USHistory H unit 2

What type of government did the Constitution create?

A representative democracy with three branches.

What are the three branches of government?

Legislative (makes laws), executive (carries out laws), judicial (interprets laws).

What are checks and balances?

A system preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

Allows Congress to pass laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers.

Who won the Election of 1789?

George Washington unanimously; John Adams became vice president.

What were the first ten amendments called?

The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791.

What did the Judiciary Act of 1789 establish?

The structure of the federal court system.

What did Thomas Jefferson believe about government?

Limited national government, strong states, and power for ordinary people.

What did Alexander Hamilton believe about government?

A strong central government led by educated elites.

How did Jefferson and Hamilton differ economically?

Jefferson favored agriculture; Hamilton favored manufacturing, industry, and shipping.

What is strict interpretation of the Constitution?

Government can exercise only powers explicitly stated in the Constitution.

What is loose interpretation of the Constitution?

Government can use implied powers to carry out its listed responsibilities.

Who supported the Federalists?

Alexander Hamilton.

Who supported the Democratic-Republicans?

Thomas Jefferson.

What was Hamilton's economic plan?

Pay national and state debts, issue new bonds, and create a national bank.

Why did Jefferson oppose the National Bank?

He believed it was unconstitutional and increased federal power.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion?

A 1794 protest by western Pennsylvania farmers against a whiskey excise tax.

How did Washington respond to the Whiskey Rebellion?

He sent federal troops, demonstrating the government's ability to enforce laws.

What was Washington's foreign policy toward the French Revolution?

Neutrality; he avoided supporting either France or Britain.

What was the Genet Affair?

French diplomat Edmond Genet recruited Americans to fight Britain, violating U.S. neutrality.

What did Pinckney's Treaty accomplish?

Spain opened the Mississippi River and New Orleans to American traders and settled boundary issues.

What did Jay's Treaty accomplish?

Britain agreed to evacuate Northwest Territory forts but retained fur-trading rights.

What did Washington warn against in his Farewell Address?

Permanent foreign alliances and the dangers of political parties.

What is sectionalism?

Putting the interests of one region above those of the nation.

What was the XYZ Affair?

French officials demanded a $250,000 bribe from American diplomats.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Laws restricting immigrants and punishing certain criticism of the federal government.

What was the principle of nullification?

The claim that states could cancel federal laws they considered unconstitutional.

What did the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions oppose?

The Alien and Sedition Acts as unconstitutional abuses of federal power.

What happened in the Election of 1800?

Jefferson tied electorally with Aaron Burr; the House chose Jefferson as president.

What did the 12th Amendment change?

Electors cast separate ballots for president and vice president.

What was judicial review?

The Supreme Court's power to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.

Why was Marbury v. Madison important?

The 1803 decision established the principle of judicial review.

Who were the Midnight Judges?

Federalist judges appointed by John Adams near the end of his presidency.

What was the Louisiana Purchase?

The 1803 purchase of Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.

What was a major effect of the Louisiana Purchase?

It doubled the size of the United States.

What was the purpose of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

Explore the West, gather scientific information, and learn about Native American tribes.

Who was Sacagawea?

A Native American woman who served as interpreter and guide on the Lewis and Clark expedition.

What was impressment?

The British practice of seizing Americans at sea and forcing them into the British navy.

What was the Chesapeake incident of 1807?

A British warship attacked the American naval ship Chesapeake after its captain refused a search.

What was the Embargo Act of 1807?

A ban on American exports intended to pressure foreign powers; it hurt the U.S. economy.

Who became the fourth U.S. president?

James Madison, elected in 1808.

Who was Tecumseh?

A Shawnee chief who sought a united Native American confederacy to defend Native lands.

What happened at the Battle of Tippecanoe?

In 1811, William Henry Harrison defeated forces led by Tecumseh's brother, the Prophet.

Who were the War Hawks?

Young Southern and Western congressmen who called for war against Britain.

What were the main causes of the War of 1812?

Impressment, trade restrictions, and tensions involving Native Americans and British support.

Which Native American leader allied with Britain during the War of 1812?

Tecumseh, who hoped British aid would help stop U.S. expansion.

What happened when the British burned Washington, D.C., in 1814?

British forces burned the Capitol, White House, and other public buildings.

Who led the American victory at the Battle of New Orleans?

General Andrew Jackson, on January 8, 1815.

What was the Treaty of Ghent?

The December 24, 1814 peace agreement that ended the War of 1812.

Washington’s first cabinet

John Adams was vice president; Alexander Hamilton was secretary of the treasury; Henry Knox was secretary of war; Thomas Jefferson was secretary of state; Edmund Randolph was attorney general.

Representative democracy

A system in which citizens elect representatives to make laws and decisions for them.

Republic

A government in which citizens elect leaders; political power is not held by a monarch.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791 to protect individual liberties.

Judiciary Act of 1789

Created the federal court system, including the Supreme Court, federal district and circuit courts, and the office of attorney general.

National Bank

Hamilton’s proposal for a federally chartered bank to hold government money, make loans, support business, and build U.S. credit.

Hamilton’s view of the National Bank

Supported it through a broad interpretation of the Constitution and the necessary and proper clause; he believed it would strengthen the economy and federal government.

Jefferson’s view of the National Bank

Opposed it because he believed the Constitution did not specifically authorize a bank; he favored strict interpretation and feared too much federal power.

Elastic clause / Necessary and Proper Clause

Part of the Constitution that allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its listed powers.

Strict interpretation

The idea that the federal government can only do what the Constitution explicitly says it can do.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 protest by western farmers against a federal whiskey tax; Washington sent troops, proving the federal government could enforce its laws.

Washington’s neutrality policy

Washington tried to keep the United States out of the war between Britain and France.

Why did Washington favor neutrality?

The young United States was militarily and economically weak and needed to avoid being drawn into European conflict.

Jay’s Treaty

An agreement with Britain in which Britain agreed to leave forts in the Northwest Territory and both nations continued trade; it was unpopular because it did little for U.S. sailors and Native Americans.

Pinckney’s Treaty

An agreement with Spain that settled border disputes, gave Americans navigation rights on the Mississippi River, and gave access to New Orleans.

Battle of Fallen Timbers

A 1794 U.S. victory over Native American forces in the Northwest Territory led by General Anthony Wayne.

Treaty of Greenville

A treaty after Fallen Timbers in which Native nations gave up much of present-day Ohio; it began a pattern of U.S. purchases of Native land for unfairly low amounts.

Alien Acts

Laws passed under Adams that raised the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years and allowed the president to deport or jail immigrants considered dangerous.

Sedition Act

A law that punished criticism of the federal government; opponents argued it violated the First Amendment.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Responses to the Alien and Sedition Acts written by Madison and Jefferson; they argued that states could judge whether federal laws were unconstitutional.

Nullification

The idea that a state can declare a federal law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic conflict with France in which French agents demanded a bribe before U.S. diplomats could negotiate; it caused an undeclared naval war with France.

Why was France angry with the United States during the XYZ Affair?

France believed Jay’s Treaty showed the United States was supporting Britain.

Election of 1800

Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the Electoral College; the House of Representatives chose Jefferson after Hamilton supported him.

12th Amendment

Required electors to vote separately for president and vice president, preventing another tie like Jefferson and Burr’s.

Jefferson’s domestic goals

He wanted a smaller, more decentralized federal government, a smaller army, reliance on militias, reduced national-bank influence, and fewer internal taxes.

Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France, greatly expanding U.S. land west of the Mississippi River.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

An expedition sent by Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory, study plants and animals, meet Native nations, map the land, and search for a route to Asian trade.

Embargo Act of 1807

Jefferson’s law that stopped U.S. trade with foreign countries in response to British and French interference with American shipping; it badly hurt the U.S. economy.

Midnight judges

Federalist judges appointed by John Adams near the end of his presidency to keep Federalist influence in the courts.

Marbury v. Madison

The 1803 Supreme Court case that established judicial review.

Judicial review

The Supreme Court’s power to decide whether laws or actions of the legislative or executive branch are constitutional.

Causes of the War of 1812

British impressment of American sailors, British support for Native resistance, trade restrictions, and pressure from War Hawks.

Impressment

The British practice of capturing American sailors and forcing them to serve in the British navy.

War Hawks

Members of Congress, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who pushed for war with Britain.

Tecumseh

Shawnee leader who tried to unite Native American tribes into a confederacy to resist U.S. expansion.

Battle of Tippecanoe

A battle in 1811 in which William Henry Harrison attacked Tecumseh’s confederacy; it weakened Native resistance and made Harrison a national hero.

Chesapeake Incident

A British warship attacked the USS Chesapeake after being refused permission to search it for deserters, increasing U.S.-British tension.

Burning of Washington, D.C.

British troops burned major government buildings, including the Capitol and White House, during the War of 1812.

Battle of New Orleans

Andrew Jackson’s major victory over the British in 1815; it happened after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed, but before news arrived.

Treaty of Ghent

The treaty that ended the War of 1812 and restored relations largely to how they had been before the war; it did not solve trade, territory, or Native American issues.

Rush-Bagot Agreement

An 1817 agreement between the United States and Britain that limited military ships on the Great Lakes and reduced tensions.