Amsco AP US History Chapter 6

Annapolis Convention

Delegates from five states (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia) met and discussed ways to improve commercial relations among the states (1786)

The delegates decided to hold another meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

Every state but Rhode Island sent delegates to this meeting. George Washington was elected chairperson and the delegates set out to revise the Articles of Confederation. (1787)

James Madison

Known as the father of the constitution, this delegate representing Virginia played a major role in creating specific articles of the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention

Alexander Hamilton

This delegate representing New York at the Constitutional Convention played a major role in creating specific articles of the Constitution, and was later the secretary of the treasury in George Washington's cabinet

Gouverneur Morris

This delegate representing Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention played a major role in creating specific articles of the Constitution

John Dickinson

This delegate representing Delaware at the Constitutional Convention played a major role in creating specific articles of the Constitution; is also known for writing Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

Virginia Plan

James Madison's proposal to dealing with the issue of representation, favored the larger states

New Jersey Plan

William Paterson's proposal to dealing with the issue of representation, favored smaller staes

Connecticut Plan; Great Compromise

Plan which provided for a two house Congress; the Senate with two representatives per state and the House of Representatives with representatives based on population

Three-fifths Compromise; slave trade

Counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of determining the population of a state, which would be used for taxes and representation; Congress decided to vote on the issue of slave importation in 20 years

Commercial Compromise

Allowed congress to regulate interstae and foreign commerce, including the ability to place tartiffs, but not the ability to place taxes on any exports

electoral college system

System under which the president is elected; each state's electors = senators + representatives; this system was created because some delgates feared that too much democracy would lead to mob rule

Anti-Federalists

Members of this political group tended to be small farmers and settlers on the western frontier and wanted a weak central government, with most power belonging to the states or to the people

The Federalist Papers

A series of highly persuasive essays (85) written for a New York newspaper by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in favor of the Federalists

executive departments; cabinet

Four of these position were created by Washington when he became president: Thomas Jefferson-Secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton-Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Knox-Secretary of War, Edmund Randolph-Attorney General

Henry Knox

Secretary of War in George Washington's cabinet

Edmund Randolph

Attorney General in George Washington's cabinet

Judiciary Act (1789)

Established a Supreme Court with one chief justice and five associate justices; provided for a system of 13 district courts and 3 courts of appeal

infant industries

In Alexander Hamilton's Financial Program, these newly developing businesses needed to be protected from foreign competition in the form of tariffs on imported goods

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

Issued by George Washington, this document stated that the United States would remain neutral in the French Revolution (1793); Thomas Jefferson resigned from the cabinet because of this order

"Citizen" Edmond Genet

French minister to the United States who appealed directly to the American people to support the French cause, breaking all rules of diplomacy. The US government asked the French to remove the diplomat, but he chose to remain in the US and married and became a citizen

Jay Treaty (1794)

Treaty negotiated by John Jay with the British in which the British agreed to evacuate its posts on the US western frontier, the US originally wanted Britain to stop seizing US ships and impressing (forcing into an army) American sailors (1794)

Pinckney Treaty (1795)

Treaty negotiated by Thomas Pinckney, US minister to Spain, in which Spain agreed to open the lower Mississipi River and New Orleans to American trade. Spain also accepted that Florida's northern boundary should be at the 31st parallel instead of north of that line (1795)

right of deposit

Granted by Spain to America so that Americnas could transfer cargo in New Orleans without paying duties to the Spanish government

Battle of Fallen Timbers

In 1794, the US army led by General Anthony Wayne defeated the Shawnee, Wyandot, and other Native American people in this battle

Whisky Rebellion (1794)

A group of farmers in western Pennsylvania refused to pay the federal excise tax on whiskey and attacked the revenue collectors. George Washington then federalized 15000 militia men and the rebellion peacefully collaspsed. This showed the ability of the government to deal with problems, in contrast to the Articles of Confederation and Shay's rebellion

Public Land Act (1796)

Established orderly procedures for dividing and selling federal lands at reasonable prices (1796)

Democratic-Republican party

Supporters of this party were mostly found in southern states and on the western frontier, favored protection of states' rights, and wanted federal power constrained

Washington's farewell address

Written by Washington as a final message to the people:

1. Don't get involved in European affairs

2. Don't make "permanant alliances" in foreign affairs

3. Don't form political parties

4. Avoid sectionalism

two-term tradition

Although not mentioned in the Constitution, Washington stepped down after two terms of office, and every other president after him did the same until FDR in 1940

John Adams

2nd President of the United States (1796 to 1800)

Foreign Issues: XYZ Affair

Domestic Issues: Alien and Sedition Acts, Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

XYZ Affair

Americans were angered when French diplomats demanded bribes from US ministers to allow negotiations to begin

Alien and Sedition Acts

Composed of:

Naturalization Act (increased from 5 to 14 number of years to become a citizen of US)

Alien Acts (president has a right to deport any dangerous aliens and to detain enemy aliens in time of war)

Sedition Acts (made it illegal for newspapers to criticize the president)

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Both Kentucky and Virginia issued these in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, saying that the states had entered into a compact in creating the federal government and if a federal law broke that contract, the states could declare it null and void

Revolution of 1800

Power peacefully passed from the Federalists to the Democrat-Republicans in the Election of 1800. This showed promise for the new government of the US