Term
#146) What were the "Articles of Confederation"?
-- When were they made?
-- Why were they important? |
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Definition
In 1777 the Continental Congress sent the Articles of Confederation to the states for approval. They were the first National Constitution. There were many weaknesses: 1) No strong central government with power to tax and to regulate trade; 2) Required consensus to add amendments; 3) No individual in executive role.
** Although a response to life in a monarchy, these articles made it difficult to fund the army and led to runaway inflation. |
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Term
#147) What was "Shays' Rebellion"?
-- When did it happen?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
In 1786 - 1787, as the new country ws just getting on its feet, Shays led 1500 armed men into Boston to protest unfair economic and political policies. The farmers felt the burden of debt from the Revolutionary War was falling unfairly on the small farmers who were returning home from battle only to find their farms repossessed by banks and themselves carted off to debtor's prisons.
After their armed conflict with the new United States government, many of Shays's supporters were arrested and sentenced to hang, but Thomas Jefferson said such rebellions were healthy for democracy. This rebellion inspired the creation of the Constitution, which guaranteed a stronger central government. |
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Term
#148) What was the "Northwest Ordinance"?
-- When was it passed?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
Under the "Articles of Confederation," the Continental Congress passed a series of laws regarding the awarding of government-held land to settlers.
The Northwestern Ordinance (1787) 1) guaranteed rights (precursor to the Bill of Rights); 2) outlawed slavery in all territories northwest of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River; 3) Gave settlers land previously held by Native Americans with no recourse to Indians. This led to an Indian war that lasted until 1895. |
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Term
#149) What is "ghettoization"?
-- When did it begin?
-- Why is it important? |
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Definition
| It was the policy of secluding free African-Americans to small, socially homogenous areas. This policy began in the mid-1700s and continues in some fashions to this day. This is important to understand the difficulties facing African-Americans who strove to leave the ghettos and join mainstream, upper economic American life. |
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Term
| #150) How did many American women feel about the Revolutionary War and the new country arising? |
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Definition
| Many American women felt they had made sacrifices to help in the war and they were inspired by the words of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but they were very disappointed to see these words did not include them. Abigail Adams wrote a letter asking her husband, John Adams (one of the Founding Fathers)for expanded rights for women, but was patronizingly denied. |
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Term
#151) When was the Constitution written?
-- When was it ratified? |
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Definition
| The Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1789. |
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Term
| #152) Where was the Constitutional Convention held? |
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Definition
| The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
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Term
| #153) Who was selected as the chair of the Constitutional Convention? |
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Definition
| George Washington was selected as the chair of the Constitutional Convention. |
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Term
| #154) How long did the Constitutional Convention last? |
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Definition
| The Constitutional Convention lasted throughout the summer and fall of 1787. |
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Term
#155) How many states were represented at the Constitutional Convention?
-- What state(s) chose not to participate? |
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Definition
| Twelve states out of thirteen were represented at the Constitutional Convention. Rhode Island chose not to participate. |
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Term
| #156) What was the "New Jersey Plan" at the Constitutional Convention? |
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Definition
| The "New Jersey Plan" was a plan that the New Jersey delegates brought to the Constitutional Convention, but it was not accepted. |
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Term
| #157) What was the "Virginia Plan" at the Constitutional Convention? |
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Definition
| James Madison, a Virginian, created the "Virginia Plan." It suggested a stronger central government that was limited by a system of checks and balances. |
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Term
#158) Who is known as the "Father of the Constitution"?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| James Madison is known as the "Father of the Constitution" because he came up with the "Virginia Plan" that included a system of checks and balances. He worked hard to persuade Americans to accept his ideas for the Constitution. |
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Term
#159) What were the different needs of small states versus large states, regarding the creation of the Constitution?
-- How were these needs met in the new Constitution? |
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Definition
| Small states wanted equal representation so they would not always lose to the large states. Large states felt it would be fairer to decide representation based on population size. They didn't believe small states should have equal power. The "Great Compromise" created the US government as bicameral. The House of Representatives is decided by population and the Senate has two seats regardless of size. |
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Term
| #160) What state had the largest population at the time of the Constitutional Convention (1787 - Summer). |
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Definition
| Virginia had the largest population and was therefore the most powerful state. |
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Term
| #161) What was "The Great Compromise" in the Constitutional Convention (Summer 1787)? |
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Definition
| It was the creation of a bicameral legislature, so the large states (population-wise) had more power in the House of Representatives and the small states had equal power in the Senate. |
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Term
#162) How many seats were in the House of Representatives at the time of the Constitutional Convention (1787)?
-- Now?
-- Why is there such a difference? |
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Definition
| In 1789, there were 65 representatives in the House and now there are 435. This is because the US population and the number of states has grown significantly. |
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Term
#163) How is the makeup of the Senate different from that of the House of Representatives?
-- How were Senators chosen until 1913? |
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Definition
| There are two representatives for every state in the Senate. Until 1913 (and the 17th Amendment), they were elected by the state legislatures. Since then, there have been direct elections of senators. |
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Term
#164) What is the "System of Checks and Balances"?
-- Why is it important? |
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Definition
There are three branches of government so no one branch can get too much power.
The executive branch = The President. He has the power to set up a cabinet of advisors, to set foreign policy and to be commander-in-chief of the of the armed forces. The President is elected by the electoral college.
The Legislative Branch = The House of Representatives and the Senate. They are directly elected by the people. They control money and make laws.
The Judiciary branch = Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decides if laws are constitutional. |
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Term
| #165) What is meant by the "executive branch" of the US government? |
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Definition
| The President: In power 4 years (can hold office no more than two terms). Elected by state appointed electors. Must be a natural-born citizen of the US of at least 35 years of age. Must protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. President is Commander-in-Chief of armed forces. He can set up a cabinet of advisors. Can make treaties with the consent of Congress. Can nominate Supreme Court justices and ambassadors and federal judges. Must give State of the Union message. |
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Term
#165A) What is the "State of the Union" message to Congress?
-- Who gave the first one?
-- When? |
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Definition
| The US Constitution states that "The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. George Washington gave the first State of the Union message to Congress in Jan. 1790. The tradition continues to this day. |
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Term
| #166) What is meant by the "legislative branch" of the US government? |
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Definition
The House of Representatives and the Senate.
-- House members elected every two years. Must be 25 years of age. Must have been a citizen of the US for 7 years. Can set taxes. They have the power of impeachemnt.
They will, in working with the Senate, make laws that do not break the Constitution. Senators are elected by the people for terms six years in length. Must be 30 years old and nine years a citizen of the United States.
The Vice President shall be President of the Senate, with no vote. He can set taxes. Can make laws and send them to the President to approve |
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Term
| #167) What is meant by the "Judicial branch" of the US government? |
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Definition
| The Supreme Court and lower Federal Courts. They will hold their positions for life. Judges will decide all cases of law and treaties. The President submits judges to get the Legislative branch for approval. Laws made by the executive and legislative branches are analyzed by the judicial as to their constitutionality and laws found unconstitutional are struck down. |
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Term
#168) What was the "Three-fifths Compromise"?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| The Southern states began to insist that their slavs should be counted in the population when considering how many representatives they should have in the House of Representatives. A "3/5ths compromise" was reached which said each slave could count as 3/5ths of a person toward the state's population count. |
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Term
#169) What was the "Fugitive Slave Clause" of the new constitution?
-- What compromise measure was reached? |
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Definition
| The Southern states insisted on the "Fugitive Slave Clause," which states that slaves captured in any state were to be returned to their owners. They made a compromise that after twenty years, the federal government could make laws regarding the slave trade, but not before. |
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Term
| #170) Why did three of the forty-one delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention refuse to sign the Constitution in the Fall of 1787? |
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Definition
| They refused to sign because there was no Bill of Rights included. |
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Term
| #171) How many states had to sign (to ratify) to agree with the new constitution to make it law? |
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Definition
| 2/3rds of the thirteen states, or nine states were needed to ratify the Constitution. |
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Term
#172) Who were the Federalists?
-- What did they believe about the proposed Constitution? |
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Definition
Those in favor of the proposed strong federal government were known as Federalists. They were well-organized and led by many of the strongest voices from the Constitutional Convention. They believed the checks and balances would protect the people from a return to monarchy.
Famous Federalists included James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. |
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Term
#173) Who were the Anti-Federalists?
-- What did they believe about the new proposed Constitution? |
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Definition
| The Anti-Federalists believed that the strong federal government was going against everything they had fought against. They believed it would erode states' rights and end in a return to monarchy. Patrick Henry and New York governor George Clinton were two famous Anti-Federalists. |
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Term
#174) What were the "Federalist Papers"?
-- Who wrote them?
-- What was their purpose? |
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Definition
| The Federalist Papers were a publication issued under a pseudonym, Publius, but actually written by James Madison, John Jay(who became the first Supreme Court Justice) and Alexander Hamilton. The Federalist Papers clearly laid out the arguments in favor of ratifying the Constitutional system of checks and balances. |
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Term
#175) What three states were the first to ratify the Constitution?
-- When did they do it? |
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Definition
| In December of 1787, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey became the first three states to ratify the Constitution. |
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Term
#176) What were the fourth and fifth states to ratify the Constitution?
-- When did they do it? |
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Definition
| In January of 1788, Georgia and Connecticut became the fourth and fifth states to ratify the Constitution. |
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Term
#177) Why was the vote of the sixth state to ratify considered especially important to the future of the Constitution?
-- When did it vote? |
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Definition
| The first big test to the ratification of the Constitution came when Massachusetts ratified it (187 votes for ratification and 168 votes against). It was a large state with a large population, so it showed that the Constitution could be attractive to the large states. |
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Term
#178) What were the 7th, 8th, and 9th states to ratify the Constitution?
-- When did they do it? |
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Definition
| Maryland was seventh. South Carolina was 8th and New Hampshire was 9th. These were enough states to make the Constitution law, because they constituted 2/3rds of the states. |
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Term
| #179) Why was the fate of the Constitution still in doubt even though the 9 states needed to ratify it had done so? |
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Definition
| The success of the Constitution was still in doubt after ratification because the two largest and most influential states hadn't yet ratified it -- New York and Virginia. |
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Term
#180) What were the last four states (in order) to ratify the Constitution?
-- When did they do it? |
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Definition
| The last four states to ratify the Constitution were: #10 = New York; #11 = VA; #12 = North Carolina; #13 = Rhode Island. |
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Term
#181) What was the most important and powerful political party in the new government?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| The Federalist party was very powerful. They won 26 senators and 65 representatives, because they had supported the Constitution all along. |
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Term
#182) Who was chosen as the first President of the United States?
-- the first Vice President? |
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Definition
| George Washington was unanimously selected by the first electoral college to be the first president of the United States. John Adams of Massachusetts was chosen as Vice President. |
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Term
| #182A) Who was the richest man in the United States when George Washington was selected to be the first President? |
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Definition
| George Washington was the richest man in the United States. |
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Term
| #183) What is the President's "Cabinet"? |
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Definition
| The President's cabinet is a group of advisors who act as part of the executive branch of government. |
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Term
| #184) Who was George Washington's Secretary of State (the cabinet member in charge of foreign affairs)? |
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Definition
| Thomas Jefferson was George Washington's Secretary of State. |
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Term
| #185) Who was George Washington's Secretary of the Treasury(and closest political advisor)? |
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Definition
| Alexander Hamilton was Washington's Secretary of the Treasury. |
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Term
| #186) What was the "Judiciary Act of 1789"? |
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Definition
| The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Supreme Court that had been mandated by the Constitution. It also set up federal district and circuit courts. |
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Term
| #187) Who wrote the Bill of Rights? |
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Definition
| James Madison wrote 19 Amendments. 10 of them were eventually ratified by all the states and became the Bill of Rights. |
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Term
| #188) What rights are guaranteed in the First Amendment? |
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Definition
| The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion. |
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Term
| #189) What are the rights guaranteed in the Second Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms. |
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Term
| #190) What are the rights guaranteed in the Third Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Third Amendment guarantees the right not to have to quarter troops in times of peace, nor in times of war without due process of law. |
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Term
| #191) What are the rights guaranteed in the Fourth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. |
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Term
| #192) What are the rights guaranteed in the Fifth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to no arrest without a grand jury indictment; no double-jeopardy and a guarantee of due process. |
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Term
| #193) What are the rights guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel; the right to a speedy and public trial. |
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Term
| #194) What are the rights guaranteed in the Seventh Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by a jury of your peers. |
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Term
| #195) What are the rights guaranteed in the Eighth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Eighth Amendment guarantees the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment; and no excessive bail. |
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Term
| #196) What are the rights guaranteed by the Ninth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Ninth Amendment guarantees that the rights of the people are not limited to those written in the Constitution. |
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Term
| #197) What are the rights guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment? |
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Definition
| The Tenth Amendment guarantees that all powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states and or to the people. |
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Term
| #198) What does a "Strict Constructionist" believe? |
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Definition
| A "Strict Constructionist" is someone who interprets the Constitution literally. In other words, they believe that if the founding fathers didn't say something in the Constitution, then it isn't legal. |
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Term
#199) What two founding fathers were strict constructionists?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were strict constructionists because they reasoned that if it wasn't in the Constitution, it shouldn't be legal. In particular, they were against the establishment of a national bank. |
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Term
#200) What two Founding Fathers advocated "loose construction"?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| George Washington and Alexander Hamilton were "loose constructionists" because they believed that the constitution gave the government the right to create "all laws which shall be necessary and proper." Since the national bank was useful to running the government, they believed it was constitutional. |
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Term
| #201) Why was it decided to place Washington, DC along the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia? |
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Definition
| As part of the negotiation for the national bank, Hamilton reached a backroom agreement with Maryland and Virginia in which he agreed to locate the national capital along the Potomac River (It had been temporarily located in NYCity at that time). |
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Term
| #202) Why did Thomas Jefferson resign as Washington's Secretary of State at the beginning of Washington's Second Term as President. |
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Definition
| There were two main reasons Jefferson resigned as Washington's Secretary of State: 1) He didn't agree with the establishment of a National Bank; 2) Thomas Jefferson wanted to support the French Revolutionaries and Washington wanted to remain neutral in any struggle between France and England. |
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Term
| #203) What political party united around Jefferson's and Madison's ideas about the constitution? |
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Definition
| The Democratic-Republican Party united around Jefferson's and Madison's ideas about the constitution and about the French Revolution. |
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Term
| #204) What political party unified around Washington's and Hamilton's ideas of the constitution. |
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Definition
| The Federalists were the party unified around George Washington's and Alexander Hamilton's beliefs about the national bank and against the French Revolution. |
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Term
#205) When was the French Revolution?
-- What form of government was thrown out?
-- What form of government was advanced? |
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Definition
| The French Revolution began in 1789. The Revolutionaries threw out the French monarchy in favor of a democratic (representative) system. |
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Term
| #206) What war did the French enter in 1794? |
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Definition
| In 1794, the French went to war with Britain. |
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Term
#207) Who was Citizen Edmond Genet?
-- What did he come to America to get?
-- Did he get it? Explain. |
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Definition
| He was a representative of the French government who came to the US to generate support for the French Revolutionary cause. He was called "Citizen" because the French government wanted to emphasize the equality of the French people. |
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Term
| #208) What political party supported the French? |
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Definition
| Jefferson and Madison's party, the Democratic-Republican Party, supported the French. |
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Term
#209) What was the "Whiskey Rebellion"?
-- Why was Washington angry at the Democratic-Republican Party in relation to this issue? |
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Definition
| A group of farmeers in western Pennsylvania resisted a federal tax on whiskey and took up arms to prevent having to pay the taxes. This rebellion was known as "The Whiskey Rebellion." Washington accused the Democratic-Republican Party of orchestrating the rebellion. He sent in 15,000 armed federal troops to repress the Whiskey Rebellion, which was seen as overreaction and which led to the decline of public support for the Federalists. |
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Term
#210) What was the "Jay Treaty"?
-- When was it written?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| In 1793, the British navy, as part of their war against France, began seizing American ships on their way to France. John Jay was sent to England to negotiate a treaty with them. This treaty was called "The Jay Treaty," and was barely ratified because Jefferson denounced it as too much on the side of the British. |
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Term
#211) What is "executive privilege"?
-- What president started it?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| "Executive Privilege" is a concept, started by George Washington, that states that the President has a right to deny papers to Congress "to protect national security." Many administrations have fought with Congress over this "privilege." It began with the Jay Treaty and has continued, famously, through Nixon (Watergate) and up to George W. Bush, who is denying papers to the 9/11 Commission. |
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Term
#212) What was the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution?
-- When was it ratified? |
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Definition
| In 1937, during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's lengthy terms (3.5) in office, the 22nd Amendment was passed, limiting Presidential terms to two. It wasn't ratified until 1951. |
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Term
| #213) What were two major warnings for the new US government that Washington gave in his farewell address in 1796? |
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Definition
| Washington urged the US to remain neutral in conflicts and urged citizens to be wary of the dangers associated with political parties. American neutrality lasted until World War I, but the power of political parties has continued to grow. |
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Term
#214) Who was the second President of the United States?
-- When was he elected?
-- What was his political party? |
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Definition
| The second President of the US was John Adams (1797 - 1801). Adams was largely disliked. He was a Federalist and Thomas Jefferson, an anti-Federalist received the second largest number of votes and so, became Vice President, so there were many conflicts. |
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Term
#215) Why was Thomas Jefferson made Vice President?
-- Why did this cause a large problem in the second presidency? |
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Definition
| In 1797, he received the second largest amount of votes and became John Adams' Vice President. Jefferson was anti-Federalist and Adams was Federalist, so they disagreed on just about every topic. The major controversies still revolved around the British v. the French war. |
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Term
#216) What was the "X, Y, and Z Affair"?
-- When did it happen?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| Supposedly, French negotiators requested bribes of American negotiators to leave American ships alone. Adams published the American negotiators' version of the event in American newspapers, replacing the names of the French negotiators with the letters 'X," "Y," and "Z." Public opinion turned sharply against the French. Adams began to fight an undeclared naval war with the French. |
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Term
#217) What were the "Alien and Sedition Acts"?
-- When were they created?
-- Why were they important? |
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Definition
| They were the largest controversy in John Adams' Presidency. The "Alien and Sedition Acts" were passed in 1798 by a Federalist-controlled Congress. They were opposed by Thomas Jefferson and the anti-Federalist party because they: 1) lengthened the time it took foreigners to become US citizens from five to fourteen years; 2) allowed the government to expel any foreigner without due process of law; 3) allowed the government to imprison anyone who published writings critical of government policies. This was used to silence Democratic-Republican newspaper editors who disagreed with Adams' policies. |
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Term
| #218) Why weren't the "Alien and Sedition Acts" challenged in the federal court system? |
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Definition
| Although the "Alien and Sedition Acts" clearly violated the First Amendment free speech rights, it wasn't challenged in court because: 1) the Supreme Court wasn't well-established yet; 2) most US judges at the time were Federalists, so it didn't seem possible to win against them at that time. |
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Term
#219) What was the 14th State?
-- When was it admitted?
-- Was it a free or slave state? |
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Definition
| The 14th State was Kentucky. It was admitted in 1792 as a slave-holding state. |
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Term
#220) What were the "Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions"?
-- Who created them?
-- When were they created?
-- Why were they important? |
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Definition
| Both Kentucky and Virginia passed legislation declaring the "Alien and Sedition Acts" to be unconstitutional and refusing to enforce them within their borders. These resolutions were the first examples of "nullification," the idea that states could refuse to follow federal law, which eventually led to the Civil War. |
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Term
#220A) What is the concept of "nullification" as it refers to states' rights?
-- Why is it important in the formation of the United States? |
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Definition
| "Nullification" is the idea that states had the right to refuse to follow (to "nullify") federal law. This became an important element in the later movement toward a civil war. |
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Term
#221) Who was the 3rd President?
-- When was he elected?
-- Why was the election difficult?
-- What did the 12th Amendment have to do with the problem? |
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Definition
| Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the United States (1801 - 1809). The election ws difficult because although Jefferson easily won in the popular vote, in the electoral college he tied with Aaron Burr, so the election had to be decided by the House of Representatives. The House voted 35 times, ending in a tie each time, until Alexander Hamilton, a Federalist, convinced his colleagues to choose Jefferson. This led to the ratification of the 12th Amendment, which requires the electoral college to vote for President and Vice President as a ticket rather than individually, so this problem has never arisen again. |
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Term
#222) Who was Aaron Burr?
-- When and why did he shoot Alexander Hamilton?
-- What was the aftermath? |
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Definition
| Aaron Burr (1756 - 1836) was a Senator from New York state and Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson. He was reknowned as an officer under George Washington and was a great ladies' man. He was considered by the New Englanders to be the president of an unofficial New England Confederacy. After Alexander Hamilton insulted him, he challenged him to a duel and killed him. This ended his political career. He died in poverty in 1836 in a hotel room in New York. |
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Term
#223) Who was Sally Hemings?
-- When did she live?
-- What was her relationship to Thomas Jefferson? |
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Definition
| According to DNA studies of descendants of Thomas Jefferson (in 1998)and Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello, it is highly likely that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Eston Hemings, Sally's youngest son. |
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Term
| #224) What was remarkable about the Federalists turning over power to the Democratic-Republicans in 1800? |
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Definition
In the world at that time, it was highly unusual for changes of power and authority to happen without bloodshed and riot. This was a major sign that the US plan for democracy was succeeding.
-- Jefferson called the election of 1800 the "Revolution of 1800." For the next three presidents they served two terms and were Democratic-Republicans from VA. |
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Term
| #225) Why did Jefferson get Congress to repeal the "Naturalization Act" in 1800? |
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Definition
| He had fought against this act when President Adams had advocated it. He had it repealed, so it (even today) takes only five years to become a naturalized citizen of the United States. |
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Term
| #226) How did Jefferson handle the "Alien and Sedition Acts"? |
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Definition
| He allowed them to expire in 1801 and he pardoned the newspaper editors who had been imprisoned under the acts. |
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Term
#227) What are "midnight appointments"?
-- Why were they so controversial during Jefferson's presidency? |
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Definition
| The Federalist controlled Congress had passed "The Judiciary Act of 1801," which allowed Adams to appoint a large number of Federalist judges in the last hours of his presidency. These are known as "midnight appointments." Jefferson announced that he could not honor them because once the "Judiciary Act of 1801" was repealed, there would be no need for them. Many judicial appointees fought againt this decision in the court system, but Jefferson basically won the case. |
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Term
#228) Who was the most important Supreme Court Justice during Jefferson's presidency?
-- Why? |
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Definition
| Chief Justice John Marshall was establishing the power of the Judiciary Branch of the government. He did this by examining cases as they pertained to the Constitution. A very important case was Marbury v. Madison, which involved Jefferson's decision not to honor the "midnight appointments" of President Adams. |
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Term
| #229) Why was the Marbury v. Madison case important? |
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Definition
| William Marbury was a Federalist judge suing James Madison (Jefferson's Secretary of State) for denying his judgeship. Chief Justice John Marshall, a Federalist, decided that Marbury's appointment must be certified, but that the Court could not force Madison to do so because the "Judiciary Act of 1801" was unconstitutional. This decision established the practice of judicial review, meaning that the Judiciary branch of government can override laws by deeming them incompatible with the Constitution. Marbury v. Madison is the first "landmark decision" of the Supreme Court. |
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Term
| #230) Who was Secretary of State for Jefferson? |
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Definition
| James Madison was Secretary of State for Thomas Jefferson. |
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Term
#231) What important purchase did Jefferson make in 1803?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| When France began to limit American use of the Mississippi River, Jefferson sent Madison to France to purchase New Orleans for $2,000,000. Napoleon, who had taken over France in 1799, thus ending a decade of French democracy, needed money to finance his military plans, so he sold the US the entire Louisiana Territory (all lands between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains), for $15,000,000. This ws arguably the most important decision of the Jefferson presidency. |
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Term
#232) Who were Lewis and Clark?
-- What did they do?
-- When did they do it?
-- Who was their guide? |
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Definition
| Lewis and Clark were explorers sent out by Jefferson to map the new land belonging to the United States (1803 - 1805). The reports of the richness of the land encouraged Western migration. Lewis and Clark had an Indian woman as their guide, Sacajawea. |
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Term
| #233) What important decision helped Jefferson win his second term? |
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Definition
| The Louisiana Purchase was a very popular decision because it opened up lands for expansion westward and the average man could hope to own land. |
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Term
#234) What does it mean to "impress" a sailor?
-- What does this have to do with the War of 1812? |
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Definition
| During yet another war between Britain and France, the British began stopping American ships and impressing American sailors (imprisoning them unless they agreed to become soldiers for the British navy). This led to very bad relations with the British and eventually to war with them. |
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Term
| #235) What led Jefferson to decide, in his second term, to declare a boycott of British goods? |
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Definition
| A British warship attacked an American boat in American waters, so Jefferson convinced Congress to pass the "Embargo Act of 1807," which declared a boycott of British goods. |
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Term
#236) What was the "Embargo Act of 1807"?
-- Why did Jefferson pass it?
-- What was the result of passing it? |
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Definition
| Passed in 1807, the "Embargo Act" ended American trade with Europe and collapsed the American economy. This resulted in Jefferson deciding to follow Washington's lead and to only run for two terms. |
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Term
#237) Who was the fourth President of the United States?
-- When was he elected? |
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Definition
| James Madison was the fourth president of the United States (1809 - 1817). |
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Term
| #238) What important decision regarding the US international slave trade did Congress make at the end of Jefferson's second term? |
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Definition
| Congress outlawed American participation in the international slave trade in 1808. However, this led to further abuse of Africans within the United States, who were forced to produce children to be sold here within the U.S. |
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Term
#239) What was the "Non-intercourse Act"?
-- When was it passed?
-- What was its effect? |
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Definition
| The "Nonintercourse Act" was put into effect once the "Embargo Act of 1807" was repealed. It outlawed trade with only England and France. It also promised Britain and France normal trade relations if they would agree to stop attacking American ships. France agreed (Napoleon), so trade reopened with France, but France and Britain both continued attacking American ships. Eventually, America had to choose sides between Britain or France, leading to the War of 1812. |
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Term
#240) Why did President James Madison choose to declare war against Great Britain in 1812?
-- What side did the American Indians take? Why? |
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Definition
| James Madison, a Democratic-Republican, had long favored France over Britain. He and Congress declared war with Britain for two reasons: 1) trade policy and maritime rights (to have our ships safe at sea); and 2) Britain was arming the American Indians to help them halt American expansion westward. |
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Term
#241) What war inspired the "Star-Spangled Banner"?
-- Who wrote it?
-- Under what circumstances was it written? |
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Definition
| It was inspired by the British naval bombardment of Ft. McHenry (in Baltimore), which was observed by poet Francis Scott Key, who wrote a poem about still being able to see the American flag waving, even after 25 hours of bombardment. It was put to music and became our national anthem in 1931. |
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Term
| #242) Why didn't the American invastion of Canada in 1812 succeed? |
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Definition
| Canada was the closest British holdings to America, but the US invastion failed because Federalist governors in New England refused to allow their militias to be drafted into the US army, so the US federal government didn't have enough troops to pull off a successful invasion. |
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Term
#243) Who was Tecumseh?
-- What did he do?
-- When did he do it? |
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Definition
| Tecumseh (1768 - 1813) was one of the most important Indian leaders (a Shawnee). He spent his entire life attempting to unify the tribes of the Northwest Territory into a single nation. He allied with the British in the War of 1812 and was killed in battle. |
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Term
| #244) What did the British army do in Washington, D.C. in 1814? |
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Definition
| In 1814, the British navy landed a large group of troops on the Virginia coastline and marched on Washington, D.C., where they set fire to the White House. |
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Term
#245) What was the "Treaty of Ghent"?
-- When was it signed? |
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Definition
| The "Treaty of Ghent" ended the war of 1812 between the US and Great Britain. It rejected a British proposal to set up a separate country for American Indians on the border between the US and Canada, a promise that had been made by the British to the American Indians in order to gain their support during the War of 1812. The "Treaty of Ghent" was signed in Germany in August of 1814 and no one won. |
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Term
#247) What was the "Hartford Convention"?
-- When was it?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| The "Hartford Convention" was held in the north by Federalists who wanted to reform the government and make sure to elect a Federalist after James Madison's term. They came up with many strategies to end the war. Because the "Hartford Convention" was held during the War of 1812, it looked like an act of treason against the United States and basically marked the end of the power of the Federalist Party. |
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Term
#248) What brought about the end of the War of 1812?
-- When did it end? |
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Definition
| Because Napoleon was defeated in Europe, the British made a treaty with France and neither nation was in great need of extra troops anymore, so they stopped impressing American sailors. The "Treaty of Ghent," ending the War of 1812, was signed in August of 1814. |
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Term
#248) Who was Andrew Jackson?
-- What did he do in the War of 1812? |
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Definition
| Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the United States. He was born in the backwoods settlements of Carolina and fought successfully in the Indian Wars. He also became a lawyer in Tennessee. He was the first man from Tennessee elected to the US House of Representatives. He also served a term in the Senate. He was an important General in the War of 1812 and he became a national hero when he managed to defeat the British in New Orleans. |
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Term
#249) Who was the 5th President of the United States?
-- What were his terms of office known as? Explain. |
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Definition
| The time period from 1815 - 1825 was known as the "Era of Good Feeling" because there was basically only one political party, the Democratic-Republicans. The 5th President, elected after James Madison's second term ended in 1817, was James Monroe, another Democratic-Republican. Domestic policies were fairly peaceful. |
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Term
| #250) What was important about the McCulloch v. Maryland Supreme Court case in 1819? |
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Definition
| John Marshall was still Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1819, when he ruled that states did not have the power to tax the national bank, thus setting a precedent that national law is more powerful than states' laws. |
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Term
#251) What was America's most booming industry from the 1820s through the 1850s?
-- Why?
-- How did this lead to the Civil War? |
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Definition
| The most booming industry from the 1820s to the 1850s was the cotton industry. All over Europe and the Americas there was a demand for cotton for clothing and many other products. The invention of the cotton gin made it possible to grow and harvest enough cotton to meet the demand. This contributed to the southern need for slaves and created a huge rift between the northern and southern states. |
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Term
#252) What did Eli Whitney invent?
-- When did he invent it?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which made it possible to farm larger and larger plantations, thus enhancing the economic confflicts between north and south. Also, more and more slaves were needed and were forced to produce children for sale to "feed the needs of cotton plantations." The cotton gin is a device for removing the seeds from the cotton balls, so it can more easily be made into cloth. |
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Term
#253) How many states were there by 1820?
-- How many of these permitted slavery? |
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Definition
There were 22 staes by 1820:
11 slave states
and
11 free states. |
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Term
| #254) By 1820, what were the "slave" states? |
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Definition
1. Virginia
2. Maryland
3. Delaware
4. North Carolina
5. South Carolina
6. Georgia
7. Alabama
8. Mississippi
9. Louisiana
10. Kentucky
11. Tennessee |
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Term
| #255) By 1820, what were the "free" states? |
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Definition
1. Vermont
2. New Hampshire
3. Massachusetts
4. Connecticut
5. Rhode Island
6. Pennsylvania
7. New York
8. New Jersey
9. Ohio
10. Indiana
11. Illinois |
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Term
#256) What was the "Missouri Compromise"?
-- When was it written?
-- How did it lead to the Civil War? |
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Definition
| When Missouri applied to become a state it caused an upheaval in the balance between free and slave states. According to the "Missouri Compromise of 1820," Missouri was admitted to the Union as a slave state and Maine was admitted as a free state. The Southern border of Missouri would serve as the northernmost line for slavery to be permitted in the new states. It caused a rift in the Democratic-Republican party and clarified the differences between free and slave states. |
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Term
#257) What was the "Monroe Doctrine"?
-- What caused it to be created?
-- Was it a success? |
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Definition
| Many new nations were being formed in Central and South America during the 1820s, as their independence from Spain was won. James Monroe and his Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, decided to recognize them and to announce the "Monroe Doctrine" that said the US wouldn't meddle in European affairs, if Europe wouldn't mess with US dominance in the western hemisphere. No one was scared of the US, but no one complained, so the Monroe Doctrine still, basically, stands. |
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Term
| #258) In the election of 1824, what changed regarding the way electors were selected by the states to decide the presidency? |
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Definition
| The electors had been chosen by small caucuses, but by 1824, most electors were chosen by popular vote, like they are today. |
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Term
| #259) How did the rights of enfranchisement change from 1800 - 1830? |
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Definition
| By 1830, the majority of states had granted the right to vote to all white men who paid taxes (no longer just landowners). |
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Term
| #300) Why did the election of 1824 also have to be decided by the House of Representatives? |
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Definition
| In the 1824 election, Andrew Jackson had the popular vote and 99 electoral votes, but Adams had 84 electoral votes. Since no one had a clear majority in the electoral college, the election was sent to the House of Representatives. Adams won and became the 6th President of the United States. |
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Term
#301) Who was the 6th President of the United States?
-- When did he serve?
-- What are some important things he accomplished? |
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Definition
| John Quincy Adams was the 6th President of the US (1825 - 1829). He was the son of the 2nd President, John Adams (1797 - 1801). Henry Clay was his Secretary of State. He broke ground on the C&O canal. He urged development of the arts. He lost his election in 1828, thinking to return home to retirement, but was then elected to the House of Representatives from Massachusetts, where he served the rest of his life. |
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Term
#302) What was the "Second Great Awakening"?
-- When was it?
-- Why was it important? |
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Definition
| The "Second Great Awakening" was a period of intense religious revivalism in the 1820s. New churches were created such as: Baptists, Methodists, and Prsbyterians. They strongly believed in evangelism (the conversion of non-believers). There was even a move toward the creation of a Christian political party that would turn America into a Christian nation that would convert the whole world. |
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Term
#303) When did the Industrial Revolution really begin in the United States?
-- What was the early Industrial Revolution like? |
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Definition
| The Industrial Revolution really began in the US during the War of 1812 and by the 1820s, manufacturing was no longer by hand, but in factories with machines. Workers were often using power-driven machines to make their jobs less time-consuming and easier. This caused a huge growth in city life. |
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Term
#304) When did the US really begin a trend toward urbanization?
-- What did this have to do with the Industrial Revolution? |
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Definition
| In the 1820s living standards for many Americans began to rise a great deal. For the first time the population of cities grew faster than the population as a whole. People were freed up from farm life to head toward cities. Women began to work ouside the home for the firt time. |
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Term
#305) When did American literature begin to develop?
-- Who were some of our first premiere authors and what did they write? |
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Definition
| By the 1820s American literature (poetry, short stories and novels) was developing. Washington Irving published "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Headless Horseman" in 1820. James Fenimore Cooper published "The Leatherstocking Tales," introducing Natty Bumpo, a heroic American settler. He also wrote The Last of the Mohicans and Deerslayer. |
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Term
#306) Who died on July 4, 1826?
-- Why is that significant? |
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Definition
| Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. |
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