apush ch 9

Bill of rights

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791. Proposed to address Anti-Federalist fears of government overreach, it guarantees essential individual liberties like freedom of speech and religion, and protections against unfair governmental actions, ultimately ensuring the Constitution's ratification

Judiciary Act of 1789

established the federal court system of the United States by creating the Supreme Court, lower federal courts (district and circuit courts), and the office of the Attorney General

Funding at Par

a policy where the federal government would pay off all outstanding national debts at their full face value, even if the original bondholders had sold them to speculators at a lower price

Assumption

Alexander Hamilton's 1790 economic policy, enacted under the Funding Act of 1790, where the federal government assumed all outstanding state debts incurred during the American Revolution

Tariff

a tax imposed by the government on imported goods, used to generate revenue and protect domestic industries by making foreign products more expensive

Excise Tax

a tax on a specific good or service, such as alcohol, tobacco, or gasoline, often applied on a per-unit basis

Strict Constitution

a philosophy of interpreting the U.S. Constitution that emphasizes a narrow, literal reading of the text, granting the government only the powers explicitly listed and forbidding anything not directly permitted by the document

Bank of the United States

the First and Second central banks chartered by the U.S. Congress to manage government finances and stabilize the economy

Battle of the Wabash

a decisive American military defeat on November 4, 1791, where U.S. Army forces led by General Arthur St. Clair were overwhelmed by the Northwest Confederacy of Native Americans, resulting in hundreds of American casualties and the deadliest defeat of U.S. forces by Native Americans in U.S. history

Whiskey Rebellion

uprising by farmers and distillers in western Pennsylvania against the federal government's excise tax on whiskey, a key component of Alexander Hamilton's financial plan. Farmers argued the tax disproportionately burdened them, as they relied on distilling their grain into whiskey for income and transportation. The rebellion demonstrated the new federal government's strength and resolve when President George Washington personally led a large militia to quell the protests, thereby establishing federal authority and the ability to enforce its laws

Haitian Revolution

a successful 1791-1804 uprising by enslaved and free Black people in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) against French colonial rule and slavery, leading to the establishment of the first independent Black-led nation and a republic in the Western Hemisphere

Neutrality Proclamation

declaring that the United States would remain neutral in the conflict between Great Britain and revolutionary France and warning U.S. citizens to avoid assisting either side

Battle of Fallen Timbers

the decisive final conflict of the Northwest Indian War in 1794, where U.S. forces led by General Anthony Wayne defeated a confederation of Native American tribes, primarily the Shawnee and Miami, near present-day Toledo, Ohio

Treaty of Greenville

a peace settlement after the Northwest Indian War where Native American tribes, led by figures like Miami chief Little Turtle and a Shawnee leader named Blue Jacket, ceded vast territories—mostly in Ohio and parts of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan—to the United States

Jay’s Treaty

a 1794 agreement between the U.S. and Great Britain to resolve lingering issues from the American Revolution, including British military presence and trade disputes

Pinckney’s treaty

allowed the U.S. free navigation of the Mississippi River, access to the port of New Orleans for trade and "right of deposit" (storing goods), and established the U.S. southern border at the 31st parallel

Farewell address

1796 letter written by George Washington as he retired from the presidency. The address set a crucial precedent for the peaceful transfer of power and provided the young nation with foundational advice on the key threats to its long-term stability.

XYZ affair

a diplomatic incident in 1797 where three agents (X, Y, and Z) of the French government demanded a bribe and a loan from American diplomats in Paris before they would even begin negotiations to settle issues stemming from the French seizure of American trade ships

Quasi-War with France

an undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France from 1798 to 1800, primarily fought in the Caribbean and Atlantic waters

Convention of 1800

a treaty signed between the United States and France that ended the Quasi-War, the undeclared naval conflict between the two nations that stemmed from the XYZ Affair

Alien Laws

parts of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which aimed to restrict immigrants and give the President authority to deport foreigners deemed dangerous, particularly during the quasi-war with France

Sedition Act

a 1798 law, part of the Alien and Sedition Acts, that made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government, leading to arrests and fines for critics and opponents of the Federalist Party, particularly Democratic-Republicans

Virginia and Kentucky resolutions

a set of political statements adopted by the Kentucky and Virginia legislatures in 1798, drafted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison respectively

George Washington

Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, president of the Constitutional Convention, and the first President of the United States (1789-1797). His leadership, establishment of presidential precedents like the two-term tradition, and guidance in his Farewell Address (warning against political parties and foreign entanglements) profoundly shaped the new nation's government and foreign policy

Alexander Hamilton

Founding Father and the first Secretary of the Treasury, known for advocating a strong central government and proposing a robust financial plan that included the creation of a national bank, assumption of state debts, and tariffs to stabilize the economy and pay off the national debt. His policies laid the foundation for the Federalist Party, which supported a diversified, industrial economy, contrasting with the Democratic-Republican Party's vision of a decentralized, agrarian nation

Toussaint L’Ouverture

prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution, a former slave who rose to power to lead a successful revolt against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti). His leadership resulted in the first independent, black-led republic in the Western Hemisphere, the creation of a society built on the ideals of the Enlightenment and French Revolution, and served as a powerful inspiration for anti-slavery and anti-colonial movements throughout the Americas.

Little Turtle

war chief of the Miami tribe who led Native American forces in the Northwest Indian War

“Mad Anthony” Wayne

a Continental Army officer known for his bold and aggressive tactics during the American Revolutionary War, which earned him his nickname. His most significant APUSH contribution was his decisive victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794) over Native American forces, which led to the Treaty of Greenville (1795). This treaty secured vast tracts of land in the Old Northwest Territory (modern-day Ohio and beyond) for the United States, facilitating westward expansion

John Jay

American statesman and the first Chief Justice of the United States who negotiated Jay's Treaty (1795) with Great Britain to resolve post-Revolutionary War issues, including trade disputes and British military presence in the Northwest Territory. He was also a key figure in the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, authoring several of The Federalist Papers

John Adams

U.S. President (1797-1801), a key Federalist leader, and a major figure in the American Revolution and the new nation's founding, known for promoting a strong government, advocating for the Declaration of Independence, and presiding over controversial acts like the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Quasi-War with France