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Colonial Period
Jamestown Founded. French and Indian War ended. -
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Period 3
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French and Indian War
The conflict between France and Britain in North America caused by territorial disputes. The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over subsequent frontier policy and paying the war debt led to colonial discontent, and ultimately to the American Revolution. -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty ending the Seven Years War, in which French ceded much of its North American territory to the British. France gave up all its territories in mainland North America, effectively ending any foreign military threat to the British colonies there. -
Proclamation Line
A law passed by the British parliament that prohibited colonial movements west of the Appalachian Mountains in attempts to relieve tensions between the natives and colonists. Colonists were upset and ignored it. -
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Pontiac's Rebellion
Indian uprising led by Chief Pontiac that attempted to stop British encroachment on their territory in an armed rebellion. -
Sugar Act of 1764
It was passed to raise money and taxed the colonists for more imported goods. Colonists rioted and boycotted the goods. -
The Currency Act of 1764
Prohibited the colonies from using their own paper money as legal tender for public or private debts to Britain. -
Stamp Act
An act passed by the British Parliament that taxed American colonies by imposing a stamp duty on newspapers and legal and commercial documents. -
The Declaratory Act of 1766
Asserted Britain’s ultimate right of control over the colonies. It repealed the Stamp Act to stop protests and riots. Colonists did not at first oppose the Declaratory Act—until the British began to enforce it. -
Townshend Act
Passed to raise money and regulate colonist trade. Taxed more imported goods and the colonists continued to boycott them. -
Boston Massacre
Boston was the center of anti-british sentiment and there was a lot of tension there. British soldiers stationed in Boston opened fire on a crowd, killing five townspeople and infuriating locals. Intensified anti-British sentiment and proved a pivotal event leading up to the American Revolution. -
Boston Tea Party
The willful destruction of British tea by the Sons of Liberty. Proved a significant development on the path to the American Revolution. It was a direct response to British taxation policies in the North American colonies. Britain responded by passing more Acts to suppress riots. -
The Tea Act of 1773
Allowed British East India Company to ship tea to the colonies without having to pay normally required duties, making it cheaper than most smuggled tea. -
The "Intolerable Acts" of 1774
Punitive laws passed by Britain after the Boston Tea Party. The laws were meant to punish the Massachusetts colonists for their defiance. -
First Continental Congress
Meetings of delegates from most of the colonies in response to British taxes. Aksed Britain to repeal intolerable acts. Britain responded by ignoring them and putting more troops in the Colonies. -
Second Continental Congress
Convened after the war with the British had begun. Congress issued the Declaration of Independence and established itself as the central governing authority under the Articles of Confederation. The Congress appointed George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. -
U.S. Declaration of Independence
It says that the Americans were no longer under British rule. Instead, the thirteen British colonies came together to become a union of new free and independent states. -
Bank of the United States
The first federal bank. it issued currency for the country and stabilized the economy. -
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Articles of Confederation
Was the United States’ first constitution. Established a weak central government and placed most powers in the hands of the states.
Under the Articles, the US economy faltered, since the central government lacked the power to enforce tax laws or regulate commerce. -
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Articles of Confederation
Created by the Second Continental Congress. It created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. The need for a stronger Federal government soon became apparent and eventually led to the Constitutional Convention -
Annapolis Convention
Conference of state delegates that issued for a convention to consider changes to the Articles of Confederation. They discussed recommending changes to the Articles of Confederation to better regulate interstate trade and commerce. -
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Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts
Rebellion lead by Daniel Shays in Springfield, Massachusetts. Farmers objected to the state's effort to tax them to pay off the Revolutionary War debt. Exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation and called for strengthening the federal government. -
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia
Convention that met in Philadelphia. Delegates met to decide how America was going to be governed. Main goal was to revise the Articles of Confederation but eventually lead to the creation of the Constitution. -
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Established a government for the Northwest Territory, outlined the process for admitting a new state to the Union. Prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territories and authorized the salve of government land. -
The Great Compromise 1787
Also known as the Connecticut Compromise. Combined the New Jersey and Virginia plan to great the Senate. Created a two-house legislature, with the Senate having equal representation for all states and the House of Representatives having representation proportional to state populations. -
Three-Fifths Compromise
An agreement added to the Constitution that would count each enslaved person as three-fifths of a white person for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives. -
Anti-Federalist Papers
Papers written by the founding fathers who opposed the Constitution. They were "anonymous". They were designed to encourage New Yorkers to reject the proposed Constitution.
The main objection against the constitution by the antifederalists and as articulated through Brutus 1 was the dissolution of the sovereignty of the states to form one great republic. -
Necessary and Proper Clause
A clause within the United States Constitution that grants Congress the power to pass whatever laws are deemed “necessary and proper” to help Congress to carry out the enumerated powers. Was controversial because Anti-Federalists believed in strict interpretation of the government and this law allowed the government to do anything. -
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Anti-Federalists
A group of people that opposed the U.S. Constitution of 1787 and rejected a strong central government. They believed in state power and a strict interpretation of the government. They pushed to get the bill of rights passed in order to ensure the government could not totally take over. -
Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 essays "annonimously written"that tried to promote the ratification of the new Constitution. It was designed to explain the newly proposed constitution to the people of New York in the hopes of encouraging them to ratify the new constitution in the upcoming ratifying convention. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. -
Constitution
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Judiciary Act of 1789
Established a federal court system. The Constitution provided that the judicial branch should be composed of one Supreme Court and such inferior courts as Congress from time to time established. -
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President: George Washington
Federalist: Established new government; Whiskey rebellion, Jay Treaty; Farewell Adress -
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Federalist Party
Strong central government, Reduce states rights, Loose view of Constitution, Business and commerce-oriented, High tax, Strong military, Pro-national bank, Pro-British. Outstanding Leader- Halmilton. -
Bill of Rights is Ratified
The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. Guarantees of civil liberties and checks on state power; it was added in order to convince states to ratify the Constitution. -
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Democratic Republicans
Successor of the Anti-Federalists. Group changed its name after the Constitution was passed. Believed in a weak central government, Protected states’ rights, A strict interpretation of Constitution, (pro-farmer), Low taxes, A weak military, Anti-National Bank, Pro-French. Outstand Leaders (Thomas Jefferson) -
Citizen Genêt Affair
A French diplomat went to the U.S. to get military support. Tried to recruit and arm American privateers to join French expeditions against the British. This was at a time when Washington had pronounced American neutrality and created a major controversy in foreign affairs. This lead to long-term anti-French sentiment. -
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Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers in Western Pennsylvania refused to pay federal tax on Whiskey and attacked collectors. Washington came with troops and suppressed the rebels. Showed the strength and authority of the government. -
Jay's Treaty
A treaty with Britain which made major concessions to avert a war over the British seizure of American ships. Attempted to end British harassment of American shipping but instead brought back a treaty in which Britain agreed to evacuate its posts on the US western frontier. The agreement was pro-British and angered the government of France, which had supported the United States in the American Revolution. French navy began attacking American merchant ships. -
Treaty of Greenville
A Treaty between the U.S. and Indians in the Northwest Territory. It forced them to cede most of the present states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin to the U.S. -
Pinckney's Treaty
A treaty with Spain that set the border between the United States and Spanish Florida. Spain agreed to open the southern part of the Mississippi River and New Orleans to American trade. -
George Washington's Farewell Address
It warned Americans not to: get involved in European affairs; make “permanent alliances” with other countries; form political parties; get distracted by regional differences between states. -
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President: John Adams
Federalist: Undeclared war with France; XYZ affairs: Alien and Sedition Acts -
Alien and Sedition Acts
A series of three acts passed by Congress that made it harder for new immigrants to vote and made it a crime to criticize the president or Congress. -
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Leading Democratic-Republicans wrote a resolution adopted by Kentucky and Virginia. These resolutions criticized the Alien and Sedition acts and pushed for a strict interpretation of the Constitution when the federal government's power. It also claimed that states had the power to declare federal laws "null and void" if they considered them unconstitutional. Beginning of the battle between state and government power. -
XYZ Affair
Americans attempted to negotiate a treaty with France. French diplomats asked for bribes to start negotiations. The Americans were outraged and it furthered anti-French sentiment. -
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Quasi-War
Was an undeclared war fought almost entirely at sea between the United States and Franc, which broke out during the beginning of John Adams's presidency.
