APUSH: Chapter 6 (Formation of a New Republic) - Brinkley

Alexander Hamilton

New York lawyer and military aid to Washington, persuaded Virginia legislature to convene an interstate conference on commercial questions

Alien and Sedition Acts

Acts that placed new obstacles in the way of immigrants and allowed the government to prosecute those who engaged in sedition against the government

Antifederalists

Name of the group who opposed the Constitution, main complaint was the lack of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution

Bill of Rights

List of rights approved by Congress on September 25, 1789, now is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

Checks and Balances

Term for how the U.S. government divides its power into three branches, and how each branch monitors the others in order to prevent corruption

Citizen Genet Affair

Situation where French diplomat tried to use American ports to outfit French warships, encouraged American shipowners to serve as French privateers, and commissioned George Rogers Clark to lead a military expedition against Spanish lands to the south

Federal Structure

Structure of government which split power between the states and the nation

Federalists

Name given to the supporters of the Constitution, name implies they were less committed to a nationalist government than they actually were

French Revolution

War in France during the 1790's causing the overthrow of the monarchy, attacks on organized religion, and the execution of the king and queen

Great Compromise

The name given to the resolution of the disagreements during the creation of the Constitution

Hamilton's Financial Plan

Name for Hamilton's plan to help get rid of the debt from the Revolutionary War, involved the national government assuming the debt of the states and the creation of a central bank

James Madison

Founding Father who helped to resolve the question of sovereignty and the question of limiting power

Jay's Treaty

Treaty negotiated by John Jay in 1794, settled conflict with Britain and helped prevent possible war between America and Britain

John Adams

2nd president of U.S., selected instead of Alexander Hamilton as Federalist representative because Hamilton had made too many enemies

Judiciary Act of 1801

Act passed in 1801 that lowered number of Supreme Court judges by one, but increased number of federal judgeships as a whole

Neutrality Act

American belief in not taking sides during a war, established during a war between France and England in 1789

New Jersey Plan

Plan for the Constitution in which each state had equal representation, and there was one house in the government, but that house had expanded powers to tax and regulate commerce

Pinckney's Treaty

1795, treaty, Spain agreed to recognize the right of Americans to navigate the Mississippi and deposit goods at New Orleans for reloading on oceangoing ships, agreed to fix the northern boundary of Florida, and required Spanish authorities to prevent the Indians from launching raids across the border

Quasi War

Americans became ally of Britain during their war with France, as well as built ships and cut off trade with France, but did not actually participate in fighting

Republicans

Opposing political party to the Federalists, believed in weak central government, strong state governments

Revolution of 1800

Bitter controversies of the Election of 1800 created a "revolution" of sorts, as the supporters of the candidates were violent and rude to each other

Separation of Powers

Splitting powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches in order to prevent corruption/tyranny, proposed by David Hume

Sovereignty

The power and influence of a government, specifically state governments

The Federalist Papers

Essays written by Jay, Hamilton, and Madison, first printed in newspapers, eventually put together into a book to spread the political beliefs of Federalists

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Resolutions proposed by the Republican party to the Alien and Sedition Acts, claimed that if law passed by government was considered unnecessary, it could be nullified by the state governments

Virginia Plan

Plan for the Constitution in which government is split into three branches, and state governments are split into upper and lower houses, representation in houses decided by population, did not appeal to the smaller states

Washington's Farewell Address

1797, document written by Washington when he left office, especially warned against formation of political parties

Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation

Issues with the Articles of Confederation, esp. the inability to tax

Whiskey Rebellion

1794, rebellion over tax on whiskey, quelled by Washington and 15,000 militiamen

XYZ Affair

Report on France's demand for money from England and America before beginning diplomatic negotiations