The Constitution
Delegates originally met with the intention of revising this first, weak written plan of U.S. government.
What were the Articles of Confederation?
Washington warned against this type of intense loyalty to one's own region or state rather than to the nation as a whole.
What is sectionalism?
Signed by Adams in 1798, these four controversial laws restricted immigration and criminalized criticisms of the federal government.
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?
This was the political party led by Thomas Jefferson that favored states' rights and a farming economy.
What was the Democratic-Republican Party?
He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and later became the first President of the United States.
Who was George Washington?
To secure enough state votes for ratification, Federalists had to promise to immediately add this protective set of ten amendments.
What were the Bill of Rights?
To help him execute the laws and govern effectively, Washington created this advisory body.
What was the cabinet?
This 1797 diplomatic scandal erupted when French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats.
What was the XYZ Affair?
Jefferson famously referred to his peaceful transition of political power as the "______ of 1800."
What was the "Revolution"?
Signed in 1783, this historic agreement officially ended the war and forced Great Britain to recognize the absolute independence of the United States.
What was the Treaty of Paris?
This 1786 armed uprising by debt-ridden farmers in Massachusetts exposed the severe flaws of the post-war government and convinced leaders a new Constitution was needed.
Was was Shays' Rebellion?
Washington led 13,000 militiamen into Pennsylvania to crush this 1794 uprising over a federal tax on liquor, proving the strength of the new federal government.
What was the Whiskey Rebellion?
Written secretly by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, these state resolutions argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional and introduced the concept of nullification.
What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions?
To avoid future electoral ties, this constitutional amendment was ratified in 1804 to mandate separate ballots for president and vice president.
What was the 12th Amendment?
This 1777 New York battle is widely considered the crucial turning point of the war because the American victory convinced France to sign a formal military alliance.
What was the Battle of Saratoga?
This highly controversial compromise determined how enslaved populations would be counted for both congressional representation and federal taxation.
What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
Washington often found himself playing referee between these two brilliant Cabinet members whose clashing visions led to the birth of America's first political parties.
Who were Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton?
The Sedition Act was widely criticized as a direct violation of this specific amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory in 1803 from this European nation for $15 million.
What was France?
Drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence heavily borrowed the concept of "natural rights" from this liberal English philosopher.
Who was John Locke?
Roger Sherman introduced this agreement, which established the Senate (equal voting) and the House of Representatives (proportional voting).
What was the Great Compromise?
Signed by Washington in 1791, the charter for this controversial financial institution sparked a massive debate over strict versus loose interpretation of the Constitution.
What was the Bank of the United States (National Bank?)
The Election of 1800 indirectly led to the death of Alexander Hamilton at the hands of this man.
Who was Aaron Burr.
Jefferson commissioned this duo to lead the Corps of Discovery and map the newly acquired western lands.
Who were Lewis and Clark?
The "shot heard 'round the world" was fired in April 1775 at this dual-location conflict, marking the official start of the Revolutionary War.
What were the Battles of Lexington and Concord?