Philadelphia convention
12/13 states met to amend the articles of confederation. They eventually decided to draft a new constitution
Jefferson and Hamilton agreed to pass Hamilton's financial plan in exchange for making Washington D.C. the Capital of the country
Articles of confederation
George Washington's Presidency
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
First contested election in American history, won by John Adams (Washington's vice president)
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
Virtual representation
The idea that each representative in parliament represented the empire as a whole, and therefore, the colonies were represented.
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
Fries rebellion
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.
In opposing the stamp act, the colonists said trade should be regulated instead. Parliament passed the townshend acts and began taxing imports and exports.
Stamp act
All paper products sold in the colonies had to be stamped and pay a small tax. It spurred on revolutionary ideals.
Checks and balances
Different branches of government could check each other to prevent abuse of power.
Ethan Allen and the Green mountain boys surround fort Ticonderoga, steal it's cannons, and bring them back to Boston
authorized the president to deport "aliens" and permitted their arrest imprisonment and deportation during war time
Shay’s rebellion
Jay treaty
The middle ground
republican motherhood
the idea that women needed to become educated so that they could educate the new generation
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.
civic virtue
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
British won, but had many casualties. They eventually abandoned Boston
Federalists
Strong national government
Sugar act
Reduced the tax on molasses, but strengthened the court system to end smuggling, making many wealthy smugglers angry.
First political parties
Divisions over neutrality in the French revolution, the Jay treaty, the financial plan, and existing sectionalism created the first political parties.
The Albany conference
Meeting between leaders of 7 colonies to create a plan for joint defense and administration of the colonies. "Join or die"
The New Jersey plan
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.
Attacked the obstacles to independence. It was the best selling work in American history because it presented his ideas in a vernacular way.
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.
