AP US History Period 3

Vocabulary flashcards covering major historical concepts, events, and policies from early American history based on the review questions.

French and Indian War

The conflict that directly led to the end of salutary neglect and caused Britain to impose direct taxes on the American colonies.

Proclamation of 1763

An order issued primarily to prevent conflicts with Native Americans west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Colonial Opposition to Stamp Act

Resistance based on the primary argument that taxation without direct colonial representation in Parliament was unconstitutional.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

An influential pamphlet that advocated republicanism and convinced many colonists to support independence.

Battle of Saratoga

The engagement considered the turning point of the Revolutionary War because it secured a formal alliance with France.

Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation

Structural limitations under which the national government lacked critical powers, specifically the power to directly levy national taxes on citizens.

Western Land Policy

The most significant lasting achievement under the Articles of Confederation, establishing a systematic process for admitting new western states.

Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787)

An armed uprising that contributed directly to the calling of a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

An agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that resolved debates over the representation of states in the national bicameral legislature.

The Federalist Papers

A series of essays written from 1787 to 1788 primarily to persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed Constitution.

Anti-Federalist Arguments

Opposition to the ratification of the 1787 Constitution based primarily on the view that it contained no Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

Alexander Hamilton's Financial Plan

An economic policy proposal that included the federal government's assumption of state war debts.

Democratic-Republican Party

A political party led by Thomas Jefferson that favored a strict interpretation of the Constitution to limit federal power.

Washington's Farewell Address Warnings

A 1796 address explicitly warning the nation against forming permanent foreign military alliances with European powers.

Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

A domestic uprising whose suppression demonstrated that the federal government had the strength to enforce national laws.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Federal legislation that directly prompted Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to draft the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.

Nullification Doctrine

A principle introduced in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions asserting that states have the right to nullify unconstitutional federal laws.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A major piece of legislation that included a social provision permanently banning slavery in the Northwest Territory.

Jay's Treaty (1794)

An agreement with Britain that succeeded in resolving the immediate issue of evacuating British military posts in the Northwest Territory.

Revolution of 1800

A landmark presidential election historically significant primarily because it involved a peaceful transfer of executive power between opposing political parties.