APUSH Vocab 3.8-3.12

James Madison

Often called the 'Father of the Constitution,' Madison played a central role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and later co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party.

Alexander Hamilton

Leading proponent of a strong national government, Hamilton co-authored The Federalist Papers, established the national bank, and shaped economic policy as the first Treasury Secretary.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution's ratification who favored a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution's ratification as originally written. They feared centralized power and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

The Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay defending the Constitution and explaining its principles to help secure ratification.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where delegates convened to revise the Articles of Confederation but ultimately drafted a new Constitution.

Federalism

The division of power between a central (national) government and regional (state) governments.

Separation of Powers

The constitutional principle dividing government authority across three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent concentration of power.

Checks and Balances

Mechanisms by which each branch of government can limit the powers of the others to maintain equilibrium.

Virginia Plan

Proposed at the Constitutional Convention, it called for a bicameral legislature with representation in both houses based on population.

Great Compromise

Also known as the Connecticut Compromise; it merged the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan, establishing one legislative house with proportional representation (House of Representatives) and one with equal representation (Senate).

Senate

The upper chamber of Congress, granting equal representation (two senators) to each state.

House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress, with representation based on population.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that three-fifths of a state's slave population would count toward both representation and taxation.

Commerce Compromise

Agreement that allowed Congress to regulate interstate and international commerce (including tariffs) but forbade taxes on exports from state and allowed slave trade to continue until 1808.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental civil liberties and limiting government power to address Anti-Federalist concerns.

National Bank

The Bank of the United States, proposed by Hamilton, which served as the nation's financial agent—stabilizing currency and public credit.

Federalist Party

Led by Hamilton, this party favored strong national authority, commercial and industrial development, and close British relations.

Democratic-Republican Party

Founded by Jefferson and Madison, it championed states' rights, agrarian values, and closer ties with France.

John Adams

Second U.S. President (1797-1801), a Federalist who presided during rising international tensions and domestic dissent.

Washington's Farewell Address

President George Washington's 1796 message warning against permanent foreign alliances, political parties, and sectionalism.

Alien and Sedition Acts

1798 Federalist laws that included tougher naturalization requirements and criminal penalties for criticizing the government, widely viewed as violations of free speech.

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Political statements drafted by Jefferson and Madison asserting that states could nullify unconstitutional federal laws, especially targeting the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Battle of Fallen Timbers

1794 military conflict where U.S. forces defeated Native American confederation in the Northwest Territory.

Treaty of Greenville

1795 treaty between the U.S. and Native American tribes, giving the U.S. claim to much of the Northwest Territory after their victory.

Whiskey Rebellion

1794 uprising in western Pennsylvania against a federal excise tax on whiskey, quelled by a show of force by the Washington administration, demonstrating federal authority.

French Revolution

The 1789-1799 upheaval in France that sparked intense partisan debate in the U.S. over whether America should support revolutionary ideals.

Proclamation of Neutrality

President Washington's 1793 declaration that the U.S. would remain neutral amid the conflict between France and Britain.

Citizen Genêt

French envoy Edmund Genêt who tried to recruit American support for France's wars, prompting diplomatic controversy and challenging the administration's neutrality stance.

Jay Treaty

1794 treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain that resolved remaining Revolutionary War tensions and promoted trade, though it angered pro-French Americans.

Pinckney Treaty

1795 treaty with Spain granting the U.S. navigation rights on the Mississippi River and use of the port of New Orleans—along with border definitions.

Right of Deposit

The right granted under the Pinckney Treaty allowing Americans to store goods in New Orleans before shipping down the Mississippi.

XYZ Affair

1797 diplomatic scandal in which French agents (named X, Y, and Z) demanded bribes from American diplomats, fueling anti‑French sentiment and leading to a quasi‑war at sea.

Northwest Ordinance

1787 legislation establishing a structured process to admit new states from the Northwest Territory and banning slavery in that region.

Indian Intercourse Act

A set of federal regulations passed in 1790 (and updated later) governing interactions with Native Americans, including land purchases and trade.

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