Download - APUSH Study Session #3
Articles of Confederation, First Three Presidents, the Constitution, and the
War of 1812 (1776-1817)
Chapters 9-11
APUSH Study Session #3
Treatment of Different Groups after the RevolutionRelations with Native Americans
deterioratedNumber of free blacks increased during and
after the warIncreased racist publications and legislationLed to ghettoization of blacks
The Articles of ConfederationStates created their own constitutions after
the Declaration of IndependenceContinental Congress sent the Articles of
Confederation to the states for ratification in 1777First national constitutionHad several important weaknesses:
Gave the states the most power and created a weak federal governmentCentral government couldn’t tax or regulate tradeAmendments required unanimous approval by all
states
Did achieve one notable success with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787Governed sale of government land to settlers and
contained a bill of rightsAbolished slavery in the NW territoriesSet conditions for statehood
Shay’s Rebellion (1776-1787) helped illustrate the need for a stronger federal governmentMA farmers protested unfair economic and
political policiesRevealed resentment backcountry farmers
harbored against the coastal elite
A New ConstitutionA four-month convention was convened in
Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of ConfederationLater called the Constitutional ConventionIncluded 55 delegates from all states except
Rhode IslandDelegates decided that an entirely new
constitution would need to be created
Different plans reflected the ideological differences of the delegatesNew Jersey Plan called for minor changes and equal
representation for all statesVirginia Plan called for a new government and for
representation based on population Great Compromise addressed these differences and
created a bicameral legislature with one body representing equal representation and the other representing population
New constitution included other important characteristicsPresident and Vice-President would be elected by
the Electoral College3/5 Compromise counted slaves as 3/5 of a personEstablished three branches of government—
executive, legislative, and judicialCreated a system of checks and balances among
the three branchesThe Constitution was sent to the state
legislatures for ratification
Anti-Federalists attacked the Constitution for giving the federal government too much powerMost upset by the lack of a bill of rights
Federalist arguments in The Federalist Papers helped sway undecided states like New York to ratify the ConstitutionIncluded James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John
JayStates agreed to ratify the Constitution if a Bill of
Rights was addedConstitution went into effect in 1789Bill of Rights (first ten amendments) was added in
1791
Washington’s Administrations (1789-1797)
Electoral College selected George Washington as the first President of the United States
Created a cabinet that would help advise the presidentThomas Jefferson became Secretary of StateAlexander Hamilton became Secretary of the Treasury
These two men had opposing views on many things and laid the basis for the first two-party system in the United States
Hamilton proposed a National Bank to regulate and strengthen the economyCongress approved the plan, but Washington considered
vetoing itTwo sides debated the constitutionality of its creation
Strict and loose constructionists argued about enumerated and implied powers
US Two-Party System Emerged
Federalists Democratic-Republicans
Leaders Hamilton, Washington, Adams, Jay, Marshall
Jefferson and Madison
Vision Economy based on commerce
Economy based on agriculture
Government Power Strong federal government
Strong state governments
Supporters The wealthy and the NE
Small farmers and the South
Constitutional Interpretation
Loose Strict
National Bank Necessary Only desirableForeign Affairs Closest ally was
BritainClosest ally was France
Hamilton also handled the national debt issue by assuming states’ debtsGave the federal government power over those statesWould repay those debts by giving debt holders land
on the western frontierFavored Northern banks and the wealthySouth agreed to support this only after the
government agreed to move the capital to Washington DC in 1800
Hamilton’s programs caused the Whiskey RebellionPA farmers resisted an excise tax on whiskeyWashington dispatched the militia to disperse the
rebelsDemonstrated the strength and fairness of the new
federal government
French Revolution caused the US to take a stand on foreign policyNeutrality Proclamation declared that the US
would not get involved in foreign conflictsJay’s Treaty dealt with the evacuation of
the British from the Northwest TerritoryDiscussed British violations of free tradePrevented war with Britain, but critics
suggested it gave too much to the British
Pinckney’s Treaty (1796) dealt with navigation on the Mississippi, duty-free access to world markets, and removal of Spanish forts in America
Washington wouldn’t run for a third termIn his farewell address, he warned future
presidents to avoid alliances and maintain neutralityEstablished American foreign policy from 1800 to
the late 1890s
Republican Motherhood1790s—Woman’s role became important
They were the teachers and producers of virtuous male citizens
Should receive education, but only to help teach young males
Had very little political authority
Adams Administration (1797-1801)
John Adams was a federalistUnder the current rules, the second-place candidate became
VPThis was Jefferson, who was a Democratic-Republican
Allowed Hamilton to take the leadThe tension between Hamilton and Jefferson set an ugly tone
for this administrationGreatest achievement was avoiding war with France
France began seizing American ships on the open sea after the US signed the Jay Treaty with Britain
French demanded a large bribe from American diplomats before negotiations began in the XYZ AffairDiplomats returned home and the people turned against France
Adams avoided war and negotiated a settlement with France
Low point was the Alien and Sedition ActsAllowed the government to forcibly expel
foreigners and jail newspaper editorsSought to destroy the Democratic-
RepublicansJefferson and Madison drafted the Virginia
and Kentucky Resolutions in responseSaid that the states had the right to judge the
constitutionality of federal lawsUsed nullification to declare the Alien and Sedition
Acts void
The “Revolution of 1800”Federalist party split by 1800, which gave the
Democratic-Republicans an advantage in the electionThomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received an equal
number of votes in the Electoral CollegeHouse of Representatives had to choose a victor—Jefferson
President now had a VP that he didn’t want (again!)12th Amendment allowed electors to vote for a
president and vice-president on the same ticket (1804)This represented America’s first transition of power
from one party to another, which occurred smoothly
On the eve of Jefferson’s inauguration, Adams appointed the “midnight judges”Filled as many government positions with
Federalists as he could
Jefferson’s Administrations (1801-1808)Jefferson’s first term was noteworthy for many
reasons (1800-1804)Refused to recognize the “midnight judges” and
appointed Democratic-Republicans in their placePardoned those convicted under the Alien and
Sedition Acts and convinced Congress to repeal them
Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin, set out to reduce the national debtGovernment had borrowed money to finance national
growth under Hamilton’s leadershipHe believed that national debt was good
Jefferson reduced borrowing, trimmed the federal budged, and cut taxes
Marbury v. Madison (1803) created the precedent of judicial reviewDeclared the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutionalJohn Marshall’s decision stated that the Supreme Court could
review the constitutionality of Congressional actsIncreased the power of the Supreme Court
Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the territory of the US in the greatest achievement of Jefferson’s first termPurchased from France for $15 millionJefferson violated his allegiance to a strict interpretation of the
Constitution Claimed the power to negotiate treaties with foreign nations,
without Congressional approvalJefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the new territory and
the West
Jefferson won the Election of 1804 in a landslideIn the aftermath of the election, Burr killed Hamilton
in a duel and fled to the SWHe was later captured and tried for treason for
attempting to secede from the United States
Jefferson’s second term was rough (1804-1808)US became caught in another British-French
dispute that culminated in the War of 1812Blockades by both sides hurt American tradeBritish ships began impressing sailors from American
ships and attacked an American frigateEmbargo Act of 1807 responded to British and French
harassment on the open seasShut down America’s imports and exports with
disastrous economic resultso New England’s economy collapsed and smuggling
became widespreadNon-Intercourse Act of 1809 reestablished trade with
most nations, but not with Britain or France
Madison’s Administrations (1808-1817)
James Madison was a Democratic-Republican who defeated the weakening Federalists
Macon’s Bill No. 2 reopened trade with both England and FranceMonroe said if either side would choose to stop interfering with
American trade, that he would cut off trade with the otherNapoleon made the promise first but then violated itBritish also stepped up their attacks on American ships
because of the exclusive American embargo against their goods
War Hawks, led by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, began clamoring for war with the BritishIn 1812, Madison finally gave in and asked Congress to declare
war
War of 1812 was fought between the British and the USNative Americans fought for the British
Tecumseh and the Prophet wanted to stop American expansion into Indiana and Illinois and created a coalition
Americans weren’t preparedWashington DC was captured and burned by the BritishAmerica was able to fight to a stalemate in most battles
Americans opposed to the war met in the Hartford ConventionCaused the death of the Federalists
British negotiated peace with the US in the Treaty of Ghent after their hostilities with France endedAndrew Jackson defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans
after the armistice in the only clear American victory of the war
The one positive effect was the growth of American manufacturingStates had to become self-sufficient when they couldn’t
trade with EuropeNew England became the manufacturing centerUS was now less dependent on imports
Madison continued promoting national growth while extending federal power cautiously in the American System which enacted:Protective tariffs on importsImprovements to interstate roadsRechartering of the National BankThis program is sometimes attributed to Henry Clay