Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson. Declared the colonies an independent country from Britain. Included a statement of intent, list of grievances, and a conclusion that dissolved ties with Britain
alien laws
authorized the president to deport "aliens" and permitted their arrest imprisonment and deportation during war time
Election of 1797
First contested election in American history, won by John Adams (Washington's vice president)
7 years war
Boston massacre
French and british continued to kidnap american sailors, so Adams sent ministers to negotiate. When they arrived, 3 agents demanded a bribe just to speak to the foreign minister. John Adams almost declared war.
British won, but had many casualties. They eventually abandoned Boston
Divisions over neutrality in the French revolution, the Jay treaty, the financial plan, and existing sectionalism created the first political parties.
Lexington and Concorde
2nd Continental Congress
How would the colonists win? George Washington would lead an army
How would they pay for it? New currency
Politics was very negative with the rise of political parties, political violence, and deep political divisions
Stamp act
All paper products sold in the colonies had to be stamped and pay a small tax. It spurred on revolutionary ideals.
pinckney's treaty
between US and spain, defined border US and spanish florida, guranteed US navigation rights in mississippi river
Olive branch petition
French revolution
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
applied restrictions to immigration and speech in US made it a crime for americans to print, utter, or publish any false, scandalous, malicious writing about the government
Whiskey rebellion
violent tax protest from 1791-1794.
the whiskey was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by president Washington to pay for the war. It unfairly burdened poor farmers west of the Appalachian mountains because they couldn't do business anymore
Looked to balance national coordination and states rights to prevent tyranny. It featured a unicameral legislature, but the federal government had no money and no military
The New Jersey plan
The plan for representation favored by small states. It called for 1 house of Congress with each state getting equal representation.
Established many precedents for the office of the president. Created a cabinet-style government, appointed cabinet officials based on merit, and stepped down after 2 terms
The Virginia plan
The plan for representation favored by large states. It called for 2 houses with population based representation and a strong national government.
7 years war
A dispute over a french fort spiraled into a global conflict. Indigenous tribes tried to play Britain and France off of each other.
Sugar act
Reduced the tax on molasses, but strengthened the court system to end smuggling, making many wealthy smugglers angry.
Thomas Gage
Hamilton's financial plan
British impressment
The British continued to kidnap american sailors. Washington sent John Jay to london to negotiate
Shay’s rebellion
Farmers had to take debt because they weren’t getting paid. Their land was being repossessed so they rebelled and closed the courts. They used Republican ideals to justify it.
Ethan Allen and the Green mountain boys surround fort Ticonderoga, steal it's cannons, and bring them back to Boston
Common sense
