ushistory 1

What is the US Constitution?

supreme law of the land, source of legal authority, provides framework for US government.

popular soveignty

government power resides in the people

limited government

government can only do what the people let it do

seperation of powers

power seperated into 3 branches

checks and balances

each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power (ex, the executive branch has the power to veto bills from the legislative branch.)

federalism

division of power among national and state governmetsn

james madison

father of constitution

articles of confederation

failed constitution that made federal government very weak, no seperation of power, weak government, no power to tax

why constitution written

change the articles of confederation

great comprimise constitutional convention

bicameral legislature (house(based on population) senate(2 each state)) 3/5 clause: slaves count as 3/5 of a person for representation

federalists

supporting strong constitution and central government, alexander hamilton, john jay, james madison. federalists papers

anti-federalists

supported a weaker central government, opposed constitution, wanted bill of rights. Samuel adams, patrick henry

legislative branch

senate and house, make laws, set taxes, declare wars, etc.

excecutive branch

president, vp, commander-in-chie,f grant pardons, make treaties, excecute laws, etc.

judicial branch

supreme court, decides cases of constitution and federal law,

slavery in constitution

slave does not appear in constitution, only 3/5 clause. creators believed that if slavery was abolished, southern slavbes would leave. However, this lead to future conflict. allowed slavery to remain there.

whiskey rebellion

farmers rebelled against taxes of whiskey, as whiskey was used for trading and profit. Hamilton wanted government to look strong, and put down the revolt.

xyz affair

A 1797 incident in which French officials demanded a bribe from U.S. diplomats.

alien and sedition acts

adams critisized for xyz affair, passed alien and sedition to silence them. It increasd waiting to become us citzen from 5 to 14 years. Gave president the power to arrest disloyal aliens or kick them out during wartime. Sedition was made to prevent anone from saying something bad at the government. Violated first amendment.

marbury v madison

marbury, a midnight judge, went to supreme court that demands them to become a judge. Marbury did not become a judge. Marshall created judicial review. supreme court can now declare act of congress unconstitutional.

lousiana purchase

america doubled their territory buy buying lousiana territoryu for 15m from france.

lewis and clark

expolores send to explore new us territoru. Goals were to find northwest passage, document the things they found, and form friendly relations with Native Americans

fort mandan

name of the encampment which the Lewis and Clark Expedition built for wintering over in 1804-1805

sacagawea

A Shoshone woman whose language skills and knowledge of geography helped Lewis and Clark

medicine in early 1800s

germ theory did not exist, did more harm than good, top physicians believes that the best way to cure anything was to purge the body, such as blood letting and ingesting mercury. Lewis was trained by rush before the expedition

the expedition

men travled to pacific coast, and found many new flora and fauna. drew more maps. kept peace with natives and took seperate ways back to find more discoveries.

The return

everyone thought they had died after 2.5 years. given a heroes welcome, lewis was named governmnor of lousiana territory, clark was made the indian agent for the west