The Federalist Era and the Adams Administration

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, policies, conflicts, and political developments of the Washington and Adams administrations.

Judiciary Act of 1789

A landmark law enacted during the first year of George Washington's presidency, a portion of which was later ruled unconstitutional by Chief Justice John Marshall in the 1803 Marbury v. Madison case.

Report on Public Credit

A foundational document written by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton that justified the establishment of the National Bank and outlined a comprehensive strategy to manage the national debt.

Loose Constructionist

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation embraced by Alexander Hamilton, asserting that the federal government possesses implied powers beyond those explicitly enumerated in the Constitution, such as chartering a national bank.

Strict Constructionist

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation championed by Thomas Jefferson, holding that the federal government is strictly limited to the powers specifically granted to it by the text of the Constitution.

Hamilton's Financial Plan of 1791

A federal plan to assume $75,000,000$ in total revolutionary debt, consisting of $40,000,000$ in domestic debt, $12,000,000$ in foreign debt to France and The Netherlands, and $25,000,000$ in state debts.

Major General Anthony Wayne

A Revolutionary War lieutenant of George Washington known as 'Mad Anthony Wayne' due to his enthusiasm for war making; he organized the Legion of the United States to defeat the Northwestern Indian Confederacy.

Battle of Fallen Timbers

A decisive clash in the Ohio Valley where Anthony Wayne defeated the Northwestern Indian Confederacy at a battlefield site characterized by a forest flattened by a tornado.

Treaty of Greenville (1795)

A peace treaty signed in Greenville, Ohio, following the Battle of Fallen Timbers, in which Native Americans ceded the Ohio Valley and other lands to the United States in exchange for payment.

Whiskey Rebellion (1791–1794)

A violent protest by frontier farmers in Pennsylvania resisting federal excise taxes on distilled surplus grain; it was suppressed when George Washington led an army of 13,000 militiamen into the region.

Jay's Treaty (1794)

A commercial treaty negotiated by John Jay with Great Britain that designated the United States as a 'most favored nation' in trade, favored New England commerce, but angered France and southern/western interests.

Pinckney's Treaty (1795)

A diplomatic agreement negotiated by Thomas Pinckney with Spain that secured American navigation rights on the Mississippi River, access to the Port of New Orleans, and established the boundary between the United States and Spanish Florida.

Virginia Dynasty

A phrase referring to the continuous period of executive leadership from 1800 to 1817 (alongside Washington's earlier tenure) during which Virginian presidents—Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe—led the United States.

Elastic Clause

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the United States Constitution, granting Congress the 'necessary and proper' power to enact laws needed to execute its constitutional powers.

Quasi-War

An undeclared conflict on the high seas between the United States and France during the John Adams administration, prompting the commissioning of the US Navy's first five frigates.

XYZ Affair

A 1797 diplomatic scandal where three French agents demanded a bribe of $250,000$ and a loan of $12,000,000$ before allowing American envoys to negotiate a treaty, prompting the slogan 'millions for defense, not one cent for tribute.'

Alien and Sedition Acts

Federalist legislation passed during the Adams presidency that criminalized criticism of the federal administration, targeted French immigrants, and infringed upon the First Amendment right to free speech before expiring in 1801.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Resolutions secretly drafted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, asserting that state legislatures possess the authority to judge federal constitutionality and nullify unlawful federal laws.

Convention of 1800

A friendship agreement between the United States and Napoleon Bonaparte that terminated the Franco-American alliance of 1778, normalized relations, ended the Quasi-War, and set the stage for the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

Revolution of 1800

The presidential election in which Thomas Jefferson defeated incumbent John Adams, marking the first peaceful transfer of executive power between opposing political parties in United States history.

Twelfth Amendment

A constitutional amendment ratified after the electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr in 1800 that required members of the Electoral College to cast separate ballots for president and vice president.