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| 1587539417 | Assumption (Definition) | The act of taking to or upon oneself; taking possession of something. | 0 | |
| 1587539418 | Assumption (Significance) | Proposed by Hamilton to pay all state debts. He believed that this would chain the states more tightly to the federal government. It would shift the attachment of wealthy creditors from the states to the federal government, and thus strengthen the central government. | 1 | |
| 1587539419 | Excise (Definition) | An internal tax/duty on certain commodities, such as liquor or tobacco, levied on their manufacture, sale, or consumption within the country. | 2 | |
| 1587539420 | Excise (Significance) | National debt was $75 million. Hamilton imposed taxes from tariffs to raise money to pay off the debt. The tariffs imposed an 8% duty on the value of dutiable imports (1789) and an excise tax of 7 cents/gallon on whiskey (1791), which later led to the Whiskey Rebellion. | 3 | |
| 1587539421 | Nullification (Definition) | Failure/refusal of U.S. state to aid in enforcement of federal laws within its limits, especially on Constitutional grounds. | 4 | |
| 1587539422 | Nullification (Significance) | In response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. This doctrine stated that if the federal government exceeds constitutional powers then the states could refuse to accept them. This concept was applied in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which were written by Jefferson and Madison in 1798-99. | 5 | |
| 1587539423 | Jay's Treaty (Definition) | 1794; Agreement between England and the U.S. by which limited trade relations were established. England agreed to give up its forts in the northwestern frontier, and a joint commission was set up to settle border disputes. | 6 | |
| 1587539424 | Jay's Treaty (Significance) | 1794; Britain attacked U.S. merchant ships and retained their posts on U.S. soil. Washington sent John Jay to London to come up with an agreement. Britain agreed to evacuate their posts on U.S. soil and pay damages for American ships. However, Britain forced the U.S. to pay debts owed to British merchants before the Revolution. This angered the Jeffersonians and led Spain to draw up Pinckney's Treaty with the U.S. | 7 | |
| 1587539425 | Talleyrand (Definition) | French statesman. | 8 | |
| 1587539426 | Talleyrand (Significance) | Crafty French foreign minister who sent secret agents X, Y, Z to bribe U.S. envoys. This led to an undeclared naval war. He soon regrets his decision and invites the U.S. to send another envoy to draw up the Convention of 1800 to end the war and form an alliance. | 9 | |
| 1587539427 | Funding at Par (Definition) | 1790; An economic plan devised by Hamilton in order to "bolster the nation's credit" and strengthen the central government. It was a plan to exchange old bonds for new bonds at face value. This would take on the debts of all states and reinforce faith in government bonds. | 10 | |
| 1587539428 | Funding at Par (Significance) | Hamilton's plan to pay off all national and state debts at face value plus interest ($54 million national + $21 million state). It would restore faith in government bonds and bolster the national credit. | 11 | |
| 1587539429 | Strict Construction (Definition) | Interpretation (as of a writing/legislation) based on a literal/technical understanding of the words used. | 12 | |
| 1587539430 | Strict Construction (Significance) | Jefferson employed this in his argument against the national bank with Hamilton. He said that there was no specific authorization in the Constitution for the government to do that and believed that powers not granted to the central government were reserved for the states (10th Amendment). Applying this logic, he concluded that the states, not Congress, had the right to charter banks. It was a theory that the Constitution should be interpreted literally and technically. | 13 | |
| 1587539431 | Bill of Rights (Definition) | A formal statement of the fundamental rights of the people of the U.S. It was incorporated in the Constitution as Amendments 1-10 and in all state constitutions. | 14 | |
| 1587539432 | Bill of Rights (Significance) | 1791; Drafted by Madison and includes the first 10 amendments. It was promised to antifederalists after ratifying the Constitution to guarantee individual rights which included: freedom of religion, speech, press; right to bear arms; right to be tried by a jury; right to assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances; prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment; prohibition of arbitrary government seizure of private property. | 15 | |
| 1587539433 | Cabinet (Definition) | In the U.S., an advisory body to the president, consisting of the heads of the 13 executive departments of the federal government. | 16 | |
| 1587539434 | Cabinet (Significance) | 1789; Established during Washington's presidency that the Constitution didn't mention. | 17 | |
| 1587539435 | Elastic Clause (Definition) | A statement in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers. | 18 | |
| 1587539436 | Elastic Clause (Significance) | Employed in Hamilton's argument for a national bank. This clause stated that what the Constitution didn't forbid, it permitted. The Constitution says that Congress may pass any laws necessary and proper to carry out their vested powers (the bank was necessary to carry out transactions of taxes and trades). It supported a loose and broad interpretation of the Constitution. | 19 | |
| 1587539437 | Whiskey Rebellion (Definition) | 1794; A revolt of settlers in western Pennsylvania against a federal excise tax on whiskey. It was suppressed by militia called out by President G. Washington to establish the authority of the federal government. | 20 | |
| 1587539438 | Whiskey Rebellion (Significance) | 1794 Southwest Pennsylvania; Pioneers were angered by Hamilton's whiskey excise tax. They protested, tarred, and feathered tax officers. Washington sent an army to Pennsylvania to crush the rebellion. This showed that the government was willing to use violence to display its power. | 21 | |
| 1587539439 | Implied Powers (Definition) | Powers that Congress claims under the Elastic Clause granted by Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. These are powers exercised by Congress which aren't explicitly stated by necessary and property to execute the powers which are. | 22 | |
| 1587539440 | Implied Powers (Significance) | Employed in Hamilton's argument for a national bank. It said that what the Constitution didn't forbid it permitted. The Constitution says that Congress may pass any laws that are necessary and proper to carry out their vested powers (the bank is necessary to carry out taxes and trade). It supported a loose, broad interpretation of the Constitution. - Powers that are inferred or implicated. | 23 | |
| 1587539441 | Bank of the United States (Definition) | Feb. 25, 1791; Proposed by Hamilton, supported by Northern/New England merchants and state governments, but Southerners were against it because their chief industry was agriculture, so they didn't need banks. The bank was charteredd for 20 years and handled the financial needs of the central government. | 24 | |
| 1587539442 | Bank of the United States (Significance) | Hamilton's proposal for a financial system. The bank would be a major stockholder in which the federal Treasury would deposit its surplus monies into. It would stimulate business and also print stable currency. Jefferson was against the national bank because there was no authorization in the Constitution for Congress to do so. Hamilton believed that what the Constitution didn't forbid it permitted. He argued that the bank would be proper and necessary to carry out the financial system. The bank was created in 1791 and charted for 20 years. This was a clear Federalist victory over the Republicans. | 25 | |
| 1587539443 | French Revolution (Definition) | 1789-99; Revolution that overthrew the absolute monarchy of the Bourbons and the system of aristocratic privileges. It ended with Napoleon's overthrow of the Directory and his seizure of power. | 26 | |
| 1587539444 | French Revolution (Significance) | 1789; At first many Americans were overjoyed at France declaring itself a republic, but after France took a more radical turn in 1793, Jeffersonians supported France, and Hamiltonians were against France. It led to more of a division between the parties, with Jeffersonians being pro-French and Hamiltonians being pro-British. | 27 | |
| 1587539445 | Neutrality Proclamation (Definition) | April 22, 1793; Formal announcement by U.S. President Washington declaring the nation neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. | 28 | |
| 1587539446 | Neutrality Proclamation (Significance) | 1793; After the outbreak of the war between Britain and France, Washington issued this decree which proclaimed that U.S. neutrality in conflict. It angered pro-French Jeffersonians and was disobeyed by the British. | 29 | |
| 1587539447 | Tenth Amendment (Definition) | Ratified in 1791; Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as part of the Bill of Rights .It guaranteed to the states and the people those rights that aren't delegated to the federal government by the Constitution. | 30 | |
| 1587539448 | Tenth Amendment (Significance) | 1791; Amendment that is part of the Bill of Rights. It reserved all the rights not explicitly delegated or prohibited by the Constitution to the states and the people. | 31 | |
| 1587539449 | Alien and Sedition Acts (Definition) | 1798; Series of laws that were passed during the presidency of John Adams. It restricted public activities of political radicals who sided with the French Revolution and criticism of Adam's Federalist policies. In response to these acts, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which asserted states' rights. | 32 | |
| 1587539450 | Alien and Sedition Acts (Significance) | 1798; Federalists took advantage of anti-French anger after the Convention of 1800 to pass these laws. The Alien Laws aimed at pro-Jeffersonian immigrants by raising residence requirements. The President was also empowered to deport or imprison dangerous foreigners. The Sedition Act stated that anyone who impeded the policies of the government or falsely defamed government officials would be liable to heavy fines or imprisonment. This led to the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. | 33 | |
| 1587539451 | Farewell Address (Definition) | 1796; Statement from President Washington published in the Pennsylvania newspaper to announce that he wouldn't run for the 3rd time. In this message, he also voiced his views on foreign and domestic policy. | 34 | |
| 1587539452 | Farewell Address (Significance) | 1796; It was never delivered vocally, but published in newspapers instead. It was a statement by Washington that announced his retirement after his 2nd term and advised the U.S. of avoidance of permanent alliances. | 35 | |
| 1587539453 | Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (Definition) | 1790s; Statements of principle adopted by 2 state legislatures. It affirmed states' rights in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. Madison wrote the Virginia Resolution, while Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolution. It stated that nullification was an appropriate course of action by the state in the face of a dangerous increase in the strength of the federal government. The Kentucky legislature approved most of his draft, but they didn't adopt it. | 36 | |
| 1587539454 | Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (Significance) | 1798-99; In response to the Alien and Sedition Acts, Jefferson and Madison drafted the Resolutions. It stressed the compact theory (the 13 states created the federal government; therefore, it could regard the government's jurisdiction). It concluded that if the federal government had exceeded its constitutional powers then the states had the power to refuse to accept them (nullification). The Resolutions were approved by Virginia and Kentucky, but no other states adopted it. | 37 | |
| 1587539455 | Jeffersonian Republicans (Definition) | Evolved into the current Democratic-Republican/Republican Party. It was founded in the early 1790s by Jefferson and Madison. It was formed to contest the elections and programs of Treasury of Secretary Hamilton. The party supported an agrarian democracy, with power in the hands in the educated common people. They were pro-French and opposed Jay's Treaty as pro-British. | 38 | |
| 1587539456 | Jeffersonian Republicans (Significance) | Created because of the disagreement with Hamilton's financial system. The party was first led by Jefferson and Madison. They supported rule by the informed masses, an extension of democracy, a weak central government, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. They believed in no special favors for businessmen or manufacturers and preferred an agricultural economy. The Jeffersonians believed in paying off the national debt and reducing government officials. They preferred state banks and supported free speech and press. They mostly lived in the South and Southwest and supported a small navy. | 39 | |
| 1587539457 | Judiciary Act of 1789 (Definition) | Sept. 24, 1789; Adopted in the 1st session of the first U.S. Congress to establish the U.S. federal judiciary (Supreme Court/federal court system). The act decided the # of members of the Supreme Court (6), the # of lower district courts (13), and established the principle that the decision by the Supreme Court is final. | 40 | |
| 1587539458 | Judiciary Act of 1789 (Significance) | Created by the first Congress. It created federal courts, organized the Supreme Court with a chief justice and 5 associates. It also created federal district/circuit courts and established an office of attorney of general. | 41 | |
| 1587539459 | XYZ affair (Definition) | 1798; Diplomatic episode during the administration of John Adams that Americans interpreted as an insult from France. It led to an undeclared naval war called the Quasi-War (1798-1800). The Federalist Party took advantage of national anger to build an army and pass the Alien and Sedition Acts to damage the Democratic-Republican Party. | 42 | |
| 1587539460 | XYZ affair (Significance) | 1797; President Adams tried to reach an agreement with France and sent 3 men to Paris to meet Talleyrand. The U.S. envoys were approached by 3 French secret agents (X, Y, Z). The French agents demanded $250,000 bribe just for speaking with Talleyrand. The U.S. took this as an insult, which led to an undeclared naval war between the U.S. and France from 1798-1800. Adams later sent a new envoy to France in 1799 for peace. The Convention of 1800 was signed to annul the Franco-American alliance, which later helped lead to favorable terms between the two countries, and allowed Napoleon to sell Louisiana to Jefferson in 1803. | 43 |
