Vocab Terms 201-300
Terms
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- Implied powers, elastic clause, necessary and proper clause
- ends with the statement that Congress shall also have the power "to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the forfegoing powers." (implied powers), "elastic" clause because it can be "stretched" to include almost any other power
- Patrick Henry
- One of the main opponents of the Constitution, he worked against its ratification in Virginia
- Constitution: Separation of power
- powers of the government are divided between three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary
- Federalists / Democratic-Republicans: Philosophies
- Federalists believed in a strong central government, a strong army, industry, and loose interpretation of the Constitution. Democratic-Republicans believed in a weak central government, state and individual rights, and strict interpretation of the Constitution.
- North-South Compromises
- North was given full federal protection of trade and commerce, South was given permanent relief from export taxes and a guarantee that the importation of slaves would not be halted for at least 20 years, national capitol was placed in the South, 3/5 compromise
- Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
- first two political parties, many of the Democratic-Republicans had earlier been members of the Antifederalists
- Procedures for amendments
- An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed if 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of state legislatures vote for it. The amendment may then be added to the Constitution by a 3/4 vote of state legislatures or state conventions
- Sec. of the Treasury Hamilton
- leading Federalist, supported industry and strong central government, created the National Bank and managed to pay off the U.S.'s early debts
- Second Great Awakening
- series of religious revivals starting in 1801, based on Methodism and Baptism, Stressed a philosophy of salvation through good deeds and tolerance for all Protestants, attracted women, Blacks, and Native Americans
- National debt, state debt, foreign debt
- national debt included domestic debt owed to soldiers from the war, plus foreign debt to other countries which had helped the U.S. The federal government also assumed all the debts incurred by the states during the war, Hamilton's program paid off these debts
- Land Ordinance of 1785
- major success of the Articles of Confederation, provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S.
- Vice-president John Adams
- A Federalist, he had little say in Washington's administration
- The Federalist Papers, Jay, Hamilton, Madison
- collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government, published to convince New York to ratify the Constitution
- Antifederalists
- opposed the ratification of the Constitution because it gave more power to the federal government and less to the states, and because it did not ensure individual rights, wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation, were instrumental in obtaining passage of the Bill of Rights, regrouped as the Democratic-Republican (or simply Republican) party
- Whiskey Rebellion
- farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey, and several federal officers were killed in the riots caused by their the army, led by Washington, put down the rebellion, showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem
- Sec. of State Jefferson
- A leading Democratic-Republican, he opposed Hamilton's ideas, resigned because Washington supported Hamilton most of the time
- 12th Amendment
- requires the president and vice-president of the same party to run on the same ticket
- Excise taxes
- Taxes placed on manufactured products, excise tax on whiskey helped raise revenue for Hamilton's program
- Great Compromise
- convention compromised by creating the House and the Senate, and using both of the two separate plans as the method for electing members of each
- Constitution
- established the present federal government of the United States and outlined its powers, can be changed through amendments
- Constitution: Checks and balances
- each branch of government could check/block the power of the other two so no one branch could have too much power
- Constitution: Preamble
- "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
- Shay's Rebellion
- Poor, indebted landowners in Massachusetts blocked access to courts and prevented the government from arresting or repossessing the property of those in debt, the federal government was too weak to remove the rebels, a sign that the Articles weren't working effectively.
- Bill of Rights
- The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guarantee basic individual rights
- Slavery and the Constitution: slave trade, 3/5 Clause
- South's slave trade was guaranteed for at least 20 years after the ratification of the Constitution, slaves were considered 3/5 of a person when determining the state population
- Articles of Confederation- powers, weaknesses, successes
- delegated most of the powers (the power to tax, to regulate trade, and to draft troops) to the states, but left the federal government power over war, foreign policy, and issuing money, weaknesses- they gave the federal government so little power, couldn't keep the country united, major success- they settled western land claims with the Northwest Ordinance, abandoned for the Constitution
- French Revolution
- 2nd great democratic revolution after the American Revolution had been a success. The U.S. did nothing to aid either side, French people overthrew the king and his government, and then had some unsuccessful democratic governments until Napoleon took over as dictator
- Philadelphia Convention for the Constitution (Constitutional Convention)
- Beginning on May 25, 1787, the was held in Philadelphia, all of the states except Rhode Island sent delegates, and George Washington served as president of the convention, the convention lasted 16 weeks, and on September 17, 1787, produced the present Constitution of the United States
- "The Federalist, # 10"
- essay from the Federalist Papers proposed setting up a republic to solve the problems of a large democracy (anarchy, rise of factions which disregard public good)
- Washington's Farewell Address
- warned against the dangers of political parties and foreign alliances
- Northwest Ordinance, 1787
- major success of the Articles of Confederation, set up the framework of a government for the NW territory, provided that the Territory would be divided into 3 to 5 states, outlawed slavery in the Territory, and set 60,000 as the minimum population for statehood.
- Alien and Sedition Acts
- consist of four laws passed by the Federalist Congress and signed by President Adams Naturalization Act which increased the waiting period for an immigrant to become a citizen from 5 to 14 years; the Alien Act, which let president arrest and deport dangerous aliens; the Alien Enemy Act, which allowed arrest and deportation of citizens of countries at war with the US; and the Sedition Act, which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials.
- James Madison, "Father of the Constitution"
- proposals for an effective government became the Virginia Plan, which was the basis for the Constitution, was responsible for drafting most of the language of the Constitution
- Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut Plan
- The VA Plan called for a two-house Congress with each state's representation based on state population, The NJ Plan called for a one-house Congress in which each state had equal representation, The CT Plan called for a two-house Congress in which both types of representation would be applied (Compromise Plan)
- Election of 1796: President Adams, Vice-president Jefferson
- The first true election Adams was a Federalist, Jefferson was a Democratic-Republican
- Election of 1800, tie, Jefferson and Burr
- The two Democratic-Republicans Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr defeated Federalist John Adams, but tied with each other, went the House of Representatives, (another tie) Jefferson was finally chosen as president, Burr became vp, led to the 12th Amendment
- President George Washington
- presidential traditions, including limiting a president's tenure to two terms, against political parties and strove for political balance in government by appointing political adversaries to government positions