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Virginia Declaration of Rights
Written by George Mason, this claimed the rights to life, liberty, and property, and the pursuit of happiness. It also declared that the sovereign power belonged to the people. The government was the servant of the people, and the people had the right to “abolish” or “alter” the government. Also, this led to the demand for due process, freedom of press, speech, assembly, direct representatives, direct grievances against the government, etc (stuff relating to the Bill of Rights).
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Ratification of the Articles of Confederation
https://www.wdl.org/en/item/2717/
John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware, was the primary writer of the AoC. It was first adopted by Congress on November 15, 1777. This was the first framework of government for the newly independent U.S.A. and it was ratified by all 13 states -
Treaty of Paris
John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Henry Laurens negotiated a peace treaty that officially ended the war and granted recognition to America as an independent country from Great Britain. With the treaty, the US gained lands east of the Mississippi River, north of FL, and south of the Great Lakes and they also agreed not to persecute Loyalists.
https://quizlet.com/81363517/ap-us-history-flashcards-flash-cards/ -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Congress act that sold western lands. It organized the distribution of land, creating townships and areas meant for public education. The public education was to be developed from the revenue generated from the sale of land. This revenue was also beneficial to the government since they couldn’t levy taxes. (quizlet) -
Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
Jefferson drafted a bill establishing religious freedom in Virginia which was adopted on the selected timeline date. This also established a separation between Church and State and influenced the first amendment of the Constitution. -
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Shays’ Rebellion
Daniel Shays led a group of lower/working class farmers in Western Massachusets against the powerful central government in Boston in order to protest debt collection, land seizures, and tax collecting. The rebellion ended when they encountered the government’s forces. This showed the need for a stronger national government and was the catalyst to create the Constitution. (txtbk) -
Constitutional convention
Featured Madison’s Virginia Plan, which featured a bicameral legislature, representation based on the states’ populations, two houses, and a judicial branch with veto power over the state legislatures, and the New Jersey plan of powers to collect import duties, regulate trade, etc. Led to the Great Compromise, in which the House would have representation based on population, and the Senate would be equal representation. -
Ratification of Constitution
It took 10 months to ratify the Constitution because 9/13 states’ approval was needed. Groups of Federalists, supporters of the Constituion, and Anti-Federalists, opposers, formed. Mercy Otis Warren was one main critic of the Constitution. Madison, Hamilton, Jay, wrote the Federalists papers in 1787-78, a series of essays in defense of the Constitution. New Hampshire was the ninth and final state to ratify it -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
July 13, 1787. Land north of the Ohio River was divided to create 5 new states. Determined that when states’ population reached 60,000, the state would enter the Union, but slavery and indentured servants weren’t allowed in those states. This was important because it represented a success for the new federal government, which was seen as insufficient before. (same previous quizlet) -
George Washington Inauguration
He served until 1797, after being reelected in 1792. Washington refused to use his veto power unless he thought an act of Congress was unconstitutional, and he started the tradition of “advice and consent” from the Senate. Congress created departments to run the executive branch, and Washington created the first cabinet consisting of Hamilton, Henry Knox, Edmund Randolph, and Jefferson.
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French Revolution
It was disputed whether the Franco-American alliance of 1778 required the US to aid France during the war with Britain. Washington’s cabinet agreed on neutrality, dividing America opinion. In 1793 Edmund Genet, a French ambassador, arrived and riled up support for French, but conservatives like Hamilton opposed involvement. Jefferson and those sympathetic towards France organized “self-created societies” in protest. Coalitions strengthened and further divided the Federalists and others. -
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Whiskey Rebellion
Hamilton’s financial program placed a tax on whiskey, but farmers from Western Pennsylvania refused to pay it. Washington and Hamilton went to to Penn with forces to end rebellion. This was important because it was the federal government’s first test as the central authority and it established their right to enforce laws.
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Jay’s Treaty
This treaty was between America and Great Britain in which the British gave up their American forts and created the border along Canada. This gave most favored nation trading status to Great Britain but not the US. Also, it made the British stop seizing American ships and America was to pay pre-rev. war debts and opened British ports. This is important because it set boundaries and settled disputes between the two countries that had been unresolved since the Revolutionary War. (txtbk) -
Treaty of Greenville
The representatives of 12 Native American nations ceded territory of Ohio, Indiana, Detroit, Chicago, and other parts of the Northwest. This was due to the Indian’s defeat at the Battle of Fallen Timbers against troops led by General Anthony Wayne.
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Pinckney's Treaty
This treaty was between the US and Spain that opened access to the Mississippi River and gave the US previously disputed land to the north of Florida. Also gave farmers the ability to use the New Orleans port. This also established the 31st parallel between the US and West Florida. (txtbk) -
Washington Farewell
Washington announced his decision not to run for a third term as president. He warned against permanent foreign alliances, political parties, called for unity of the country, and he also established the 2 term presidency.
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Election of 1796
This was the first contested presidential election. It was John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson and Adams was elected with Jefferson as his VP. This is important because it pitted the Federalists against the officially declared Republicans.
https://quizlet.com/81363517/ap-us-history-flashcards-flash-cards/
(not actual dates) -
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Alien and Sedition Acts
Congress and Adams passed four acts that limited and threatened the civil liberties of Americans. The Naturalization act extended the period of time required for citizenship from 5 to 14 years. The Alien and Alien enemies Act made the president deport/imprison suspected aliens during wartime. The Sedition Act put heavy fines/imprisonment on anyone who wrote, published, or spoke something false against the government (libel). (txtbk) -
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Quasi War
Involving the US and France, this war was undeclared but fought mostly at sea. It occurred during Adam’s presidency, but Washington played a prominent role because he fulfilled the role of Commander-in-Chief due to his military expertise.
http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/quasi-war/
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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
This was the response to the Alien and Sedition Acts by Jefferson and Madison that claimed they were unconstitutional. It stated that the fedral government had no right to implied powers and called the 10th and 11th amendment into question. It is significant because it led to the Nullification Doctrine which said the states have the power within their territory to nullify federal law.
https://quizlet.com/81363517/ap-us-history-flashcards-flash-cards/
(only years known) -
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Election of 1800
Referred to as the Revolution of 1800, it pitted Jefferson against Adams, with Jefferson ultimately winning after a tie with Burr. It is significant because it led to the 12th amendment in 1804 which declared there would be separate ballots for president and vice president. (textbook)
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XYZ affair
The French harassed American ships to recruit soldiers for the French Revolution, and the French demanded bribes from the US to open negotiations. In response, the US suspended trade with the French and John Adams strengthened the Navy. This also ultimately led to the Quasi War. (textbook) (not real dates, only years are known)
