Unit 4 chapter 8 APUSH

1. Bank of the United States (p. 295)

Definition: A national bank created by Alexander Hamilton to hold government money and control the nation’s finances.
Significance: It caused major debate — supporters said it would strengthen the economy, while opponents said it gave the federal government too much power and helped the wealthy.

2. Report on Manufactures (p. 295)

Definition: A plan written by Hamilton that encouraged factories and industry in America.
Significance: It showed Hamilton’s vision of an industrial economy and created tension with those who wanted an agricultural nation.

3. “Strict constructionists” (p. 297)

Definition: People who believed the government should only do what the Constitution specifically allows.
Significance: This view limited federal power and opposed ideas like the national bank, leading to the rise of political parties.

4. The Genet Affair (p. 298)

Definition: A scandal where French diplomat Edmond Genet tried to get Americans to support France’s war with Britain.
Significance: It angered President Washington and showed the challenges of staying neutral in foreign conflicts.

5. Impressment (p. 298)

Definition: When the British captured American sailors and forced them to serve in the British navy.
Significance: It caused anger in the U.S. and helped lead to later conflicts with Britain, like the War of 1812.

6. Jay’s Treaty (p. 298)

Definition: A treaty made by John Jay to improve relations with Britain after the Revolution.
Significance: It avoided war but upset many Americans who thought it favored Britain over France.

7. Whiskey Rebellion (p. 299)

Definition: A protest by farmers against a tax on whiskey.
Significance: It tested the new government’s power—Washington sent troops to stop it, proving federal authority was strong.

8. The Key of Liberty (p. 301)

Definition: A political pamphlet written by William Manning defending ordinary people’s rights and warning against government corruption.
Significance: It represented early democratic ideas and distrust of elites.

9. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (p. 304)

Definition: A book by Mary Wollstonecraft arguing that women deserve equal education and rights as men.
Significance: It became an early and influential work for women’s rights and equality.

10. Judith Sargent Murray (p. 304)

Definition: An early American writer who argued that women have the same intellectual ability as men.
Significance: She helped lay the foundation for future women’s rights movements.

11. XYZ Affair (p. 306)

Definition: A scandal where French officials demanded bribes from U.S. diplomats before talks could begin.
Significance: It led to anti-French feelings and an undeclared naval war with France.

12. Alien and Sedition Acts (p. 306)

Definition: Laws passed by Federalists that made it harder for immigrants to become citizens and punished people who criticized the government.
Significance: They violated free speech rights and angered Democratic-Republicans.

13. Matthew Lyon (p. 307)

Definition: A congressman jailed under the Sedition Act for criticizing President Adams.
Significance: His case showed how the Alien and Sedition Acts limited freedom of speech.

14. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (p. 307)

Definition: Statements written by Jefferson and Madison saying states could ignore federal laws they thought were unconstitutional.
Significance: They argued for states’ rights and challenged federal power.

15. First Fugitive Slave Law (p. 309)

Definition: A 1793 law requiring people to return escaped enslaved individuals to their owners.
Significance: It strengthened slavery and angered abolitionists in the North.

16. Gabriel’s Rebellion (p. 310)

Definition: A planned slave revolt in Virginia led by Gabriel, an enslaved blacksmith.
Significance: The rebellion was stopped, but it terrified slaveholders and led to stricter laws against enslaved people.

17. Marbury v. Madison (p. 312)

Definition: A Supreme Court case that established the power of judicial review, meaning courts can declare laws unconstitutional.
Significance: It gave the Supreme Court a lasting role as a check on other branches of government.

18. Louisiana Purchase (p. 312)

Definition: The 1803 deal where the U.S. bought a huge amount of land from France, doubling its size.
Significance: It greatly expanded the nation and gave control of the Mississippi River.

19. Embargo Act (p. 317)

Definition: A law that stopped all American trade with foreign countries to avoid war.
Significance: It hurt the U.S. economy, especially merchants, and was very unpopular.

20. Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa (p. 319)

Definition: Native American brothers who tried to unite tribes to resist U.S. expansion.
Significance: Their movement showed Native resistance to losing land and culture.

21. Hartford Convention (p. 324)

Definition: A meeting of New England Federalists who opposed the War of 1812 and discussed possible secession.
Significance: It damaged the Federalist Party’s reputation and led to its decline.