Key Terms from Early U.S. History Module 3

Alien Act

(1798) gave the president power to deport foreign nationalists (any foreigner he felt was dangerous); many times they were referred to as aliens who are citizens of the countries that are at war with the U.S. Not enforced a lot, the scare was enough to make many of the "aliens" leave.

Antifederalist

Opposed the creation of a stronger U.S federal government and later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. They wanted to fix the Articles of Confederation and advocated for a Bill of Rights.

Articles of Confederation

The written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. Gave more power to the state rather than the federal government. Written by John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware.

Bank of the United States

(1791) Part of Hamilton's financial system (fiscal policy). It helped fund the public debt left from the American Revolution, facilitated the issuance of a stable national currency, and provided a convenient means of exchange for all the people of the US.

Battle of New Orleans

(January 8, 1815) The US achieved its greatest land victory of the War of 1812 at New Orleans, defeating the British in their attempt to take control of the major US port. This victory forced the British to recognize the US claims to Louisiana and West Florida and to ratify the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war.

Battle of Tippecanoe

(November 7, 1811) Took place in Battle Ground, Indiana, fought between American soldiers and Native American warriors. Catalyst for the War of 1812 because the US saw the Indians had British weapons, indicating English support.

bicameral

(of a legislative body) having two branches or chambers.

Bill of Rights

(October 2, 1789) The first 10 Amendments of the Constitution that guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual, like freedom of speech, press, and religion. Created by James Madison.

cabinet

A body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders.

check and balances

Provides each branch of government with individual powers to check the other branches and prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Congress

A national legislative body established by the Constitution of 1787, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state sends elected representatives and senators to Congress.

Constitutional Convention

(May and September of 1787) Met to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation.

Democratic-Republican Party

Also referred to as Jeffersonian Republican Party, believed the people should have political power, favored strong state governments, emphasized agriculture, favored strict interpretation of the constitution, were pro-French, opposed national banks, and opposed protective tariffs. Founded by Jefferson.

electoral college

538 electors; the process used in the US to elect a president.

Embargo Act of 1807

Closed U.S. ports to all exports and restricted imports from Britain. Thomas Jefferson's response to British and French interference with neutral U.S. merchant ships during the Napoleonic Wars.

excise tax

A legislated tax on specific goods or services at purchase such as fuel, tobacco, and alcohol.

executive branch

Consists of the President, his or her advisors, and various departments and agencies. This branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land.

federalism

The division and sharing of power between the national and state governments.

Federalist Party

Nationalist American political party and the first political party in the United States, dominating the national government from 1789 to 1801.

Federalists

Led by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government. Main leaders included Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who wrote the Federalist Papers to convince Americans to support the Constitution.

Fort McHenry

Known as 'The Birthplace of the National Anthem,' during the War of 1812, the Fort's garrison stood firm during a severe naval bombardment by British forces, saving the City of Baltimore and raising American morale.

Gabriel's Rebellion

In 1800, a highly intelligent and literate enslaved man named Gabriel conceived and organized a plan for a widespread slave uprising. The state of Virginia executed 27 blacks, including Gabriel, by public hanging.

gradual emancipation

A legal mechanism used by some states to abolish slavery over time without causing unrest among slave-owners and without making slavery immediately illegal.

Hartford Convention

A meeting of New England Federalists held in Hartford, Connecticut in the winter of 1814-15, opposing the War of 1812 and seeking redress from Washington for their complaints.

House of Representatives

Makes and passes federal laws. It's the lower house of the United States Congress, based on the population of the states.

implied powers

The abilities and powers that a government branch has that are not explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution but are suggested to be applicable in some or all cases.

Impressment

The practice of forcing men to serve in the military against their will, most often used by the British Navy, often involving violence.

Indian Confederacy

a loose confederacy of Native Americans in the Great Lakes region of the United States created after the American Revolutionary War.

internal improvements

public works form the end of the American Revolution. Such as creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canals and harbors.

Jay Treaty of 1794

settle unresolved tensions since American independence. Helped avert war between the two nations.

judicial branch

decides the constitutionality of federal laws and resolves other disputes about federal laws. Included the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

judicial review

power of the Supreme Court and federal courts. The ability of the Court to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution.

Judiciary Acts of 1798 and 1801

eliminated a Supreme Court seat and relieved justices of circuit court responsibilities.

Land Ordinances of 1785

was passed to regulate trade in the Northwest Territory. The Articles of Confederation gave states claims to western lands.

legislative branch

established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

(1804-1806) was a federally funded venture to explore the North American West, sponsored by President Jefferson.

loose or broad interpretation

the Federal government can do what is good for the country even if the Constitution doesn't explicitly allow it.

Louisiana Purchase

The United States purchased 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River, doubling its size.

Marbury v. Madison

(February 24, 1803) the U.S. Supreme Court first declared an act of Congress unconstitutional, thus establishing the doctrine of judicial review.

narrow or strict interpretation

interpreting the Constitution based on a literal and narrow definition of the language without reference to modern conditions.

Neutrality

the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict.

New Jersey Plan

The Plan called for each state to have one vote in Congress instead of the number of votes being based on population.

Northwest Ordinances of 1787

chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union, and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory.

Pinckney Treaty of 1787

defined the border between the United States and Spanish Florida, and guaranteed the United States navigation rights on the Mississippi River.

popular sovereignty

the leaders of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people.

Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

announcement issued by U.S. President George Washington on April 22, 1793, that declared the nation neutral in the conflict between revolutionary France and Great Britain.

protective tariffs

taxes, dues, or fees placed on foreign goods to protect domestic industries by reducing competition from international businesses.

Quasi-war

(1789-1801) between America and France, a limited naval war against French privateers who were seizing U.S. shipping in the Caribbean.

ratification

the action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.

republic

a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives.

Republican Motherhood

an 18th-century term for an attitude toward women's roles present in the emerging United States centered on the belief that patriots' daughters should uphold republicanism.

Republicanism

support for a republican system of government.

Revolution of 1800

Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated the Federalist Party candidate, incumbent president John Adams, marking a political realignment.

Sedition Act

made it a crime for American citizens to 'print, utter, or publish... any false, scandalous, and malicious writing' about the government.

senate

The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state, and has the sole power to confirm presidential appointments.

Shays' Rebellion

led by farmers in Massachusetts who couldn't pay back war debts, exposing the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation.

Supreme Court

the highest court in the United States and is elected by popular vote.

The Star-Spangled Banner

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814. Written by Francis Scott.

Three fifths Compromise

three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation.

Treaty of Fort Jackson

The Treaty of Fort Jackson ended the fighting of the Creek War but began a series of negotiations between the Creek community and the U.S. Government for land, property, and monetary resources. Under the terms of the treaty, the Creek Nation ceded nearly 22 million acres to the United States.

Treaty of Ghent

The Treaty of Ghent was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. Great Britain agreed to relinquish claims to the Northwest Territory, and both countries pledged to work toward ending the slave trade.

unicameral

(of a legislative body) having a single legislative chamber.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolution

Drafted in secret by future Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the resolutions condemned the Alien and Sedition Acts as unconstitutional and claimed that because these acts overstepped federal authority under the Constitution, they were null and void.

Virginia Declaration of Rights

drawn upon by Thomas Jefferson for the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence. It was widely copied by the other colonies and became the basis of the Bill of Rights.

Virginia plan

Introduced to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, James Madison's Virginia Plan outlined a strong national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The plan called for a legislature divided into two bodies (the Senate and the House of Representatives) with proportional representation.

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

is a statement about both freedom of conscience and the principle of separation of church and state. Written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786, it is the forerunner of the first amendment protections for religious freedom.

War Hawks

led by Henry Clay, mostly young politicians from west and south argued that military force was the only option left to combat British imperiousness.

War of 1812

(June 18, 1812-February 17, 1815), conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain over British violations of U.S. maritime rights. It ended with the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty of Ghent. The tensions that caused the War of 1812 arose from the French revolution (1792-99) and Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815). The War of 1812 was crucial for the United States. First, it effectively destroyed the Indians' ability to resist American expansion east of the Mississippi River.

Washington's Farewell Address

Washington offered his advice to the citizens of the United States. His key points were to warn Americans against the danger of political parties, to remain neutral in foreign conflicts and to celebrate their achievements. He wrote it near the end of the second term of his presidency before retiring to his home at Mount Vernon in Virginia.

Whiskey Rebellion

The Whiskey Rebellion was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. Brought on by Alexander Hamilton.

XYZ Affairs

(1797-1798) involved an American peace delegation in France, three agents of the French Foreign Minister (labeled as X, Y, and Z in President John Adams' initial communications with Congress), and the French Foreign Minister's demand for a bribe from the American delegation.

Aaron Burr

Served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 during Thomas Jefferson's first presidential term. He was a co-founder of the Bank of New York, which he founded in June 1784 along with Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 during George Washington's presidency. Created a financial plan to help pay back debts from the American Revolution.

George Mason

authorship of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the Virginia Bill of Rights and Constitution.

George Washington

first president of the US.

Henry Clay

Henry Clay Sr. was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Leader of the War Hawks.

Henry Knox

serving as chief of artillery in most of Washington's campaigns. Later, Knox became Secretary of War under President Washington.

James Madison

was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

John Adams

John Adams was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801.

John C Calhoun

John Caldwell Calhoun was an American statesman and political theorist who served as the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. Born in South Carolina, he adamantly defended American slavery and sought to protect the interests of white Southerners.

John Jay

was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, abolitionist, signatory of the Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served as the second governor of New York and the first chief justice of the United States.

John Marshall

John Marshall was an American statesman, lawyer, and Founding Father who served as the fourth chief justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835.

Tecumseh

was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands.

Thomas Jefferson

was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809.