Unit 3 Vocabulary Early National Period (1789-1812) Provide historical context (subtext and context) for each term.

Term Definition Articles of Confederation Under the Articles, the national government consisted of a single-chamber Congress, elected by the state legislatures, in which each state had one vote. Congress could request funds from the states but could not enact any tax without every state’s approval, and could not regulate interstate or overseas commerce. The approval of seven states was required to pass minor legislation; nine states had to approve declarations of war, treaties, and the coining and borrowing of money. Besides for taxes, unanimous approval was required to ratify and amend the Articles. The Articles did not provide for an independent executive branch. Rather, congressional committees oversaw financial, diplomatic, military, and Indian affairs, and resolved interstate disputes. Nor was there a judicial system by which the national government could compel allegiance to its laws. The Articles did eliminate all barriers to interstate travel and trade, and guaranteed that all states would recognize one another’s judicial decisions.

Great Compromise Roger Sherman, from Connecticut, proposed a compromise that called for a bicameral legislature with an upper and lower house. Great (or Connecticut) Compromise called for each state would to have an equal vote in the upper house while representation in the lower house would be based on population.

Cabinet The president appointed a cabinet, but only with Senate approval. The first cabinet consisted of Secretary of State (Thomas Jefferson), Secretary of Treasury (Alexander Hamilton), Department of War (Henry Knox), and Attorney General (Edmund Randolph).

George Washington First President of the United States, unanimously voted. Washington considered himself not a part of a particular political party, but did tend to favor Hamilton’s proposals (Federalist). He believed in the dignity of the office of President. He did not approve of entangling alliances and issued a proclamation of neutrality in the conflict with Britain and France, rather than choose sides. The heart of Washington’s message was a vigorous condemnation of political parties. Partisan alignments, he insisted, endangered the republic’s survival, especially if they became entangled in disputes over foreign policy. Washington warned that the country’s safety depended on citizens’ avoiding “excessive partiality for one nation and excessive dislike of another.”

John Adams Washington’s vice president; became the second president of the US. Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican was his vice president; Was able to avoid war with France; was a Federalist; approved the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. Was extremely hard working and intelligent; did not have good people skills; Was unable to unify the nation. Judiciary Act of 1789 Set SCOTUS at 6 justices; created federal district courts; required states to follow federal guidelines Bill of Rights First 10 amendments to the US Constitution; provided protection for civil liberties; was a key to the ratification of the US Constitution Alexander Hamilton First Sec. of Treasury; created the economic base for the US by authorizing the payment of debt; funding domestic debt by selling bonds; proposed an excise tax on whiskey that angered the western Pennsylvania farmers and led to the Whiskey Rebellion; created a Bank of the US (national bank) Whiskey Rebellion 1794, an uprising that reflected regional and class tensions; the first serious crisis under the US Constitution; in response to the excise tax on whiskey; Hamilton thought it would help reduce the national debt and encourage people to drink less; Congress voted it through, but doubted its ability to succeed; violence broke out in Pennsylvania because farers distilled rye or corn into alcohol in order to carry it across the mountains at a fraction of the cost for transporting grain; the tax was 25% of whiskey’s retail value and would wipe out the farmers’ profits; after a US marshal was attacked, revenue officer’s house was burned, and other acts of violence occurred, Washington rode in and put down the rebellion. Washington eventually pardoned the men who received death sentences The Rebellion resulted in limiting public opposition to federal laws and showed the strength of the federal government. Federalist Party Appealed to economic self-interest; wanted a strong central government; led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams; favored a government made up of the educated elite; felt manufacturing should be the backbone of the economy; favored the Bank of the US; most supporters were Northerners, merchants; favored Britain in foreign matters Democratic Republican Party Led by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson; favored states’ rights; felt liberty would be safe if power were diffused between white male property owners; felt farming should be the backbone of the economy; favored French in foreign affairs; did not support the Bank of the US; supported by the west and the south Federalism Division of power between national and state governments Checks and Balances By creating three branches of government, the founding fathers ensured that no one branch would have power over the other; each branch has power in place to check the power of the other branches; for example, congress can make a law, the president can veto the law, congress can override the veto, and the judicial branch can interpret the laws. Loose interpretation of the Constitution Also called loose constructionist, refers to the belief that there are implied powers, and the government can do what is necessary and proper Strict interpretation of the Constitution Also called strict constructionist, refers to the belief that the Constitution should be followed to the letter. For example, Thomas Jefferson opposed the Bank of the US proposed by Alexander Hamilton because the Constitution did not expressly say that a Bank of the US could be created. Election of 1800 Election of Thomas Jefferson; called a “revolution” because it was the first time there was a party change in the White House; resulted in a tie in the electoral college so was decided in the House Midnight judges In the final hours of his presidency, John Adams appointed numerous federal judges to be commissioned prior to him leaving office. XYZ Affair Hoping to avoid war, Adams sent a peace com- mission to Paris. But the French foreign minister, Charles de Talleyrand, refused to meet the delegation, instead promising through three unnamed agents (“X, Y, and Z”) that talks could begin after he received $250,000 and France obtained a loan of $12 million. Americans were outraged at this bare- faced demand for a bribe, which became known as the XYZ Affair. “Millions for defense, not one cent for tribute” became a popular slogan as the 1798 congressional elections began.

Marbury vs. Madison (1803), Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the unanimous opinion. Marshall ruled that, although Madison should have delivered Marbury’s com- mission, he was under no legal obligation to do so because part of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that had granted the Court the authority to issue such a writ as unconstitutional. For the first time, the Supreme Court had asserted its authority to void an act of Congress on the grounds that it was “repugnant” to the Constitution.

John Marshal Chief justice for 34 years; wrote the decision in the Marbury vs. Madison case that established judicial review

Dartmouth vs. Woodward Stripped states government’s power to impose the will of their people on corporations.

Fletcher vs. Peck In Fletcher v. Peck (1810), the Supreme Court ruled that a grant to a private land company was a contract within the meaning of the Contract Clause of the Constitution, and once made could not be repealed. In addition to establishing a strict interpretation of the Contract Clause, the case marked the first time the Supreme Court struck down a state law on constitutional grounds.

Gibbons vs. Ogden The Court ruled that under that clause Congress had powers to regulate any aspect of commerce that crossed state lines, including modes of transportation, and that such regulation preempted conflicting regulation by the states.

Thomas Jefferson Won the Election of 1800; led the Democratic Republican Party; brought a more informal style to the office of President; wanted to balance the federal budget; cut back on government spending; authorized the Louisiana Purchase, in spite of his belief in strict construction.

Lewis and Clark Expedition Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the US; Lewis and Clark explored the territory to search for migration routes, add knowledge of flora and fauna, find a Northwest Passage, determine the extent of the territory

Alien and Sedition Acts In 1798, the Federalist-dominated Congress accordingly passed four measures known collectively as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Adams neither requested nor particularly wanted these laws, but he deferred to Federalist congressional leaders and signed them. The Alien Enemies Act outlined procedures for determining whether citizens of a hostile country posed a threat to the United States as spies or saboteurs. The law established fundamental principles for protecting national security andrespecting the rights of enemy citizens. It was to operate onlyif Congress declared war and thus was not used until the War of 1812. Alien Friends Act was a temporary statute, authorized the president to expel any foreign residents whose activities he considered dangerous. The law did not require proof of guilt, on the assumption that spies would hide or destroy evidence of their crime. Republicans maintained that the law’s real purpose was to deport immigrants critical of Federalist policies. Naturalization Act. This measure increased the residency requirement for U.S. citizenship from five to fourteen years (the last five continuously in one state), with the purpose of reducing Irish voting. The Sedition Act defined criminal activity so broadly that it blurred any distinction between sedition and legitimate political discussion. Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Madison and Jefferson anonymously wrote manifestos on states’ rights known as the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, adopted respectively by the legislatures of those states in 1798. Proposed a states’ right to nullify federal laws that were unfair to states.

Cotton Gin Invented by Eli Whitney; successfully separated the fibers of short-staple cotton from the seed. Quickly copied and improved upon by others, Whitney’s invention removed a major obstacle to the spread of cotton cultivation

Jay’s Treaty Treaty with Britain designed to end impressment; however, impressment was not mentioned in the treaty; British promised to with- draw troops from American soil by June 1796. Jay also managed to gain access to British West Indian markets for small American ships, but only by bar- gaining away U.S. rights to load cargoes of sugar, molasses, and coffee from French colonies during wartime.

Pinckney’s Treaty Negotiated the rights to navigate the Mississippi River and right of deposit at New Orleans

  John Jay  Jay's Treaty  Pinckney's Treaty  Abigail Adams  Emancipation 