Unit Terms Essay

Andrew Sanchez

9/14/17

Per.4

Unit 3 Terms

1. Articles of Confederation-The first "constitution" governing the United States after the Revolution; it was ratified in 1781 and it provided for a "firm league of friendship;" the legislative branch (Congress) had no power to regulate commerce or forcibly collect taxes and there was no national executive or judicial branch; it was an important stepping-stone towards the present constitution because without it the states would never have consented to the Constitution.
2. Shay’s Rebellion-1786- Led by Captain Daniel Shays, Revolutionary war veteran. An uprising that flared up in western Massachusetts. Impoverished backcountry farmers, many of them Revolutionary war veterans, were losing their farms through mortgage foreclosures and tax delinquencies. They demanded cheap paper money, lighter taxes, and a suspension of mortgage fore closures. Hundreds of angry agitators attempted to enforce these demands. Massachusetts authorities, supported by wealthy citizens, raised a small army under General Lincoln.          
3. Founding Fathers- Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.
4. Congress-Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are considered for reelection every even year. Senators however, serve six-year terms and elections to the Senate are staggered over even years so that only about 1/3 of the Senate is up for reelection during any election.
5. 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.
6. Ordinances of 1785-1787- 1785: A red letter law which stated that disputed land the Old Northwest was to be equally divided into townships and sold for federal income; promoted education and ended confusing legal disagreements over land. 1787: The Northwest Ordinance took place in 1787. They said that sections of land were similar to colonies for a while, and under the control of the Federal Government. Once a territory was inhabited by 60,000 then congress would admit it as a state. The original thirteen colonies were charters. Slavery was prohibited in these Northwest Territories. This plan worked so good it became the model for other frontier areas.
7. Constitutional Convention- n May 1787, Congress called a convention for the purpose of revising the Articles. Representatives from every state except Rhode Island attended; they were mostly propertied men, but they did not shape the constitution for their own financial interests. Sessions were held in secrecy--delegates knew that there would be heated debates and did not want to advertise/spread their arguments.
8. Whiskey Rebellion-A small rebellion, that began in Southwestern Pennsylvania in 1794 that was a challenge to the National Governments unjust use of an excise tax on an "economic medium of exchange". Washington crushed the rebellion with excessive force, proving the strength of the national governments power in its military, but was condemned for using a "sledge hammer to crush a gnat."
9. Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions- The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were put into practice in 1798 by Jefferson and James Madison. These resolutions were secretly made to get the rights back taken away by the Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws took away freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. These resolutions also brought about the later compact theory which gave the states more power than the federal government.
10. Washington’s farewell address-The Farewell Address was a document by George Washington in 1796, when he retired from office. It wasn't given orally, but was printed in newspapers. It did not concern foreign affairs; most of it was devoted to domestic problems. He stressed that we should stay away from permanent alliances with foreign countries; temporary alliances wouldn't be quite as dangerous, but they should be made only in "extraordinary emergencies". He also spoke against partisan bitterness. The document was rejected by the Jeffersonians, who favored the alliance with France.
11. Pinckney treaty 1795-ave America what they demanded from the Spanish. Free navigation of the Mississippi, large area of north Florida.
12. Bill of Rights-The first ten amendments of the Constitution, the bill of rights was added in 1791 when it was adopted by the necessary number of states. It guarantees such civil liberties as freedom of speech, free press, and freedom of religion. Written by James Madison.
13. Neutrality proclamation of 1793- issued by George Washington, established isolationist policy, proclaimed government's official neutrality in widening European conflicts also warned American citizens about intervening on either side of conflict
14. Alexander Hamilton-Great political leader; youngest and brightest of Federalists; "father of the National Debt"; from New York; became a major general; military genius; Secretary of Treasury; lived from 1755-1804; became Secretary of the Treasury in 1789; established plan for economy that went in to affect in 1790 including a tariff that passed in 1789, the assumption of state debts which went into effect in 1790, an excise on different products (including whiskey) in 1791, and a plan for a national bank which was approved in 1791.
15. Jeffersonian Republicans-one of nations first political parties, led by Thomas Jefferson and stemming from the anti-federalists, emerged around 1792, gradually became today's Democratic party. The Jeffersonian republicans were pro-French, liberal, and mostly made up of the middle class. They favored a weak central govt., and strong states' rights.
16. Judiciary Act of 1789- organized the Supreme Court, originally with five justices and a chief justice, along with several federal district and circuit courts. It also created the attorney general's office. This Act created the judiciary branch of the U.S. government and thus helped to shape the future of this country.
17. Bank of the US- was first chartered by the US Congress on February 25, 1791 after being proposed by Alexander Hamilton (Secretary of the Treasury) in 1790. The purpose for the bank was to handle the financial needs and requirements of the new central government of the newly formed United States.
18. Jay Treaty 1794- a treaty which offered little concessions from Britain to the U.S. and greatly disturbed the Jeffersonians. Jay was able to get Britain to say they would evacuate the chain of posts on U.S. soil and pay damages for recent seizures of American ships. The British, however, would not promise to leave American ships alone in the future, and they decided that the Americans still owed British merchants for pre-Revolutionary war debts.
19. Alien and Sedition Laws 1798-ntains four parts: 1. Raised the residence requirement for American citizenship from 5 to 14 years. 2. Alien Act-gave the President the power in peacetime to order any alien out of the country. 3. Alien Enemies Act-permitted the President in wartime to jail aliens when he wanted to.-No arrests made under the Alien Act or the Alien Enemies Act. 4. The Sedition Act-key clause provided fines and jail penalties for anyone guilty of sedition. Was to remain in effect until the next Presidential inauguration.
20.  John Marshall- Appointed by John Adams (1801) as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court- was a Virginia Federalist who was disliked by the state's rights Jeffersonians. The Federalists died out but Marshall continued to hand down Federalist decisions. 
21. Judicial review- gave the Supreme Court the power to decide if a law is or is not constitutional. Judicial review was accepted as a result of the famous case of Marbury vs. Madison, and John Marshall succeeded in giving increased power to the Supreme Court.
22. Marbury V. Madison- Sec. of State James Madison held up one of John Adams' "Midnight Judges" appointments. The appointment was for a Justice of the Peace position for William Marbury. Marbury sued. Fellow Hamiltonian and Chief Justice John Marshall dismissed Marbury's suit, avoiding a political showdown and magnifying the power of the Court. This case cleared up controversy over who had final say in interpreting the Constitution: the states did not, the Supreme Court did.