1776-1800

Declaration of Independence adopted

July 4, 1776.

Thomas Jefferson

Main author of the Declaration of Independence.

Articles of Confederation

First government of the United States.

Major weakness of the Articles

No power to tax and weak central government.

Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787)

Rebellion that exposed weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Daniel Shays

Leader of Shays' Rebellion.

Constitutional Convention

Met in 1787 to revise the Articles and created the Constitution.

James Madison

Father of the Constitution.

Great Compromise

Created a two-house Congress with House and Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation.

Alexander Hamilton's Financial Plan

Strengthen the national government through debt repayment, credit, and a national bank.

Democratic-Republicans

Political party led by Thomas Jefferson favoring limited federal government.

Whiskey Rebellion (1794)

Farmers protested a federal whiskey tax.

Significance of the Whiskey Rebellion

Showed the federal government could enforce its laws.

French Revolution

Event that divided Americans during Washington's presidency.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws that restricted criticism of the government and targeted immigrants.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Introduced the idea of nullification.

Nullification

Belief that states can declare federal laws unconstitutional.

Election of 1800

Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams.

Significance of the Election of 1800

First peaceful transfer of power between political parties.