| Term | Definition |
| Judiciary Act of 1789 | law that established the federal court system and the number of Supreme Court justices and that provided for the appeal of certain state court decision to the federal courts |
| Alexander Hamilton | secretary of treasury in Washington's administration |
| cabinet | the group of department heads who serve as the President's chief advisers |
| Bank of the United States | either of the two national banks, funded by the federal government and private investors, established by Congress, the first in 1791 and the second in 1816 |
| Democratic-Republicans | political party known for its support of strong state governments, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792 in opposition to the Federalist Party |
| two party system | a political system dominated by two major parties |
| protective tariff | a tax on imported goods that is intended to protect a nation's businesses from foreign competition |
| excise tax | a tax on production, sale or consumption of goods produced within a country |