United States History AP ReviewUnit 2 – Articles to Jackson
United States History AP Review
Unit 2 – Articles to Jackson
Anti-Federalists
Famed Anti-Federalists Patrick Henry, George Mason and Richard Henry Lee The Anti-Federalists were a group who feared a strong federal government and pushed hard to defeat the federally-strong U.S. Constitution, written to replace the state-strong Articles of Confederation. They wanted a more decentralized government and, while not mollified, were satisfied with the inclusion of the first ten amendments – the Bill of Rights.
Democratic-Republicans
The party was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s. Characteristics and beliefs of the party included: Weak central and strong state governments Pro-French and suspicious of the British Strict constructionist views of Constitution Favored the farmer over the industrialist Major support from the South and West
Annapolis Convention (1786)
On 11 September 1786, delegates from five states, including Alexander Hamilton from New York, met at Mann’s Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland to talk about altering and strengthening the Articles of Confederation. This meeting is known as the Annapolis Convention. Without greater representation from all the states, the convention could not act but did agree to meet the following year in Philadelphia for the purpose of addressing the problems with the Articles.
The Federalist Papers (1787-8) Federalist Party
The Federalist Papers were a series of articles written chiefly by Alexander Hamilton with contributions from John Jay and James Madison. Their chief aim was to convince the state of New York of the merits of a stronger federal government and ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The Federalist Party was created in 1787 and counted Alexander Hamilton has chief among its leaders. Characteristics and beliefs of the party included: Strong federal and weaker, subservient state governments; focus on industrialists and trade; strong support found along the eastern seaboard, particularly in New England; Pro-British; horrified at the French Revolution; loose interpretation of the U.S. Constitution
central government
The central government also refers to the federal or national government. Under the Articles of Confederation, it did not possess much authority or power but was bolstered under the new U.S. Constitution.
separation of powers
Separation of powers represent the division of political authority, responsibility and power within the American democracy. Each branch represents judicial, executive and legislative with each having the power to check the other two.
compact theory
The compact theory is a political ideology that proclaims the creation of the United States and the subsequent federal government are the product of the individuals and the states. Ergo, the actions of the federal government are to be overseen by the states. John C. Calhoun of South Carolina was a leading advocate of this idea as personified in his attempted nullification of tariff laws in 1828. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison earlier enumerated this point with the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions in pushing for the nullification of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
elastic clause
Found in the U.S. Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 18 and also known as the “necessary and proper” clause, the elastic clause gave the federal government the power to create laws that allowed it to carry out its constitutional duties and powers. Alexander Hamilton used the clause in defense of the U.S. Bank saying that, given the federal government’s role with money and transactions (trade), it was necessary and proper that the federal government be able to create such a bank.
Electoral College
Each state is responsible for appointing as many electors as they have senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress. Every state has a “winner-take-all” approach to their electors except Maine and Nebraska. Though pledged to vote as their state voted, electors are not constitutionally obligated to do so. The winner of a presidential election must win 270 out of the 538 electoral votes. Three presidents have won the electoral count, and therefore the presidency, without winning the popular vote: Rutherford B. Hayes (1877), Benjamin Harrison (1888) and George W. Bush (2000).
The Virginia and New Jersey Plans The Great Compromise The Three-Fifths Compromise
Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress was made up of one house and representation what decided by population. During the Constitutional Convention, two separate plans emerged regarding how the Congress should look. The Virginia Plan suggested a two-house legislature and representation of both configured by population. This plan favored the larger states under the notion that the larger states had a larger stake in the running of the government. The New Jersey Plan put forth a one-house legislature but representation should be done as an equal allotment to each state. This plan favored the smaller states who feared they would get railroaded by the larger states in Congress. The Great Compromise was a bicameral legislature with a lower house – the House of Representatives – where representation was based on population and an upper house – the Senate – where representation was an equal allotment. The Three-Fifths Compromise dealt with the counting of slaves towards representation. The result was that every five slaves would count towards three in a state’s population count and therefore, its representation.
The House of Representatives and the Senate
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Congress. It is uniquely responsible for taxes and expenditures. It currently has 435 members and representation is decided by population. The Senate is the upper house of the American Congress. It deals more with national issues as opposed to the House. It also has primacy regarding trying cases of impeachment, approving presidential appointments and ratify treaties. The Senate’s representation is done on an equal basis – two for each state.
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was established to quell fears that Anti-Federalists held about a too-powerful government, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution set out rights that American citizens had that could not be infringed upon by the government. In the ninth and tenth amendments, it also established the power of the states in the face of federal government power.
strict and loose constructionists
Politicians who adhere to a strict constructionist point of view see the Constitution as literal and to be interpreted as such with no room for wiggling. Those who adhere to a loose constructionist thinking feel that the Constitution is a “living document” with plenty of room for interpretation. At the beginning of the country’s history, the Federalists were loose constructionists and the Democratic-Republicans were strict constructionists.
George Washington – 1st – Virginia No party affiliation – 1789 to 1797
1754-63 – a member of the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War. 1759-74 – a member in the Virginia House of Burgesses. 1774-5 – a Virginia member of the Continental Congress 1775-83 – commanding general of the Continental Army 1787 – presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention 1789-97 – President of the United States He is considered the “father of our country” and unequivocally one of the greatest Americans in the country’s history.
The Judiciary Acts of 1789 and 1801
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the American court system, including the federal district court and the Supreme Court as the final word in all judicial matters. The Judiciary Act of 1801 made some changes to the original law, including the reduction of Supreme Court justices and the creation of the circuit courts.
The French Revolution (1789)
It was a revolution that began in 1789 and led to the immediate trial and execution of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The rule of France passed to the radical Jacobins who initiated the “reign of terror.” The subsequent instability and government incompetence led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. C'était une révolution qui a commencé en 1789 et a causé le procès immédiat et l'exécution du Roi Louis XVI et de Marie Antoinette. L’autorité de la France a passé aux Jacobins radicaux qui ont lancé le "règne de terreur.” L'instabilité qui a suivi et l'incompétence gouvernementale ont causé l'ascension de Napoléon Bonaparte.
Revenue Act of 1789
Signed into law by George Washington and also known as the Tariff Act of 1789, the Revenue Act was the first major piece of legislation passed by the new Congress. It set up the first import duties and created a 10% tariff on imports carried on non-American ships.
Report on Public Credit (1789)
Alexander Hamilton addressed the Congress about the state of the economy of the new country and as the first Secretary of the Treasury, suggested the retirement of national debt and the federal assumption of state debts as a way to restore the country’s credit and standing with other countries. Some of the old Anti-Federalists, like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, balked at what they saw as the growing federal government at the expense of the state governments.
Report on Manufactures (1791)
Put together by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1791, it detailed the secretary’s plan to industrialize the U.S. In order to do this, Hamilton proposed a protective tariff to protect American industry and the prohibition of foreign goods that competed with local products. Hamilton sought to overturn the notion that America could prosper on an agrarian-based economy. When it was submitted to Congress, it failed to act on the total report but the next year, it did pass several of the tariffs.
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