CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (1787)
Who were the four main individuals of the Constitutional Convention? Describe the purpose/importance of the presence of two of these individuals:
→ George Washington - presided over the meetings with dignity and fairness
→ James Madison - secretary of the convention (known as "Father of the Constitution")
→ Alexander Hamilton - spoke in support for strong central government (later national bank)
→ Benjamin Franklin - brought wisdom and prestige (more of a figure to attract attention to the convention, oldest of the bunch)
What do all these men have in common? - old, white, rich men (90% of the population was not represented in this convention, such as women, native Americans, small farmers, frontier dwellers, etc...)
What is federalism (federal government)?
→ division of government power into federal (national) and state, with the federal government having more power than state governments
Describe the platforms of both the federalists and the anti-federalists:
Federalists → support for strong, central government, national bank, pro-British foreign policy, support for business and manufacturing, loose constructionists (important later)
Anti-Federalists → supported state rights, pro-French foreign policy, agrarian society (economy based on producing and maintaining crops), strict constructionists (Important later)
What were some challenges faces by the Washington Administration? (Name at least 2)
→ few banks
→ different state and international currency still being used
→ travel slow and difficult
→ limited western settlement
→ limited army and navy
→ DEBT
What was the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act (1790)?
→ the first law to regulate trade between Native Americans and colonists
NOTE : most colonists ignored this act, only leading to more tensions between the Americans and Native Americans/British who supported the Native Americans
What was one of the main issues that constantly occurred during the Constitutional Convention?
→ some wanted to revise the Articles of Confederation while strong nationalists (Madison, Hamilton) wanted to draft an entirely new document based on a system of checks & balances
What are the constitutional responsibilities of the Vice President?
→ preside over the Senate
→ serve as President in case of death, resignation, or removal of President from office
What was the XYZ affair (1797-1798)?
→ anti-French feelings increased as a result of an American delegation sent by Adams being asked to pay a bribe (Adams worked out a peaceful settlement with Napoleon, which angered Federalists)
What was the Judiciary Act of 1789?
→ established the Federal Court system with the Supreme Court as the highest court in the land (one chief justice and 5 associate justices)
Supreme Court empowered to rule on constitutionality of decisions made by state courts
Describe the change in population of African Americans in the north v.s. the south:
→ the North had, in comparison to the South, a rapid population growth of free blacks (New Jersey even granted free blacks who owned property the right to vote)
→ African Americans are able to form first church denomination - African Methodist Episcopal Church (1794)
→ IN SOUTH - enslaved population grows rapidly, with laws being placed that only made it harder and harder to free blacks
NOTE: REGIONAL DIFFERENCES CONTINUE TO GROW, IMPORTANT FOR INCOMING EVENTS
→ stated that 3 of every 5 slaves would count for the determining of a state's level of taxation and representation
What is the Bill of Rights? What was the purpose of the Bill of Rights (1791)?
→ To guarantee certain basic or fundamental rights of the people against the power of the federal government (guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual)
→ To satisfy the Anti-federalists
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)?
→ tightened restriction of foreign-born Americans (made it more difficult to become a citizen and easier to arrest noncitizens)
→ limited speech critical of government
Important Why? - many Americans viewed laws as attempts to weaken the Democratic-Rep. Party (laws were passed by a Federalist-controlled Congress and signed by Adams)
What was the Jay Treaty (1794)?
→ agreement with Britain that the Br. Would evacuate its posts on the U.S western frontier, but said nothing about the seizure of American merchant ships (unpopular, but maintained neutrality)
What was the Commercial Compromise?
AND
What do the many compromises made here foreshadow a possible problem for the nation later on?
→ allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade, including placing tariffs on foreign goods (prohibited taxes on exported goods)
----
→ problems of division, split ideas on issues (CIVIL WAR - large step, but does signify eventual division between the north and the south (drastically different living and therefor disconnect on many issues and compromises)
What is the President's Cabinet? What roles are included?
→ a group of advisors who help the President do his job (members are appointed by the President, but approved by the Senate)
What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798)?
→ Virginia and Kentucky pass laws stating that the Alien and Sedition acts were unconstitutional
believed that since the federal government was created by the states, that the states have the power to “nullify” (reject) federal law
What was the Pinckney Treaty (1795)?
→ agreement with Spain in which Spain agreed to open the lower Miss. River and New Orleans to American trade
What was the Great Compromise?
AND
What was the significance/importance behind this plan?
→ proposed by Roger Sherman, provided for a bicameral (2 house) Congress: House of Representatives (based on population) and the Senate (equal representatives)
- provided for more robust government, split government into three branches (set groundwork for checks and balances - Judicial (Supreme Court), legislative (Congress), and Executive (President))
What was the "Elastic Clause" (1789)? What did this lead to (what event)?
→ argued by Alexander Hamilton that Congress had the right to create any law that was necessary and proper in order to carry out its other responsibilities
→ Whiskey Rebellion - 1794 - attacks from angry, frontier farmers on tax collectors (IMPORTANT BECAUSE GEORGE WASHINGTON QUICKLY RESPONDS BY SENDING IN MILITARY TO CRUSH REBELLION - DEMONSTRATED NEW, STRONG FEDERAL GOVERNMENT)
Describe the Impact George Washington had on the future American Government: (What precedents did he set?)
→ 2 term limit (he retired after his two terms were served, then delivered his farewell address - where he cautioned against the forming of political parties and their devise effects, as well as staying neutral in many foreign affairs (stray away from permanent alliances)
→ established departments of treasury, war, state, and justice (to help keep order)
→ set a precedent for enforcing the law (Whiskey Rebellion)
What event did Washington's warning against political parties foreshadow? (important American event)
feelings of sectionalism (feeling of loyalty to one’s region, rather than to the nation as a whole) → CIVIL WAR (1861)