APUSH UNIT 3 (1754-1800)

Ideas

Description

Idea 1

The four wars happened because the winner stood to gain supremacy in the West Indies and Canada and to dominate the lucrative colonial trade.

Idea 2

The first three wars mostly focused in battles in Europe and only some in the colonies. Europeans saw little benefit in committing regular troops to America. The French & Indian War began in the colonies and then spread to Europe. Many troops were shipped because they didn’t want to rely on colonial forces.

Idea 3

Start of Seven Years’ War— French built a chain of forts in the Ohio River Valley to halt westward growth of the British colonies. George Washington was sent to stop Fort Duquesne to keep control of the valley, winning a small initial victory but surrendering soon after to a superior force of Frenchman and their American Indian allies. This began the war.

Idea 4

The war began badly for the British, losing in 1755 near Ft. Duquesne and 1756 in French Canada. (Braddock)

Idea 5

William Pitt (British minister) focused on conquering Canada. Retook Louisbourg in 1758, got Quebec in 1759, took Montreal in 1760.

Idea 6

The Seven Years’ War established them as the dominant naval power of the world. The British saw the colonists as poorly trained and disorderly. The colonists were proud in their own defense.

Idea 7

After the war, King George III wanted to tax the colonists to make up for the losses of the war.

Idea 8

Many people first didn’t argue the Townshend Acts because they were a tax on the merchants and not them, but soon leaders began protesting the new duties.

Idea 9

Each state after the Revolution started to have their own constitution, usually outlining a List of Rights, Separation of Powers, Voting (white males who owned some property), Office-Holding (usually held to higher property qualifications than the voters)

Idea 10

The American Revolution brought social changes, including the abolition of Aristocratic Titles (no more titles of nobility, or primogeniture, many estates owned by Loyalists were confiscated and subdivided to raise money for the war), Separation of Church and State (fully discontinued in the 1830s), Women remained in a second-class status despite helping dramatically during the war, and Slavery (for a time abolished the importation of slaves, most northern states ended slavery, some owners in the South voluntarily freed their slaves, many still believed that enslaved labor was essential to the economy)

Idea 11

Economic depression was common because of war debts not paid off. Many states places tariffs on other states and competed against each other.

Idea 12

Federalists were able to get most of the states to ratify the Constitution by promising a Bill of Rights. They still needed Virginia and New York to act - in Virginia Anti-Federalists rallied behind George Mason and Patrick Henry. The Federalists (Washington, Madison, John Marshall) managed to narrowly prevail by a close vote.

Idea 13

Argument for Bill of Rights: needed rights to be protected. Against: members would be elected by the people and would not need to be protected against themselves. With a list means that unlisted rights can be exploited.

Idea 14

Jefferson appointed cabinet members approved by the Senate: Jefferson (secretary of state), Henry Knox (secretary of war), Edmund Randolph (attorney general), Hamilton (secretary of the treasury)

Idea 15

Constitution addresses Supreme Court, and congress could make other federal courts with lesser powers. Judiciary Act of 1789- established a Supreme Court with one chief justice and 5 associate justices. Rule on constitutionality of decisions made by states courts. Made for a system of 13 district courts and 3 circuit courts of appeals.

Idea 16

Jefferson wanted the capital to be in the South along the Potomac River (DC) and Hamilton agreed because Jefferson supported paying off the war debts at a national level.

Idea 17

Many supported the French Revolutions ideas of making a republic, but were wary of the mass executions and mob hysteria.

Idea 18

During Adams’ presidency, the Federalists rapidly lost popularity (Alien & Sedation Acts, high taxes due to preparing for a war against France and building up the US navy)

Year

Event

1754

The Start of the Seven Years’ War

1763

The Peace of Paris ends the war

1765

Stamp Act Congress was formed

1770

The Townshend Acts were repealed, after Lord Frederick North urged Parliament to do so because they damaged trade and generated very little revenue. This ended the boycott and mostly kept politics civil. Parliament still kept a small tax on tea as a symbol of its right to tax colonists.

Person

Brief Summary

Patrick Henry

Stood up in the House of Burgesses demanding that the king’s government recognize the rights of all citizens, including the right not to be taxed without representation. (prompted by the Stamp Act)

James Otis

Called for a call to protest the Stamp Act

Thomas Paine

Wrote a 1776 pamphlet that argued for independence from Britain, greatly influencing public opinion.

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson served as the first Secretary of State (1790–1793), advocating for limited federal government and agrarian interests. Third U.S. president (1801–1809), author of the Declaration of Independence and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party.

Daniel Shays

Led 1786–1787 uprising by farmers in Massachusetts protesting economic injustices and high taxes.

Alexander Hamilton

A leading Federalist, Secretary of the Treasury, and proponent of a strong central government and financial system. Alexander Hamilton served as the first Secretary of the Treasury (1789–1795) and developed a comprehensive financial plan for the new nation.

James Madison

“Father of the Constitution,” key figure in drafting the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

George Washington

First U.S. president and commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Chairperson of the Constitutional Convention. First U.S. president (1789–1797), set many precedents including the two-term limit and neutrality in foreign conflicts.

John Adams

Second U.S. president (1797–1801), involved in the XYZ Affair and passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Henry Knox

Henry Knox served as the first Secretary of War, managing military affairs from 1789 to 1794.

John Jay

Jay’s Treaty

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney

Pinckney’s Treaty

Pontiac

Pontiac’s Rebellion

James Wolfe

Took Quebec in 1759

Edward Braddock

Library of Congress General Edward Braddock commanded British forces in the unsuccessful 1755 campaign to expel the French from the Ohio Valley near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Gouverneur Morris

Gouverneur Morris was a key American statesman and Founding Father who played a significant role in drafting the U.S. Constitution, particularly credited with writing its preamble. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Morris advocated for a strong central government and was an early voice against slavery. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to France during the French Revolution.

Term

Definition

King William’s War (1689-1697)

The British tried to capture Quebec, but failed. American Indies supported by the French burned British frontier settlements.

Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)

Eventually, British forces prevailed and gained both Nova Scotia from France and trading rights in Spanish America.

King George’s War (1744-1748)

French & Spanish attacked Britain. James Oglethorpe repulsed Spanish attacks in Georgia. Louisbourg was captured, which controlled access to the St. Lawrence River. Britain agreed to give it back in the peace treaty in exchange for political and economic gains in India. New Englanders were furious.

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

A plan developed by Benjamin Franklin at a meeting in Albany attended by seven colonies that provided for an inter-colonial government and a system for recruiting troops and collecting taxes from the various colonies for the common defense. The plan never took effect, but it set a precedent for later, more revolutionary congresses in the 1770s.

The Peace of Paris (1763)

Great Britain acquired both French Canada and Spanish Florida. France gave up to Spain Louisiana and claims west of the Mississippi River in compensation for Spain’s loss of Florida. (British extended control, French power virtually ended)

Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763)

Chief Pontiac led a major attack against colonial settlements on the western frontier. (Didn’t like the colonists expanding westward without gifts like the French had done) The British sent regular British troops to put down the uprising, rather than let colonial forces handle it.

Proclamation of 1763

Prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. (Hoped to prevent future hostilities with the Indians) Colonists were angry, hoping to reap the benefits of expansion due to their victory of the war. Many still went westward in defiance of the proclamation.

Sugar/Revenue Act (1764)

Placed duties on foreign sugar and certain luxuries. A companion act tried to combat smuggling by providing stricter enforcement of the Navigation Acts- (those accused of smuggling were to be tried by crown-appointed judges)

Quartering Act (1765)

Required the colonists to provide food and living quarters for the British soldiers stationed in the colonies.

Stamp Act (1765)

Required that revenue stamps be placed on most printed paper in the colonies, including all legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, and advertisements. (First direct tax paid by the people in the colonies- colonists were upset)

Stamp Act Congress

Representatives from nine colonies met in New York to form this, resolving that only their elected representatives had the legal authority to approve taxes.

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

A secret society organized for the purpose of intimidating tax agents. Destroyed revenue stamps and tarred and feathered revenue officials.

Declaratory Act (1766)

Parliament voted to repeal the Stamp Act, but also made the act that Parliament had the right to tax and make laws for the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Townshend’s program enacting new duties to be collected on colonial imports of tea, glass, and paper. It required that revenues raised were to be used to pay crown officials in the colonies. Also provided for the search of private homes for smuggled goods. Also suspended New York’s assembly for defying the Quartering Act.

Writ of Assistance

a general license to search anywhere

Letters from a Farmer in PA (1767-1768)

John Dickinson: Wrote that Parliament could regulate commerce but argued that duties were a form of taxation and the idea of no taxation without representation.

MA Circular Letter (1768)

James Otis & Samuel Adams wrote this and sent copies to every colonial legislature. It urged the colonies to petition Parliament and repeal the Townshend Acts. British officials tried to retract the letter, threatened to dissolve the legislature, and sent more troops to Boston. The colonists boycotted goods and merchants increased smuggling to not have to pay duties.

Boston Massacre (1770)

Most Bostonians resented the British troops, who were quartered in their city to protect customs officials from being attacked by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty. Many colonists harassed the guards near the customs house and guards fired into the crowd, killing 5. John Adams defended them and they were acquitted in trial. His cousin, Sam Adams, used this to inflame anti-British feeling.

Committee of Correspondence (1772)

Samuel Adams organized; regularly exchanged letters about suspicious or potentially threatening British Activities.

Intercolonial Committees (1773)

Established by the Virginia House of Burgesses, talking about potentially threatening British activities.

The Gaspee (1772)

A British customs ship that had caught several smugglers. Colonists, disguised as American Indians, set fire to the vessel in Rhode Island. The British ordered for people to be brought to Britain for trial.

Tea Act (1773)

Made the price of the British East India Company’s tea cheaper than smuggled Dutch tea, even with the taxes.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

1773 protest against the Tea Act, where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor. Some thought that it was justified, while others thought the approach was too radical.

Intolerable/Coercive Acts (1774)

1774 punitive laws passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party, aimed at tightening control over the colonies.

Port Act

Closed the port of Boston, prohibiting trade in and out of the harbor until the destroyed tea was paid for.

MA Government Act

Reduced the power of the MA legislature while increasing the power of the royal governor.

Administration of Justice Act

Allowed royal officials accused of crimes to be tried in Britain instead of the colonies.

Expansion of the Quartering Act

Enabled British troops to be quartered in private homes, applied to all of the colonies.

Quebec Act (1774)

Established Roman Catholicism as the official religion of Quebec (Protestants resented this); set up a government without a representative assembly, (colonists feared this would happen in the colonies) extended Quebec’s boundary to the Ohio River (took away lands from the colonists that they claimed in the Ohio River)

Enlightenment Ideas

(John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Montesquieu)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ThpyvGokNpmtoFKGwLwiLOddE-NyoW-16jiX0XX9mkQ/edit

Deism

the belief of god

Whigs

Early activists in the colonies called themselves Whigs, seeing themselves as in alliance with the political opposition in Britain, until they turned to independence and started emphasizing the label Patriots. In contrast, the American Loyalists, who supported the monarchy, were consistently also referred to as Tories.

Rationalism

a method of thinking that is marked by being a deductive and abstract way of reasoning.

1st Continental Congress (1774)

1774 meeting of colonial delegates to coordinate resistance against British policies. (12/13 colonies-no Georgia). Most colonists did not want independence, just wanted to protest the British infringements on their rights and restore their relationship with the crown.

Patrick Henry & Sam Adams - great concessions from Britain

John Jay & Joseph Galloway - mild statement of protest

Adopted the following measures:

1. Endorsed the Suffolk Resolves - a statement originally issued in MA that called for the immediate repeal of the Intolerable Acts and for the colonist to resist them by making military preparations and boycotting British goods

2. Passed the Declaration of Rights and Grievances - Moderate delegates backed, urged the king to redress colonial grievances and restore colonial rights. (Declaration of Rights and Grievances – 1774 document from the 1st Continental Congress protesting British taxation without representation)

3. Created Continental Association - a network of committees to enforce the economic sanctions of the Suffolk Resolves

4. Declared that if colonial rights were not recognized, delegates would meet again in May 1775.

Lexington and Concord

 The battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. British troops aimed to confiscate colonial weapons and arrest revolutionaries, leading them to march from Boston to Concord. At Lexington, they encountered a small group of colonial militia, resulting in the "shot heard 'round the world." The British continued to Concord, where they faced larger colonial forces, leading to a retreat back to Boston under heavy fire. These events galvanized colonial resistance and united the colonies against British rule.

Bunker Hill

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. Though technically fought on Breed's Hill, it was a pivotal conflict that demonstrated the colonists' resolve to resist British authority. The colonial militia, under commanders like William Prescott, inflicted significant casualties on the British forces before ultimately retreating due to a lack of ammunition. Despite being a tactical victory for the British, who gained control of the hill, the high British casualties boosted American morale and underscored the seriousness of the colonial rebellion.

2nd Continental Congress

1775–1781 governing body during the American Revolution that created the Continental Army (soldiers, marine corps, etc) and later declared independence - divided between declaring independence and resolving conflicts with Britain, adopted a Declaration of the Causes and Necessities for Taking Up Arms, called upon colonists to provide troops.

Olive Branch Petition

1775 final attempt by colonists to avoid war with Britain by pledging loyalty but demanding their rights.

Parliament’s Prohibitory Act (August 1775)

Declared the colonists in rebellion. A few months later, Parliament forbade all trade and shopping between Britain and the colonies.

Continental Association

1774 agreement to enforce a boycott of British goods until the Intolerable Acts were repealed.

Thomas Paine – Common Sense

1776 pamphlet that argued for independence from Britain, greatly influencing public opinion. (argued that it was crazy for a small and distant island to rule such a large continent), should'n’t follow a corrupt government

Jefferson – Declaration of Independence

1776 document asserting the colonies' right to be free and independent states. (Richard Lee’s Resolution declaring the colonies to be independent)

Loyalists / Anglicans / Tories

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolution, often members of the Anglican Church. (20-30% of the population)

Tories replaced by Whigs

Due to the rising of unpopularity in Britain of the war.

Patriots

The Patriots were those colonials who were growing weary of British rules and policies, fighting for independence.

Revolutionary War

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uJmLy7NtjeS_ch0RgmctBalVyfkm8hd6/view

Battle of Saratoga

The Battle of Saratoga, fought in 1777, was a decisive American victory in the Revolutionary War and is considered a turning point because it convinced France to openly support the American cause.

Siege of Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown in 1781 was the final major battle of the American Revolution, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces, effectively ending the war.

Treaty of Paris

Britain recognized the US as an independent nation, Mississippi River is western boundary, fishing rights off the coast of Canada, Americans would repay debts

Articles of Confederation (1777)

Proposed by Dickinson and modified by congress, The first constitution of the U.S. (1781–1789), which created a weak central government.

Attributes: 9/13 needed to pass important laws, 13/13 to amend the articles, Committee of States can make minor decisions when the full congress was not in session - power to wage war, make treaties, send diplomatic representatives, and borrow money. No power to regulate commerce or collect taxes, relying solely on the colonies for support. They did accomplish winning the war and two land ordinances detailed below. They had financial( debts unpaid, worthless paper money, no taxing power) foreign (Britain and Spain took advantage of expanded their interests in the lands) and domestic issues, such as Shays’ rebellion. See essay.

Unicameral Legislature – A single-chamber legislature, used under the Articles of Confederation

Land Ordinance of 1785

Law establishing a system for surveying and selling western lands to settlers. Set aside one section of land in each township for public education.

Northwest Territory

A U.S. territory created by Congress in 1787, later becoming several Midwestern states.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Legislation outlining how western territories could become states and prohibiting slavery in those territories. Granted limited self-government to the developing territory and prohibited slavery in the region.

Shays’ Rebellion

1786–1787 uprising by farmers in Massachusetts protesting economic injustices and high taxes. (imprisonment for debt and lack of paper money and high state taxes) - in January of 1787 the state militia of MA broke their rebellion.

Paul Revere

Paul Revere was an American silversmith and patriot best known for his "midnight ride" on April 18, 1775, warning colonists of British troop movements before the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

William Dawes

Like Paul Revere, William Dawes was a patriot who rode on the night of April 18, 1775, to alert colonial militias of the approaching British forces, though his role is less famous.

George Rogers Clark

George Rogers Clark was an American military officer during the Revolutionary War who led successful campaigns in the Northwest Territory, securing the region for the United States.

absolute monarchy

Absolute monarchy is a form of government where the monarch holds supreme autocratic power, often unchecked by laws or constitutions, and claims divine right.

Minutemen

Minutemen were colonial militia members who pledged to be ready to fight the British at a minute's notice during the early stages of the American Revolution.

Continentals

The Continentals were soldiers who served in the Continental Army, the official military force of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution.

Valley Forge

Valley Forge was the winter encampment site of the Continental Army during 1777-1778, where soldiers faced severe hardship but emerged as a more disciplined force under General George Washington.

Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams and is remembered for her extensive letters advocating for women's rights and advising her husband during the American Revolution.

Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson was a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, serving with distinction before her gender was discovered.

Mary McCauley (Molly Pitcher)

Mary McCauley, also known as Molly Pitcher, is a legendary figure said to have helped man cannons during the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 and bring water to soldiers on the battlefield. Fought in a battle, taking her husband’s place.

Annapolis Convention (1785)

Discussed ways to improve commercial relations among the states, and Madison & Hamilton convinced the five attending states that should be a convention held in Philly to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Meeting where the U.S. Constitution was drafted, replacing the Articles of Confederation.

Virginia Plan

1787 proposal for a new government with representation based on population, favoring large states.

New Jersey Plan

1787 proposal for equal representation for each state in Congress, favoring small states.

Connecticut Plan / Great Compromise

1787 agreement combining the Virginia and New Jersey plans to create a bicameral Congress.

Bicameral Legislature

A two-chamber legislative system, established by the U.S. Constitution, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Executive, Legislative, Judicial Branches

The three branches of government created by the U.S. Constitution to ensure separation of powers.

Separation of Powers

The principle of dividing government powers among different branches to prevent any one group from gaining too much control.

Checks and Balances

System established by the U.S. Constitution to ensure that no branch of government becomes too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the others.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted each enslaved individual as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of determining a state’s level of taxation and representation. (Also decided that slaves could be imported for at least 20 years longer)

Commercial Compromise

Allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, including placing tariffs on foreign imports, but it prohibited placing taxes on any exports.

Federalists / Anti-Federalists

Two groups that debated the ratification of the U.S. Constitution: Federalists supported a strong central government; Anti-Federalists wanted more power for the states.

Federalist Papers / Anti-Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by Federalists (Madison, Hamilton, and John Jay) to defend the Constitution and by Anti-Federalists to argue against it.

Bill of Rights – 9th and 10th Amendments

1791 amendments that protect rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution and reserve powers to the states or the people.

First Congress

The first meeting of the U.S. Congress (1789–1791), which created the Bill of Rights and set up the government under the new Constitution.

Hamilton’s Financial Plan

As secretary of the treasury, Hamilton developed a plan to 1) Pay off national debt and have federal government assume debt of the states 2) protect the nation’s young industries and collect adequate revenues at the same time by imposing high tariffs on imported goods 3) create a national bank for depositing government funds and printing banknotes that would provide for the basis for a stable US currency. Was eventually passed with slight modifications, such as lower tariffs.

Revenue (Tariff) Act (1789)

The first major law passed by Congress, imposing tariffs to raise revenue for the federal government.

Judiciary Act (1789)

Law establishing the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court and lower courts.

“Report on Public Credit” (1790)

Hamilton’s proposal to manage national debt and establish credit by assuming state debts and funding them at full value.

Assumption / State Debt

Hamilton’s plan for the federal government to assume state debts incurred during the American Revolution to unify the economy.

National Debt

Hamilton's financial policy to establish and maintain a federal debt as a means to build national credit.

Bank of the United States

Chartered in 1791 to stabilize the U.S. economy and manage federal funds.

Washington, D.C

Chosen as the permanent U.S. capital in 1790 as part of a compromise between Hamilton’s financial plan and Southern interests.

“Report on Manufactures” (1791)

Hamilton’s proposal to encourage industrialization and manufacturing in the U.S. through government incentives.

Whiskey Rebellion (1794)

1791–1794 protest by Pennsylvania farmers against a federal tax on whiskey (attacked revenue collectors), suppressed by federal troops (15k under the command of Hamilton). This show of force had its intended effect, with almost no bloodshed and a collapse of the rebellion. Some applauded the national power, some thought of it as an unwarranted use of force against the common people (Jefferson).

Battle of Fallen Timbers / Treaty of Greenville (1795)

U.S. victory over Native American forces in 1794 (despite the British supplying the Native Americans with arms and encouraging them to attack), leading to the Treaty of Greenville (surrendered claims to the Ohio territory) and cession of much of Ohio to the U.S.

Democratic Republicans – Jefferson, Madison

Political party formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s to oppose the Federalists and promote states’ rights and agrarianism.

“First Party System”

The political system in the U.S. from the 1790s to the 1820s, marked by rivalry between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.

Declaration of Neutrality (1793)

George Washington’s policy to keep the U.S. neutral in the conflict between Britain and France. He believed that the US was not strong enough to engage in a European War. Jefferson resigned from the cabinet in disagreement.

Impressment

The British practice of forcing American sailors into the British navy, a major issue leading up to the War of 1812.

“Citizen” Genet

Genet (French minister of US) broke normal rules of diplomacy by appealing directly to the American people to support the French cause. Washington asked the French government to remove him.

Jay’s Treaty (1794)

Treaty between the U.S. and Britain that sought to resolve lingering issues (Impressment) from the Revolutionary War but was unpopular with many Americans. Britain agreed to evacuate their posts on the US western frontier, but said nothing about the British seizure of American merchant ships.

Pinckney’s Treaty (1795)

Treaty with Spain that granted the U.S. navigation rights on the Mississippi River and access to the port of New Orleans. Spain agreed of Florida’s boundary to be at the 31st parallel.

right of deposit

Pinckney's Treaty, signed with Spain on October 27, 1795, gave American merchants "right of deposit" in New Orleans, granting them use of the port to store goods for export.

Public Land Act (1796)

Established orderly procedures for dividing and selling federal lands at reasonable prices. The process for adding new states went smoothly, with Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792) and Tennessee (1796) being added.

Farewell Address – Political Parties/Foreign Entanglements

George Washington’s 1796 speech advising the U.S. to avoid political parties and foreign alliances. (Don’t get involved in European affairs / don’t make permanent alliances / don’t form political parties / don’t fall into sectionalism)

Election of 1796

The first contested U.S. presidential election, won by John Adams.

XYZ Affair

1797 diplomatic incident in which French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats, leading to an undeclared naval war with France (US ships were being seized, sent diplomats, wanted a bribe).

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

Laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress that limited speech critical of the government and made it harder for immigrants to become citizens. - soon fizzled out or removed when Jefferson took power in 1800

Naturalization Act

Increased from 5 to 14 the years required for immigrants to qualify for US citizenship

Alien Acts

Authorized the president to deport aliens considered dangerous and to detain enemy aliens in times of war

Sedation Act

Made it illegal for newspaper editors to criticize either the president or Congress and imposed fines or imprisonment for editors who violated the law.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions – Compact Theory

1798–1799 statements authored by Jefferson and Madison asserting that states could nullify unconstitutional federal laws.

Election of 1800 – 12th Amendment

Election in 1800 where Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams, leading to the passage of the 12th Amendment in 1804, which revised presidential election procedures.

Revolution of 1800 / Peaceful Revolution

A peaceful exchange of power between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans in the election of 1800.