Upgrade to remove ads
Only $35.99/year

HIST 2

Terms in this set (50)

First Amendment
Written by James Madison, the ____ Amendment prohibits the US government from making any laws that: establish a religion, prefers one religion over another, but gives people the freedom to exercise any religion. The ____ Amendment also gives the rights of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and prevents interference of the right to peacefully assemble. The ____ Amendment is included in the Bill of Rights, which were adopted into the US Constitution on December 15, 1791. This amendment's purpose was to give American citizens civil rights and also to get support from Anti-Federalists, who opposed the ratification of the Constitution.
Second Amendment
The ____ Amendment protects the right for citizens to keep and bear arms. This amendment is included in the Bill of Rights, which was adopted into the Constitution on December 15, 1791. During the Revolutionary War, the British subjects were not allowed to arm themselves. The framers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights wanted American citizens to have this right. The ____ Amendment was influenced by the English Bill of Rights of 1689. This amendment was supported because the people believed they had natural rights of self - defense, resistance to oppression, and the civic duty to act in defense of the state.
Abigail Adams
______ _____ (1744 - 1818) is known as the first American Woman honored as the wife of a US President, and the mother of another. Her husband, John _____, the second US President, served from 1797 - to 1801, and their son, John Quincy _____, the sixth US President, served from 1825 - 1829. _______ _____ was often ahead of her time with many of her ideas. She was in opposition of slavery, believed in equal education for boys and girls, and believed it was the duty of the fortunate to help the less fortunate. _______ ______ was also a very early advocate for women's rights
Alien and Sedation Acts
One part of these acts was created by Adams, who changed the naturalization laws, new immigrants did not support this, and supported Jefferson. US authorities could determine whether a citizen of an enemy nation posed a threat to national security during wartime, and if found guilty under the outlined procedures, the president got the power to throw out troublemaker non-citizens.
The second part of these acts was created after the rising power of newspapers, which had grown from about 80 in 1787 to over 250. The act was also triggered by Democratic-Republican political clubs. This act made it a crime to write or print any opposing statements about the president which brought him, "into contempt or disrepute".
Anti - Federalists
This group of people were against the creation of a strong Federal Government because they were afraid if the US becoming like Britain. They agreed with personal liberties, states rights, and a small federal government. They were also against a more "industrial" America, and pro - agricultural economy. This group had a big impact on the political foundation of the country because of the creation of the Bill of Rights.
Articles of Confederation
Was formally ratified in 1781, its purpose was to create one national assembly where each state had one vote. It provided domestic and international legitimacy for the Continental Congress to direct the Revolutionary War, conduct diplomacy with Europe and deal with territorial issues and Native American relations. It was eventually replaced by the Constitution which provided a much stronger national government as well as the creation of a president, taxing powers, and courts.
Battle of Baltimore
This battle took place during the War of 1812, which was fought on land and on the coast of ________, Maryland between the British and American soldiers. The Americans repulsed sea and land invasions off the ________ ports and killed the British commander, Robert Ross. The British did defeat an American force at North Point, however, they withdrew from the battle soon after. ________ soon withstood the siege and was not taken by the British. This confirmed the ability of a republican government to conduct a war without surrendering its institutions.
Barbary Pirates
These pirates located on the Northern coast of Africa preyed on ships in the Mediterranean and Atlantic sea during 1785-1796. They captured 13 American ships and held over 100 sailors captive as slaves, which stopped American trade with the Mediterranean. The American government paid large sums of ransom and agreed to make annual payments to ensure peace. In 1801, Jefferson refused their demands for increased payments which was the catalyst for the pasha of Tripoli declaring war on the US. After a series of wars the interference of these pirates would end when compelled by Britain. The attacks of these pirates led directly to the creation of the US Navy. The fights with these pirates where some of our nation's first encounters with the Islamic world. Conflicts established a long lasting pattern where Americans viewed Islamic forms of government, such as monarchy and aristocracy, as opposites to freedom.
Bill for establishing religious freedom
In 1786 Thomas Jefferson authored a bill eliminating religious requirements for voting, office holding, government financial support for churches, and barred the state from forcing individuals to adopt any certain religion. Religious liberty became the model for the revolutionary generation's definition of rights as private matters that must be protected from the governments interference. In an overwhelmingly Christian nation, the separation of church and state drew a sharp line between public authority and a realm defined as "private", reinforcing the idea that rights exists as restraints on the power of government.
Bill of Rights
In 1791 the first ten amendments, authored by James Madison, were adopted into the US Constitution to guarantee individual rights against infringement by the federal government.
1. freedom of speech, religion, the press, free assembly, petition
2. right to bear arms
3. no quartering of soldiers
4. habeas corpus - no searches without warrants
5. right to jury trial - no double jepardy
6. right to counsel, speedy justice
7. jury trial in large amount civil cases
8. no excessive bail; no cruel and unusual punishment
9. enumeration of rights doesn't deny existence of other rights
10. power not delegated to the federal government
For decades, it was largely ignored but in the 20th century it would come to be revered as an indispensable expression of American freedom.
Burning of Washington DC
On August 24, 1814, after defeating the Americans at the Battle of Bladensburg, a British force led by Major General Robert Ross occupied Washington City and set fire to many public buildings. The facilities of the U.S. government, including the White House and U.S. Capitol, were largely destroyed. It was an incident during the War of 1812 between the forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and those of the United States of America. *This was the only time since the Revolutionary War that a foreign power captured and occupied the United States capital.*
Siege of Charlestown
Between March 29 - May 12, 1780, The Battle of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered forces numbering about 5,000 to the British. It was the largest surrender of an American armed force at the time .They intended to use Charleston as a base for further operations in the north.
Chesapeake vs. Leopard
Occurred on June 22, 1807 off Port Chesapeake when a British warship boarded the American frigate USS Chesapeake, as the crew of the Leopard had been following then proceeded to attack and board the American frigate looking for deserters from the Royal Navy. This resulted in surrendering after firing only one shot. The Leopard intercepted the American ship near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It extended the restriction to trade between any two hostile ports which limited the trade at sea. This was a factor in creating American hostility that led first to an embargo and then preceding to the war of 1812, between United States and Great Brittan.
Citizen Genet
Formally known as Edmond-Charles Genêt, Edmond was a French ambassador to the United States during the French Revolution. In 1793, he was dispatched to the United States to promote American support for France's wars with Spain and Britain. He arrived in Charlstown, South Carolina on April 8th. Genêt's goals in South Carolina were to recruit and arm American privateers who would join French expeditions against the British. He commissioned four privateering ships in total, including the Republicaine, the Anti-George, the Sans-Culotte, and the Citizen Genêt. Genêt organized American volunteers to fight Britain's Spanish allies in Florida. After raising a militia, Genêt set sail toward Philadelphia, stopping along the way to marshal support for the French cause and arriving on May 18. He encouraged Democratic-Republican Societies, but President Washington denounced them and they quickly withered away.
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia, 25th May to the 17th of September 1787. During this time the delegates elected George Washington to preside over the proceedings. Under Washington's control there was a document in which was drafted, following a period of intensive debate, for the provision or withholding of ratification on the part of the U.S. state legislatures. However, deputies were chosen for the Constitutional Convention as they were appointed by the legislatures of the different states. This then brought the Three-Fifths Compromise into action as they assessed the population by adding the number of allowed persons to three-fifths of "all other persons" (slaves). This was agreed to without serious dispute of the nation. The U.S had been ruled under the 1781 Articles of Confederation since independence from Britain, however, this was causing problems. The purpose of the Convention was to fix these problems, but a number of delegates wanted a new government and system altogether, rather than fixing the existing one.
Recommended textbook explanations

United States History: Beginnings to 1877

1st EditionDeborah Gray White, William Deverell
1,228 explanations

Social Studies American History: Reconstruction to the Present Guided Reading Workbook

1st EditionHOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT
1,031 explanations

The American Vision: Modern Times

1st EditionAlan Brinkley, Albert S. Broussard, Donald A. Ritchie, James M. McPherson, Joyce Appleby
1,052 explanations

The American Vision

1st EditionAlan Brinkley, Albert S. Broussard, Donald A. Ritchie, James M. McPherson, Joyce Appleby
908 explanations