College Us History Exam 2
Age of frustration
What: N/A What: The period before the First World War was an age of frustration. Where: United States. When: N/A Why: N/A
John Jay
Who: 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, negotiated with British for Washington What: American statesman, Patriot, diplomat, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, negotiator and signatory of the Treaty of Paris of 1783, second Governor of New York, and the first Chief Justice of the United States Where: New York When: May 17, 1829, at the age of 83 Why: American statesman and a Founding Father of the United States. He served in a variety of capacities throughout his lifetime, but is most commonly known for being the first Chief Justice of the United States.
Sacagawea
Who: A Shoshone woman whose language skills and knowledge of geography helped Lewis and Clark. What: The daughter of a Shoshone chief, Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for serving as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition into the American West—and for being the only woman on the famous excursion. Where: Sacagawea and her husband lived among the Hidatsa and Mandan Indians in the upper Missouri River area. When: She was part of the main party from April 7, 1805 until August 14, 1806. Why: She was instrumental in the Lewis & Clark Expedition as a guide as they explored the western lands of the United States. Her presence as a woman helped dispel notions to the Native tribes that they were coming to conquer and confirmed the peacefulness of their mission.
New Jersey Plan
Who: William Patterson What: A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress Where: New Jersey When: June 15, 1787 Why: The New Jersey plan favored giving control of the federal government to the states, not the people through their representatives.
Constitutional Convention
Who: 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. What: A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution. Where: Philadelphia When: May 27, 1787 - Sep 17, 1787 Why: While the purpose of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was to revise the Articles of Confederation, to ensure a stronger central government, a few days into it, the delegates came to a consensus that it was better to write a new constitution from scratch, instead of revising the existing document.
James Monroe
Who: 5th President. What: He is perhaps best known for establishing the foreign policy principle that came to bear his name, the Monroe Doctrine. Where: Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. When: Born April 28, 1758, Elected in 1817. Why: Oversaw major westward expansion of the U.S. and strengthened American foreign policy in 1823 with the Monroe Doctrine, a warning to European countries against further colonization and intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
Tecumseh
Who: A Shawnee chief who tried to unite Native American tribes. What: During the early 1800s, he attempted to organize a confederation of tribes to resist white settlement. Where: South of present-day Columbus, Ohio. When: He was killed in the Battle of the Thames in Canada on October 5, 1813. Why: During the War of 1812, Tecumseh and his followers joined the British to fight the United States.
Battle of Tippecanoe
Who: Americans and Native Americans. What: Battle between Americans and Native Americans. Tecumseh and the Prophet attempted to oppress white settlement in the West, but defeated by William Henry Harrison. Led to talk of Canadian invasion and served as a cause to the War of 1812. Where: Battle Ground, IN When: November 7, 1811 Why: Tenskwatawa worked with his brother, Tecumseh, to unite American Indian tribes in the Northwest Territory to defend themselves against white settlers. In 1811, the Battle of Tippecanoe was a significant defeat for Tecumseh's American Indian Confederation.
Spoils System
Who: Andrew Jackson What: A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends. Where: New York. When: 1860 and 1880. Why: The Spoils System advocated by Andrew Jackson was based on rotation in office and rewarding loyal supporters. Jackson had good cause in placing so much importance on loyalty.
Edmund Randolph
Who: Attorney General What: American attorney and politician. He was the seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General. Where: Virginia When: August 10, 1753- September 12, 1813 (aged 60) Why: Was selected as a representative to the Virginia Convention of 1776, during which he helped develop a constitution and bill of rights for Virginia.
Battle of New Orleans
Who: British troops led by General Edward Pakenham and American forces led by General Andrew Jackson. What: A battle during the War of 1812 where the British army attempted to take New Orleans. Due to the foolish frontal attack, Jackson defeated them, which gave him an enormous popularity boost. Where: New Orleans. When: January 8, 1815. Why: Because the decisive victory was followed shortly afterward by news of a peace treaty, many Americans at the time mistakenly believed the Battle of New Orleans had won the war. The Battle of New Orleans is also important because it propelled Andrew Jackson to fame as a war hero.
Shay's Rebellion
Who: Daniel Shays, James Bowdoin What: A group of protestors, led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays, began a 6 month rebellion by taking over the Court of Common Pleas in Northampton Where: Massachusetts When: August 31, 1786 - June 1787 Why: The rebellion is important because it is seen as one of the major factors that led to the writing of the new Constitution
First League of Armed Neutrality
Who: European naval powers What: It referred to a union of Baltic countries in 1780 after England disturbed their shipping. They always threatened war with England. Where: Europe When: 1780-1783 and 1800-1801 Why: Formed in the spring and summer of 1780, the League of the Armed Neutrality was the first genuine league of neutrals formed because of complaints of the neutral powers against the major belligerents—with the possible exception of the United States.
James Madison
Who: Father of the Constitution What: American statesman and Founding Father who served as the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Where: born on March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia When: March 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836 Why: Madison's important contribution to the overall creation of the Constitution earned him the nickname "Father of the Constitution" later in life.
Alexander Hamilton
Who: First Secretary of the Treasury. What: He advocated creation of a national bank, assumption of state debts by the federal government, and a tariff system to pay off the national debt. Where: born January 11, 1755/57, Nevis, British West Indies—died July 12, 1804, New York, New York, U.S. When: 1789-1795 Why: He helped ratify the Constitution by writing 51 of the 85 installments of The Federalist Papers, which are still used as one of the most important references for Constitutional interpretation. Hamilton led the Treasury Department as a trusted member of President Washington's first Cabinet.
Impressment
Who: It was a practice that directly affected the U.S. from Britain. What: British practice of taking American sailors and forcing them into military service. Where: The Royal Navy. When: 1812-1814. Why: 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. Under British law, the navy had the right, during time of war, to sweep through the streets of Great Britain, essentially arresting men and placing them in the Royal Navy.
Bill of Rights
Who: James Madison What: The first ten amendments to the Constitution Where: Philadelphia was were the bill of rights was signed. When: These 12 were approved on September 25, 1789 and sent to the states for ratification. The 10 amendments that are now known as the Bill of Rights were ratified on December 15, 1791, thus becoming a part of the Constitution. Why: It protects five of the most basic liberties. They are freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government to right wrongs.
Virgina Plan
Who: James Madison, and Edmund Randolph What: Supported by larger states and wanted seats based on population of states Where: Virginia When:May 29, 1787 Why: The document is important for its role in setting the stage for the convention and, in particular, for creating the idea of representation according to population.
Louisiana Purchase
Who: Jefferson and James Monroe What: Territory in western United States purchased from France for $15 million. Where: Land west of the Mississippi River. When: 1801. Why: The Louisiana Purchase is important because it gave the U.S. control of the Mississippi River and the port city of New Orleans, both of which were used by farmers to ship their crops and get paid.
XYZ Affair
Who: John Adams, involving a confrontation between the United States and Republican France What: A incident in which French officials demanded a bribe from U.S. diplomats Where: United States and France When: 1797-1798 Why: In an attempt to avert war with Great Britain, the U.S. signed the Jay Treaty in 1795. ... France retaliated by seizing American ships.
Federalists
Who: John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. What: Supporters of the Constitution. Where: Central. When: Founded in 1789, Dissolved in 1824. Why: The Federalists were also aware that that the problems of the country in the 1780's stemmed from the weaknesses of the central government created by the Articles of Confederation. For Federalists, the Constitution was required in order to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created.
Election of 1824
Who: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson,Henry Clay, William H Crawford. What: No one won a majority of electoral votes, so the House of Representatives had to decide among Adams, Jackson, and Clay. Clay dropped out and urged his supporters in the House to throw their votes behind Adams. Jackson and his followers were furious and accused Adams and Clay of a "corrupt bargain." Where: United States. When: 1824. Why: The 1824 presidential election was one of the most hotly contested and most important in American history. Of the four major candidates, none received the requisite majority in the Electoral College. Ultimately, John Quincy Adams was elected the sixth president of the United States.
Ideology of the Constitution
Who: N/A What: The constitution is neither a document nor the collection of words in a document. Instead, the constitution is the dominant ideology within us an ideology that determines what we permit each other to do, as well as what we permit government to do. Where: United States. When: N/A Why: The Constitution of the United States is the central instrument of American government and the supreme law of the land.
Lake Champlain
Who: Named by Samuel de Champlain, a French explore. What: Long narrow lake in northern New York forms part of the border with Vermont Where: Lake Champlain is in the Lake Champlain Valley between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains of New York, drained northward by the 106-mile (171 km)-long Richelieu River into the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, northeast and downstream of Montreal, Quebec. When: 1609. Why: During the Revolutionary War, the lake was an important asset for allowing movement from the colonies to Canada and keeping New England a strong, connected force. It proved to be important in the military again in the War of 1812 for building ships, particularly out of Vergennes.
Merriweather Lewis
Who: Personal secretary who Jefferson sent to explore the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase. What: Was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark. Where: Born in Charlottesville, Va. When: Born August 18, 1774 Died October 11, 1809. Why: As a member of the state militia, Lewis helped to quell the Whiskey Rebellion, a Pennsylvania uprising led by farmers against taxes, in 1794. ... Lewis jumped at the chance and selected his old Army friend William Clark to join him as co-commander of the expedition.
Era of Good Feelings
Who: President James Monroe. What: A name for President Monroe's two terms, a period of strong nationalism, economic growth, and territorial expansion. Since the Federalist party dissolved after the War of 1812, there was only one political party and no partisan conflicts. Where: Boston Columbian Centinel. When: 1815 - 1825. Why: The "Era of Good Feelings" marked a period in the political history of the United States that reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among Americans in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.
Declaration of Independence
Who: Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion in Congress to declare independence. What: the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain. Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania When: July 4, 1776. Why: The Declaration of Independence is an important part of American democracy because first it contains the ideals or goals of our nation. Second it contains the complaints of the colonists against the British king.
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
Who: Rodger Sherman What: agreement providing a dual system of congressional representation Where: Connecticut When: 1787 Why: The Great Compromise saved the Constitutional Convention, and, probably, the Union.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Who: Second Continental Congress What: Created the Northwest Territory (area north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania), established conditions for self-government and statehood, included a Bill of Rights, and permanently prohibited slavery. Where: (area north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania), When: July 13, 1787 Why: Laid the basis for the government of the Northwest Territory and for the admission of its constituent parts as states into the union.
Embargo
Who: Signed by Thomas Jefferson, Affected American ships from trading in all foreign ports. What: an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country. Where:America, Britain, and France. When: December 22, 1807. Why: The Embargo Act of 1807 was an attempt by President Thomas Jefferson and the U.S. Congress to prohibit American ships from trading in foreign ports. It was intended to punish Britain and France for interfering with American trade while the two major European powers were at war with each other.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Who: The Three-Fifths Compromise was proposed by James Wilson and Roger Sherman, who were both delegates for the Constitutional Convention of 1787. What: Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment) Where: Appointed in Philadelphia. When: 1787 Why: The Three-Fifths Compromise outlined the process for states to count slaves as part of the population in order to determine representation and taxation for the federal government.
Land Ordinance of 1785
Who: The United States What: A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers. Where: The land west of the Appalachian Mountains, north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. When: 1785 Why: It was important because it established the precedent by which new states could become part of the union.
Articles of Confederation
Who: The United States What:A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War. Where:Maryland When: March 1, 1781 Why: The Articles of Confederation were essentially an early version of the US Constitution that were created as a governing agreement among the 13 original colonies/states to fight the Revolution and establish some limited federal power
Jay-Gardoqui Treaty
Who: The United States ,Spain, and Europe What:A treaty between Spain and the United States. It guaranteed Spain's exclusive right to navigate Mississippi River for 30 years. It also opened Spain's European and West Indian seaports to American shipping. Where: Mississippi River When: 1785-1786 Why: Spain rejected Jay's appeal, but agreed to secret loans to help Americans purchase armaments.
Corps of Discovery
Who: The party numbered over 45, and included 27 young, unmarried soldiers, a French-Indian interpreter, and Clark's Black slave York. What: Official name of the Lewis and Clark Expedition members. Where: The Corps of Discovery was reunited in North Dakota, at the mouth of the Yellowstone River. They left Charbonneau, Sacagawea and the baby at the Mandan villages, continued down the Missouri River, and arrived in St. Louis. When: May 14, 1804 - Sep 23, 1806. Why: The Corps of Discovery returned with a great deal of knowledge about the new United States territory west of the Mississippi -- the people, the land, the rivers, the mountains, the plants and animals. The expedition made important contributions to the mapping of the North American continent.
Andrew Jackson
Who: The seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), What: A general in the War of 1812 defeated the British at New Orleans (1815). As president he opposed the Bank of America, objected to the right of individual states to nullify disagreeable federal laws, and increased the presidential powers. Where: Born between North Carolina and South Carolina. When: March 15, 1767 - June 8, 1845. Why: Before becoming president, he served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In January 1815, Jackson led a force of mostly inexperienced volunteers against overwhelming British forces in the Battle of New Orleans. ... As president between 1829 and 1837, Jackson fundamentally altered United States politics.
Battle of Thames
Who: U.S. victory over British and Indian forces in Ontario, Canada. What: Fight in which General Harrison defeated British forces in the Northwest. Where: Delaware Nation at Moraviantown. When: October 5, 1813. Why: The Battle of the Thames was an important land battle of the War of 1812 in the American Northwest. Since the early 1800s, Tecumseh had sought to form a confederacy of American Indian tribes to stop Anglo-Americans from seizing American Indian land. Tecumseh's death marked the end of Tecumseh's.
Leopard vs. Chesapeake
Who: United States Navy ships. What: This US ship was approached by a British ship in search of 4 men who had deserted the British Navy. When the US refused to let the British search, the British opened fire. 3 men killed and 18 wounded which included the 4 British deserters. The US was furious. Where: Off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, When: June 22, 1807 Why: The "Chesapeake Affair" The most intolerable instance of the exercise of the right of impressment was the unprovoked attack on the American frigate Chesapeake by the British ship Leopard on June 22, 1807. The attack was made because the American commander refused to permit his vessel to be searched for deserters.
Quasi War
Who: United States and France What: Undeclared war fought entirely at sea between the United States and France The French began to seize American ships trading with their British enemies and refused to receive a new United States minister when he arrived in Paris in December 1796. Where: France, Britain When: 1798-1800 Why: It claimed that the debt had been owed to a previous regime. Outraged, France authorized privateers to conduct attacks on U.S. shipping, seizing numerous merchant ships, and ultimately the U.S. retaliated.
Jay's Treaty
Who: United States and Great Britain What: Was made up by John Jay. It said that Britain was to pay for Americans ships that were seized in 1793. It said that Americans had to pay British merchants debts owed from before the revolution and Britain had agreed to remove their troops from the Ohio Valley Where: London, United Kingdom When: November 19, 1794 Why: sought to settle outstanding issues between the two countries that had been left unresolved since American independence.
Convention of 1800
Who: United States of America and France. What: A conference between the U.S. and France which ended the naval hostilities. Where: Mortefontaine, France. When: 30 September 1800, Effective 21 December 1801. Why: tacitly detached the United States from its alliance with France at the price of American claims for damages.
Treaty of Ghent
Who: United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. What: Treaty that ended the War of 1812 and maintained prewar conditions. Where: Ghent, United Netherlands. When: December 24, 1814. Why: . The treaty is important because it ended any hope Great Britain may have had of reclaiming territory lost during the Revolutionary War.
Pickney's Treaty
Who: United states and Spain What: Treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S. the right to transport goods on the Mississippi river and to store goods in the Spanish port of New Orleans Where: San Lorenzo de El Escorial When: October 27, 1795 Why: he treaty was an important diplomatic success for the United States. It resolved territorial disputes between the two countries and granted American ships the right to free navigation of the Mississippi River as well as duty-free transport through the port of New Orleans, then under Spanish control.
Henry Dearborn
Who: Was an American soldier and statesman. In the Revolutionary War, he served under Benedict Arnold in the expedition to Quebec, of which his journal provides an important record. What: Commander of the army. Where: Born in Augusta, Maine. When: Born Feb. 23, 1751. Why: Revolutionary War service. When fighting in the American Revolutionary War began, Dearborn fought with the Continental Army as a captain in the 1st and 3rd New Hampshire Regiments and soon rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
War hawks
Who: Western War Hawks, most notably the new Speaker of the House, Henry Clay of Kentucky, called for war against England and eyed Canada as a possible target of expansion. The Southern War Hawks, led by John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, cast longing glances at Texas and Florida. What: Young Republicans elected to Congress in 1810 who wanted to declare war against Britain. Where: England and eyed Canada. When: 1810. Why: The War Hawks, notably Clay and Calhoun, promoted a second war against Britain. The first reason usually given for the declaration of war was the impressment of American sailors by the British navy. ... His primary target was the defeat of native North Americans along America's Western frontier.
Federalist Papers
Who: Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. What: A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail. Where: New York When: October 27, 1787 Why: The Federalist Papers are considered one of the most important sources for interpreting and understanding the original intent of the Constitution.
Thomas Jefferson
Who: Wrote the Declaration of Independence. What: He was a draftsman of the U.S. Declaration of Independence; the nation's first secretary of state (1789-94); second vice president (1797-1801); and, as the third president (1801-09), the statesman responsible for the Louisiana Purchase. Where: "Virginia Dynasty". When: Born April 13, 1743. Why: Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence., Jefferson's appointment to the Committee of Five formed to draft a declaration of independence in furtherance of the Lee Resolution passed by the Congress, which declared the United Colonies independent.
Whiskey Rebellion
Who: farmers in Pennsylvania What:rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots caused by their attempts to serve arrest warrants on the offenders. Where: Western Pennsylvania When: October, 1794, Why: The incident showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion.
Rodger Sherman
Who: introduced the great compromise declaration & Articles of confederation. What: Sherman signed the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. Where: From Massachusetts, died in New Haven. When: born April 19, 1721, —died July 23, 1793, Why: Sherman served as a delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which produced the United States Constitution.
Anti-Federalists
Who: people who opposed the Constitution What: Anti-Federalism refers to a movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. Where: Rhode Island When: 1787 Why: The Anti-Federalists were not as organized as the Federalists. They did not share one unified position on the proper form of government. However, they did unite in their objection to the Constitution as it was proposed for ratification in 1787. The Anti-Federalists argued against the expansion of national power.
William Paterson
Who: proposed the New Jersey Plan What: Paterson headed the New Jersey delegation to the federal Constitutional Convention, and in 1789, was elected one of the state's first two U.S. senators. Where: Princeton, New Jersey When: (born December 24, 1745, County Antrim, Ireland—died September 9, 1806, Albany, New York, U.S.) Why: In 1793, he accepted appointment by President George Washington to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Orders in Council
Who: the British and Americans What:British laws which led to the War of 1812. Orders-in-council passed in 1807 permitted the impressment of sailors and forbade neutral ships from visiting ports from which Britain was excluded unless they first went to Britain and traded for British goods. Where: United Kingdom When: 1806-1807 Why: these forbade French trade with the United Kingdom, its allies, or neutrals, and instructed the Royal Navy to blockade French and allied ports.
William Clark
Who:A skilled mapmaker and outdoors man chosen to explore the Louisiana Territory. What: American frontiersman who won fame as an explorer by sharing with Merriwether Lewis the leadership of their epic expedition to the Pacific Northwest. Where: Born in Caroline county, Virginia. When: Born August 1, 1770 Died September 1, 1838. Why: Clark resigned his commission in 1796 and returned home to regain his health and to manage his aging parents' estate. In 1803 he received an invitation to greatness from his friend Meriwether Lewis, to help him lead an expedition through uncharted American territory west to the Pacific Ocean.
