| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Abigail Adams | was the wife of John Adams; the first Second Lady of the United States |
| The Federalist | written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, were a way for the writers to express their belief that it is better to have a stronger central government. |
| Shay's Rebellion | 1786- Led by Captain Daniel Shays. An uprising that flared up in western Massachusetts. |
| large-state plan | had representation in both houses based on population |
| small-state plan | had equal representation in unicameral Congress |
| Great Compromise | had the house based on population and the Senate being equal |
| Constitution of the United States | The foundation of our country's national government; was drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 |
| Northwest Ordinance | took place in 1787; They said that sections of land were similar to colonies for a while, and under the control of the Federal Government. Once a territory was inhabited by 60,000 then congress would admit it as a state; slavery was prohibited in these areas. |
| Articles of Confederation | was the first constitution of the United States of America and legally established the union of the states |
| Electoral College | group of electors that are elected by the people to elect the President of the United States in every election year; |
| Land Ordinance of 1785 | A red letter law which stated that disputed land the Old Northwest was to be equally divided into townships and sold for federal income; promoted education and ended confusing legal disagreements over land |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | where a black slave was counted as three-fifths of a person when they were counting the population. The southern states wanted them counted as one whole person for more representatives in the House of Representatives. The northern states did not want them counted at all. |
| Popular Sovereignty | the idea that people should have the right to rule themselves. |
| Anarchy | a lack of a strong centralized government. Often resulting in chaos, giving no security to landowners or upper-class people (wealthy); referring to the period of time just prior to the creation of the constitution. |
| Society of the Cincinnati | Group of Continental Army officers formed a military order in1783. They were criticized for their aristocratic ideals. |
| Checks & Balances | guarantees that no part of the government becomes too powerful. |
| Mobocracy | To be ruled by a mob (When England would impose taxes and acts, such as the Stamp Act, the colonists would become angered and protest it by forming mobs and doing such things as ransacking houses and stealing the money of stamp agents. The Stamp Act was eventually nullified because all the stamp agents had been forced to resign leaving no one to uphold it. This is an example of Mobocracy.) |
| Consent of the governed | The people of a country have to consent to be governed, otherwise they have the right to over-throw the government. This theory was coined by John Locke |
| Republicanism | the government was under the authority of the people it governs. The power in the peoples hand's is the basis for Democracy. The writers of the constitution used the Republicanism theory. |
| Primogeniture | only the eldest son of the parents could inherit a landed estate |
| Federation | Thomas Jefferson wanted a tightly knit federation. This involved the yielding by the states of their sovereignty to a completely new federal government. This would give the states freedom to control their local affairs. |
| Daniel Shays | Captain Daniel Shays was a radical veteran of the Revolution. He led a rebellion, fittingly named Shays Rebellion. He felt he was fighting against a tyranny. |
| James Madison | Nicknamed "the Father of the Constitution"; talented politician sent to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787; his notable contributions to the Constitution helped to convince the public to ratify it. |
| Battle of Fallen Timber | An attack made by American General "Mad Anthony Wayne" against invading Indians from the northwest. The defeat of the Indians ended the alliance made with the British and Indians. |
| Farewell Address | a document by George Washington in 1796, when he retired from office. It wasn't given orally, but was printed in newspapers. |
| Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions | were put into practice in 1798 by Jefferson and James Madison. These resolutions were secretly made to get the rights back taken away by the Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws took away freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. These resolutions also brought about the later compact theory which gave the states more power than the federal government. |
| Treaty of Greenville | Gave America all of Ohio after General Mad Anthony Wayne battled and defeated the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. 1795 Allowed Americans to explore the area with peace of mind that the land belonged to America and added size and very fertile land to America. |
| Pinckey Treaty | 1795; Gave America what they demanded from the Spanish. Free navigation of the Mississippi, large area of north Florida. |
| Convention of 1800 Treat | signed in Paris that ended France's peacetime military alliance with America. Napoleon was eager to sign this treaty so he could focus his attention on conquering Europe and perhaps create a New World empire in Louisiana. This ended the "quasi-war" between France and America. |
| Neutrality Proclamation | 1793; issued by George Washington, established isolationist policy, proclaimed government's official neutrality in widening European conflicts also warned American citizens about intervening on either side of conflict. |
| Alien and Sedition Acts | were four bills passed in 1798 by the Federalists in the 5th United States Congress |
| Talleyrand French | foreign minister; In 1797, Adams sent a diplomatic commission to France to settle matters about the upset of the Jay Treaty of 1794. The French thought that America was siding with the English violating the Franco-American Treaty of 1778. The commission was sent to talk to Talleyrand about the seizing of American ships by the French. Communication between the commission and Talleyrand existed between three go betweeners (XYZ) because talking to Talleyrand in person would cost a quarter of a million dollars. Americans soon negotiated and this act subtly started an undeclared war with France. |
| Compact Theory | popular among the English political philosophers in the eighteenth century. In America, it was supported by Jefferson and Madison. It meant that the thirteen states, by creating the federal government, had entered into a contract about its jurisdiction. The national government was the agent of the states. This meant that the individual states were the final judges of the national government's actions. The theory was the basis for the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions passed in 1798. |
| Nullification | to make a law invalid |
| French Revolution | began in 1789 with some nonviolent restrictions on the king, but became more hostile in 1792 when France declared war on Austria. Seeking help from America, the French pointed to the Franco-American alliance of 1778. Not wanting to get involved for fear of damage to the trade business, Washington gave the Neutrality Proclamation, which made America neutral. This led to arguments between Americans and French. After fighting with the French over such things as the Jay Treaty, the Americans came to peace with France in 1800. |
| John Adams | American politician and the second President of the United States; A Federalist who was Vice President under Washington in 1789 |
| Amendment Nine | The amendment states that the enumeration in the constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. It was written by James Madison in 1791 to stop the possibility that enumerating such rights might possibly lead to the assumption that the rights were the only ones protected. |
| Tenth Amendment | Last Amendment in the Bill of Rights which was created to protect American citizens natural rights. The Tenth Amendment states that the "powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states and the people." This allows for a strong central government but it does not allow it to become all powerful by still allowing states and people rights. |
| Jeffersonian Republicans | one of nations first political parties, led by Thomas Jefferson and stemming from the anti-federalists, emerged around 1792, gradually became today's Democratic party. The Jeffersonian republicans were pro-French, liberal, and mostly made up of the middle class. They favored a weak central govt., and strong states' rights. |
| Judiciary Act of 1789 | organized the Supreme Court, originally with five justices and a chief justice, along with several federal district and circuit courts. It also created the attorney general's office. This Act created the judiciary branch of the U.S. government and thus helped to shape the future of this country. |
| Citizen Genet | was a French ambassador to the United States during the French Revolution |
| Anthony Wayne | A General, nicknamed "Mad Anthony". Beat Northwest Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794. Left British made arms on the fields of battle. After that the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 led to the Indians ceding their claims to a vast tract in the Ohio Country. |
| Agrarian | Means having to do with agriculture. The agrarian society were the farmers and plantation owners of the south. This was the society that Jefferson wanted to see become the future of America. He appreciated the many virtuous and beneficial characteristics. |
| Excise Tax | a tax on the manufacturing of an item. Helped Hamilton to achieve his theory on a strong central government, supported by the wealthy manufacturers. This tax mainly targeted poor Western front corn farmers (Whiskey). This was used to demonstrate the power of the Federal Government, and sparked the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. |
| The Cabinet | A body of executive department heads that serve as the chief advisors to the President. Formed during the first years of Washington's Presidency, the original members of the cabinet included the Sec. of State, of the Tres. and of War. The cabinet is extremely important to the presidency, because these people influence the most powerful man in the nation. |
| Bill of Rights | The first ten amendments of the Constitution, the bill of rights was added in 1791 when it was adopted by the necessary number of states. It guarantees such civil liberties as freedom of speech, free press, and freedom of religion. Written by James Madison. |
| Whiskey Rebellion | A small rebellion, that began in Southwestern Pennsylvania in 1794 that was a challenge to the National Governments unjust use of an excise tax on an "economic medium of exchange". Washington crushed the rebellion with excessive force, proving the strength of the national governments power in its military, but was condemned for using a "sledge hammer to crush a gnat." |
| Funding at Par | an economic plan devised in 1790 by Hamilton in order to "bolster the nation's credit" and strengthen the central government. It was a plan to exchange old bonds for new bonds at face value. This would take on the dents of all the states and reinforce faith in the government bonds. |
| Strict Constitution | Jefferson and his states' right disciples believed the Constitution should be interpreted "literally" or "strictly". The reason why was to protect individual rights. |
| Assumption | Part of Hamilton's economic theory. Stated that the federal government would assume all the states' debts for the American Revolution. This angered states such as Virginia who had already paid off their debts. |
| Implied Powers | refers to the powers of the government found in the constitution in unwritten forms. |
| John Jay | Chief Justice of the United States; in 1794 George Washington sent him to negotiate a treaty with England; American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States. |
| Thomas Jefferson | was the Secretary of State; was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States. |
| Alexander Hamilton | great political leader; youngest and brightest of Federalists; "father of the National Debt"; from New York; became a major general; military genius; 1st Secretary of Treasury; lived from 1755-1804; became Secretary of the Treasury under George Washington in 1789; |
| Embargo Act | 1807; passed by Congress forbidding all exportation of goods from the United States |
| Louisiana Purchase | In 1803 Thomas Jefferson purchased 828,000 square miles of land for 15 million dollars from Napoleon the leader of France. The land mass stretched from the Gulf of Mexico all the to Rocky Mountains and Canada. |
| Non-Intercoarse Act | Formally reopened trade with all nations except England and France on March 1, 1809. A replacement of the Embargo Act. Made by the Republican Congress in an attempt to make England and France stop harassing the American ships and recognize the neutrality of America. |
| Midnight Judges | a nick name given to group of judges that was appointed by John Adams the night before he left office. He appointed them to go to the federal courts to have a long term federalist influence, because judges serve for life instead of limited terms |
| The Judiciary Act of 1801 | passed by the Federalist congress where the old capital was located. It was one of the last laws passed by the federalist congress. This law allowed the president, then President Adams, would stay up until midnight signing in new federal judges across the nation. It allowed the Federalists to still maintain power in the nation after they were a minority party in congress. This act brought bitterness between the two parties. These judges that were passed during the last day of President Adams were called "midnight Judges". |
| Orders in Council | was a law passed by the English Parliament in 1793; lead to the War of 1812 |
| The Chesapeake Incident | happened on June 22, 1807; the British fourth-rate warship Leopard attacked and boarded the American frigate Chesapeake. |
| Marbury V. Madison | Sec. of State James Madison held up one of John Adams' "Midnight Judges" appointments. The appointment was for a Justice of the Peace position for William Marbury. Marbury sued. Fellow Hamiltonian and Chief Justice John Marshall dismissed Marbury's suit, avoiding a political showdown and magnifying the power of the Court. This case cleared up controversy over who had final say in interpreting the Constitution: the states did not, the Supreme Court did. This is judicial review. |
| Judicial Review | gave the Supreme Court the power to decide if a law is or is not constitutional. |
| Impeachment | to accuse a public official of misconduct in office. |
| Impressment | the forcible enlistment of soldiers |
| Economic Coercion | The English navy stole American sailors from 1806 until 1811 angering Jefferson and the country. Jefferson, however, did not wish to engage in war with England because of the countries weak navy and army. So he came up with the idea of using economic coercion to force Britain to come to Jefferson, and agree to his terms. He came up with the Embargo Act which cut off all trade with England and everyone else. Jefferson hoped this would force the English to come to his terms and stop stealing American sailors. This, however, did not work and greatly hurt American trade. |
| Meriwether Lewis | Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. |
| Patronage | like the "spoils system." When an elected official fills appointed positions with friends that helped him/her get elected. |
| John Marshall | was an American statesman and jurist who shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power. Marshall was Chief Justice of the United States, serving from February 4, 1801, until his death in 1835. He served in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1799, to June 7, 1800, and, under President John Adams, was Secretary of State from June 6, 1800, to March 4, 1801. Marshall was from the Commonwealth of Virginia and a leader of the Federalist Party. |
| Aaron Burr | running mate with Thomas Jefferson. They tied for the presidency. |
| William Marbury | President Adams named him a justice of the peace for the District of Columbia. |
| Toussaint L' Overture | skillfully led a group of angry ex-slaves against French troops in Santo Domingo |
| Samuel Chase | was a strong supporter of the American Revolution, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, an ardent Federalist, and the only Supreme Court Justice ever to be impeached. A lawyer by profession, in 1796 he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by president Washington. |
| James Monroe | fifth President of the United States; sent to Paris in 1803 to buy New Orleans and as much land as possible to the east for a maximum of ten million dollars. |
| William Clark | Explorer along with Merriwether Lewis sent out to explore the recently purchased Louisiana Territory. He served as the artist and cartographer. |
| Albert Gallatin | secretary of the treasury under Thomas Jefferson. He was called the "Watchdog of the Treasury," and proved to be as able as Alexander Hamilton. |
| Robert Livingston | bought New Orleans and all the French territory west of the Mississippi River from Napoleon for 15 million dollars. |
| Zebulon M. Pike | A pioneer who explored the Louisiana territory between 1805 - 1807. He explored Colorado, New Mexico, & Mississippi. He was a leader of the new land. |
| Henry Clay | American statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He served as Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. |
| John Quincy Adams | sixth President of the United States from March 4, 1825 to March 4, 1829. He was also an American diplomat and served in both the Senate and House of Representatives. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties; helped formulate the Monroe Doctrine as Secretary of State |
| Mosquito Fleet | It is the term used to describe the United States Navy's fleet of small gunboats, leading up to and during the War of 1812. |
| Revolution of 1800 | Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated incumbent president John Adams. |
| Macon's Bill No. 2 | May 1, 1810, was intended to motivate 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 that opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812 |
| Judiciary Act of 1789 | a landmark statute adopted on September 24, 1789 in the first session of the First United States Congress establishing the U.S. federal judiciary. |
| Battle of Austerlitz | "Battle of the Three Emperors" - was one of Napoleon Bonaparte's greatest victories, effectively destroying the Third Coalition against the French Empire. |
| Henry Knox | n American bookseller from Boston who became the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army and later the nation's first Secretary of War. |
| Matthew Lyon | was a printer, farmer, soldier and politician, serving as a United States Representative from Vermont and from Kentucky. |
| Bank of the United States | was created to handle the financial needs and requirements of the central government of the newly formed United States |
| XYZ Affair | a diplomatic scandal that lasted from March of 1797 to 1800. Three French agents, originally only publicly referred to as X, Y, and Z, but later revealed as Jean Conrad Hottinguer, Pierre Bellamy and Lucien Hauteval, demanded enormous concessions from the United States as a condition for continuing bilateral peace negotiations. |
| Tariff | is a duty imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary. |
| Jay's Treaty | was a treaty between the United States and Great Britain which averted war[2], solved many issues left over from the American Revolution[3], and opened ten years of largely peaceful trade in the midst of the French Revolutionary Wars. |
| Republicanism | the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections |
| Confederation | the union of the 13 original U.S. states under the Articles of Confederatio |
| Anti-Federalists | did not want to ratify the Constitution |
| Federalists | those in favor of the ratification of the Constitution |
| Napoleon Bonaparte | a military and political leader of France; One of the greatest military leaders in history, and emperor of France he conquered much of Europe. |
| War Hawks | a coterie of about twenty Democratic Republicans who persuaded Congress into supporting a declaration of war against Britain |
| The Prophet | Tenskwatawa; was a Native American religious and political leader of the Shawnee tribe; brother of Tecumseh. |
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