Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
3/5 compromise
WHAT: It determined that three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation; WHEN/WHO: the Three-Fifths Compromise was reached among state delegates during the 1787 Constitutional Convention; WHY: Southern states had wanted representation apportioned by population; after the Virginia Plan was rejected, the Three-Fifths Compromise seemed to guarantee that the South would be strongly represented in the House of Representatives; SIGNIFICANCE/HOW: The Three-Fifths Compromise gave southern states more representation, counting each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for population counts. These decisions had lasting impacts, leading to the Civil War; WHERE: Philadelphia.
Alien and sedition acts
WHEN: 1798**; SIGNIFICANCE**: they challenged the Freedom of speech and the Freedom of the Press guaranteed by the First Amendment; WHO: passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress and signed into law by President John Adams, also a Federalist; WHY: Passed in preparation for an anticipated war with France; WHAT: the Alien Act, which empowered the president to arrest and deport dangerous aliens; the Alien Enemy Act, which allowed for the arrest and deportation of citizens of countries at was with the US; and the Sedition Act, which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials. The first 3 were enacted in response to the XYZ Affair, and were aimed at French and Irish immigrants, who were considered subversives. The Sedition Act was an attempt to stifle Democratic-Republican opposition, although only 25 people were ever arrested, and only 10 convicted, under the law; WHERE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania origin.
Anti-federalists
WHAT: a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights to protect Amercians' civil liberties.; WHO: Virginia's George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee. Massachusetts's Samuel Adams; WHY: SIGNIFICANCE: were chiefly concerned with too much power invested in the national government at the expense of states; WHERE: Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia; WHEN: 1787-1789.
Battle of Fallen Timbers
WHAT/WHO: An attack made by American General "Mad Anthony Wayne" against invading Indians from the northwest; WHERE: Toledo, Ohio; WHEN; 1794; WHY: The defeat of the Indians ended the alliance made with the British and Indians; SIGNIFICANCE: With the Treaty of Greenville, signed in present-day Greenville, Ohio, in August 1795, the Indians ceded much of present-day Ohio, which, in 1803, became America's 17th state. By the terms of the treaty, the Indians also ceded parts of Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
Bill of Rights
WHAT: first ten amendments to the United States Constitution; WHO: James Madison introduced them; WHEN: 1789; WHY: federalists opposed including a bill of rights on the ground that it was unnecessary. anti-federalists, who were afraid of a strong centralized government, refused to support the Constitution without one; WHERE: was drafted in New York City, where the federal government was operating out of federal hall; SIGNIFICANCE: to guarantee the individual rights of citizens under the U.S. Constitution. proponents felt that these rights should be explicitly stated in writing so that the federal government could not arbitrarily abridge them.
Boston Massacre
WHAT: The Boston Massacre was a deadly riot that occurred; WHERE: King Street in Boston; WHY: It began as a street brawl between American colonists and a lone British soldier, but quickly escalated to a chaotic, bloody slaughter; SIGNIFICANCE: The conflict energized anti-British sentiment and paved the way for the American Revolution: WHEN: 1770.
Elastic Clause
WHAT: The elastic clause in the Constitution grants Congress the right to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers specifically granted to Congress by the Constitution; WHY/WHO: This clause was the source of Hamilton's implied powers doctrine; WHERE: Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution; SIGNIFICANCE: it is used to stretch the powers of Congress to include situations the founding fathers did not anticipate. Prior to the adoption of the Constitution, the powers of the Continental Congress were limited to those expressly delegated in the Articles of Confederation; when: 1791
Election of 1800
WHAT/WHO: the Democratic-Republican Party candidate, Vice President Thomas Jefferson, defeated the Federalist Party president John Adams; WHEN: 1800; SIGNIFICANCE: the election was a political realignment that ushered in a generation of Democratic-Republican leadership; WHY; house of representatives needed to choose who would become the new president.
Embargo Act
WHAT/WHEN: The Embargo Act of 1807 was a law passed by Congress forbidding all exportation of goods from the United States; WHY: Britain and France had been continuously harassing the U.S. and seizing U.S. ship's and men. The U.S. was not prepared to fight in a war, so Pres. Jefferson hoped to weaken Britain and France by stopping trade; SIGNIFICANCE: The Embargo Act ended up hurting our economy more than theirs. It was repealed in 1809. The Embargo Act helped to revive the Federalists. It caused New England's industry to grow. It eventually led to the War of 1812.
Federalist Papers
WHO: The essays were published anonymously, under the pen name "Publius," in various New York state newspapers of the time; WHAT: the Federalist Papers were written and published to urge New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution, which was drafted in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787; WHO: 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay; WHY: The essays urged New York delegates to ratify the Constitution. In 1788, the essays were published in a bound volume entitled the Federalist and eventually became known as the Federalist Papers. Some people felt that the Constitution would give the central government too much power and would limit individual freedom.
Funding and Assumption
WHAT/WHO: Under Hamilton's financial plan in which the federal government took over the states' debt; WHY/SIGNIFICANCE: Along with this, he proposed the chartering of the U.S. bank to help restore American credit. It led to the split into two political parties; 1790
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
WHEN: 1787; WHAT/WHO: This compromise was between the large and small states of the colonies. The Great Compromise resolved that there would be representation by population in the House of Representatives, and equal representation would exist in the Senate. Each state, regardless of size, would have 2 senators. All tax bills and revenues would originate in the House. This compromise combined the needs of both large and small states and formed a fair and sensible resolution to their problems; SIGNIFICANCE: The Great Compromise ensured the continuance of the constitutional convention.
Intolerable Acts of 1774
WHAT: The four acts were the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act; WHY: response to colonial resistance to British rule during the winter of 1773–74, Parliament was determined to reassert its authority in America and passed four acts that were known as the Coercive Acts in Britain but were labeled the Intolerable Acts by the colonists; SIGNIFICANCE: The cumulative effect of the reports of colonial resistance to British rule during the winter of 1773–74 was to make Parliament more determined than ever to assert its authority in America.
Jay’s Treaty 1794
WHAT/WHO: John Jay sent to Great Britain to dissuade from seizing American ships and impressing seamen into GB Navy; SIGNIFICANCE: 1 year later managed to get GB evacuation from US west frontier but nothing of their seizing of US ships; narrowly passed and angered Americans supporting French; kept neutrality; WHEN: 1794.
Judiciary Act of 1789
WHAT: the Judiciary Act of 1789 organized the Supreme Court, originally with five justices and a chief justice, along with several federal district and circuit courts. It also created the attorney general's office; SIGNIFICANCE: This Act created the judiciary branch of the U.S. government and thus helped to shape the future of this country; WHY: established the multi-tiered federal court system we know today.
Kentucky and Va Resolves 1798
WHEN/WHAT/WHO: The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were put into practice in 1798 by Jefferson and James Madison; WHY: These resolutions were secretly made to get the rights back taken away by the Alien and Sedition Acts; SIGNIFICANCE: These laws took away freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. These resolutions also brought about the later compact theory which gave the states more power than the federal government.
Louisiana Purchase 1803
WHEN/WHO/WHAT: The U.S., under Jefferson, bought the Louisiana territory from France, under the rule of Napoleon, in 1803. The U.S. paid $15 million for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon gave up his empire in North America; SIGNIFICANCE: The U.S. gained control of Mississippi trade route and doubled its size.
Marbury vs Madison
WHO/WHAT: Sec. of State James Madison held up one of John Adams' "Midnight Judges" appointments. The appointment was for a Justice of the Peace position for William Marbury. Marbury sued. Fellow Hamiltonian and Chief Justice John Marshall dismissed Marbury's suit, avoiding a political showdown and magnifying the power of the Court; SIGNIFICANCE: his case cleared up controversy over who had final say in interpreting the Constitution: the states did not, the Supreme Court did. This is judicial review; WHY: outgoing President John Adams had issued William Marbury a commission as justice of the peace — but the new Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver it; WHEN: 1803.
Newburgh Conspiracy
WHAT/WHO/WHEN: The Newburgh Conspiracy was a failed apparent threat by leaders of the Continental Army in March 1783, at the end of the American Revolutionary War; WHY: a plan to challenge the authority of the Confederation due to arising from their frustration with Congress's long-standing inability to meet its financial obligations to the military.
Land ordinance
WHEN/WHO: 1785; WHAT: a uniform procedure for survey and sale of territory passed by the U.S. Congress under the Articles of Confederation; WHERE: Ohio River valley; SIGNIFICANCE: a sign of the order and development of the west; SPECIFICITY: helped with township of 65 miles squared, 36 sections, 1 reserved for public school, favored speculators, revenue for government necessary; WHY: to create a way to increase the financial reserves of the government in the future.
Northwest Ordinances
WHEN: 1787; WHERE: Borders of Ohio and Great Lakes Mississippi; WHAT: chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory, and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory; SIGNIFICANCE: stablished the first organized territory of USA, there was no less than 3 and no more than 5.
Philadelphia Convention
WHAT/WHO/WHEN: Beginning 1787, the convention recommended by the Annapolis Convention was held in Philadelphia. All of the states except Rhode Island sent delegates, and George Washington served as president of the convention. The convention lasted 16 weeks, and on September 17, 1787; WHY: to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation; SIGNIFICANCE: produced the present Constitution of the United States, which was drafted largely by James Madison.
Pinckney’s Treaty of 1795
WHAT/WHERE: Treaty between the U.S. and Spain which gave the U.S. the right to transport goods on the Mississippi river and to store goods in the Spanish port of New Orleans; SIGNIFICANCE: agreement between the United States and Spain that changed Florida’s border and made it easier for American ships to use the port of New Orleans; WHY: to end a dispute between the two countries over land settlement and Mississippi River trade.
Second Continental Congress
WHAT: the late-18th-century meeting of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolution and its associated Revolutionary War that established American independence from the British Empire; WHO: Fatherrrr Ben Franklin involved yolo; WHEN: soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun, 1775-1781; SIGNIFICANCE: voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776, which led to the colonies becoming the United States of America. Under the Second Continental Congress, the newly formed country raised an army and developed a new government.
Shays Rebellion 1786
WHEN/WHO: 1786- Led by Captain Daniel Shays, Revolutionary war veteran; WHAT/WHY: An uprising that flared up in western Massachusetts. Impoverished backcountry farmers, many of them Revolutionary war veterans, were losing their farms through mortgage foreclosures and tax delinquencies. They demanded cheap paper money, lighter taxes, and a suspension of mortgage foreclosures. Hundreds of angry agitators attempted to enforce these demands. Massachusetts authorities, supported by wealthy citizens, raised a small army under General Lincoln; SIGNIFICANCE: exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation and led many—including George Washington—to call for strengthening the federal government in order to put down future uprisings.
Stamp Act congress
WHAT/WHO/WHEN: Stamp Act Congress, meeting convened in New York City (October 1765) by representatives of nine of the American colonies to frame resolutions of “rights and grievances” and to petition the king of England and the British Parliament for repeal of the Stamp Act.; had little effect at the time but broke barriers and helped toward colonial unity; SIGNIFICANCE: the act caused an uprising because there was no one to sell the stamps and the British did not understand why the Americans could not pay for their own defense; the act was repealed in 1766.
Stamp act 1765
WHEN/WHO/WHAT: In 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act, requiring the colonists to pay for a stamp to go on many of the documents essential to their lives. These documents included deeds, mortgages, liquor licenses, playing cards, and almanacs. The colonists heartily objected to this direct tax and in protest petitioned the king, formed the Stamp Act Congress, and boycotted English imports. In 1766 Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, a major victory for colonists; SIGNIFICANCE: it help replenish their finances after the costly Seven Years' War with France.
Washington’s Farewell Adress
WHAT/WHO/WHEN: In his farewell address, Washington exhorted Americans to set aside their violent likes and dislikes of foreign nations, lest they be controlled by their passions in 1796; WHY: his key points were to warn Americans against the danger of political parties, to remain neutral in foreign conflicts and to celebrate their achievements.
Whiskey rebellion
WHAT/WHEN/WHO: a small rebellion, that began in Southwestern Pennsylvania in 1794 that was a challenge to the National Governments unjust use of an excise tax on an "economic medium of exchange”; WHY: Washington crushed the rebellion with excessive force, proving the strength of the national governments power in its military; SIGNIFICANCE: he Whiskey Rebellion was the first test of federal authority in the United States. This rebellion enforced the idea that the new government had the right to levy a particular tax that would impact citizens in all states.
XYZ Affair
WHAT: US ships seized by French, unknown ministers X, Y, and Z wanted bribes to enter negotiations; Americans outraged; WHO: President Adams avoided war because the navy and army were not strong enough; SIGNIFICANCE: a diplomatic incident between French and United States diplomats that resulted in a limited, undeclared war known as the Quasi-War.