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.
Election of 1797
First contested election in American history, won by John Adams (Washington's vice president)
Federalism
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.
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
Congress wanted king George to intervene on their behalf and end the violence. He didn’t read it.
First political parties
Age of passion
British troops marched to take a militia's weapons. They we're beaten back and chased back to boston by militia minutemen
Hamilton's financial plan
1) Establish the U.S. credit worthiness 2) Unify the states' debt 3) Create a national bank 4) Whiskey tax to pay for the revolution 5) Establish tariffs to protect american businesses
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.
2nd Continental Congress
How would the colonists win? George Washington would lead an army
How would they pay for it? New currency
Annapolis convention
Secret meeting between delegates of 6 states to discuss how to fix the articles of confederation
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
civic virtue
the character of a good participant in a system of gov
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
Common sense
Attacked the obstacles to independence. It was the best selling work in American history because it presented his ideas in a vernacular way.
Parliament repealed the stamp act, but enacted the declaratory act, saying they could pass any law they wanted.
Articles of confederation
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
British impressment
The British continued to kidnap american sailors. Washington sent John Jay to london to negotiate
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.
The middle ground
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
Ethan Allen and the Green mountain boys surround fort Ticonderoga, steal it's cannons, and bring them back to Boston
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.
Checks and balances
Strong national government
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
Virtual representation
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
Connecticut compromise
Congress would have 2 houses, one with equal representation and one with population based representation.
