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| 10678559106 | Articles of Confederation | First constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788; Unified the newly independent states, creating a central government with limited power. After the Revolution, difficulties over international trade, finances, interstate commerce, foreign relations, and internal unrest led to calls for a stronger central government. | 0 | |
| 10678559107 | Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786) | Authored by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Assembly; A statement about both freedom of conscience and the principle of separation of church and state; The forerunner of the first amendment (Constitution) protections for religious freedom. | 1 | |
| 10678559108 | Shays' Rebellion (1786) | Led by farmers and revolutionary war veterans in western Massachusetts who protested perceived economic and civil rights injustices; Highlighted the need for a strong national government and a reform of the Articles of Confederation. |  | 2 |
| 10678559109 | Debate over ratifying the Constitution | Anti-Federalists opposing ratification battled with Federalists, whose principals were articulated in the Federalist Papers (primarily written by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison). Federalists ensured the ratification of the Constitution by promising the addition of a Bill of Rights that enumerated individual rights and explicitly restricted the powers of the federal government. | 3 | |
| 10678559110 | Constitutional Convention (1787) | Delegates from the states participated, and through negotiation, collaboration, and compromise proposed a constitution that created a limited but dynamic central government embodying federalism and providing for a separation of powers between its three branches. |  | 4 |
| 10678559111 | slavery compromises | Concessions given to slave states during the Constitutional Convention: (1) Three-fifths compromise, (2) slave trade compromise, (3) fugitive slave clause. |  | 5 |
| 10678559112 | U.S. Constitution (1787) | Replaced the Articles of Confederation and established a functioning government. Established (1) federalist system, (2) separation of powers, (3) checks and balances, (4) Bill of Rights. | 6 | |
| 10678559113 | ratification | the action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid; E.g. U.S. Constitution. Verb form: ratify. | 7 | |
| 10678559114 | checks and balances | Principle established in the Constitution and US government in which each of the three branches of government is given certain powers to compete and override other branches in an attempt to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful. | 8 | |
| 10678559115 | Northwest Ordinances | Bills passed in 1784, 1785, and 1787 that authorized the sale of lands in the Northwest Territory to raise money for the federal government; these bills also carefully laid out the procedures for eventual statehood for Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. |  | 9 |
| 10678559116 | Federalist Papers | A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail. | 10 | |
| 10678559117 | Bill of Rights | First ten amendments to the Constitution; Enumerated individual rights and explicitly restricted the powers of the federal government. | 11 | |
| 10678559118 | John Adams | A Boston lawyer and patriot; Edited the Declaration of Independence; First US ambassador to Britain; Federalist and 2nd president of the United States. |  | 12 |
| 10678559119 | Hamilton's financial plan | During Washington's administration; The government would take the debt of the nations and the states debt, make a national bank, and tax higher (which was the only one that did not pass thru congress) |  | 13 |
| 10678559120 | Enlightenment | A 18th century European intellectual movement that introduced the idea of republicanism (among other ideas); Influenced many of the founders, e.g. Franklin, Jefferson, and Madison, and had a major impact on the founding documents, e.g. Declaration of Independence, Constitution. | 14 | |
| 10678559121 | Abigail Adams | Wife of John Adams (2nd president) and mother of John Quincy Adams (6th president); Advocate of married women's property rights and more economic opportunities for women. |  | 15 |
| 10678559122 | Electoral College | The institution that elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. | 16 | |
| 10678559123 | first party system | Political leaders in the 1790s took a variety of positions on issues such as the relationship between the national government and the states, economic policy, foreign policy, and the balance between liberty and order. This led to the formation of political parties — most significantly the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. | 17 | |
| 10678559124 | Federalists | Faction that supported ideas straight from the Constitution; Called for a strong national government that promoted economic growth and fostered friendly relationships with Great Britain, as well as opposition to revolutionary France; Notable figures: Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton. | 18 | |
| 10678559125 | Democratic-Republican Party | Faction that advocated limited federal power in exchange for stronger states power; Opposed Hamilton's financial plan and National Bank; Opposed relations with Great Britain and advocated supporting revolutionary France. Notable figures: Jefferson, Madison. | 19 | |
| 10678559126 | Washington administration (1789-1797) | Formation of the first parties; Hamilton's financial plan enacted; Whisky rebellion; Farewell Address. |  | 20 |
| 10678559127 | Washington's Farewell Address | a letter written by Washington towards the end of his presidency; a classic statement of republicanism, warning Americans of the political dangers they can and must avoid if they are to remain true to their values. | 21 | |
| 10678559128 | Whiskey Rebellion (1794) | Farmers in Pennsylvania rebelled against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey; Washington puts down rebellion; Showed that the new government under the Constitution could react swiftly and effectively to such a problem, in contrast to the inability of the government under the Articles of Confederation to deal with Shay's Rebellion. |  | 22 |
| 10678559129 | national bank | Chartered 1791; Part of Hamilton's financial plan; Opposed by Democrat-Republicans. |  | 23 |
| 10678559130 | Adams administration (1797-1801) | Alien and Sedition Acts; Move of federal capital to Washington, D.C.; XYZ Affair; Quasi War with France (but avoided!); "midnight appointments" of federalists. |  | 24 |
| 10678559131 | Washington, D.C. | Established as the federal capital 1790. Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia. |  | 25 |
| 10678559132 | Alien & Sedition Acts | Acts passed by federalists giving the government power to imprison or deport foreign citizens and prosecute critics of the government passed by Adams in response to Democratic-Republican criticism of his policies, who were led by Thomas Jefferson. | 26 | |
| 10678559133 | Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions | Political declarations in favor of states' rights, written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, in opposition to the Alien and Sedition acts. Introduced the controversial theory of nullification wherein individual states could nullify federal legislation they regarded as unconstitutional. | 27 | |
| 10678559134 | XYZ Affair (1798) | French officials demanded a bribe from U.S. diplomats | 28 | |
| 10678559135 | "Revolution of 1800" | Electoral defeat of Adams; Orchestrated by Jefferson and the Democrat-Republicans; Established the principle of peaceful transition of power from one party to another. | 29 |
