French revolution
Ambassador from France came to America to encourage Americans to side with the French. Washington declared neutrality, but the ambassador remained in America to not get beheaded back home.
civic virtue
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.
Stamp act congress
Secret meeting between delegates of 6 states to discuss how to fix the articles of confederation
They didn’t want it. Initially the revolution was a petition to get the same rights as other British citizens
Connecticut compromise
Congress would have 2 houses, one with equal representation and one with population based representation.
Checks and balances
Different branches of government could check each other to prevent abuse of power.
Battle of Bunker hill
British won, but had many casualties. They eventually abandoned Boston
First political parties
Declaratory act
Parliament repealed the stamp act, but enacted the declaratory act, saying they could pass any law they wanted.
The middle ground
The areas where both colonists and native people would trade and coexist
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.
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.
Federalism
The division of powers between different levels of government.
pinckney's treaty
British troops marched to take a militia's weapons. They we're beaten back and chased back to boston by militia minutemen
Attacked the obstacles to independence. It was the best selling work in American history because it presented his ideas in a vernacular way.
Election of 1797
alien laws
authorized the president to deport "aliens" and permitted their arrest imprisonment and deportation during war time
Thomas Gage
The new appointed governor of Massachusetts who began to strictly enforce parliaments laws
All paper products sold in the colonies had to be stamped and pay a small tax. It spurred on revolutionary ideals.
Failures of the articles of confederation
France and others wanted their debt paid back, yet the national government didn’t have money. States had individual economies that didn’t collaborate.
Fries rebellion
Age of passion
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
The Albany conference
Meeting between leaders of 7 colonies to create a plan for joint defense and administration of the colonies. "Join or die"
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
A dispute over a french fort spiraled into a global conflict. Indigenous tribes tried to play Britain and France off of each other.
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
