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Washington elected president
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Constitution formally put into effect
In 1789, the new U.S. Constitution was launched, and the population was doubling every 20 years. America’s population was still 90% rural, with 5% living west of the Appalachians. Vermont became the 14th state in 1791, and Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio (states where trans-Appalachian overflow was concentrated) became states soon after -
Judiciary Act of 1789
created effective federal courts. John Jay became the first Chief Justice of the United States -
French Revolution begins
However, the French Revolution greatly affected America.
After the revolution turned radical and bloody, the Federalists rapidly changed opinions and looked nervously at the Jeffersonians, who felt that no revolution could be carried out without a little bloodshed.
Still, neither group completely approved of the French Revolution and its antics. -
First Official census
was the first census conducted in the United States. It recorded the population of the United States as of Census Day, August 2, 1790, as mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution and applicable laws. In the First Census, the population of the United States was enumerated to be 3,929,214 -
Bill of Rights adopted
• Amendment I: Freedom of religion, speech or press, assembly, and petition.
• Amendment II: Right to bear arms (for militia).
• Amendment III: Soldiers can’t be housed in civilian homes during peacetime.
• Amendment IV: No unreasonable searches; all searches require warrants.
• Amendment V: Right to refuse to speak during a civil trial; No Double Jeopardy.
• Amendment VI: Right to a speedy and public trial.
• Amendment VII: Right to trial by jury when the sum exceeds $20.
• Amendment VIII: No e -
Bank of United States created Excise tax passed
With the national debt, Hamilton was strangely unworried.
He used the debt as an asset
To pay off some of the debt, Hamilton first proposed custom duties, and the first one, imposing a low tariff of about 8% of the value of dutiable imports, was passed in 1789. -
Washington reelected president
The United States presidential election of 1792 was the 2nd quadrennial presidential election. It was held from Friday, November 2 to Wednesday, December 5, 1792. Incumbent President George Washington was re-elected to a second term by a unanimous vote in the electoral college. -
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Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties formed
Most Federalists were the old Federalists from before the Constitution.
•They wanted a strong government ruled by the educated aristocrats, the “best people.”
•Most were the merchants, manufacturers, and shippers along the Atlantic seaboard.
•They were mostly pro-British and recognized that foreign trade was key in the U.S.
•Republicans were led by Thomas Jefferson, a poor speaker but a great leader, and an appealer to the common people. They desired rule by informed classes and a weaker cent -
Citizens Genet affair
enry Knox, Secretary of War under George Washington, sent a memorandum to the President advising him on how to deal with a situation involving captured British ships being brought into American ports, refitted as French ships, and partially manned by American citizens all under the orders of the French Ambassador Charles Genet. As a self-proclaimed neutral nation in the war between France and Britain, America could not withhold the ships, Knox argued, as it would clearly show favoritism for the -
Louis XVI beheaded; radical phase of French Revolution
However, the French Revolution greatly affected America.
After the revolution turned radical and bloody, the Federalists rapidly changed opinions and looked nervously at the Jeffersonians, who felt that no revolution could be carried out without a little bloodshed.
Still, neither group completely approved of the French Revolution and its antics. -
France declares war on Britain and Spain
With war came the call by the JDR’s (Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans) to enter on the side of France, the recent friend of the U.S., against Britain, the recent enemy.
Hamilton leaned toward siding with the Brits, as doing so would be economically advantageous -
Neutrality Proclamation
In 1793, he issued the Neutrality Proclamation, proclaiming the U.S.’s official neutrality and warning Americans to stay out of the issue and be impartial. -
Battle of Fallen Timber
Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794.
Many JDR’s cried out for war with Britain, or at least an embargo, but Washington refused, knowing that such drastic action would destroy the Hamilton financial system. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion flared up when fed-up farmers revolted against Hamilton’s excise tax.
Around those parts, liquor and alcohol was often used as money.
They said they’d been unfairly singled out to be taxed.
Washington cautiously sent an army of about 13,000 troops from various states to the revolt, but the soldiers found nothing upon arrival; the rebels had scattered. -
Jay's Treaty with Great Britain
In a last-ditch attempt to avert war, Washington sent John Jay to England to work something out.
However, his negotiations were sabotaged by England-loving Hamilton, who secretly gave the Brits the details of America’s bargaining strategy.
The results of the Jay Treaty with England weren’t pretty:
•Britain would repay the lost money from recent merchant ship seizures called “impressment”, but it said nothing about future seizures or supplying Indians with arms.
•America would have to paydebt -
The Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville, in 1795, had the Indians cede their vast tract in the Ohio country to the Americans after General “Mad Anthony”Wayne crushed them at the -
Pickney's Treaty with Spain
Bonaparte Napoleon secretly induced the king of Spain to cede the Louisiana territory to France
Rumors confirmed when the Spaniards at New Orleans removed the right of
deposit guaranteed by the Pinckney Treaty of 1795. These
privileges were very important to the frontier farmers who floated their goods down the Mississippi River -
Washington's Farewell Address
After his second term, Washington stepped down, creating a strong two-term precedent that wasn’t broken until FDR was president.
•His Farewell Address warned (1) against political parties and (2) against building permanent alliances with foreign nations.
•Washington had set the U.S. on its feet and had made it sturdy. -
Adams becomes president
Hamilton was the logical choice to become the next president, but his financial plan had made him very unpopular.
John Adams, the ablest statesmen of his day, won, 71 to 68, against Thomas Jefferson, who became vice president.
Adams had a hated rival and opponent in Hamilton
He also had a volatile situation with France that could explode into war. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident between French and United States diplomats that resulted in a limited, undeclared war known as the Quasi-War -
Alien and Sedition Acts
With the Alien Laws, Federalists therefore raised the residence requirements for aliens who wanted to become citizens from five to fourteen years, a law that violated the traditional American policy of open-door hospitality and speedy assimilation.
The Sedition Act provided that anyone who impeded the policies of the government or falsely defamed its officials, including the president, would be liable to a heavy fine and imprisonment; it was aimed at newspaper editors and the JDR’s -
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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Resentful Jeffersonians would not take these laws lying down, and Jefferson feared that the Federalists, having wiped out freedom of speech and of the press, might wipe out more.
2.He wrote a series of legislation that Kentucky approved in 1798-99, and friend James Madison wrote another series of legislation (less extreme) that Virginia approved.
•They stressed the “compact theory” which meant that the 13 states
•This legislation set out to kill the Sedition and Alien Laws.
Only those -
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Undeclared war with France
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Jefferson defeats Adams for presidency
Jefferson won the election of 1800
73 electoral votes and got New York, While John Adams had 65 votes and more popular votes
• Thomas and Aaron Bur tied for presidency
The vote would go to a Federalist Dominated House of Representatives
Since they didn’t like Jefferson many of the people voted for Burr so the vote was deadlock until Hamilton and Adams(Federalist) refrained from voting.
• Jefferson was elected -
Convention of 1800: peace with France
The treaty in 1800, signed in Paris, ended the 1778 alliance in return for the Americans paying the claims of its shippers’ as alimony.
In keeping the U.S. at peace, John Adams plunged his popularity and lost his chance at a possible second term, but he did the right thing, keeping the U.S. neutral while it was still weak. -
Judiciary Act of 1801
Judiciary Act: was one of the last important laws passed by the expiring Federal Congress and created 16 new federal judgeship and other judicial offices -
Revised naturalization law
Jefferson speedily pardon the “martyrs” and shortly after Congress met he enacted a new naturalization law of 1802.Made a more reasonable requirement of 5 years instead of 14 so immigrants could become citizens -
Judiciary Act of 1801 repealed
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Lousiana Purchase
James Monroe was sent to join Robert R. Livingston to purchase new Orleans and the land to the east of river- 10 million maximum
But instead Napoleon offered to sell New Orleans and the last to the west( Louisiana) for 15 million
He did this because of the rebellion of Haiti which had killed many of his troops(yellow fever) and because he needed money for his war Britain -
Marbury v. Madison
Jefferson’s cousin and also served at Valley Forge. He was impressed with the disadvantages of no central authority therefore was committed to strengthen power of the government
William Marbury had been named a justice of the peace for DC but James Madison decided to shelve the position,Marbury sued for its delivery -
Jefferson reelected president
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Impeachment of Justice Chase
Jefferson tried to impeach, Samuel Chase, but when the vote got to the Senate, there weren’t enough votes and to this day, no attempt to modify the Supreme Court by impeachment -
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Lewis and Clark expedition
William Clark and MeriwetherLewis to explore the new territory in the spring of 1804
They were aided by the Shoshoni woman named Sacajawea
Spent 21/2 years exploring the land, marveled atthe expanses of buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, and the landscape. Went from Missouri River, the Rockies, and descended the Columbia River to the Pacific Coast -
Peace Treaty with Tripoli
Pirates of the North African Barbary States had long made a national industry of blackmailing and plundering merchant ship
The Pasha Tripoli indirectly declared war by cutting down the flagstaff of American consulate
He dispatched the infant navy to the shores ofTripoli for 4 years until he succeeded in a treaty of peace from Tripoli -
Burr treason trial
Burr joined with a group of Federalist extremists to plot secession of New England and New York. He challenged Hamilton to a duel -
Chesapeake Affair
British force landed in Chesapeake Bay area in August 1814
Burned most of buildings in DC
Dispersed some 6000 panicky militia at Bladensburg -
Embargo Act
Jefferson did an embargo because he thought the onlyway to stay out of the war was to shut down shipping
The Embargo Act of late 1807
forbade the export of all goods fromthe United States to any foreign nation -
Madison Elected president
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Non- Intercourse Act replaces embargo
The people were getting very and angry and the Congress decided to Congress repeal the act on March 1, 1809
Replaced by Non-IntercourseAct
Reopened trade with all the nations of the world, exceptFrance and England -
Supreme Court to invalidate laws
The opinion written by John Marshall held that the sale was a binding contract, which according to Article I, Section 10, Clause I (the Contract Clause) of the Constitution, cannot be invalidated even if illegally secured and as a result the ruling lends further protection to property rights against popular pressures and is the earliest case of the Court asserting its right to invalidate state laws which are in conflict with or are otherwise contrary to the Constitution. William H. Rehnquist, on -
Fletcher vs peck
Fletcher vs. Peck (1810): After Georgia fraudulently granted 35 million acres in the Yazoo River country (Mississippi) to privateers, the legislature repealed it after public outcry, but Marshall ruled that it was a contract, and that states couldn’t impair a contract. -
Macons Bill No.2
- Macon’sBill No. 2, • Permitted American trade with all the world,also promised American restoration of trade to France and/or England ifeither dropped their commercial restrictions
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Battle of Tippeecnoe
Tecumseh and Prophet: They decided to go against what was happening by gathering followers and telling them to wear their traditional buckskin garment and to not acknowledge that the white people owned the land
• William Henry Harrisonadvanced upon Tecumseh’s headquarters at Tippecanoe and killed Prophet -
Madison relected president
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Us declares war on Britain
America went into war with Britain because Britain’s force of American sailors stood out. They didn’t go into war with the French because they were allied with the republicans -
US declares war on Britain
The United States declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions brought about by Britain's continuing war with France, the impressment of American merchant sailors into the Royal Navy, British support of American Indian tribes against American expansion, outrage over insults to national honour after humiliations on the high seas, and possible American interest in annexing British North American territory (part of modern day Canada) which had been denied to them in the se -
The Treaty of Ghent
British wanted a neutralized buffering state for Indian in the Great Lakes region control of the Great Lakes, and a substantial part of conquered Maine
John Quincy refused this because they had been victorious
The Treat of Ghent: signed on December 24, 1814 both sides simply agreed to stop fighting and to restore conquered territory. They didn’t talk about impressments -
Tariff of 1816
proposed by madison -
Madison vetoes bonus bill
he left it to the states because it wasnt stated in the consitution -
Dartmouth College vs. Woodward
Dartmouth College vs. Woodward (1819): Dartmouth had been granted a charter by King George III, but New Hampshire had tried to change it. -
McCulloch vs Maryland
McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819): This case involved Maryland’strying to destroy the Bank of the U.S. by taxing its currency notes. Marshall invoked the Hamiltonian principle of implied powers and denied Maryland’s right to tax the bank -
spain cedes Florida to US
The Florida Purchase Treaty of 1819 had Spain cede Florida and shadowy claims to Oregon in exchange for Texas. The U.S. paid $5 million to Spain for Florida. -
Missouri Compromise
Finally, the deadlock was broken by a bundle of compromises known as the Missouri Compromise. •Missouri would be admitted as a slave state while Maine would be admitted as a free state
•All new states north of the 36°30’ line would be free, new states southward would be slave.
Both the North and South gained something, and though neither was totally happy, the compromise worked for many years. -
Cohens vs VA
Cohens vs. Virginia (1821): The Cohens had been found guilty by Virginia courts of illegally selling lottery tickets, had appealed to the Supreme Court, and had lost, but Marshall asserted the right of the Supreme Court to review the decisions of the state supreme courts in all questions involving powers of the federal government. The federal government won, the states lost. -
Quincy proposed Monroe Doctorine
Written by John Q. Adams, this doctrine stated that Europeans could not intervene in the Western Hemisphere in exchange, the U.S. would not interfere with existing European colonies and wars. If Europe intervened, the U.S. would interpret this as dangerous to U.S. national security and take appropriate action. -
Erie Canal
An artificial waterway extending about 579 km (360 mi) across central New York from Albany to Buffalo. Constructed from 1817 to 1825 and enlarged numerous times after 1835, it is now part of the New York State Barge Canal.