histo

Adams Presidency

John Adams’ presidency (1797–1801) was marked by foreign tensions, the XYZ Affair, and the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts.

Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, the U.S. doubled in size by buying the Louisiana Territory from France under President Jefferson.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that allowed the government to deport foreigners and jail critics of the federal government.

Market Revolution

A major economic shift in the early 1800s where the U.S. moved from subsistence farming to industrialization and commercial markets.

Bank War

A political struggle in the 1830s where President Andrew Jackson opposed the Second Bank of the U.S., seeing it as corrupt and elitist.

Missouri Compromise, 1820

An agreement allowing Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while banning slavery north of the 36°30′ line.

Citizen Edward Genet

A French ambassador who caused controversy in 1793 by recruiting Americans for France’s war against Britain without U.S. approval.

Naturalization Act of 1790

The first law to define U.S. citizenship, allowing only "free white persons" to become naturalized citizens.

Election of 1800

A peaceful transfer of power from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans when Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams.

Nullification Crisis

A conflict in the 1830s where South Carolina tried to nullify federal tariffs, testing states' rights versus federal authority.

Fort McHenry

The fort whose defense during the War of 1812 inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Peggy Eaton

A cabinet wife whose social exclusion led to political conflict during Jackson’s presidency, contributing to cabinet resignations.

Haitian Revolt

A successful slave rebellion (1791–1804) in Saint-Domingue that led to the independence of Haiti and scared U.S. slaveholders.

Shays's Rebellion

A 1786 uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting debt and taxes, showing weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.

Indian Assimilation

A U.S. policy encouraging Native Americans to adopt European-American culture, often through education and religion.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Cherokee and other tribes from their homelands to Indian Territory, causing thousands of deaths.

Indian Removal Act

A 1830 law signed by Andrew Jackson that authorized the relocation of Native American tribes to lands west of the Mississippi.

War of 1812

A conflict between the U.S. and Britain over trade rights and impressment that ended in a stalemate but boosted U.S. nationalism.

Jefferson Presidency

Thomas Jefferson’s presidency (1801–1809) was marked by the Louisiana Purchase and a belief in limited federal government.

Washington and Slavery

George Washington owned enslaved people but freed them in his will, reflecting the complexities of slavery among the Founders.

Judiciary Act

A 1789 law that established the federal court system and the Supreme Court’s structure.

Washington Farewell Address

George Washington’s 1796 speech warning against political parties and permanent foreign alliances.

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Political statements arguing that states could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, responding to the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 protest by western farmers against a federal whiskey tax, quickly suppressed by Washington to show federal strength.

Land Ordinances of 1785 and 1787

Laws that organized the sale and settlement of western lands and established a process for creating new states.

Women in the American Revolution

Women supported the war effort as nurses, spies, and by managing farms and homes, laying groundwork for future advocacy.

Legislative Branch

The law-making branch of the U.S. government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

XYZ Affair

A 1797 diplomatic scandal in which French agents demanded bribes from U.S. officials, sparking anti-French sentiment.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

A journey (1804–1806) to explore the Louisiana Territory and find a route to the Pacific, sponsored by Jefferson.