U3,T2: Creating the United States of America

republican motherhood

WHAT: the idea that the primary political role of American women was to instill a sense of patriotic duty and republican virtue in their children and mold them into exemplary republican citizens.
WHEN: after the American Revolution (late-18th & early-19th centuries).
SO WHAT: though this did not provide women any actual political rights/equality, it did open educational opportunities for some women so they would have the knowledge necessary to raise virtuous citizens.

manumission laws

WHAT: laws which abolished slavery in Northern states.
WHEN: during/after the American Revolution (late-18th century).
SO WHAT: Northern states were able to give up slavery more easily because their economy did not require as many laborers; when Northern states began abolishing slavery, it led to sectionalism between North and South.

Articles of Confederation

WHAT: first frame of government for the United States.
WHEN: in effect from 1781 to 1789.
SO WHAT: it provided for a weak central authority because the United States was afraid of creating a tyrannical government like the one they'd just left, but ultimately the government was too weak and the AoC was replaced by the Constitution.

Land Ordinance of 1785

WHAT: law which directed the surveying of the Northwest Territory into townships of thirty-six sections (square miles) each, the sale of the sixteenth section of which was to be used to finance public education.
WHEN: 1785 (while the Articles of Confederation was in effect).
SO WHAT: this was one of the only two successful laws Congress was able to pass under the Articles of Confederation.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

WHAT: law which created the Northwest Territory (north of Ohio River, west of Pennsylvania), established conditions for self-government and statehood, promoted public education, protected private property, and banned slavery in the territory.
WHEN: 1787 (while the Articles of Confederation was in effect).
SO WHAT: this was one of the only two successful laws Congress was able to pass under the Articles of Confederation; illustrated Congress's intention that new territory would eventually have equal status as states (not colonies); illustrated that Congress intended future territories (in the North, at least) to be free of slavery.

Shays's Rebellion

WHAT: rebellion seeking debt relief through the issuance of paper currency and lower taxes.
WHO: organized by farmer Daniel Shays.
WHEN: 1786-1787.
SO WHAT: this domestic unrest was one cause of the Philadelphia Convention which ultimately scrapped the Articles of Confederation and created the U.S. Constitution.

Constitutional Convention

WHAT: meeting of representatives from twelve colonies (all except Rhode Island) to revise the Articles of Confederation; the convention soon resolved to produce an entirely new constitution instead.
WHEN: 1787.
WHERE: Philadelphia.
WHO: James Madison and Alexander Hamilton convinced the delegates to create a new constitution which gave more power to the central government.
SO WHAT: these representatives secretly created a new government structure for the U.S. - a constitution that would last over two hundred years (and counting).

James Madison at the Constitutional Convention

WHO: known as the "father of the Constitution," James Madison wrote most of the document and, later, the Bill of Rights.

Alexander Hamilton at the Constitutional Convention

WHO: Alexander Hamilton was instrumental in convincing the convention to scrap the AoC and create a government built on federalism in a new constitution.

U.S. Constitution

WHAT: the document that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform; it replaced the Articles of Confederation.
WHY: the AoC created a weak central government and the U.S. was experiencing political and economic chaos; they needed a stronger central government to provide political and economic stability.
WHEN: written in 1787, ratified in 1788, put into effect in 1789.
WHO: James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were instrumental in the process of writing and ratifying the Constitution.
SO WHAT: the longest-lasting written Constitution, it has been amended 27 times and still governs our political institutions today.

federalism

WHAT: the division of power between the state and central (federal) governments under the U.S. Constitution.
SO WHAT: as opposed to the confederation created by the Articles of Confederation, this style of government strengthened the central (federal) government while still allowing the states to maintain certain powers.

separation of powers

WHAT: feature of the U.S. Constitution in which power is divided between executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the national government so that no one branch can endanger citizens' liberties.

checks and balances

WHAT: feature of the U.S. Constitution in which each branch has powers over the others so that no one branch can dominate the other two in order to endanger citizens' liberties.

Great Compromise

WHAT: agreement which settled the differences between the New Jersey and Virginia plans by providing for a bicameral legislature, the upper house of which (Senate) would have equal representation for each state and the lower house (House of Representatives) would be apportioned by population.
WHEN: 1787 (at the Constitutional Convention).
WHO: delegates from Connecticut (that's why it's also called the Connecticut Compromise).
SO WHAT: this allowed the creation of the Constitution to move forward and created our current legislative branch.

Virginia Plan

WHAT: proposed the creation of a two-house legislature apportioned by population.
WHEN: 1787, Constitutional Convention.
WHY: this plan would allow larger states to have more representation (thus more power) in Congress.
SO WHAT: led to the Great Compromise.

New Jersey Plan

WHAT: proposed the creation of one legislative body with equal representation for each state.
WHEN: 1787, Constitutional Convention.
WHY: this plan would allow smaller states to have more representation (thus more power) in Congress relative to larger states.
SO WHAT: led to the Great Compromise.

electoral college

WHAT: the electoral body which elects the president.
WHY: members of the Constitutional Convention were attempting to limit excessive popular influence and insulate the presidency from popular whims.
WHEN: during the Constitutional Convention.
SO WHAT: to this day, it is possible for a candidate to win the presidency by winning the electoral college and not winning the popular vote (most recently seen in the 2016 election of Donald Trump).

three-fifths compromise

WHAT: clause in the Constitution which allowed states to count 3/5 of their slave population toward their state population for purposes of representation.
WHY: southern states wanted more power in the new, stronger central government created by the Constitution, and northern states appeased the South to preserve unity.
WHEN: 1787 (during the Constitutional Convention).
SO WHAT: this gave the South considerable power in the House of Representatives.

slave trade compromise

WHAT: clause in the Constitution which prohibited Congress from banning the importation of African slaves until 1808.
WHY: free states wanted to abolish the slave trade, but allowed it to continue for 20 years to appease the South and preserve unity.
WHEN: 1787 (during the Constitutional Convention).
SO WHAT: this allowed the importation of African slaves to continue until 1808.

The Federalist papers

WHAT: collection of eighty-five essays that appeared in the New York press in support of the Constitution.
WHO: written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
WHEN: 1787-1788.
WHY: to convince Americans to ratify the Constitution.
SO WHAT: these essays, combined with a promise to add a Bill of Rights, led to the ratification of the Constitution.

Antifederalists

WHAT: opponents of the Constitution who saw it as a limitation on individual states' rights. NOT A POLITICAL PARTY!
WHO: e.g. Patrick Henry
WHEN: 1787-1788
SO WHAT: their demands led to the addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution.

Bill of Rights

WHAT: first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution which guarantee individual rights against infringement by the federal government.
WHEN: ratified in 1791.
WHY: the federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights in order to convince antifederalists to ratify the Constitution.
SO WHAT: though the government still does infringe on citizens' rights, these amendments allow citizens to exercise and protect their individual liberties.