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.
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.
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
7 years war
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 Compromise of 1790
Jefferson and Hamilton agreed to pass Hamilton's financial plan in exchange for making Washington D.C. the Capital of the country
pinckney's treaty
Annapolis convention
Secret meeting between delegates of 6 states to discuss how to fix the articles of confederation
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.
virginia and kentucky resolutions
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
British beliefs after 7 years war
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.
First political parties
sedition act
Virtual representation
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
Politics was very negative with the rise of political parties, political violence, and deep political divisions
The areas where both colonists and native people would trade and coexist
Congress wanted king George to intervene on their behalf and end the violence. He didn’t read it.
republican motherhood
the idea that women needed to become educated so that they could educate the new generation
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.
Proclamation of 1763
Britain didn't want to spend more money defending the colonies from the natives, so they banned settling beyond the Appalachian mountains
The plan for representation favored by small states. It called for 1 house of Congress with each state getting equal representation.
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
Thomas Gage
The new appointed governor of Massachusetts who began to strictly enforce parliaments laws
Townshend Acts
In opposing the stamp act, the colonists said trade should be regulated instead. Parliament passed the townshend acts and began taxing imports and exports.
Checks and balances
Different branches of government could check each other to prevent abuse of power.
the character of a good participant in a system of gov
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
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
