AP US History Period 3

Rationalism

Philosophy that reason is the chief source of knowledge.

Adam Smith

Scottish economist who wrote about the “political economy” and established various modern principles of the subject.

Laissez-Faire

Socioeconomic principle proposing that the government should have a limited role in regulating the economy.

Division of Labor

Every laborer provides a different, irreplaceable role in the economy.

Self-Interest

Principle that economies based on the interests of the individual are the most successful.

Economic Competition

Principle that innovation and growth is driven by competition.

Supply & Demand

Principle that Supply and Demand are inversely related. Higher supply leads to lower demand, and vice versa.

French & Indian War

American theater of the larger Seven Years War, a conflict between France and Britain over control of the strategic Ohio River Valley.

Pontiac’s Rebellion

Uprising led by Native Americans in the Great Lakes region, took place after the French & Indian War. Natives were unsatisfied with the British rule of the territory and waged war, causing mass chaos.

Proclamation of 1763

In order to maintain alliances with Native Americans, Britain issued a proclamation that would prevent colonists from settling in the Ohio River Valley.

Vice-Admiralty Court

Corrupt judicial practice by the British, tried American colonists in British courts, with no jury and a judge motivated by money.

Sugar Act

First tax imposed on the British government that would cause any uproar, taxing sugar imports.

Quartering Act of 1765

Act passed in order to supply British garrisons in the territories, allowing troops to be quartered in public homes or buildings.

Stamp Act

First direct tax on the everyday citizen, placing a steep tax on any paper product.

Sons of Liberty

Group formed in resistance to the Stamp Act, attacked tax collectors and carried out small-scale riots.

Daughters of Liberty

Similar group to the Sons of Liberty but for women. Organized the operations of the Sons of Liberty, including boycotts and demonstrations, and hosted spinning bees.

Stamp Act Congress

First meeting of most colonial governments, 9 delegates met in New York City to write a petition to King George III requesting the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Declaratory Act

The British Parliament passed this act to reaffirm that they hold the right to tax the colonies “in all cases whatsoever.”

Townshend Acts

Parliament passed a law taxing glass, paint, and paper to test their right to tax asserted in the Declaratory Acts. Raised salaries for British Royal government positions in the colonies, being the governors and judges who answered to the British Parliament rather than their colonial government.

Boston Massacre

A massacre by the British Government against citizens in Boston, Massachusetts. A group of protesters began to throw debris at a soldier, leading to a division of troops arriving at the scene. In the chaos, shots were fired and 5 citizens were killed.

Tea Act

Tax on tea imposed to support the British East India Company and their tea industry.

Boston Tea Party

A group of ships loaded with tea arrive in Boston harbor, and officials demand the colonists to pay the tax, which they refuse. Sons of Liberty leader Samuel Adams gives the signal for all members to convene at the harbor. They board the ships dressed as Native Americans, and dump 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

Intolerable Acts

These acts closed Boston harbor, established direct governance of the Massachusetts colony, allowed the quartering of soldiers on private property, and made Vice-Admiralty Courts the main form of justice in the colonies.

Quebec Act

Often grouped with the Intolerable Acts, although it was separate. Extended the borders of Quebec and caused fear of religious interference by the British in the Thirteen Colonies.

First Continental Congress

A congress held by 12 of the 13 colonies, similar to the Stamp Act Congress. A declaration of grievances and a petition to King George III were written here and sent to the British government. The congress also established an embargo on British exports, aiming to pressure Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts.

Lexington & Concord

“The shot heard around the world,” the first battles of the American Revolution. Minutemen and redcoats hold a standoff, with 9 wounded. The Americans pushed the British to Boston.

Second Continental Congress

Delegates from all 13 colonies meet to discuss the state of the conflict. Established the Continental Army and proclaimed the war for American Liberty had begun.

Thomas Paine

The author of Common Sense and the American Crisis, an influential writer who used rhetoric to convince loyalists and further rouse the patriots. These two pamphlets were significant in popularizing the idea of American independence.

Declaration of Independence

From May to July, 1776, the Continental Congress convened to determine the status of the colonies. Despite the dislike for the British government, independence was by no means unanimous, as long-winded arguments took place between the founding fathers on whether the situation with Britain could be resolved or if ties must be cut. In the end, this document was completed on July 2nd, established on July 4th, and would go down in history.

Loyalists

Also known as Tories, agreed about excess taxes, but thought rebellion would fail and lead to economic ruin.

Patriots

Also known as Whigs, supported independence, but may disagree on the course of action (war, petition, boycott, etc.)

Battle of Yorktown

The conclusion of the Revolution, General Cornwallis was surrounded on all sides by American and French troops. At night they stormed the British camps, and Cornwallis agreed to terms of surrender.

Treaty of Paris

Meeting of Britain, France, Spain, and the United States in France to discuss the war and determine the future of European involvement in the region. The United States was formally recognized by European powers and granted all territories east of the Mississippi. Florida was ceded to Spain, and other guidelines were set to ensure peace.

Articles of Confederation

The first government of the United States, created shortly after the American Revolution. Established a weak national government with limited powers.

Land Ordiancne of 1785

Divided new settlements into townships for simpler organization and governance.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Established official, effective guidelines for territories to become new states. Women were briefly given the right to vote, as a state needed a certain number of votes in order to become a state.

Shays’s Rebellion

Daniel Shays, a frustrated war veteran sunk by state taxes, raised an army and rebelled violently. The rebellion was crushed, but this was only because the Massachusetts military was strong enough to prevent his uprising. A weaker state would have crumbled.

Consitutional Convention

Convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss what should be done about the Articles of Confederation. After much debate, it was decided to draft a new government under a National Constitution.

Limited Government

The idea that government powers are restricted to protect individual rights.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government comes from the people.

Republicanism

A form of government where citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Checks & Balances

An extension of Separation of Powers, a system in which each branch of government has the ability to limit the powers of the other branches.

Federalism

The division of power between national and state governments.

New Jersey Plan

Plan created by New Jersey statesmen, advocated for equal representation in the national legislature.

Virginia Plan

Plan created by Virginia statesmen, advocated for a strong, central government and a powerful bicameral legislature, where both houses represent states proportional to their population.

Connecticut Plan

Known as “The Great Compromise,” advocated for a bicameral legislature with one house equally representing and one house proportionally representing.

Senate

Equal representation house of Congress elected by state legislatures.

House of Representatives

Proportional representation house of Congress elected directly.

Electoral College

A system made as a compromise between both parties, creates a system where representatives of their state’s popular vote cast their own vote for their respective state.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A compromise that counted slaves as approximately ⅗ of one person in regards to population, partially satisfying both parties.

Federalist

Supporter of the Constitution’s ratification, believed in a strong central government.

Anti-Federalist

Opposition to the Constitution’s ratification, believed in the rights of states.

Bill of Rights

Despite the failures of the Anti-Federalists to prevent the ratification, Federalists promised to amend the constitution to add protections of individual rights.

George Washington

1st president of the United States, received ALL electoral votes.

Cabinet

Board of advisors who supported the President in his duties, among other things.

Indian Problem

Washington supported the creation of new states in the territories of the Ohio River Valley earned during the French and Indian War, but these lands were occupied by Native Americans.

Treaty of Greenville

The “solution” to the Indian Problem, George Washington paid Native American tribes to let the Americans settle on their land.

French Revolution

Overseas revolution in France, the monarchy was overthrown and replaced with a republic.

Proclamation of Neutrality

At the beginning of the War of the First Coalition, the United States asserted that it would not take a position between France and England during the war.

Citizen Genet Affair

During the war, French Ambassador Genêt was sent to America to recruit privateers for the French army. Despite the relative popularity of the French Revolution on American soil, Genêt’s actions were in violation of diplomatic protocol, and so Washington forced the French Government to recall Genêt.

Jay Treaty

A 1795 agreement between the American and British governments, aiming to prevent conflict between the two of them. Many unresolved issues remained following the Treaty of Paris, such as the presence of British forts on American soil, the Impressment of citizens on British ships, and debt owed between the two.

Pinckney’s Treaty

Since the American Revolution, there were many border disputes over American territory and what waters they were given access to. Pinckney’s Treaty was signed in 1795 to remove confusion over the border between the United States and Spanish Florida, as well as grant the U.S. access to the Mississippi river.

Federalist Party

Political Party led by Alexander Hamilton, created a strong central government led by industry and the wealthy.

Democratic-Republican Party

Political Party led by Thomas Jefferson, aimed for strong state governments led by the “common man.” Formed from the former Anti-Federalists.

Hamilton Financial Program

Plan devised by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton to grow and stabilize the American economy.

Elastic Clause

Argument that the Constitution authorizes the Hamilton Financial Plan. It grants Congress power to pass all laws “necessary and proper” for carrying out the delegated duties of the nation.

Whiskey Rebellion

The taxes imposed under the Hamilton Financial Plan were protested violently by frontier farmers.

XYZ Affair

Limited, undeclared war between France and the United States after diplomats refused to pay a bribe at a French convention for them to stop attacking their ships. No open fighting took place but great tensions took place between the two.

Alien & Sedition Acts

Laws passed by John Adams that extended the duration it takes to become a U.S. citizen, gave the President executive powers over immigrants, and, most controversially, outlawed the creation of "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government or its officials.

Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions

Political statements created in 1798 and 1799 that declared the Alien & Sedition Acts unconstitutional.