Targeted must-know terms to master for Period 3 of APUSH.
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| 8001855986 | Northwest Ordinance of 1787 | The first act to organize land outside of the existing states. As settlers pushed westward into unorganized territory between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River, the new American government faced increasing tension with Spain and Britain over boundaries and increasing conflict with Native American groups whose land was being encroached upon. To stake a clear claim to the land and assert authority over the settlers, the Continental Congress labeled the land a formal territory called the Northwest Territory. By creating a new territory rather than extending existing states, and providing rules for the eventual admission of states carved from the territory into the Union, the Act established a precedent for the expansion of the country. In addition, the Act divided the territory into gridded townships which the federal government could sell. This was the Continental Congress's only source of income. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 0 | |
| 8001855987 | National Bank- Bank of the United States | The first federal financial institution under the Constitution. A central part of Alexander Hamilton's financial plan, Congress established the Bank of the United States as an institution to collect federal revenue and make loans to individuals and to smaller banks. It was extremely controversial. Federalists argued that the Bank violated the Constitution by overstepping the prescribed powers of Congress. Hamilton and other supporters argued that the elastic clause of the Constitution authorized Congress to make all laws needed to support their responsibilities, including creating a national bank. According to Hamilton, the bank was necessary to provide a stable financial basis for the United States. The bank remained a source of controversy for the next 40 years, viewed by many as an elitist and exclusionary institution serving only the needs of Eastern merchants. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 1 | |
| 8001855988 | Ohio River Valley | Area disputed between France and Great Britain during the French and Indian War. The Ohio River Valley, which lies west of the Appalachian Mountains, was claimed by the French as part of its vast territory of Louisiana. However, as most French in North America engaged in the fur trade, settlement was very sparse, leaving it open to eager British settlers. War broke out over the land in 1754, and was settled by the Treaty of Paris signed in 1763, which assigned the valley to Great Britain. Despite an attempt to prohibit it, settlement increased rapidly—especially after the American Revolution--and the new nation had to consider how to incorporate the territory into the country and protect it against the influence from Spain to the south or Britain to the north. Congress ultimately created a formal territory and supported trade relations with the East. As the first "American West", the Ohio River Valley served as a model for the handling of the frontier even as it moved westward. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 2 | |
| 8001855989 | Hamilton's Financial Program | The foundational structure of American economy and finance. Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, was a staunch Federalist who believed that the country needed a strong central government supported by a strong economy. He created a five-part financial plan to build a sustainable economy. First, he advocated that the federal government should assume, or take on, all of the states' debts. This would allow for more efficient repayment and bind the states together as one country with a common interest. Secondly, he supported borrowing new money at lower interest rates to pay off the nation's old debt. By borrowing money, the country was not only able to repay old debt off quickly—looking more attractive to new investors—but also this created a reason for the lending countries to support the success of the United States. Thirdly, he created interest-bearing bonds and allowed those holding bonds from the Revolutionary War to trade them in for these new bonds. This again allowed the country to make good on past debts without incurring new, immediate expenses. Fourthly, he imposed new taxes to generate revenue for the country: a tariff on imported goods and an excise tax on whiskey. Fifthly, he pushed for the creation of a national bank to collect and manage revenue and regulate the nation's finances. Hamilton's plan was widely opposed by the South who saw it as advancing Northern merchant interests and violating the rights of the states. However, it was financially very successful, leading to a stable American economy. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 3 | |
| 8001855990 | National Debt | The amount of money a country owes to its investors. After the Revolutionary War, the United States began with a large amount of debt from the war. This debt created a significant problem for the new country as the government had no way of generating revenue to pay off the debt, making it unstable and weak in the eyes of the world. The Constitution empowered Congress to impose taxes, and Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton built on this to create a financial plan focused around the national debt. Hamilton knew it was important to pay back the nation's creditors so that future investors would see the country as a good investment, but he also saw the value in a permanent national debt. If influential individuals and especially other nations had a financial stake in the United States, they would be motivated to support its success and growth. This philosophy has guided American fiscal policy to this day, although there has been considerable debate over the appropriate size of the debt. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 4 | |
| 8001855991 | Albany Plan of Union | Benjamin Franklin's plan for a unified colonial government. At the outset of the French and Indian War, officials from each of the colonies met in Albany to discuss their common defenses and alliances with various Native American tribes. At the Albany Congress, Benjamin Franklin put forward a plan for the colonies to voluntarily unite, emphasizing their common interests and needs. He advocated for the plan with his famous "Join or Die" political cartoon featuring the colonies as parts of a snake. The plan ultimately failed as the colonies were unwilling to give up their autonomy or to compromise on conflicting issues. However, it became a blueprint for the future union formed during and after the Revolutionary War. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 5 | |
| 8001855992 | Writs of Assistance | General search warrants used by British revenue officers. In spite of Britain's Navigation Laws which restricted the colonies to trade only with Britain, colonial ports like Boston conducted a great deal of trade with other countries. Considered smuggling, this trade became even more problematic when France and Britain went to war in 1754 and colonial trade helped sustain Britain's enemy. To crack down on smuggling, the Massachusetts governor allowed revenue officials to use writs of assistance, generalized search warrants which allowed them to search any ship or building they suspected held smuggled goods. Colonial merchants challenged the writs in court, arguing they violated the basic tenets of English law. The court disagreed. Although this ended opposition to the writs, it was the first major conflict between Parliament and the colonies over British authority and the rule of law. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 6 | |
| 8001855993 | James Otis | The lawyer who argued against writs of assistance in the Massachusetts Supreme Court. When Boston merchants challenged the writs of assistance used by revenue officers to search their ships and buildings for smuggled goods, James Otis represented them in the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Otis argued that the writs violated "the fundamental principles of law" and that an act of Parliament was void if it violated the English Constitution. Although Otis lost the case, the arguments he made became the basis for the revolutionary movement which emerged a decade later and its protest about the inconsistencies between Parliament's actions and the inherent rights guaranteed to all British citizens. His words also established limited government and the rule of law as foundational beliefs of what would become the new nation. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 7 | |
| 8001855994 | George Grenville | Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer of Britain from 1763 to 1765. Grenville succeeded to the offices of the Chancellor of the Exchequer—which made him responsible for all financial and economic policy--and Prime Minister in 1765. As Prime Minister he advocated an assertive foreign policy and as Chancellor he focused on bringing public spending under control and reducing Britain's deep debt it built up during the war with France. Most notably, Grenville instituted the Stamp Act, which required all colonists to get a stamp on any official papers. This was the first direct tax imposed on the colonies and it was met with great resistance. Although Grenville was ousted from office in 1765 and the Stamp Act was repealed the following year, his time in office increased tensions between Britain and the colonies. It also set a precedent for a more aggressive tax policy in the colonies as a means of raising revenue. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 8 | |
| 8001855995 | Quartering Act | Act passed by Parliament requiring local colonial governments to provide housing and food for British officers. Severely in debt and faced with opposition at home, the British crown expected the colonies to provide for the British troops in their midst. The colonies had willingly provided provisions and housing during the French and Indian War but were less eager to do so during peacetime. So, Parliament passed a law requiring the colonists to provide barracks for troops or—if this was not enough room—to house them in public houses like inns or ale houses. If those were full, the colonies were required to use outbuildings, barns, or uninhabited houses. The colonies both objected to a standing army in the colonies and being forced (rather than asked) to pay for it. The tension came to a head in Boston in 1777 when fighting broke out between soldiers camped in the Boston Commons and angry colonists, an event known as the Boston Massacre. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 9 | |
| 8001855996 | Stamp Act | An act passed by Parliament that required a variety of printed materials to be printed on special stamped paper produced in Britain. After the French and Indian War, the citizens in Britain objected to funding the troops still guarding the colonies. British government kept troops in the colonies. Instead Parliament passed a law to generate revenue from the colonists themselves. The Stamp Act required a range of printed materials—including newspapers, playing cards, and magazines--to be printed on special stamped paper imported from Britain. This was the first direct tax on the colonies, and they believed it be unfair on two grounds: 1) they did not feel a need for a standing army, and 2) the colonists' were being taxed without proper representation in government. Colonists protested, led by primarily by lawyers who were hardest hit, as the Act required all legal documents to be printed on the stamped paper. The act was repealed in 1766, however the anger it stirred remained. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 10 | |
| 8001855997 | Sons of Liberty | A secret colonial group formed in opposition to the Stamp Act. In 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which required the use of special stamped paper for many printed materials. The Act triggered massive protests in the colonies, including the formation of underground groups dedicated to disrupting the distribution and use of stamped paper. The Sons were known for using fear-based tactics like burning a stamp distributor in effigy and burning down buildings. Although they emerged independently, the organizations in each colony formed lines of communication between themselves. While the Sons officially disbanded after the repeal of the Stamp Act, other groups continued to act in their name throughout the revolution. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 11 | |
| 8001855998 | Declaration of Rights and Grievances | A formal complaint against taxation without representation issued by the Stamp Act Congress. Signed by the representatives of the nine attending colonies, the Declaration listed 14 assertions to the British crown including the right to trial by jury, full and equal rights to any Englishman, and protection against taxation without representation. The Declaration declared the Stamp Act unconstitutional because it taxed the colonists without their input. In many ways, this document was a precursor to the Declaration of Independence. However, it is important to note that in the Declaration, the colonists made a point of pledging their allegiance to the crown and their submission to Parliament; they in no way were seeking independence at this time. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 12 | |
| 8001855999 | Townshend Acts | Acts passed by Parliament that asserted Parliament's authority over the colonies and instituted new taxes. Spearheaded by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Townshend, the Townshend Acts differed from other British acts that preceded them. The acts had the dual goal of subduing the colonies and increasing the crown's revenue. The Revenue Acts imposed new direct revenue duties on lead, glass, paper, paint, and tea. This was the first act since the failed Stamp Act that aimed to directly raise money from the colonies. Another act created new, complex, and strict rules for custom collections, including paying customs officials from duties (rather than by colonial legislatures) to decrease their loyalty to the legislatures. Finally, the acts included the Suspending Act, which prohibited New York's colonial legislature from passing any laws until it agreed to abide by the Quartering Act. While they were ultimately repealed, the acts were met with strong resistance in the colonies and fanned the flames of the growing resistance movement. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 13 | |
| 8001856000 | Boston Tea Party | An organized colonial protest against the Tea Act in which 342 chests of tea were dumped in Boston Harbor. Colonists, particularly merchants, were enraged by the passage of the Tea Act in 1773 which undercut colonial merchants engaged in the tea trade. When three British East India Company ships arrived in Boston, colonists wanted them turned back. However, the Massachusetts governor ordered the ships to remain in port with the intention of offloading and selling the tea. Members of the Sons of Liberty boarded the ships and dumped all of the cargo—342 chests of tea—into the water. The act not only showed increasing colonial disregard for British authority but solidified the divide between Britain and its colonies. In the colonies, the protest was widely celebrated, while in Britain members of Parliament finally agreed to take a hard line against the colonies, shutting down the Port of Boston and imposing what became known as the Intolerable Acts. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 14 | |
| 8001856001 | Patrick Henry | A revolutionary leader noted for his oratory skills and strong support of republicanism. Patrick Henry was a Virginia lawyer and planter and led opposition to the Stamp Act in Virginia. Henry argued that the people owed no allegiance to the king if the king supported laws that did not serve the best interest of his people (or vetoed laws that did). While seen by many as treason, Henry's arguments were so persuasive they shifted the legislatures' understanding of their relationship to the king. He was a radical proponent of revolution and independence. In 1775, in trying to convince a Virginia convention to approve independence and contribute troops to the Revolutionary War, he made a famous and fiery speech in which he said, "Give me liberty or give me death." The speech had an immediate impact on his audience and was successful in convincing Virginia to join the effort. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 15 | |
| 8001856002 | George Washington | Commander of the Continental Army and first president of the United States. First gaining fame for his service in the French and Indian War, Washington proved himself a capable soldier and leader, quickly rising through the ranks. He was limited, however, by a resistance in the British military to promote colonial officers above a certain rank. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress commissioned Washington as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. He led a grueling campaign made harder by limited resources and manpower. However, he was able to turn the tide after crossing the Delaware River in mid-winter, and won two decisive battles at Saratoga and Yorktown. Later, Washington was elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention and then unanimously as the first president of the United States. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 16 | |
| 8001856003 | Thomas Paine | A writer and journalist who spurred colonists toward independence. When Paine immigrated to the United States in 1774, he became immediately immersed in the revolutionary movement. He was an editor for a paper and wrote and printed a pamphlet called Common Sense in which he laid out an argument for independence. Paine argued that the king and Parliament violated the natural rights of the people, and that independence was the only option. He believed the colonies had outgrown their relationship with Britain, so the only option was to stand on their own. Although it drew on the same Enlightenment ideals, unlike many of his fellow revolutionary writers, Paine's pamphlet was written for the common person to understand. It became hugely popular selling upwards of 100,000 copies. Common Sense is often cited as one of the key factors that led to independence. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 17 | |
| 8001856004 | Articles of Confederation | The first government of the United States. After declaring independence, the Second Continental Congress formed a committee to draft a governing document for the new nation. Written in 1777, the Articles were not ratified by all the states until 1781. The emphasis of the Articles was creating a minimal national government to deal with common issues without overpowering the state governments. As a result, the government was structured to have as little power as possible. This included no executive or judicial branches. The legislature's powers were also very limited: they could not impose taxes, regulate commerce, or maintain an army. Each state had one vote and bills had to be passed with a 2/3 majority, a number very hard to achieve. The Articles themselves could only be amended with a unanimous vote, making them essentially impossible to change. While useful during the Revolutionary War, the weakness of the central government under the Articles quickly became a problem after the war. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 18 | |
| 8001856005 | Three-Fifths Compromise | Compromise within the Great Compromise that determined that slaves would count as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of a state's population count. Once the delegates agreed that the proportional representation would be used in the lower house, the question concerned who would be included in the population? The southern states, which had larger slave populations, argued that their slaves should be counted in the population. If this approach was taken, the Southern states would have a third more seats in Congress and a third more electoral votes. Northern states, which had small slave populations, argued that the slaves were considered property and therefore should not be counted. As part of Sherman's compromise, he proposed that slaves should be counted as three-fifths, and this was accepted by the convention. As a result of this compromise, the South still had greater influence than the North until the immigration waves of the 1830s and 1840s. This debate, and compromise, highlighted the North/South divide and established the entanglement of representation and slavery that would continue until the Civil War. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 19 | |
| 8001856006 | Federalist Papers | A series of essays promoting the ratification of the Constitution. In order to encourage states to ratify the new Constitution, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay decided to write a series of anonymous essays in its defense. Unlike the Anti-Federalist Papers, the Federalist Papers were an organized and concerted effort; the authors even published them as a book in 1787 to gain wider readership. Several ideas expressed within the essays became foundational to American political theory. Most notably, in Federalist No. 10, Madison laid out an argument for the benefits of a large commercial republic in which no group could drown out the voice of another group. Other essays explain the purpose of a one-man executive and lay the foundation for judicial review. Not only being very influential in securing ratification, the Federalist Papers shaped how future Americans have interpreted the Constitution. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 20 | |
| 8001856007 | Washington's Cabinet | The four appointed officials who advised the president. One of Washington's first tasks as president was to appoint officials to head departments dedicated to specific executive responsibilities. He then organized these secretaries into a presidential advisory body. The power to create a cabinet was not one of the president's enumerated powers, or powers specifically given in the Constitution. However, Washington drew on a power that was enumerated: the power to require, in writing, the opinion of the principal officer in each executive department. The cabinet increased the influence of department secretaries and was the first example of a branch of the national government extending its powers based on implications in the Constitution. Washington's cabinet consisted of four people: Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Henry Knox as Secretary of War, and Edmund Randolph as Attorney General. Today, the cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of the 15 executive departments. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 21 | |
| 8001856008 | Bill of Rights | First ten amendments to the Constitution. One of the biggest complaints the Anti-Federalists had against the Constitution was its lack of explicit protections for individual rights. Federalists argued that these protections were not needed, as it was the states' responsibilities to protect those rights and most states had protections listed in their constitutions. Anti-Federalists felt this was insufficient protection against the abuse of power by the central government. In the end, the Federalists agreed to attach a Bill of Rights as the first amendments to the Constitution if the states ratified it. In 1789, the first session of the new Congress approved 12 amendments to the Constitution. In 1791, the ten of these that dealt with protections of individual liberties were ratified by the states, becoming the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Originally, these restrictions on government power only applied to the federal government. However the 14th Amendment, passed after the Civil War, extended them to the states as well. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 22 | |
| 8001856009 | Washington's Farewell Address | A letter written by George Washington to the American people at the time of his retirement. As he neared the end of his second term in office, George Washington decided to retire rather than run for a third term. The letter expressed support for the Constitution, defended his record, and offered advice to the new nation. Most notably, he warned against the formation of permanent factions, or political parties, and also warned against the formation of permanent alliances. He urged citizens to put the needs of the nation first: over those of individual groups or the states. He also believed that permanent foreign alliances would conflict with this goal. Washington's advice, especially on foreign policy, guided American foreign policy to varying degrees until the 20th century. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 23 | |
| 8001856010 | XYZ Affair | A political confrontation between the United States and France. The signing of the Jay Treaty during Britain and France's war angered France. In retaliation they intentionally interrupted trade between the U.S. and Britain. In 1797, President Adams sent a diplomatic delegation to France to negotiate a settlement to the conflict. When the delegation arrived, French Foreign Minister Talleyrand demanded a bribe before beginning formal negotiations. This was common practice in Europe, but the U.S. delegation interpreted it as an insult and left, thrusting the two countries into a Quasi-War. The Adams administration published the delegation's account of their experiences and used the incident to undercut the pro-French Democratic-Republicans. The public's anger also allowed for the Federalists to build up the military. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 24 | |
| 8001856011 | Revolution of 1800 | The fourth presidential election, and the first in which power changed between parties. By the election of 1800, the two political parties had solidified into opposing political forces. Each party still ran the same candidates as they had in 1796. Unlike in 1796, the Democratic-Republicans won a clear victory, demonstrating a revolution in American politics. However a new constitutional problem arose: as electors voted on party lines for both ballots, Jefferson and Burr received an equal number of electoral votes. The election went to the House of Representatives to decide, and after 35 rounds of voting, Jefferson was elected. In order to avoid these difficulties in the future, the 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution creating separate ballots for president and vice-president. Even once Jefferson was elected, the election remained contentious as many worried the Federalists would not relinquish power. The smooth transition from Adams to Jefferson was the first real victory for the republican form of government and the rule of law. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 25 | |
| 8001856012 | Samuel Adams | Massachusetts lawyer and politician who became one of the Founding Fathers. As a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the 1760s, Adams was a leading opponent to British attempts to tax the colonies. He wrote the Massachusetts Circular Letter calling for colonial noncompliance and developed the committees of correspondence that allowed the colonies to communicate with each other before and during the war. He also served in both the First and Second Continental Congresses and helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Adams was particularly effective in delivering rousing and insightful speeches and is credited with articulating much of the ideology behind the Revolution. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 26 | |
| 8001856013 | John Jay | First Chief Justice of Supreme Court. Jay was an early opponent to British colonial policies, joining the New York Committee of Correspondence and helping to organize protest. During and after the war, he served as an ambassador to Spain. He was one of the chief defenders of the new Constitution during the ratification process, writing five of the Federalist papers favoring a strong central government. After the new government was formed, Jay was appointed as the court's first Chief Justice. In that role, he established the independence of the court by refusing to weigh in on legislation pending in Congress. He also established many of the rules and procedures of the court still in effect today. In 1794, while still Chief Justice, Jay traveled to Britain to act as its chief negotiator. The resulting treaty, Jay Treaty, was seen as a victory by Federalists and a failure by Democratic-Republicans. He voluntarily left the court and won the governorship of New York where he worked to abolish slavery. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 27 | |
| 8001856014 | Alexander Hamilton | First Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton immigrated to the United States from the Caribbean as a young adult and quickly became involved in the movement opposing British taxation policies. He served as Washington's aide-de-camp during the war and soon became one of the most influential voices in the new nation. Hamilton believed strongly that the future of the nation depended on the strength of its economy. He favored a trade-based economy and so lobbied for a strong central government and strong ties to Britain. At the Constitutional Convention he pushed for a strong central government, even arguing for an executive that resembled a king. He was one of the chief promoters of the Constitution during ratification, writing the majority of the Federalist Papers. Washington appointed Hamilton as his Secretary of the Treasury, and Hamilton developed a five-point plan that became the basis of the American financial system. While his plan was very effective, Hamilton has often been criticized for his elitism. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 28 | |
| 8001856015 | John Locke | English Enlightenment philosopher. While Locke wrote on a variety of topics, he is best known for his political philosophy. In line with the Enlightenment emphasis on reason, Locke expanded on Francis Bacon's concept of the social contract. He argued that government exists because people willingly give up some authority to it in order to protect their natural rights. Therefore, an effective government is the result of a contract. If those in authority violate that contract—by not protecting the natural rights—they forfeit their right to govern and the government is no longer legitimate. Locke's ideas greatly influenced the Founders, both in their justification for overthrowing British rule and as a basis of the creation of their own government. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 29 | |
| 8001856016 | Loyalist | American colonists who remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolution. Although there was extensive support for the revolution, it was by no means absolute. The War for Independence was extremely contentious among colonists. When war broke out between the colonies and Britain, approximately 15-20% of the male population remained committed to the crown. Most of them were wealthy and well-established, often with strong connections to Britain. While some saw no wrong in Parliament's policies, others simply wanted a compromise or they were repelled by the violence of the revolutionaries. The Loyalists were not treated well during the war, harassed and barred by Patriots from public assembly. Many had their property destroyed. Britain expected a large Loyalist uprising, particularly in the South. When this did not happen, Britain's commitment and its resources were diminished. After the war, about 15% of Loyalists fled to Britain or other British colonies while the rest adapted to the new nation. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 30 | |
| 8001856017 | Patriots | American colonists who supported independence from Britain. Once war broke out with Britain, those colonists committed to the cause of independence named themselves "Patriots." Patriots ranged the entire economic and social spectrum from lawyers to farmers to freemen and slaves. Although Patriots did make up a large segment of the population, they did not constitute even a majority. Only 40-45% of the white population considered themselves Patriots, with about 15-20% remaining loyal to the crown and the remainder trying to avoid involvement in the conflict altogether. Although they accounted for less than half the population, the fervor of their commitment to the cause made the revolutionary sentiments seem more widespread. Both before and during the War, they used newspapers and pamphlets, and sometimes strong-arm tactics, even violence, to silence Loyalists and drum up support for the war. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 31 | |
| 8001856019 | Strict Constructionist | Individuals who interpret the Constitution based on what is explicitly stated. Shortly after the completion of the U.S. Constitution, questions arose as to how to interpret various parts of it. Most notably, a debate emerged around the national bank Hamilton wanted to create as part of his economic plan. Strict constructionists argued that the national government did not have the power to create a national bank because this was not stated in the Constitution. Like the Anti-Federalists, strict constructionists were—and are—concerned with limiting the power of the national government first and foremost. During the early years of the nation, the Democratic-Republicans, generally, were strict constructionists. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 32 | |
| 8001856020 | Loose Constructionist | Individuals who interpret the Constitution based on both what is stated and what might be implied. In the early years of the country, those who sought to increase the power of the federal government suggested that there were powers held by the national government that were not stated in the Constitution but that were necessary for the fulfillment of the stated responsibilities. For example, Alexander Hamilton included in his economic plan a national bank. Democratic-Republicans objected because the Constitution did not specifically give the government this power. Hamilton argued that the power was implied by the elastic clause of Article I, which says Congress has the power to make all laws necessary and proper. Loose constructionism has been used to expand the power of the federal government throughout American history. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 33 | |
| 8001856021 | French and Indian War | A war fought between Britain and France in North America. In 1754, the ongoing rivalry between Britain and France erupted in North America as colonists from the two countries, backed by their respective armies, competed for control of the Ohio River Valley. The British colonial population was almost forty times the size of the French colonial population, so the French relied heavily on their alliances with various Native American tribes. The conflict quickly grew into a global one called the Seven Years' War which involved most of Europe and spanned five continents. The British victory in 1763 was a major loss for both France and the Native American tribes between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. France lost all of its North American territory, and the Native American tribes faced the certainty of dislocation as British settlers poured across the mountains. The war also secured Britain's world dominance while sending them into deep debt, laying the groundwork for the conflict between Britain and the colonies. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 34 | |
| 8001856022 | Treaty of Paris | Treaty that ended the French and Indian War. The treaty was signed between Britain and Portugal on one side and France and Spain on the other after Britain defeated France. While most of the captured territory from the war was returned, Britain gained possession of all of France's North American territory, the land from the Mississippi to the Appalachian Mountains. Spain also ceded Florida to Britain. In exchange, Britain promised to protect Catholicism in North America. The treaty secured British dominance both in North America and in the world, while securing a broad stretch of new territory for colonial settlement. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 35 | |
| 8001856023 | Paul Revere | An American revolutionary best known for his alarm system monitoring the British military. A successful silversmith, Revere joined the Sons of Liberty in 1765 and used his business to produce engravings in support of the protesters, including a famous engraving of the Boston Massacre. His commitment to the cause intensified after the passage of the Tea Act, and he played an active role in the Boston Tea Party. When Parliament appointed a military governor to Massachusetts, who in turn dissolved the colonial assembly, Revere joined secretly with a group of men to establish an intelligence network to obtain and share information about the British military. In 1775, he used this system to notify Lexington and Concord of British troops coming to disarm the rebels, allowing a militia to gather and ultimately repel the attack. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 36 | |
| 8001856024 | Lexington & Concord | The first military conflicts in the Revolutionary War. After the military governor appointed to Massachusetts dissolved the colonial legislature, Patriots established a provisional government whose primary focus was on forming and training local militias called Minutemen. These were colonists dedicated to the Patriot cause who were trained to keep a low profile but be ready to respond to hostilities within minutes. While British troops had tight control over Boston, the Patriots essentially governed the rest of the colony, so troops set out to seize the weapons from arsenals in the countryside. Forewarned of British troop movements, the Minutemen were prepared to confront the troops. Shots were fired first in Lexington, and then in Concord as the militia forced the British troops back to Boston under heavy fire. This conflict marked the beginning of military conflict between Britain and the colonies. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 37 | |
| 8001856025 | Battle of Saratoga | Battle that turned the Revolutionary War in favor of the Americans. British General John Burgoyne planned to weaken the colonies by dividing the north from the south. He marched down from Canada and anticipated a force marching up from the south to meet him. However, the southern forces never appeared and Burgoyne lost part of his defenses to the Continental Army and then was surrounded at Saratoga as he attempted to retreat. He initiated two small battles which the Americans, who with their superior position were able to easily win. After the second battle, Burgoyne surrendered his entire army. The decisive victory convinced France and Spain to ally themselves with the colonies, providing much needed military and financial aid. These new resources shifted the balance of the war, leading ultimately to American victory. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 38 | |
| 8001856026 | Valley Forge | The winter camp of the Continental Army. After a series of brutal battles, Washington's army traveled to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to winter. While being a very defensible location with access to timber for building lodging, it was not an ideal campsite. The camp was too close to the British to comfortably forage for supplies at a distance from camp. The spot was also windy, but the temperature fluctuated enough to have constant moisture, breeding disease. Little snow fell that winter, so the troops had little access to fresh water. The living conditions became a more serious threat to the Continental Army than the British Army; Washington—under intense criticism—struggled to provide food, clothing, blankets, and shoes to his troops. In the end, more than 2,500 of the 12,000 colonial soldiers died. The Continental Army was only saved from complete dissolution when France announced military and monetary donations. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 39 | |
| 8001856027 | Treaty of Paris | The treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. After their defeat at Yorktown, Britain moved toward negotiating a peace treaty with the colonists. Negotiations lasted for a year and a half, in part because they originally involved Spain and France as well. The final treaty, which was only between Britain and the United States, recognized American independence and sovereignty and ceded all of the land east of the Mississippi River, north of Florida, and south of Canada. It also guaranteed the return of all prisoners of war and the protection of fishing rights. Britain intentionally made the terms favorable to the United States because they saw an opportunity for productive two-way trade with the new nation. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 40 | |
| 8001856028 | Treaty of Greenville | A treaty between the Western Confederacy and the United States government ceding most of the Ohio Country. After the swift and complete defeat of the Western Confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the Western Confederacy agreed to cede most of the Ohio territory, a subset of the Northwest Territory which included most of present-day Ohio, and parts of present-day Indiana and Illinois in exchange for goods valued at $20,000. The treaty established what would serve for many years as the boundary between lands open to settlement and lands recognized as Native-owned. It also established a yearly grant of supplies and money given by the government to the tribes. This model was followed in subsequent treaties and led to greater government influence on tribal political, economic, and social affairs. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 41 | |
| 8001856029 | Whiskey Rebellion | An uprising in response to the excise tax on distilled liquor. As part of Hamilton's economic plan, he established a tax on domestically produced distilled liquor as a means of raising revenue to pay off American debts. Frontier farmers regularly distilled their excess grain and corn crops into liquor, mainly whiskey, and even used it as a form of currency. The tax hit them particularly hard, and they actively resisted. They argued they were following the ideals of the revolution by fighting against taxation without local representation. After a group of 500 farmers in Pennsylvania attacked the home of a tax collector, Washington responded with a carrot and a stick. He authorized peace negotiations while simultaneously calling on governors to send militia to enforce the tax. Washington himself led the 13,000 strong militia, and the resisters dispersed without any confrontation. The rebellion demonstrated the strength of the new government under the Constitution in contrast to the government's inaction in response to Shays' Rebellion under the Articles of Confederation. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 42 | |
| 8001856030 | Benedict Arnold | A general during the Revolutionary War who switched from the American to the British side. As a general in the Continental Army, Arnold was involved in many key campaigns including the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the Battle of Valcour Island, and the Battle of Saratoga. However, he was continually passed over for promotion and was embittered because he had spent a great deal of his own money during the war without compensation. When the Continental Congress formed an alliance with France and then refused Britain's compromise offer of self-governance in 1778, he decided to switch sides. He plotted with the British to surrender West Point after he was given command of it, but the plan was discovered and Arnold was forced to flee to British lines. Arnold's name quickly became synonymous with traitor in American culture and it is still used today. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 43 | |
| 8001856031 | General Cornwallis | The general who led British troops at Yorktown. General Charles Cornwallis joined the British forces in North America in 1776 and quickly became one of the top British military leaders. He participated in many of the war's campaigns, including leading troops in the defeat of Patriots in the Battle of Camden. In 1779, he became the lead commander of the British invasion of the south with the goal of stirring hidden Loyalists to take up arms. While first successful, at Yorktown, Cornwallis' troops were surrounded on all sides by a combination of Patriot and French troops. Cornwallis surrendered his army, an act which essentially ended the war. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 44 | |
| 8001856032 | Nathaniel Greene | One of the most respected generals of the Revolutionary War. Enlisted as a private, Nathaniel Greene quickly moved up the ranks of the Continental Army due to his success. He was placed in command of Boston after the British evacuation and led troops in the difficult battles in most of the northern colonies. Faced with Cornwallis's steady advancement in the South and a series of failed generals, Washington appointed Greene as major commander of the southern forces. With a weak Continental Army, Greene relied heavily on a selection of strong commanders and strategy: dividing his forces so the British would have to follow suit. While he lost every major battle during this time, he greatly weakened the British army by constantly evading them, tiring them out with long marches, and then inflicting a great deal of damage when they did engage. In the end, he successfully freed the southern states from British control. © 2017 Apprend, Inc | 45 |
