unit 3c vocabulary - amstud

George Washington

the first president of the United States 

Judiciary Act of 1789

 one of Congress’s first laws; established a Supreme Court with one chief and five associate justices; ruled on the constitutionality of decisions made by state courts

Alexander Hamilton/five point financial plan

secretary of the treasury; aimed to put U.S. finances on a stable foundation; establish public credit, create a national debt, create a national bank, raise revenue through taxes, and impose tariffs 

Report on Public Credit, 1790

outlined a financial plan to pay off the national debt at face value and have the federal government assume the war debts of the states

Report on a National Bank, 1790

a plan to create a national bank for depositing government funds and printing banknotes that would provide the basis for a stable U.S. currency

Report on Manufactures, 1971

a plan to protect the young nation’s “infant” (new and developing) industries and collect adequate revenues at the same time by imposing high tariffs on imported goods

French Revolution

a political upheaval in France that aimed to abolish the monarchy and feudal system and establish a new political order; inspired by the American Revolution; conflict regarding whether or not the U.S. should support France (due to the U.S.-French Alliance) or the French Revolutionaries (which the U.S. sympathized with)

Proclamation of Neutrality, 1793

issued by Washington stating that the U.S. would not engage in the French Revolution; U.S. not strong enough to engage in the war

Jay’s Treaty, 1794

a treaty with Britain to resolve the conflict of 1) Britain’s continued occupation of posts on the U.S. western frontier and 2) Britain’s offensive practice of searching and seizing American ships and impressing seamen into the British navy. British agreed to evacuate posts but included nothing about impressment

Pinckney’s Treaty, 1795

a treaty with Spain that states 1) Spain opened the lower Mississippi River and New Orleans to American trade and 2) the right of deposit was granted to Americans so that they could transfer cargoes without paying duties to the Spanish government and 3) Spain accepted the U.S. claim that Florida’s northern boundary should be at the 31st parallel

Whiskey Rebellion, 1794

a rebellion against the high taxes in whiskey imposed to make up for revenues lost; rebellion farmers defended their “liberties” by attacking revenue collectors; Washington federalized 15k state militia under the command of Hamilton → rebellion collapsed with almost no bloodshed; federal government solidified authority 

Federalists

supported Hamilton’s financial program; led by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton; loose-construction of Constitution; pro-British foreign policy; large army; national bank, high tariffs; advocated for growth of federal power; strong in the northeastern states (business owners/landowners)

Democratic-Republicans

supported Jefferson; led by Jefferson and Madison; strict-construction of Constitution; pro-French foreign policy; small army; favored agriculture and opposed national bank/high tariffs; argued for states’ rights; strongest in the southern states (small farmers, plantation owners)

Thomas Jefferson

leader of the Democratic-Republicans; opposed Hamilton’s financial program; supported state power

loose construction

a flexible and broad interpretation of the Constitution

strict construction

a restrictive interpretation of the Constitution

Washington’s Farewell Address

a speech delivered by Washington at the end of his presidency; stated to: 1) not get involved in European affairs; 2) to not make “permanent alliances” in foreign affairs; 3) do not form political parties; 4) do not fall into sectionalism

John Adams

Federalists’ candidate for presidency; won; second president of the United States

XYZ Affair

Americans angered that French warships were seizing U.S. merchant ships; Adams sought a peaceful settlement → delegation to Paris to negotiate with ministers → French ministers X, Y, and Z requested bribes as the basis for entering into negotiations. Americans were angered; “millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”

Alien and Sedition Act, 1798

made by Federalists to suppress support of Democratic-Republicans; alien acts authorized president to deport aliens considered dangerous and to detain enemy aliens in time of war; sedition act made it illegal for newspaper editors to criticize either the president or Congress and imposed fines or imprisonment for those who violated the law

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, 1798

resolutions that declared the federal Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 unconstitutional; states had the right and duty to nullify federal laws that exceeded the powers granted by the Constitution; Kentucky adopted resolution written by Jefferson and Virginia adopted a resolution introduced by Madison