Chapter 8
Bicameral Legislature
A legislature consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Created so Virginia and New Jersey could both partially get their way with how the legislature of the United States should be ran.
Federalists
A political party in favor of the Constitution and a strong central government. Their policies tended to favor wealthy business interests, and their foreign policy favored the British. Some famous Federalists were Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and George Washington.
Whiskey Rebellion
A tax protest in Pennsylvania in the 1790s. It began because of the excise (sales) tax on whiskey, which was part of Alexander Hamilton's plan to pay the national debt. It was unpopular because farmers needed to distill their corn to make it to market, otherwise it'd go bad. The crushing of the Whiskey Rebellion by federal soldiers showed that the new government was powerful, and willing to end violent resistance to the laws. This was in stark contrast to the way the Articles of Confederation had dealt with Shays' Rebellion. The whiskey tax was repealed when the Democratic-Republican Party came to power over the Federalists in 1800. Some people criticized George Washington for sending 13,000 soldiers to stop a rebellion of farmers, saying he "killed a flea with a sledgehammer."
Commerce Compromise
Created tariffs on imported agriculture and manufactured goods. This made it so Americans would buy products from American companies. It outlawed taxes on exports.
Report on Manufactures
The third economic report by Alexander Hamilton. The plan discussed the need for a sound policy to stimulate the growth of manufacturing. He suggested moderate tariffs would raise the country's overall revenue. Hamilton believed the tariff would protect American industries, raise revenue to support manufacturing, and raise revenue to pay government expenses. Congress shot this plan down because of Southern opposition.
Indian Intercourse Act of 1790
Was an act created to regulate intercourse (trade) between the American Indians and the colonists, and to regulate the travel of non-Indians on Indian land. These were designed to try to stop conflict with the Indians, but failed.
Treaty of Greenville
Was the treaty that established the "Greenville Treaty Line." The Greenville Treaty Line was the boundary between Native American territory and lands open to white settlers for several years. However, the treaty line was often ignored. The treaty gave the US control over nearly all of Ohio, which is why it is historically significant.
Nationalism
A feeling of unity in the colonies, people started thinking themselves Americans instead of New Yorkers. They supported a strong central government and became Federalists.
Constitutional Monarchy
A form of government where a monarchy is the head of state, but with limited power because of a written constitution. The U.S. didn't want this because it was too similar to Britain.
Mingo Creek Democratic Society
A group in Pennsylvania modeled after the Sons of Liberty who supported France. They used the French Revolution to support their resistance of the Washington administration. They were especially unhappy with the Washington administration's tax on distilled spirits, including whiskey, which was a major part of their economic activity.
Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia Convention)
A meeting called to fix the Articles of Confederation, but they wrote an entirely different article instead. It was called in response to fears that the government under the Articles was too weak to govern the country, especially apparent in the wake of the government's inability to deal with Shays' Rebellion.
Mt. Vernon Conference
A meeting of delegates from Virginia and Maryland who dealt with issues like commerce, fishing, and navigation in the Chesapeake Bay.
Tariff of 1789
A tax placed on foreign goods to raise revenue. The rate was between 5 and 10 percent, depending on the item. Hamilton was eager to pass the tariff as a main source of revenue for the government and to encourage home manufacturing in the US, as we had become dependent on foreign imports.
Strict Constructionist
A term that refers to a legal philosophy that limits judicial interpretation. A judge has to apply rules directly as they are written in the Constitution, and once the meaning of the text is understood, there is no need for further investigation on the issue. According to this view, the federal government was allowed to do only the things specifically written in the Constitution, nothing more. This would guarantee more power for the states and less for the federal government. Democratic-Republicans like Jefferson and Madison favored this view.
Loose Constructionist
A term that refers to a legal philosophy that places no limit on judicial interpretation. Judges were allowed to interpret the Constitution, and if the meaning or punishment was not entirely clear, they could take action. According to this view, the federal government could do anything unless it was expressly forbidden to do so by the Constitution. This, obviously, gave the national government greatly expanded power. Federalists like Alexander Hamilton favored this view.
Jay's Treaty
A treaty between the United States and Great Britain promising that British subjects would leave American lands in the Northwest Forts within one year (as they had promised in the Treaty of Paris in 1783). The treaty also allowed Americans to trade with British colonies in India and the Caribbean, in return for the US agreeing to limit its exports of cotton to other countries (angering the South). Many Americans were upset with this treaty but the United States still had little negotiating strength. Alexander Hamilton convinced George Washington that it was the best the United States could do. Disagreement with this treaty played a major role in Thomas Jefferson forming the Democratic-Republican Party.
Edmond Genet
Also known as Citizen Genet. A French diplomat, he was sent America to promote France's wars with Britain and Spain, and to ask America to honor the Franco-American Alliance. He was welcomed with parties when he arrived in Charleston, SC; he was very popular with the people. He recruited privateers to steal from the British. George Washington sent Genet an 8,000-word letter asking Genet to stop, since he did not want the US to be dragged into a war against Britain and Spain.
Proclamation of Neutrality
An announcement by George Washington that the United States would be neutral in the wars between France and England (and thereby not honor the Franco-American Alliance).
Noah Webster
Author of American Spelling Book. The speller was composed of British and American writings. It also was the first to timeline the history of America, beginning with Columbus. He suggested spelling words as they sounded, "Ther iz no alternitiv." He eventually gave up on that but did get people to drop the "u" out of British-English words such as "colour."
Great Compromise
Combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey plan to have a bicameral legislature, with equal representation in the Senate and representation by population in the House of Representatives.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Created because there were not as many white men in the South, so every 5 slaves that a person owned counted as 3 votes, to keep voting power fair between the North and South.
French Revolution
Due to terrible living conditions and national bankruptcy, the French commoners and middle class wanted to change the government. The starving people of Paris attacked the prison of Bastille on July 14, 1789. This started the French Revolution and people rose against the monarchy all across the country. During the Revolution, many people were beheaded by the guillotine if they were seen as traitors to the revolution (sort of like how Loyalists were treated in America, but much more extreme). Feudalism was abolished and all the people were to have equal rights, rich and poor. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were beheaded. It's believed that the American Revolution inspired the French citizens to overthrow the monarch and set up their own government. Democratic-Republicans supported the Revolution, believing that the French people were fighting for their freedom like America did during our own Revolution. Federalists opposed the Revolution, appalled by the slaughter of rich aristocrats by the masses of the people. They were afraid that the idea of killing the rich and sharing their property might catch on in America.
XYZ Affair
During the 1790s, the French and the British went to war again. The US declared its neutrality (see #45), which angered France. France began seizing American ships on the high seas. To try to solve the problem without going to war, John Adams sent three American diplomats to France to meet with their foreign minister, Talleyrand. Instead, three French agents nicknamed X, Y, and Z demanded a bribe before the American diplomats would be allowed to speak to Talleyrand. They wanted a 250,000 bribe, and millions in loans. The diplomats told the French that, "We will not give you even sixpence!" The XYZ Affair greatly angered Americans, and this was the beginning of the Quasi-war, an undeclared war with France lasting from 1798-1800. Instead of fighting a full-blown war against France, as Hamilton wanted, Adams chose to seek peace in 1800
Pickney's Treaty
Established friendship between the United States and Spain. It also defined the southern boundary of the United States with the Spanish colony of Florida at 31 degrees North latitude, and it gave the U.S. navigation rights on the Mississippi River and the right to use the port of New Orleans. The US and Spain both agreed not to encourage Indians to attack settlers.
Federalist Party
Federalists believed in a strong central government and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Generally, they were Pro-British. The Federalists were also pro-manufacturing and banking. They wanted to increase tariffs to promote manufacturing. They were led by Hamilton and Adams.
Report on the Public Credit
First of the three reports written by Alexander Hamilton on economic policy. It discussed ways to diminish the national debt acquired from the Revolution, and the country's current financial situation. All the debts would be paid up front at face value with government bonds paying about 4% interest. In other words, the government would sell bonds to investors. Investors would buy these bonds to get the interest (4%). The money that was paid by investors to the government for the bonds would be used to pay off all state and national debts. The interest was to be paid by an excise tax on liquor and a new tariff.
Ratification
For the Constitution to pass, it needed 9 states to agree to it, but to avoid having a divided country, they really needed all thirteen. By agreeing to have a Bill of Rights added to the Constitution, the supporters of the document earned its passage by all the states.
Thomas Paine
Founding father and writer of Common Sense. Originally from England, he came to America just in time for the Revolution. His book had a huge effect on the Revolution and without it, "The sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."
Election of 1796
George Washington was worn out by criticism and didn't even think about running for a third term. Adams won with 71 votes, but was followed by Thomas Jefferson, with 68 votes. Back then, until the passage of the 12th Amendment in 1803, the person with the most votes became President and the person with the second-most votes became Vice-President. The President was a Federalist, but the vice president was the leader of the Democratic-Republicans. This was controversial because the two parties were fighting for two totally different ideas of government.
Hamilton v. Jefferson
Hamilton was a Federalist, and Jefferson was an Anti-Federalist. Hamilton wanted a centralized government focused on commerce and industry and allied with the British, while Jefferson supported a decentralized agrarian republic focused on strong foreign relations with France. Their conflict helped develop political parties. People who supported Jefferson were mostly artisans, shopkeepers, frontier settlers, or small farm owners. People who supported Hamilton were mostly merchants, bankers, manufacturers, and wealthy farmers. Hamilton believed that the nation had to industrialize in order to compete with other nations, while Jefferson was convinced that an agrarian republic was absolutely necessary to keep Americans free.
Virginia Plan, James Madison
He thought that we should have a bicameral congress, with the number of representatives elected for each state determined by the population of each state.
New Jersey Plan, William Paterson
He thought the legislature should be unicameral, with the number of representatives equal for each state.
Benjamin West
He was a painter. One of his most famous paintings, The Death of General Wolfe, became the most frequently reproduced painting of the time. He was best known for his history paintings
John Jay
He was the 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, serving from 1789 - 1795. The Supreme Court had relatively few cases during its first decade, but it still managed to raise considerable political controversy. Jay helped fashion United States foreign policy and helped secure peace terms with Great Britain in Jay's Treaty of 1794.
Little Turtle
He was the chief of the Miami tribe, and one of the most successful Native American military leaders of his time. He fought a number of fairly successful battles against the US during the 1790s, but became an advocate for peace with the US in the years before the War of 1812.
Aaron Burr
He was the third vice president of the United States, and served under Thomas Jefferson. He was the first vice president who never served as a president. He was an important political figure in the beginning of our early history, but his political career ended after he was accused of treason. Burr is famous for shooting and killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. He was arrested for treason in 1807 after attempting to get the West to secede (break away) from the Union, but not convicted.
Patrick Henry "smelt a rat"
Henry did not go to the Constitutional Convention because he didn't trust the meeting, and eventually became a critic of the constitution.
"Mr. President"
How George Washington wanted to be adressed because "Your Highness" was too close to Monarchism
Canada Act
In 1791, British Parliament passed the Canada Act. This act created the province of Upper Canada (Ontario) and granted Canadians limited self-government. British troops remained at a series of posts within American territory to protect the province, which violated the Peace of Paris (1783). The British settlers provided weapons to Indians in Ohio Territory to keep American settlers from encroaching upon Canadian land.
Annapolis Convention
In Annapolis, Maryland. It had 12 delegates from five different states that wanted a constitutional convention. Its only real success was agreeing to another meeting in Philadelphia the following year.
Assumption Plan
In the Report on the Public Credit, Hamilton called for the payment of all of the state debts incurred during the Revolution. This plan was very controversial because some states had already paid most of their debts, while others still owed a lot of money. Led by Virginia, the states that had nearly paid their debts protested at the idea of paying the debts of other states. Also, it was controversial because the plan benefitted rich people who had bought bonds at a fraction of their real value. Word of Hamilton's Assumption Plan had been leaked out to some of his wealthy friends, who then literally ran from community to community buying up as many "worthless" government bonds from unwitting veterans and other ordinary people. They purchased bonds for as little as 15 cents on the dollar. When it became known that the government was going to pay back all bonds at 100% ("at par"), the veterans and ordinary people were a tad upset! Thomas Jefferson and James Madison protested, calling the Assumption Plan "radically immoral."
12th Amendment
It changed the system by which the Electoral College elected president and vice-president. (Before it was changed, the president and vice president were on the same ballot. The person who got the most votes was president, the person with the second most became vice-president regardless of their political party.) The 12th Amendment made two separate ballots, one for those running for president and one for vice-president. It also says that the House of Representatives chooses the President if no person wins a majority of electoral votes.
Judiciary Act of 1789
It set up a system of federal courts. It was the most important piece of legislation to emerge from the first session of Congress.
Council of Revisions
It was a committee that met together to finalize the wording of the Constitution.
Battle of Fallen Timbers
It was a decisive battle fought in Ohio between US forces and the Shawnee Indians. The US won and hostilities in the region were relieved until the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. It was resolved by the Treaty of Greenville in 1795.
Federalist #10
It was an essay written by James Madison for the Federalist Papers. It addressed the question of how to guard against factions (special interest groups.)
Chisolm .v. Georgia
It was the first major case to reach the US Supreme Court. The Court said that an individual could sue a state government whether the state liked it or not! It alarmed the states so much that it led to the 11th Amendment.
Washington's Farewell Adress
It was written to the people of the nation as a closing to his second and final term as president. He gave advice to the country for the future. He warned that the nation could only keep its independence through the unity of the states. He warned against political parties, saying that parties cared more about themselves than they do about the country. Most famously, he warned Americans not to get into "entangling alliances" with foreign nations. In other words, we shouldn't make friendships with countries that would force us to go to war to defend them.
"Father of the Constitution"
James Madison
National Capitol
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson wanted the new capitol to be somewhere on the Potomac River, but they did not have enough support in Congress. Hamilton was trying to get Congress to pass the Assumption Plan around the same time. The three worked together on a compromise. Hamilton would get supporters of the new capitol from New York (his home state), while Madison and Jefferson would get supporters for the Assumption Plan. That's why the Capitol moved from New York City to Washington D.C.
Report on a National Bank
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson wanted the new capitol to be somewhere on the Potomac River, but they did not have enough support in Congress. Hamilton was trying to get Congress to pass the Assumption Plan around the same time. The three worked together on a compromise. Hamilton would get supporters of the new capitol from New York (his home state), while Madison and Jefferson would get supporters for the Assumption Plan. That's why the Capitol moved from New York City to Washington D.C.
Matthew Lyon v. Roger Griswold
Lyon was a Democratic-Republican of Vermont, and Griswold was a Connecticut Federalist. During a debate in the House of Representatives, Lyon spit in Griswold's eye. Griswold retaliated by hitting Lyon with his cane. Lyon ended up using a pair of fire tongs to defend himself against Griswold. The two had to be pulled apart. Lyon went to jail later that year for writing an article that opposed John Adams' decision to fight France (Quasi-war), and he became the only Congressman in US history to be re-elected while in jail.
Electoral College
Men and women who are elected by state political parties to formally elect the President and Vice-President.
Republican Motherhood
Mothers were supposed to know the Republican values by which their family stood. Children would be raised with Republican beliefs, therefore making them ideal citizens. Mothers played an important part in shaping the values of the next generation. So, women could not vote or hold office, but they were expected to raise their sons to love freedom and liberty!
John Singleton Copley
New England-born artist, he painted mostly portraits that were highly realistic. He famously painted Sam Adams and John Hancock.
George Washington-A Man of the People?
No. He preferred to ride around town in a horse drawn carriage, escorted by uniformed liverymen. Like the British royal tradition, he delivered his addresses personally to Congress, and received from both houses an official reply.
Fries' Rebellion
Pennsylvania farmers rebelled (again!) against high taxes in 1799. Federal troops were sent by Adams to restore order. Fries and two others were tried for treason and sentenced to be hanged. Against nearly every other Federalist, Adams pardoned the men. This, along with ending the war against France, split the Federalist Party.
Virginia and Kentucky Resolves
Political statements written by Jefferson and Madison in 1798 and published anonymously. These statements declared that Virginia and Kentucky did not have to follow federal law because they disagreed with the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Resolves declared that a state would have the right to nullify (cancel) any federal law with which it disagreed. Later on in the 19th century, people who wanted the South to break away from the Union cited the Virginia and Kentucky Resolves as intellectual justification for their right to do so.
Sally Hemings
She was a mixed race slave owned by Jefferson. Some journalists at the time, and historians later, said he may have fathered many children with Hemings after his wife's death. DNA testing of Hemings' descendants conclusively proved a link with the Jefferson family.
"Revolution of 1800"
TJ referred to the Election of 1800 as the "Revolution of 1800" because it was the peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another. In most countries, when power transfers from one group to another, people die.
Democratic-Republic Party
The Democratic-Republican Party believed in States' rights with a weaker central government and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. They were usually Pro-French. This party was also pro-agriculture. They were led by Jefferson and Madison.
Neutrality- why motivated
The French and British were at war from 1792-1815 (Napoleonic Wars). At the time, America wanted to remain neutral because they wanted to be able to trade with both Britain and France. Also, we were afraid that we were too weak to go to war.
Naturalization Act
The Naturalization Act lengthened the amount of time required for foreigners to become citizens of the U.S. from five years to fourteen years. Franco-Americans, for example, had to wait longer before they could become citizens and vote. This hurt the Democratic-Republicans, who had been pro-France during much of the 1790s.
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution. They were made because George Mason and other Antifederalists wouldn't sign the Constitution without them. They feared that a strong central government created by the Constitution would strip the people of their freedoms, so a Bill of Rights was necessary.
Factions
The name that Washington gave to political parties, which he saw as dangerous to American democracy. Washington saw factions as a threat because they served themselves, and not necessarily the country. Today, special interest groups are similar to what Washington was talking about.
The Anti-Federalist Papers
These were also a series of essays written about the Constitution, except these were against the ratification of the Constitution. These were less organized and more like opinions than facts.
Anti-Federalists
They were a group of people against the Constitution, and opposed a strong central government. They later turned into the Democratic-Republican party. Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry were famous ones.
Alien Act
This act gave the President the power to order the imprisonment or deportation of anyone that was suspected to be an alien enemy during wartime.
Sedition Act
This act put heavy fines and imprisonment for anyone caught writing, publishing, or speaking anything about the government or any of the officers that was false or negative. This targeted the newspapers of the Democratic-Republicans, and several editors went to jail for publishing articles critical of the government.
11th Amendment
This amendment was proposed in response to Chisholm v. Georgia in order to overrule Chisholm. States cannot be sued by private individuals in most cases.
Election of 1800
This election was a rematch of the 1796 election - John Adams versus Thomas Jefferson. The campaign was incredibly personal. Jefferson was attacked for being an atheist (he wasn't), a French radical (he wasn't), and an adulterer (he was!). After the Federalist Party was split by the Quasi-War and Fries' Rebellion, Jefferson and Burr tied because all of the Democratic-Republican electors voted for both of them (back then, electors cast two votes each, but the ballots didn't specify one for President and one for Vice President). The election went to the House of Representatives, as required by the Constitution. While the debate raged, Alexander Hamilton spoke out in favor of Jefferson (ironically) because of his hatred for Burr. Burr eventually got his revenge!
Slave-Trade Compromise
This protected slavery for 20 years, but after that 20 years was over the Congress had the right to outlaw slave trade, which they did.
Convention of 1800
This was an agreement between the United States and France, where they successfully settled the hostilities that happened during the Quasi-War. The Convention is historically important for two reasons - it allowed the purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803, which would not have happened if we were still at war, and it split the Federalist Party. Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton wanted to continue the war against France, while President (and Federalist) John Adams negotiated the treaty. This split allowed Democratic-Republican leader Thomas Jefferson to win the presidential election in 1800.
Franco-American Alliance of 1778
This was an alliance between France and the United States that began during the American Revolution. France became convinced that Americans stood a chance at gaining their independence when Americans beat the British at the Battle of Saratoga. The alliance greatly aided the American cause and lasted into the 1790s. Though the French helped the US during our revolution, Washington's Cabinet tried to avoid aiding France in their war against the British in the 1790s because they wanted to remain neutral. As you can imagine, this felt like betrayal to the French people.
The First Cabinet (State, Treasury, War, Attorney General)
Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State Alexander Hamilton to run the Treasury Henry Knox as Head of the War Department Edmund Randolph as Attorney General.
John Trumbull
Trumbull went to London to study under West. There, he painted Battle of Bunker Hill. He was known for his high detail and his historical paintings.
Ware v. Hylton (1796) and Hylton v. US (1796)
Ware v. Hylton was a Supreme Court case where a Virginian owed a debt to the British from the Revolution. It was stated in the Treaty of Paris (1783) that British creditors would find no lawful obstruction to getting their payments from Americans who owed them debts. However, under a Virginia law, Hylton did not have to pay the debts. The Supreme Court overruled the Virginia law. This case is significant because, like Chisholm, it placed the power of the federal government above that of the individual states.
The Federalist Papers
Were a series of 85 essays supporting the passage of the Constitution. The authors were James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, but the letters were anonymous.
Alien and Sedition Acts (1798) - why passed
Were bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists during the Quasi-War. The acts were supposedly designed to protect the U.S. from foreigners ("aliens") of enemy countries. However, they were really an excuse for the Federalists to go after their political enemies, the Democratic-Republicans, who drew a lot of support from recent immigrants. The Acts included the Alien Act, Sedition Act, and Naturalization Act.
Pierre L'Enfant
was an French officer during the Revolution. The French architect was put in charge of designing Washington D.C.
Susanna Haswell Rowson
wrote poetry, plays and novels. Rowson was also an actress. More books were being written for women readers; Rowson wrote an extremely popular book for women, Charlotte Temple, that kept printing for over 100 years. She also had a school for girls.
