Presidents of the United States Flashcards

Flashcards covering key events and policies of US Presidents from Washington to Trump.

Judiciary Act of 1789

• A law that established the U.S. federal judiciary system.
• Outlined the structure and jurisdiction of the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, district courts, and courts of appeals.
• This was a significant political development during George Washington's presidency.

Whiskey Rebellion (1794)

• A revolt by farmers in western Pennsylvania who protested a federal tax on whiskey.
• This event tested the authority of the new U.S. government and its ability to enforce laws within the states.
• Occurred during George Washington's presidency.

Assumption of Debt Plan (1790)

• A proposal by Alexander Hamilton for the federal government to assume the debts of the states after the Revolutionary War.
• This was aimed to establish financial stability and strengthen the national government's creditworthiness.
• Happened during George Washington's presidency.

First National Bank of the United States (1791)

• Established to create a stable, national currency and to promote economic growth.
• Championed by Alexander Hamilton, it faced opposition from those who feared centralized financial power.
• This was an economic development during George Washington's presidency.

Republican Motherhood

• An idea that emerged after the American Revolution, emphasizing the role of women in teaching their children civic virtue and republican values.
• It encouraged female education to better prepare women for this role.
• This was a social and cultural development during George Washington's presidency.

Jay Treaty (1794)

• A treaty between the United States and Great Britain that resolved issues remaining since the Revolutionary War.
• While it normalized relations and facilitated trade, it was controversial due to concessions made to the British.
• Occurred during George Washington's presidency.

Pinckney’s Treaty (1795)

• A treaty between the United States and Spain that granted the U.S. navigation rights on the Mississippi River and defined the boundary between the U.S. and Spanish Florida, facilitating trade and expansion.
• Signed during George Washington's presidency.

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

• A series of laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress that restricted immigration and limited criticism of the government.
• These acts were controversial and seen as violations of freedom of speech and press.
• Occurred during John Adams' presidency.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798-1799)

• Statements issued by the legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts.
• They argued that states had the right to declare federal laws unconstitutional, advancing the states' rights theory.
• Occurred during John Adams' presidency.

XYZ Affair (1797-1798)

• A diplomatic incident between the United States and France where French officials demanded bribes before negotiating with American diplomats.
• This led to anti-French sentiment and the Quasi-War.
• Happened during John Adams' presidency.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, giving the Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.
• Occurred during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

• The acquisition of a vast territory from France, doubling the size of the United States.
• This opened new opportunities for expansion and trade but also raised questions about the extension of slavery.
• Occurred during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Embargo Act of 1807

• A law that prohibited American ships from trading with foreign ports, intended to pressure Britain and France to respect U.S. neutrality.
• However, it harmed the American economy more than its intended targets.
• Occurred during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

Hartford Convention (1814-1815)

• A series of meetings by New England Federalists who opposed the War of 1812.
• They discussed grievances and proposed constitutional amendments, leading to accusations of disloyalty and the decline of the Federalist Party.
• Took place during James Madison's presidency.

Second Bank of the United States (1816)

• Re-established to regulate the nation's currency and finances after the War of 1812.
• It faced opposition from state banks and those who distrusted centralized financial power.
• Occurred during James Madison's presidency.

War of 1812

• A conflict between the United States and Great Britain, caused by issues such as impressment of American sailors and trade restrictions.
• The war ended in a stalemate but boosted American nationalism and manufacturing.
• Occurred during James Madison's presidency.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

• An agreement that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance between free and slave states in the Senate.
• It also prohibited slavery in the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30′ parallel.
• Occurred during James Monroe's presidency.

Panic of 1819

• The first major financial crisis in the United States, caused by speculative lending, declining European demand for American goods, and mismanagement by the Second Bank of the U.S.
• It happened during James Monroe's presidency.

Monroe Doctrine (1823)

• A U.S. foreign policy that declared the Americas off-limits to further European colonization and interference.
• It asserted American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
• Occurred during James Monroe's presidency.

Corrupt Bargain/Election of 1824

• A disputed presidential election in which Andrew Jackson won the most popular and electoral votes but did not secure a majority.
• The House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams as president, leading to accusations of a deal between Adams and Henry Clay.
• Occurred during John Quincy Adams' presidency.

Tariff of Abominations (Tariff of 1828)

• A protective tariff passed to promote American industry, but it angered Southern states who felt it unfairly favored the North and harmed their agricultural economy.
• Occurred during John Quincy Adams' presidency.

Nullification Crisis

• A conflict between the state of South Carolina and the federal government over the state's attempt to declare the federal Tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional and unenforceable within the state.
• Occurred during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Bank War (1832-1841)

• Andrew Jackson's campaign against the Second Bank of the United States, which he believed was a tool of the elite and an unconstitutional monopoly.
• Jackson vetoed the bank's recharter and eventually dismantled it.
• Happened during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

• A law that authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River, leading to events such as the Trail of Tears.
• Occurred during Andrew Jackson's presidency.

Panic of 1837

• A financial crisis caused by reckless speculation, Jackson's destruction of the Second Bank of the U.S., and a contraction of credit.
• It led to a severe economic depression that lasted for several years.
• Occurred during Martin Van Buren's presidency.

Annexation of Texas (1845)

• The incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States as a state.
• This was controversial due to Texas's history of slavery and tensions with Mexico.
• Happened during John Tyler's presidency.

Manifest Destiny

• The belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, spreading its democratic ideals and institutions.
• This idea fueled westward expansion and conflicts with Native Americans and Mexico.
• Occurred during John Tyler's presidency.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

• A conflict between the United States and Mexico over Texas territory and other territorial disputes.
• The U.S. victory resulted in the acquisition of vast territories, including California and the Southwest.
• Occurred during James K. Polk's presidency.

Compromise of 1850

• A series of laws intended to resolve the issue of slavery in newly acquired territories.
• It admitted California as a free state, organized Utah and New Mexico with popular sovereignty, and enacted a stricter fugitive slave law.
• Occurred during Millard Fillmore's presidency.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

• A law that allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty.
• This led to violence and conflict as pro- and anti-slavery forces clashed.
• Occurred during Franklin Pierce's presidency.

Bleeding Kansas

• A period of violence and civil unrest in the Kansas Territory, caused by the conflict between pro- and anti-slavery settlers over the issue of slavery.
• This foreshadowed the broader conflict of the Civil War.
• Occurred during Franklin Pierce's and James Buchanan's presidencies.

Scott v. Sandford (1857)

• A Supreme Court decision that ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories.
• This inflamed sectional tensions and contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.
• Occurred during James Buchanan's presidency.

Homestead Act (1862)

• A law that granted 160 acres of public land to settlers who agreed to live on and cultivate it for five years.
• This encouraged westward expansion and agricultural development.
• Occurred during Abraham Lincoln's presidency.

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

• A decree issued by President Abraham Lincoln that declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free.
• While it did not end slavery in the entire country, it changed the course of the Civil War and paved the way for the 13th Amendment.
• Occurred during Abraham Lincoln's presidency.

Fourteenth Amendment (1868)

• A constitutional amendment that granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, and guaranteed equal protection of the laws.
• It was a key component of Reconstruction.
• Occurred during Andrew Johnson's presidency.

Alaska Purchase (1867)

• The acquisition of Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million.
• This expanded U.S. territory and access to resources, though it was initially criticized as 'Seward's Folly'.
• Occurred during Andrew Johnson's presidency.

Fifteenth Amendment (1870)

• A constitutional amendment that prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
• This aimed to protect the voting rights of African American men.
• Occurred during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency.

Panic of 1873

• A financial crisis triggered by railroad speculation and bank failures.
• It led to a prolonged economic depression that exacerbated labor unrest and social tensions.
• Occurred during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency.

Compromise of 1877

• An informal agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election, giving Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.
• Occurred during Rutherford B. Hayes' presidency.

Pendleton Act (1883)

• A law that established a merit-based civil service system for federal employees, aiming to reduce patronage and corruption in government.
• Occurred during Chester A. Arthur's presidency.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

• A law that prohibited Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States, reflecting anti-immigrant sentiment and racial discrimination.
• Occurred during Chester A. Arthur's presidency.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) (1887)

• A federal agency created to regulate railroads and ensure fair rates and practices.
• It was an early attempt to regulate interstate commerce in the public interest.
• Occurred during Grover Cleveland's presidency.

Haymarket Riot (1886)

• A labor protest in Chicago that turned violent when a bomb exploded, killing police officers and workers.
• This event led to increased anti-labor sentiment and the association of labor activism with radicalism.
• Occurred during Grover Cleveland's presidency.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

• A law that prohibited monopolies and agreements that restrained trade.
• It was intended to promote competition and prevent the concentration of economic power.
• Occurred during Benjamin Harrison's presidency.

Homestead Strike (1892)

• A labor dispute at the Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, where striking workers clashed with Pinkerton detectives.
• This was a significant event in the history of labor relations and industrial conflict.
• Occurred during Benjamin Harrison's presidency.

Wounded Knee Massacre (1890)

• The killing of hundreds of Lakota Sioux Native Americans by U.S. Army soldiers at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.
• This marked the end of major conflicts between the U.S. government and Native American tribes.
• Occurred during Benjamin Harrison's presidency.

Panic of 1893

• A severe economic depression triggered by railroad overbuilding and shaky financing, resulting in bank failures and high unemployment.
• Occurred during Grover Cleveland's presidency.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• A Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.
• This legitimized segregation laws and practices for decades.
• Occurred during Grover Cleveland's presidency.

Spanish-American War (1898)

• A conflict between the United States and Spain, resulting in the U.S. acquisition of territories such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
• This marked a turning point in American foreign policy and its emergence as a global power.
• Occurred during William McKinley's presidency.

Open Door Policy (1899)

• A U.S. foreign policy that called for equal access to trade in China, aiming to prevent any one nation from dominating Chinese markets.
• Occurred during William McKinley's presidency.

Square Deal

• President Theodore Roosevelt's domestic program, aimed at promoting fair business practices, protecting consumers, and conserving natural resources.
• Occurred during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906)

• A novel that exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry, leading to public outrage and the passage of food safety regulations.
• Occurred during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.

Roosevelt Corollary

• An addition to the Monroe Doctrine, asserting the right of the United States to intervene in the domestic affairs of Latin American countries to maintain stability and protect U.S. interests.
• Occurred during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.

Sixteenth Amendment (1913)

• A constitutional amendment that authorized the federal government to collect income taxes.
• Occurred during William Howard Taft's presidency.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911)

• A deadly fire at a garment factory in New York City that highlighted unsafe working conditions and led to labor reforms.
• Occurred during William Howard Taft's presidency.

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

• A law that strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by prohibiting specific business practices that harmed competition, such as price discrimination and interlocking directorates.
• Occurred during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

Federal Reserve Act (1913)

• A law that created the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States, to regulate monetary policy and provide financial stability.
• Occurred during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

Nineteenth Amendment (1920)

• A constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote.
• Occurred during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

Teapot Dome Scandal

• A bribery scandal involving the secret leasing of federal oil reserves to private companies during the Harding administration.
• Occurred during Warren G. Harding's presidency.

Emergency Quota Act (1921)

• A law that restricted immigration by setting quotas based on national origin, favoring immigrants from Northern and Western Europe.
• Occurred during Warren G. Harding's presidency.

Scopes Monkey Trial (1925)

• A highly publicized trial in which a teacher was accused of violating Tennessee law by teaching evolution in a public school.
• This highlighted the cultural conflict between traditional religious values and modern scientific thought.
• Occurred during Calvin Coolidge's presidency.

Stock Market Crash of 1929

• A sudden and dramatic decline in stock prices that marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
• Occurred during Herbert Hoover's presidency.

Smoot-Hawley Tariff (1930)

• A law that raised tariffs on imported goods, intended to protect American industries but ultimately worsened the Great Depression by reducing international trade.
• Occurred during Herbert Hoover's presidency.

New Deal

• A series of programs and policies enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression, including relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy, and reform of the financial system.
• Occurred during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency.

Social Security

• A federal program that provides financial assistance to retirees, disabled workers, and survivors of deceased workers.
• Occurred during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency.

Japanese internment camps

• The forced relocation and imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II, based on fears of espionage and sabotage.
• Occurred during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency.

Lend-Lease Act

• A program that allowed the United States to provide military aid to Allied nations during World War II without requiring immediate payment.
• Occurred during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

• A law that restricted the power of labor unions and imposed regulations on labor-management relations.
• Occurred during Harry Truman's presidency.

Marshall Plan

• A U.S. program that provided economic assistance to Western European countries after World War II, aiming to promote recovery and prevent the spread of communism.
• Occurred during Harry Truman's presidency.

Interstate Highway System (1956)

• A network of highways built across the United States to improve transportation and facilitate commerce.
• Occurred during Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• A Supreme Court decision that declared state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson.
• Occurred during Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

• A confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, bringing the world close to nuclear war.
• Occurred during John F. Kennedy's presidency.

Great Society

• President Lyndon B. Johnson's domestic program, aimed at addressing poverty, inequality, and social injustice through expanded government programs.
• Occurred during Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

• A law that outlawed discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests, that had been used to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
• Occurred during Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency.

Watergate (1973-1974)

• A political scandal involving illegal activities by the Nixon administration, including the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel, leading to Nixon's resignation.
• Happened during Richard Nixon's presidency.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1970)

• A federal agency created to protect human health and the environment by setting and enforcing environmental regulations.
• Occurred during Richard Nixon's presidency.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

• A Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion, based on the right to privacy.
• Occurred during Richard Nixon's presidency.

Visit to China

• President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China, which opened diplomatic relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China.
• Occurred during Richard Nixon's presidency.

Camp David Accords (1978)

• A peace agreement brokered by President Jimmy Carter between Israel and Egypt.
• Occurred during Jimmy Carter's presidency.

Reaganomics

• President Ronald Reagan's economic policies, which included tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending, aimed at stimulating economic growth.
• Occurred during Ronald Reagan's presidency.

Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)

• A law that granted amnesty to undocumented immigrants who had resided in the United States since January 1, 1982, and imposed sanctions on employers who hired undocumented workers.
• Occurred during Ronald Reagan's presidency.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

• A law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and requires reasonable accommodations in employment, public services, and public accommodations.
• Occurred during George H.W. Bush's presidency.

North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (1994)

• A trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico that eliminated tariffs and other trade barriers.
• Occurred during Bill Clinton's presidency.

USA PATRIOT Act (2002)

• A law passed in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, expanding government surveillance powers and intelligence gathering.
• Occurred during George W. Bush's presidency.

9/11

• The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in which al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., leading to significant changes in American foreign and domestic policy.
• Occurred during George W. Bush's presidency.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)/“Obamacare”

• A healthcare reform law aimed at expanding health insurance coverage and reducing healthcare costs.
• Occurred during Barack Obama's presidency.