US Test 2

Articles of Confederation

America's first national constitution; created a weak national government and gave most power to the states.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Established a system for surveying and selling western lands; reserved land to support public education.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Established a process for territories to become states and prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory, with an exception for returning people escaping enslavement.

Shays's Rebellion

An uprising by Massachusetts farmers in 1786–1787 over debt and economic problems; exposed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.

James Madison

Known as the Father of the Constitution; helped write the Constitution and the Federalist Papers.

Great Compromise

Created a two-house Congress with representation based on population in the House and two senators per state in the Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation in Congress and certain direct-tax calculations, increasing the political power of slaveholding states.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government that makes laws; consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Executive Branch

The branch of government that enforces laws; led by the president.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that interprets laws and resolves legal disputes; includes the Supreme Court and lower federal courts.

Electoral College

The constitutional system in which electors formally elect the president and vice president.

Federalists

Supported ratification of the Constitution and generally favored a stronger national government.

Antifederalists

Opposed ratification of the Constitution as originally written because they feared a powerful central government and wanted stronger protections for individual rights.

The Federalist Papers

Essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to explain and defend the Constitution.

The Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, protecting individual liberties.

Judiciary Act of 1789

Established the structure of the federal court system below the Supreme Court and helped organize the judicial branch.

George Washington

America's first president (1789–1797); established important presidential precedents and helped strengthen the new government.

Alexander Hamilton

Washington's first secretary of the treasury; supported a strong national government, a national bank, and a stable national economy.

Thomas Jefferson

Washington's first secretary of state; favored stronger state governments and opposed many of Hamilton's financial policies.

Cabinet

A group of advisers who lead executive departments and help the president make decisions.

Whisky Rebellion

A 1794 protest against a federal whiskey tax; Washington's response demonstrated that the new government could enforce federal laws.

Neutrality

Washington's policy of avoiding involvement in the war between Britain and France to protect American interests and prevent war.

Assumption of State Debts

Hamilton's plan for the federal government to take over eligible state debts from the Revolutionary War, strengthening federal credit.

District of Columbia

The federal district established as the nation's permanent capital; the federal government moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800.

Bank of the United States

A national bank proposed by Hamilton to help manage federal money, support public credit, and stabilize the economy.

Jay's Treaty

An agreement with Britain negotiated in 1794 and ratified in 1795 that helped prevent war and addressed some disputes left over from the American Revolution.

Two-Party System

A political system dominated by two major parties; America's first party system developed during the 1790s.

Democratic-Republicans

A political party associated with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison that generally favored stronger state governments and opposed many of Hamilton's policies.

John Adams

America's second president (1797–1801); a Federalist who faced rising tensions with France.

Quasi-War

An undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France from 1798 to 1800.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic scandal in 1797–1798 in which French agents demanded payments before negotiating with American diplomats, increasing tensions between the two countries.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that increased federal power over certain noncitizens and criminalized certain criticism of the government; controversial because they threatened civil liberties.

Election of 1800

Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams, resulting in a peaceful transfer of power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans.

Marbury v. Madison

An 1803 Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that a provision of the Judiciary Act of 1789 conflicted with the Constitution, helping establish judicial review.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to determine whether laws or government actions violate the Constitution.