| A | B |
|---|
| Analysis of the American Revolution | More of an accelerated evolution than a radical revolution like the French Revolution. Colonists had been practicing self-governance for a generation before the war with England. |
| Society of Cincinnati | Formed by pretensious former officers of the Continental Army. Ridiculed by others as it was so anthesis of the ideals of the revolution. |
| egalitarian ideals | Swept the newly independent nation. Examples include all people demanding to be called Mrs. and Mr (titles previously reserved for elites), employers now called boss not master, whole boatload of indentured servants set free, the end of promogeniture laws ( eldest sons only inherit) were done away, Quakers form the world's first anti-slavery society.. |
| Slavery Not Abolished | Egalitarianism did not extend too far. Slavery was not abolished, the founding fathers feared that to try and end it shortly after the revolution would only distrupt the fragile national unity. |
| Women and Inequality | Women were left out of egalitarianism too. Abigail Adams wrote her husband when he was writing the constitution "Don't forget the ladies." Well, the ladies were forgotten and inequality continued between men and women. |
| civic virtue | concept that democracy depended on the unselfish commitment of each citizen to the public good. |
| Republican Motherhood | Women might not be able to vote but they were entrusted with raising up future generations of virtuous citizens and protecting the survival of the nation and serving as keepers of the national conscience. |
| State constitutions | Continental Congress in 1776 asked each colony to write their own constitution, with the authority of government resting on the authority of the people. As written documents, constitutions became FUNDAMENTAL LAW or superior to ordinary legislation that could be easily changed. |
| Legislatures | considered the most democratic of the branches and legislators were required to be elected annually (every year) so they would not become in the words of Thomas Jefferson, " 173 despots" because they never left office. |
| Cheap land | One reason that the American Revolution did not turn in a bloodbath like the French Revolution was that cheap land was available to settle and farm and providing economic democracy as well as political. |
| manufacture | many merchants prospered due to the war years |
| Profiteers | prospered during the war through outrageous markups on goods while after the war the average America was worse off economically after the war than before. |
| fundamental law | Superior to ordinary legislation that could be easily changed. Examples include state and US constitution. |
| "173 Despots" | Term Thomas Jefferson used to describe legislators in they had no term limits. |
| New Nation Advantages | 13 sovereign states alike in governmental and state constitutions, a rich political inheritance of self-government, and blessed with political leaders like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton |
| Interesting Fact | In the early days after independence was won, the 13 states were sovereign: coined their own $, raised their own armies & navies, and erected trade barriers. |
| Articles of Confederation | Adopted by Congress in 1777and ratified in 1781. It was to create a unifying central authority over the 13 states. US' first Constitution. |
| Articles of Confederation Success | The Northwest Land Ordinance. It outlined how territiory could become states with equal privileges to those who came before. A uniform national land policy. |
| "firm league of friendship" | Term used to describe the LOOSE confederation under the articles. |
| Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation | 1) no executive branch 2)clumsy congress was the chief agency of government 3) each state had a single vote regardless of population 4) nothing passed without a unanmious vote 5) no power to regulate commerce 6) no power to enforce tax collection 7) no power to command or control states |
| " paper powers" | Term used to describe the lack of real power held by the congress under the Articles of Confederation |
| Strengths of the Articles of Confederation | 1) clearly outlined general powers like make treaties 2) kept the states together in a union 3) declare war 4) led to the creation of the US constitution |
| Land Ordinance of 1787 | Provided that the land of the Old Northwest be sold and the profit used to pay off war debts and divided into orderly townships 6 miles square each with land set aside for public schools. |
| Northwest Ordinance of 1787 | Outlined the process by which territory became a state with equality with others, forbade slavery, and avoiding creating subordinating territories fighting a second revolution with the West fighting the East. |
| Commercial treaty | Area in which the British refused to sign with the new nation. |
| Allen Brothers of Vermont | Disgruntled Americans who were wooed by the British in the hopes a new rebellion would occur disrupting the new nation. |
| Trading posts | All along the northern border, the British held a chain of posts, maintaing fur trade with the Indians & keep America out of Canada. |
| Spain | openly unfriendly to the new republic. Controlled the mouth of the Mississippi and in 1784 they closed the river to trade. Generally schemed to make life difficult for the new republic. |
| France | demanded repayment of money loaned fuirng the war & restricted trade with West Indies |
| Pirates of North Africa | Creating chaos in the Mediterranean & enslaving Yankee sailors. |
| John Jay | secretly hoped that all the problems and disrepect directed at America would force citizens to frame a new government strong enough to command respect abroad. |
| Shay's Rebellion | Alarming rebellion by a group of farmers in Massachusetts who demanded state issue paper money, lighten taxes, and suspend the immiment foreclosure of their farms. Symbolic of the weaknesses of the articles because congree could do nothing to help. |
| mobocracy | Unbridled republicanism. Whereby people protest in mob like groups to make changes. Shay's Rebellion is an example. Struck fear in the heart of many as it would only lead to anarchy. |
| "democratic despotism" | Term used by Thomas Jefferson to describe the impact mobs like Shay's rebellion would have on society believing that it only encouraged more such acts after Massachusetts made several changed demanded by Daniel Shay. |
| control over commerce | More than anything this problem led to the constitutional convention. No power to control commerce between states or with other nations. |
| Alexander Hamilton | Called upon all states to sent delegates to Philadelphia in 1787 to AMEND the Articles. " for the sole and express purpose of revising." Advocate for a strong central government. |
| complete secrecy | Manner in which the constitutional convention meet each day in order not to hand information to those who would fan the flames of opposition or mobs. |
| demigods | Term used by Thomas Jefferson to describe the men who attended the convention. Most were lawyers and many had a hand in making their own state constitutions. |
| George Washington | Unanimously elected chairman of the convention. |
| James Madison | Made contributions so notable that he became known as the "Father of the Constitution" |
| Absent from the convention | Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Thomas Paine (all in Europe). Sam Adams and John Hancock not elected by Massachusetts. Patrick Henry refused to attend because he "smelled a rat" |
| Nationalists | Term used to describe constitution delegates. They wanted to preserve and strengthen the Republic NOT keep stirring the boiling pot of popular democracy. |
| Goals of the Constitutional Convention | 1) create a stable political structure that would endure 2) desired a government that would be respected 3) believed in republicanism but sought to protect America abroad and from excesses at home 4) create a central government with geniune power 5) preserve the union 6) forestall anarchy 7) protect life and property from mobocracy 8) curb unrestrained democracy (Shay's Rebellion) |
| Large state Plan | Proposed by Virginia. Stated that both houses of bicarmel congress would be based on POPULATION. Naturally giving large states an advantage. |
| Small State Plan | Proposed by tiny New Jersey. Proposed equal representation in a unicarmel (1 house) congress by states regardless of size or population. |
| Large states v. Small states | Heated debates over congressional representation almost got the convention closed down. |
| prayer | What Benjamin Franklin proposed to happen before each session because of the fighting among delegates. |
| Great Compromise | Larger states conced representation by population in the House of Representatives and smaller states appeased by equal representation in the Senate (2 senators each). |
| Executive branch | Unlike the Articles, the Constitution would have a strong though restrained executive branch. Example: President could wage war but NOT declare war (Congress only). President would be elected by the ELECTORAL COLLEGE INDIRECTLY rather than by direct means. A popular vote would be taken first. Only twice has a presidency been determined by electoral (1800, 1824) |
| Compromises | How the constitution was written |
| Three Fifths Compromise | Compromise reached over the issue of SLAVERY. Slaves would only count as three-fifths of a person towards a state's population therefore their representation in the House of Representatives. |
| Slave Trade | Under the Constitution in 1787 NOT abolished BUT no more slave trade after 1807 (20 years hence). |
| General Constitution Framework | 3 branches of government, checks and balances so no branch would have absolute power, all manhood suffrage was to be feared (specter of Shay again. ) |
| Excesses of the mob | Safeguards put in place to protect against mobs: 1) president to be elected indirectly by electoral college 2)senators chosen indirectly (changes with the 17th amendment) |
| Democratic elements of the constitution | legitimate government is based on the consent of the governed and powers of the government should be LIMITED. |
| 17 weeks | The amount of time it took the delegates to hammer out the constitution. MAy 1787 to September. Hottest months of the year with no air conditioning. |
| Federalists | Favored a strong central government |
| Anti-Federalists | Were strongly AGAINST a strong central government that would be superior to state's rights and individual rights. |
| 9 states | Number of states needed to ratify (approve) the Constitution |
| Bill of Rights | What Anti-Federalist said had to be added to the Constitution BEFORE they would ratify the document. |
| The Promise | Federalists PROMISED the Anti-federalist that a Bill of Rights would be added at the first congress of the new Constitution. They kept their word and the needed votes were given to appprove the new constitution. |
| The Federalist Papers | Designed as propaganda, written by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, the essays explained the Constitution design and argued that it was possible to extend a republic over a large territory. |
