Historical Time Period 3 APUSH

Abigail Adams

Wife of John Adams. During the Revolutionary War, she wrote letters to her husband describing life on the home front. She urged her husband to remember America's women in the new government he was helping to create. Adams is renowned for her famous plea to her husband and the Continental Congress to "Remember the Ladies" in their new laws, advocating for women's legal and educational rights and cautioning against the unchecked power of husbands.

Elastic Clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution. It provides the constitutional basis for implied powers and has been crucial in expanding federal authority, such as through the Commerce Clause, to address modern issues like civil rights, labor conditions, and technological regulation that the founders could not have foreseen.

National Bank / Bank of the U.S.

Private/public bank that would have all tax revenues flow through its branches and issue currency. A central financial institution chartered by the federal government to manage currency, facilitate trade, and stabilize the national economy.

Neutrality Proclamation

A 1793 statement by President Washington that the United States would not support or aid either France or Britain in their European conflict following the French Revolution

Election of 1800

Jefferson elected; defeats Adams, first peaceful, orderly transfer of power via competitive elections Called "Revolution of 1800". Jefferson and Burr each received 73 votes in the Electoral College, so the House of Representatives had to decide the outcome. The House chose Jefferson as President and Burr as Vice President.

Alien and Sedition Acts

These consist of four laws passed by the Federalist Congress and signed by President Adams in 1798: the Naturalization Act, which increased the waiting period for an immigrant to become a citizen from 5 to 14 years; 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. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which initiated the concept of "nullification" of federal laws were written in response to the Acts.

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War. 1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Continental Congress

A body of representatives from the British North American colonies who met to respond to England's Intolerable Acts. They declared independence in July 1776 and later drafted the Articles of Confederation.

Stamp Act

1765; law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

Great Compromise

1787; 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.

3/5 Compromise

-each slave would count for 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation purposes

Census

the official count of a population

Slave Trade

European trade agreement with Africa dealing with slaves brought from Africa. Integral part of Triangle Trade between the Americas, Africa, and Europe.

French assistance during the American Revolution

Wanted to help America defeat the British. Gained confidence after the Battle of Saratoga.

Sons of Liberty and the Boston Tea Party

Sons of Liberty began to stop the unloading of tea in port cities. Massachusetts governor ordered the tea to be unloaded. Bostonians disguised as Natives boarded the ships and threw 90,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor. Equivalent to $1.7 Million of tea destroyed. This became known as the Boston Tea Party.

Common Sense & Thomas Paine

Published in 1776, Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. Paine used plain language that spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain.

Hamilton's Economic Proposals

Wanted the government to assume the debt of the federal and state governments

Who benefited the most from Hamilton's economic policies?

Eastern and Northern merchants, bankers, creditors, and the wealthy

Shay's Rebellion

A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings. Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Land Ordinance of 1785

A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Created the Northwest Territory (area north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania), established conditions for self-government and statehood, included a Bill of Rights, and permanently prohibited slavery

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

"checks and balances"

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Declaration of Independence

Signed in 1776 by US revolutionaries; it declared the United States as a free state.

Federalists Papers

This collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government. It was published to convince New York to ratify the Constitution.

Franco-American Alliance

France agreed to send troops fearing that the Americans would sign the British agreement allowing them to have limited autonomy. French entered the war against England, which escalated to the Caribbean and colonies in India. Agreement by France to fund American military aids and loans to American colonies. France wanted to piss of Britain basically.

Battle of Saratoga

Turning point of the American Revolution. It was very important because it convinced the French to give the U.S. military support. It lifted American spirits, ended the British threat in New England by taking control of the Hudson River, and, most importantly, showed the French that the Americans had the potential to beat their enemy, Great Britain. American victory over British troops in 1777 that was a turning point in the American Revolution.

Battle of Yorktown

Last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis and his troops were trapped in the Chesapeake Bay by the French fleet. He was sandwiched between the French navy and the American army. He surrendered October 19, 1781.

Impact/consequences of the French and Indian War

France losing its North American territories to Great Britain, which in turn led to Britain incurring massive war debts and imposing new taxes on the American colonies, sparking colonial resentment and a growing desire for independence.