U.S. Early Federal History: Key Acts, Events, and Supreme Court Cases

Judiciary Act of 1789

Created the federal judiciary system (Supreme Court, circuit & district courts)

Whiskey Rebellion

1794 tax protest by western PA farmers against an excise tax on distilled spirits; Washington used militia force to enforce federal law

US Reaction to the French Revolution

Divided Americans: Federalists feared radicalism and leaned toward Britain, Democratic-Republicans sympathized with French republicanism

Battle of Fallen Timbers

1794 U.S. victory over Native confederacy in the Northwest Territory; led to the Treaty of Greenville and opened land for settlement

Jay's Treaty

Treaty (John Jay) with Britain to avert war, resolved some frontier and trade issues but angered many Americans

XYZ Affair

Diplomatic incident: French agents (named X/Y/Z) demanded bribes from U.S. diplomatic

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws that increased residency requirement for citizenship, allowed detention/deportation of noncitizens

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Arguing states could interpose against unconstitutional federal laws; response to Alien & Sedition Acts

Election of 1800

Jefferson defeated Adams; first peaceful transfer of power between opposing parties

Marbury vs. Madison

Established judicial review — the Court's authority to get rid of laws it finds unconstitutional

Burr and Hamilton Duel

1804 duel in which Aaron Burr fatally shot Alexander Hamilton

Louisiana Purchase

1803 purchase from France that roughly doubled U.S. territory (about $15 million) and opened westward expansion

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1804-1806 exploratory expedition (Corps of Discovery) funded by Jefferson to map the Louisiana Territory, and find ways to the pacific

Sacajawea

She was the native who led Lewis and Clark on their expedition

Tecumseh's Confederacy

Pan-Indian confederation led by Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa resisting U.S. expansion into the Old Northwest

Judiciary Act of 1801

Act passed by Federalists to reorganize courts and pack the judiciary (reduced justices on Supreme Court)

War of 1812

War between U.S. and Britain (1812-1815) over maritime rights, impressment, and frontier conflicts; produced national pride and confirmed U.S. independence in practice

War Hawks

Young, nationalist Congressmen (e.g., Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun) who pushed for war with Britain around 1811-1812 to defend national honor and expand territory

Treaty of Ghent

Peace treaty that ended the War of 1812; restored prewar boundaries

American System

Henry Clay's economic plan: protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements to foster a self-sufficient national economy

National Road/ Erie Canal

Major internal-improvement projects that improved transportation and westward commerce

Treaty of 1816

A series of treaties (e.g., Treaty of St. Louis and other agreements) ceded lands from various Native nations to the U.S. and established boundaries

McCullogh vs Maryland

Supreme Court decision confirming implied powers of Congress and that states cannot tax federal institutions

Adams-Onis Treaty

Treaty in which Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. and defined western boundary between U.S. and New Spain

Monroe Doctrine

James Monroe's foreign-policy declaration warning European powers against further colonization in the Americas and pledging non-intervention in Europe's affairs

Missouri Compromise

Compromise admitting Missouri (slave) and Maine (free) and drawing 36°30′ line across the Louisiana Territory, limiting slavery's expansion north of that line

Embargo act

Ban to stop US ships from trading with US ships. Signed to punish Britain and France

impressment

When British stole US soldiers and made them fight for the British army