Key Concepts in Early American Constitution and Slavery

James Madison on slavery

Was a slave holder but disliked slaverey

Fugitive slave clause

Escaped slaves forced to be returned to owners even if they were in free states

slave trade clause

congress couldn't ban importation of slavers until 1800s

3/5 compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person

SC slavery influence

threatened to disunion if slave trade was banned

Slavery's impact on constitution

never directly mentioned in constitution

Charles Pinckney

said it would be awkward to say "all men are born free" while owning slaves

federalist papers

a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published in NY newspapers and used to convice readers to adopt the new constitution

old federalists

-Belevied gov. Protects freedom and isn't the enemy

-believed checks and balances prevent tyranny

Madisons famous idea

"extend the sphere". If no single group dominates liberty is safer.

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

- believed it gave central government to much power

- thought it favored wealthy and ignored commoners

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Western settlement pressure

settlers rapidly moved west playin ignoring NA treaties and legal land titles

Definition of citizenship in the constitution

never clearly defined who was a citizen

who was confused a citizen in the constitution

white people

Who wasn't considered a citizen in the constitution

enslaves people and native Americans

who could be naturalized

only white emigrants

civic nationalism

Based on shared values and alligence to political ideals like liberty and democracy

Ethnic Nationalism

Rise of political parties

intent was to avoid political parties. Rose because of Hamilton's financial plans, The French Revolution, and controversies with Britain.

New federalists

led by Hamilton and Adam's. Elitist views, feared disorder or "mob rule"

democratic republicans

Led by Thomas Jefferson, believed people should have political power, favored strong STATE governments, emphasized agriculture, strict interpretation of the Constitution, pro-French, opposed National bank

federalist assumption of state debts

A. Ham proposed that the federal government should assume debts of the continental congress and all the states. He wanted to show that the US would honor debts.

Creation of national debt

A. Ham wanted to replace us debts with new interest bearing bonds issued by federal government. This would establish a stable funded national debt to halt manage future gov borrowing.

establishment of the bank of the United States

Provided stability and confidence in US financial system. Held federal funds like taxes and tariffs. Molded after the bank of England.

Whiskey Tax

Federal tax on domestically produces whisky. Purpose was to raise revenue and help pay interest on national debt and show the governments authority to tax. Farmers were outraged as they used whisky in their work. Led to whisky rebellion in 1794

tariffs and subsides to encourage manufacturing

a proposal (never enacted) for gov to protect American manufacturing through tariffs, encourage industrial development, and provide infrastructure to support factory growth. Goal was to reduce American dependence on foreign country's (British)

Compromise of 1790

in exchange for Jefferson having the capital in DC a lot of Hamilton's plan got enacted.

Jay's Treaty (1794)

Negotiated by Chief Justice John Jay in an effort to avoid war with Britain, the treaty included a British promise to evacuate outposts on U.S. soil and pay damages for seized American vessels, in exchange for which Jay bound the United States to repay pre-Revolutionary war debts and to abide by Britain's restrictive trading policies toward France.

French revolutions impact

federalists distanced themselves from France; far their rev as dangerous. Republicans continued their support, saw it as a fight for liberty.

Role of press

newspapers and pamphlets exploded in popularity. More citizens (including women) evaded in politics.

Womens rights

women began arguing for education, employment, and greater rights.

The embargo act if 1807

After British and French interference with U.S. shipping president Thomas Jefferson banned all U.S. ships from sailing to foreign ports.

Consequences of the embargo act

U.S economy declined, U.S. shipping wrecked, high unemployment, and smuggling widely practiced

who were the war hawks

Young group of nationalist congressmen who intended to go to war

War of 1812

A war (1812-1814) between the United States and England which was trying to interfere with American trade with France.

The treaty of Ghent

Ended the War of 1812. Affirmed American independence.

End of the federalists

Collapsed because it was unable to adapt to more democratic agrarian ideas.

Hartford Convention

Meeting of Federalists near the end of the War of 1812 in which the party listed it's complaints against the ruling Republican Party.

Native American resistance and disposition

NA leaders attempted the resist US control but the war of 1812 devastated resistance and accelerated white settlers

Alexander Hamilton

 Looked up to Britain and wanted to establish the nations financial stability. He had a program. 1: Establish credit worthiness. Pay off national and state debt by exchanging with bonds. 2: Creation of new national debt. Have the government take over the debt caused by the war and create new debt. 3: Create the national bank. 4: Impose a tax on whiskey to raise revenue. 5: Impose a protective tax on imported foreign goods,. This is also known as tariffs.

Bank of the United states

Created by Hamilton. Opened in 1791-1811. Purpose was to make business loans and collect tax monies.

Report on the manufactures

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tariffs

taxes on imported foreign goods. This was apart of Hamiltons program, step 5

Strict constructionist

Insisted that the federal government could only use their powers that are specifically mentioned in the document. These people are the Southerners who supported the new constitution.

Jefferson - Hamilton bargain

Agreement between Jefferson and Hamilton that the Southerners would accept program with the exception of financial assistance to the manufactures in exchange for the permanent national capital

French Revolution

The French Revolution inspired a rebirth of liberty. Though for Hamilton, Washington and their followers, they thought America’s support for the revolution was anarchy

Impressment

Practice of the British navy kidnapping Americans and force them to serve in the British navy

Jay’s Treaty

Treaty by John Jay presented to the British. The British agreed to leave forts in Northwest territory and fix disagreements

Federalist and Republicans

Two parties in the congress. The federalist supported a strong central government to promote national unity and a strong economy and was led by George Washington, John Adams and Hamilton. The Republicans were led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and they thought that a strong central government could threaten one’s liberty

Whiskey Rebellion 

Rebellion from the backcountry Pennsylvania farmers were furious with the whiskey tax imposed by Hamilton 

Democratic republican societies

An organization inspired by the Jacobins club of Paris. This organization was created by the opponents of the policies of Washington administer and supporters of France

Judith Sargent Murray

Wrote essays for the Massachusetts magazine under a fake name, the Gleaner.

Washingtons farewell address

XYZ affair

in 1797, American diplomats were sent to Paris to negotiate the French to replace their old alliance with a new one. The French demanded bribes and money before negotiations happened. This made the French and American relationship worse. Afterwards both nations participated in the Quasi war where the French kept seizing American ships and a newly American navy were harassing French

Alien and Sedation Acts

Four measures passed during USA undeclared war with France. These measures limited speech, press and restricted the liberty of non USA citizens. A new naturalization act shifted the residency requirement from 5 years to 14. The Alien and Sedation acts failed to silence the Republican press

Virginia and Kentucky resolutions

This was written by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in response to the Alien and Sedation acts. They argued that the federal government overstepped constitutional boundaries and said that saids could void laws of the congress that violated the constitution

Revolution of 1800

First time a political party surrendered their power to the opposite party. Republican Jefferson defeated federalist Adams for president. In short, the republicans lost while the federalist won

Haitian revolution 

Slaves in Haiti were tired of being slaved around so they rebelled against their masters and this allowed Haiti to be an independent country. Haiti revolution inspired hope for freedom to other slaves. Many blacks from America ended up emigrating to Haiti cause they did not enjoy the unfairness in America. The whites saw this as a threat

Gabriel’s rebellion 

Plotted to gain freedom but failed. Gabriel and his brother Solomon gathered slaves, quakers and methodist who were also slaves and plotted to kill white people and hold the rest hostage. On the night of their plan, there was a storm and their plan got figured out and they ended up getting arrested, executed and exiled 

Jeffersons Inauguration

Addressed to his opponents. Went on to explain what kind of policies that his administration would follow, economy in government, unrestricted trade, freedom of religion and press, friendship to all nations

Judicial review

Right to determine whether an act of congress violates the constitution

Marbury v Madison

First U.S supreme court decision to declare a federal law

Fletcher v Peck

made the court extend the judicial review to state laws.

Louisiana purchase

Thomas Jefferson purchase from France an important import of New Orleans and many miles west of the Mississippi river and rocky mountains

Lewis and Clark expedition and Sacajawea

Objective of expedition was to study plant, animal and geographic life and how to exploit the region economically. Sacajawea was kinda like a tour guide to them and interpreter

Barbary wars 

First wars fought by the United states and the nations first encounter with the Islamic world. The war was between pirates and American sailors and the war started cause Thomas Jefferson refused to pay them tribute to protect American ships. 

Embargo act

banned all Americans port imports and restricted imports in order to try and force Britain and France to respect their the American trading rights  

war hawks 

Young western congressmen. They encouraged the declaration of war with Britain. War hawks have spoke very passionately on defending the American honor against the rude British but they also wanted to annex (adding another territory to their own) Canada to America

Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa

Tecumseh wanted to unite all Natives together to resist the whites going on their land. The government saw Tecumseh as dangerous and was killed at a battle later. Tenskwatawa was Tecumseh’s brother and called for complete separation from the whites and wanted also wanted Natives to separate from the whites

war of 1812

A major cause for the war was that there were rumors arising that the British supported Tecumseh’s ideas. Madison declared war and this was the first time the USA declared war on another nation. Britain and America fought

Fort Mchenry

A fort in Baltimore that was unsuccessfully attacked by the British. This event inspired Francis Scott Key to write the start spangled banner

Battle of new Orleans

Last battle of the war of 1812. Though this was fought after the treaty was signed cause news did not reach them yet

Treaty of Ghent

When both America and British did not want to continue their conflict and wanted the end the war of 1812, they signed this to conclude the end

Hartford Convention

Meeting of New England federalist to protest the war of 1812. They proposed 7 constitutional amendments but the war ended before congress could respond