Annapolis convention
Secret meeting between delegates of 6 states to discuss how to fix the articles of confederation
12/13 states met to amend the articles of confederation. They eventually decided to draft a new constitution
XYZ affair
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.
They didn’t want it. Initially the revolution was a petition to get the same rights as other British citizens
the idea that women needed to become educated so that they could educate the new generation
Declaratory act
Parliament repealed the stamp act, but enacted the declaratory act, saying they could pass any law they wanted.
The Virginia plan
Boston massacre
Parliament sent 1,000 troops to boston to enforce the townshend acts. Protesters began throwing snowballs, and eventually rocks at a group of soldiers. Someone fired a shot, and the soldiers killed 5 protesters
Congress wanted king George to intervene on their behalf and end the violence. He didn’t read it.
pinckney's treaty
between US and spain, defined border US and spanish florida, guranteed US navigation rights in mississippi river
Election of 1797
First contested election in American history, won by John Adams (Washington's vice president)
civic virtue
the character of a good participant in a system of gov
Failures of the articles of confederation
Jay treaty
Britain agreed to abandon outposts on the western frontier. In return the U.S. would favor trade with Britian. However, the treaty failed to address the british kidnapping, and American hatred of Britian caused riots.
All paper products sold in the colonies had to be stamped and pay a small tax. It spurred on revolutionary ideals.
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
George Washington's Presidency
Shay’s rebellion
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.
Weak national government
Virtual representation
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
British beliefs after 7 years war
They viewed the colonies as subordinates. They had spent billions on defending them, and thought they'd want to help pay the debt.
Battle of Bunker hill
Connecticut compromise
Congress would have 2 houses, one with equal representation and one with population based representation.
Stamp act congress
Delegates met in New York to send the "declaration of rights & grievances" to the king. They also organized a boycott of British goods.
Articles of confederation
Politics was very negative with the rise of political parties, political violence, and deep political divisions
drafted by thomas jefferson and james madison, claimed that alien and sedition acts were unconstitutional and overstepped federal authority under the constitition, and could therefore be nullified by the states
A dispute over a French fort spiraled into a global conflict. Indigenous tribes tried to play Britain and France off of each other.
Farmers in southeast Pennsylvania stopped paying taxes for the larger military. John Fries led a peaceful protest, but John Adams ordered federal troops to stop the protest, and they made mass arrests, assaulted newspaper editors, and almost executed John Fries.
