay for it, and appointed GW as the commander Significance: In response GB declared the colonies in a state of rebellion, dispatched thousands of troops and ordered the closing of the colonial ports. From brit perspective this was seen as a small insurgence. Sig: the Continental army came from it

3/5 Compromise

What it is: The south wanted their slaves to count towards the population for the amount of reps they got in the house, the North didn't want their slaves to count saying they should treat them first as citizens for them to count towards the population. What it did: The compromise said each slave will be counted as 3/5 a person to go towards the house of reps. Significance: W/o this compromise, the constitution is not born. Also proved that there was hostilities and factions btwn north and south (civil war).

The Embargo

What it is: They needed to calm down impressment which was still occurring even after Jay's treaty. So Jeff persuades Congress to enact the embargo What it did: Banned American ships sailing for foreign ports in order to protect them from impressment (analogous to the proclamation line of 1763 which caused them to revolt against the British) Significance: Even tho Jeff hated the GW program that limited the free market in the past, not as president, he understands that sometimes the president must act in the nation's best interest, not bc of his own personal convictions. Demonstrates that jeff as a pres now does things in opposition of his personal beliefs bc a president's actions don't necessarily reflect that of their/a single party.

Nativists

What it is: Those who feared the impact of immigrants into American political and social life as immigration grew due to the flourishing economy in america. They held mostly blue collar jobs and were belittled by people born here What it did: Significance: They blamed them for the social ill of society and accused them of undercutting native born skilled laborers by working for starvation wages.

The New Jersey Plan

What it is: Wanted state representation to be based on statehood alone vs population, giving all states an equal amnt of votes. What it did: n/a Significance: Used in part w the Vir plan to create the bicameral legi

Homespun Clothing

What it is: Was used in place of imported refinery. What it did: Became a symbol of American resistance showing their ability to swim when they removed themselves from dependency. Significance: Because it epitomizes the American rebel spirit and resistance in an underground manner and rallied together people as it communicated to others that you were apart of the resistance/boycott.

Lexington and Concord

What it is: While British troops were on their way to seize a stockpile of arms in Concord, they were intercepted by minutemen. Skirmishes between GB and the colonists took place at Lexington and Concord What it did: It was the outbreak of war btwn GB and the colonies. The first fights that the colonists wanted. Significance: The colonists wanted these fights w the British vs the Boston massacre which was unwanted. This skirmishes were the first battles recognized as the start of the American Revolution.

James Madison

What it is: Wrote the constitution which states everything we can and can't do in terms of govt. What it did: wrote the constitution Significance: w/o him there's no constitution as we know it today.

Federalists (const)

What it is: favored the constitution and strong central govt. wealthier, more educated, more organized, controlled the press. What it did: Make it their duty to inform citizens of the US to support the new constitution of the US. Significance: wo them info of the constitution would not be widely known and spread through the media and the constitution wouldn't have garnished the support needed to be ratified.

Eli Whitney

What it is: invented cotton gin, wanted to eliminate or reduce slavery w the machine but enabled it instead. ooops What it did: Significance:

Henry Thoreau

What it is: said that modern society stifled individual judgment by making men tools of their tools. They were being possessed by their possessions we are never complete, man vs self What it did: Significance:

The Second Continental Congress (const)

Shortly before declaring independence in 1776, the 2nd continental congress appointed a committee to draft a written constitution for the new nation. Called for the creation of a central/national/federal constitution. From it came the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the US.

The Elastic Clause

Stretched out the powers of the constitution meaning it was open to interpretation. Allowed it to be more flexible and therefore the way it was executed could be more flexible. Allowed the constitution to have variance (gray area). Allowed congress to pass any laws "necessary and proper" to carry out powers of the gov.

The Bill of Rights

What it is: 1791: contained amendments addressing the rights of the people and the states in which the federal government could not revoke them of or prevent them from What it did: gave people back heir individual liberties Significance: ^

The 2nd Great Awakening

What it is: 2nd series of religious revivals where the private judgment in spiritual manners was stressed as a right. A person is free to choose who he wants to be. Development of non-denominational churches and to a greater extent, atheism. Influenced by the emergence of transcendentalism. What it did: Significance:

The Stamp Act Crisis

What it is: A direct tax requiring all printed material to carry an official English stamp in order to raise revenue to pay of debt from the FI/7 war. What it did: It taxed the colonies in order to make up for the debt of the war as well as make up for the money lost from colonial smuggling. Significance: Unlike previous taxes (sugar and revenue taxes which only affected the rich) this tax affected the masses and touched a maj of the colonists lives. This thus compelled colonists to create the Stamp Act Congress (created bc when the people originally complained to the congress, they didn't take action, so they made their own congress)

The Cotton Gin

What it is: A fairly simple device that separated the seeds from the cotton What it did: Revolutionized the growing and selling of cotton to maximize production exponentially Significance: Revitalized the institution of slavery

Declaratory Act

What it is: A law stating that parliament possesses the power to pass laws for the colonies and people of America What it did: It was a British demonstration of them reasserting their authority in the colonies after losing to the Stamp Act Congress since the ones who were previously passing the laws for the colonies were the colonies themselves. It took away that power from them. Significance: Whereas the stamp act congress gained economic power to the colonies, the declaratory act revoked them of their political power

Alexander Hamilton

What it is: A man who wanted to address the problem of money taking different forms and values from state to state. What it did: He called together a meeting w the states at the convention at Annapolis to address the money issue in order to make commerce between states easier. When no one showed up, he called for a second convention but this time addressing the entire AoC and would effectively sneak the topic of commerce in. Significance: No one showed up for a meeting about just commerce alone, but Alexander Hamilton was the one who was able to rally everyone to meet about dealing w the entire AoC bc it was more relevant to a broader range of concerns. W/o him the states would not all have met and the AoC would've remained unchanged.

Common Sense (Thomas Paine)

What it is: A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine What it did: Rallied the colonists to support the movement towards independence in a time of hesitance and uncertainty, lack of willingness to leave GB Significance: Calls for the creation of a republic and will cause many people to question the authority of an absolute monarch and gear towards creating a form of government w the people at its base.

Treaty of Paris of 1783

What it is: A peace treaty between GB and the colonies, now formally recognized as the independent nation of America, in which the American Revolution was effectively ended. What it did: Was the British recognizing independence in the new nation of America. Significance: This meant that the US was its own entity. Brit recognized their independence as a new country and they were no longer to be seen as an extension of GB.

The Virginia Plan

What it is: A plan wanting representation by state to be determined by the state's population size What it did: n/a Significance: Was used in part with the NJ plan to create the bicameral legi

The Boston Tea Party

What it is: A reaction of colonists' disapproval with the Tea Act where a group of drunk colonists dressed up as Native Americans dumped 300 chests of tea from the East India Tea Co. into the harbor What it did: The loss of the East India Tea Co. was 4 million dollars in today's terms. It was the largest act of vandalism at the time. Significance: Leads to the intolerable acts.

Shays' Rebellion

What it is: A rebellion of angry farmers/former war vets who were unhappy about excessive loans. What it did: Went from state to state destroying banks Significance: Called attention to the need for a national army and the fallacies of the AoC for not having an exec branch to deal with such problems.

The Continental Congress (CC)

What it is: A response to the intolerable acts. Brought together the most prominent men of 12 colonies (GA not yet on board). They were secret meetings. What it did: Made other wealthy individuals say to themselves, if such things were occurring in Boston, than no colony is safe from the GB's threat to their economic and political power. Significance: United everyone to address their concerns. The majority of the problems were associated w Boston, yet other colonies recognized it as an "American", collective issue instead of just Boston's issue. It demolished the distinctions btwn colonies and created a new unity and idea of America.

The Boston Massacre

What it is: A riot ensued, a shot is fired, more shots are fired, and as a result 5 Bostonians were killed by British troops. 9 officers are tried, yet only 2 were found guilty which didn't make sense w the weaponry in that time. What it did: When the colonists found out they immediately took to the press where Paul Revere in specific made propaganda labeled "the Boston Massacre" to get the people to rally against a common enemy. The colonists felt as though there was an occupying force in their colonies and they passed out propo to unify them against GB. Significance: This single event will unify the colonies to believe that their physical lives are now being threatened and are at danger whereas before it was just taxes, search, and seizure. Colonists use this event to rally people to support the fight against GB.

Townshend Act

What it is: A tax on imported goods. What it did: Affected the cities that had ports bc they relied on shipping. Led the colonies to boycott again since it worked w the stamp act congress which was another economic tax. Significance: Since the colonists weren't buying their own goods, they began making their own, leading to the creation of homespun clothing.

Captain Daniel Shays

What it is: A veteran of the American Revolution that wanted cheaper paper money, lighter taxes, and a suspension on property takeovers What it did: Banded w other veterans that were mistreated w excessive loans and went on a warpath ravaging the banks from state to state. Significance: Was an example of an upheaval in which each state would take care of it, but once they left to another, it was left to that other state as their problem, he led Shay's rebellion which brought to light the necessity of a stronger federal gov and the fallacies of the AoC

The Articles of Confederation

What it is: Adopted in 1777 but ratified in 1781 What it did: Was the first constitution of the US as a new nation. Had no exec branch, the judicial branch was left to the states, therefore only had a legislative branch in which 9 states had to approve to make a law, and all had to approve to change the AoC. Significance: Gave a great deal of power to the states, exhibited how the new nation wanted to build of government focused of power deriving from the people not a monarch.

Writs of Assistance

What it is: After the 7 yrs war, the colonists didn't want to return to the mercantilism system so instead began smuggling. A combative measure taken by the British toward smuggling in the colonies. Was a law that allowed British officials to search your person and property if they thought you were smuggling, which they determined through PROFILING people in order to justify searching them. What it did: The British govt alarmed many colonists through issuing this law. Colonists were provoked by this bc they thought it was an invasion of privacy. Significance: One of the earliest areas of complaint by colonists w the mother. One of the first areas of disagreement after the French and Indian War/7 yrs war about what rights the colonies did or did not have.

The Declaration of Independence

What it is: After the colonies had been unified for the revolution, they formally declared that they were to be a separate country/entity from GB, an independent nation from GB What it did: Appealed all around the world in order to influence foreign powers to recognize them and help them in their war effort. Significance: It was the singular moment where it was official that America is stepping out on its own.

Manifest Destiny

What it is: America's divine mission to occupy all of North America from sea to shining sea What it did: Significance:Will justify America's desire to conquer westward, where they've already been able to do it by physical means

The Republicans (Political Party)

What it is: An alliance of wealthy southern planters and small farmers What it did: Significance: political party, madison and jefferson and burr, farmer class people (like the FR), supported FR revolution and hated Haitian revolution, Louisianna Purchase, Embargo, 10th amendment

The Continental Congress of 1776 (Constitution)

What it is: Called upon the colonies to draft new constitution within their own countries. What it did: New documents of governance were drafted to rest the authority on the people Significance: The sovereignty of these new states would rest on the authority of the people.

The Erie Canal

What it is: Canal from New York to the great lakes providing access to the miss river. Canal is manmade river made by digging topsoil or blowing it up w dynamite until water is exposed. Connected rivers that ran up and down east to west What it did: Significance: Erie canal gives access to the miss river which is America's spinal cord

The Federalists (Political Party)

What it is: Considered elitists who supported the Washington administration. Favored Hamilton's program, and had close ties w the Brits. What it did: Est federal bank modeled after the bank of england. Significance: Political party political party favored consti., wanted strong central govt, included hamilton and adams, supported WA, elitist, Adams expanded navy like BR, for the Haitian rev, against rev, favored Hamillton's program, elastic clause

The Clermont

What it is: Demonstrated the technological and economical feasibility of upstream commerce What it did: Significance: reduced cost of upstream commerce and cost of goods being transported went down thus increasing the consumer demand

The Constitution

What it is: Document written by James Madison and was the new document to govern society at a national level instead of the AoC What it did: Elevated the ideas of the revolution while setting boundaries to them, called for a stronger national body. Significance: It is the ideal, the standard by which all Americans hope to live up to and constantly strive for.

Anti-Federalists (const)

What it is: Don't support a strong central gov and instead support strong states govs. In favor of the AoC. Not as wealthy or educated as the Federalists so it was more difficult for them to relay their messages. What it did: n/a Significance: Needed people who thought like this in order to provide more perspectives and ideas in America

Jay's Treaty

What it is: Drafted and signed in 1794 to address the issue of impressment What it did: made it so that the british had to promise to evacuate the chain of posts on US soil and pay damages for recent seizures of ships and to stop seizing them and America would pay the debts still owed to British merchants on pre-Rev accounts. Significance: America lost a lot from this treaty but ultimately was able to avoid another war which it was not stable enough economically, militarily or politically to uphold.

Transcendentalism/ists

What it is: Encouraged individual thinking and making it all about the individual in their own personship and constitution as long as it wasn't harming anyone else What it did: Significance: Became a signature AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY and became the definition of the AMERICAN SPIRIT

Hamilton's Program

What it is: Hamilton pressed for the fed gov to assume all the state debts and est a national bank modeled after the bank of england. What it did: He consolidates all the ind debts of the states and turns it into a singular national debt, he also imposed tariffs, making homegoods more desireable, and taxed whiskey. Money spent on whiskey and increased spending on homegoods would help him to pay the debt Significance: Hamilton made it so that that states felt like their debts had been absolved but they really were actually still paying for it. He united us economically, unification through debt.

The Haitian Revolution

What it is: In 1791 the Haitians were revolting against the French. Jeffersonians hated it bc slave rebellion even tho the supported french rev What it did: The Adams admin hoped that Am merchants could replace the French in the island's sugar trade and thus encouraged the independence of black Haiti. Jefferson as pres wanted to destroy them Significance: Divides the country. Will give off the idea that it was for democracy freedom and justice when really for self interest.

Robert Fulton

What it is: Inventor of the Steamboat What it did: Significance:

Cyrus McCormick

What it is: Inventor of the mechanical reaper What it did: Greatly increased production of wheat which becomes our staple crop Significance: Output of wheat is so quick and inexpensive that consumer demand goes way up and it becomes major crop

The Revolution of 1800 (AN ELECTION)

What it is: Jeff runs against Burr for presidency after Adams. They tie, 35 revotes later Hamilton intervenes and supports Jeff who thus wins and burr becomes vp What it did: Significance: Proved democracy can work wo violence, that there can be a shift in power wo having to shed blood, and just having the prev leader step down as Adams did when his term ended. A new thing in that time period.