Creating a New Nation

1. Creating a New Nation

2. Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom

3. 1786 law written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia legislature • First law in the United States that required the separation of church and state • Passed after a bill that would have assessed a general tax to support churches—a bill written by Patrick Henry and George Washington—was defeated • Followed by similar laws in New Jersey and New York and, a few years later, by the First Amendment to the Constitution (as part of the Bill of Rights authored by James Madison)

4. Constitutional Convention

5. Meeting convened in Philadelphia in 1787 • Delegates from 12 states met to discuss the problems inherent in the articles of confederation • Delegates chose to create a new government by drafting the constitution • Drafting process was long and arduous, with significant conflicts and compromises, including the early clash between advocates of the New Jersey Plan and advocates of the Virginia Plan, as well as the crucial agreement to the Great Compromise • James Madison, who drafted most of the constitution and is therefore known as the “father of the constitution,” was a major figure

6. George Washington

7. Virginian • Leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution; important participant in the First Continental Congress, the Second Continental Congress, and the Constitutional Convention. • First president of the United States (1789-1797) • Close friend of Alexander Hamilton and a supporter of his economic policies, including the chartering of the First National Bank • Retired rather than seek a third term as president, thus setting the two-term precedent, which was not broken until Franklin D. Roosevelt won a third term in 1940

8. Whiskey Rebellion

9. 1792 uprising by Western Pennsylvania farmers displeased with the excise tax on whiskey that was one of Alexander Hamilton’s economic policies • Raising cries echoing the French Revolution, the farmers attacked tax collectors. • George Washington sent 15,000 federal troops to quash the rebellion, proving that the federal government would not be threatened, but also raising complaints from the Anti-Federalists, who were vigilant for signs of tyranny under the new Constitution

10. Virginia Plan

11. Introduced the Constitutional Convention by James Madison • Called for a government much like the one outlined by the Constitution • Competed with the New Jersey Plan, which was seen more favorably by small states • Adapted to accommodate the feelings of the New Jersey Plan’s supporters in the Great Compromise.

12. Great compromise

13. Name for the agreement on state representation in Congress reached by the Constitutional Convention • To strike a balance between large states (who sought equal representation based on population), and small states (who sought equal representation for all states), the Great Compromise agreed upon a bicameral legislature, with a House of Representatives dividing representation by population and a Senate giving equal representation to every state

14. Shay’s Rebellion

15. Grew out of economic distress following the American Revolution • Consisted of a group of debt ridden farmers in western Massachusetts protesting against high taxes • During the winter of 1786-1787, cold weather and a lack of supplies led to the uprising’s disintegration • Highlighted problems with the Articles of Confederation and increased momentum for the Constitutional Convention

16. James Madison

17. Virginian; known as the “Father of the Constitution” because he was the primary architect of the system of checks and balances • Was the primary advocate of the Virginia Plan and the Constitutional Convention • One of the authors of the Federalist Papers • Leading congressional critic of the First National Bank • Co-author of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions • Served as secretary of state during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency • Defendant in the seminal Supreme Court case Marbury vs. Madison • Negotiated the Louisiana Purchase • Was president from 1809-1817 • President during the war of 1812, which was also known as Mr. Madison’s War by his critics • Advocate of strict construction and a leader of the Democratic-Republican party

18. Constitution

19. The document that provides the supreme law for the United States • Written at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when the Articles of Confederation was no longer effective • Ratified in 1789 • Written by James Madison, known as “the father” of this • Crafted a strong federal government with powers limited by the system of checks and balances • Divides federal government into three branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary • Has been amended 26 times (the first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights) to date

20. Balance of Powers

21. Term for the constitutional system wherein different powers are delegated to the three branches of government: executive (the president), legislative (Congress), and judicial (the Supreme Court)

22. System of Checks and Balances

23. The underlying theory behind the Constitution • Uses three branches of the federal government – the executive, legislative, and judicial branches - to balance one another and prevent any one branch from gaining too much power • Designed by James Madison

24. Judiciary Branch

25. One of the three branches on the government created by the Constitution as part of the system of checks and balances. • Consists of the entire federal court system, of which the highest court is the Surpreme Court. • Keeps the other branches of government in check by applying the principle of judicial review.

26. Executive branch

27. One of three branches of the government created by the Constitution as part of the system of checks and balances • Headed by the president and vice president • Includes all members of the Cabinet

28. Legislative Branch

29. One of three branches of the government created by the Constitution as part of the system of checks and balances • Also known as the Congress • Comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate; bicameral, meaning it is made up of two houses • Bears responsibility for passing laws, declaring war, ratifying treaties, and providing a national budget

30. House of Representatives

31. The lower house of the bicameral Legislative branch established by the Constitution • As a result of the Great Compromise, membership in the house of Representatives is proportional based upon the population of each state • The house of Representatives currently has 435 members

32. Senate

33. The upper house of the bicameral legislative branch established by the Constitution • As a result of the Great Compromise, membership in the Senate is divided equally among all states • The Senate currently has 100 members

34. TheFederalist Papers

35. Name for a large collection of essays written pseudonymously by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton • These essays, published in a New York newspaper and widely circulated thereafter laid out a strong case for ratification of the Constitution and against many of the arguments put forward by the Anti-Federalists

36. Federalists

37. Initially those who supported ratification of the Constitution and the creation of a stronger central (federal) government than the Articles of Confederation allowed • Under the influence of Alexander Hamilton, many Federalists formed a political party, the Federalist party, during the years of George Washington’s presidency • This party was largely centered in the New England and controlled by aristocrats • The party split (those who left the party formed the Democratic Republican party) because of disagreement over federal power and the First National Bank • The party lost power to Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican party in the election of 1800 (also known as the Revolution of 1800), and they never regained power • The party dissolved during the president of James Madison, in the wake of the Hartford Convention

38. Loose Construction

39. A philosophy of interpreting the Constitution broadly and thereby enlarging the scope of the federal government’s power beyond the specific enumerated powers • Opposed by the Democratic-Republicans, who preferred a philosophy of strict construction

40. Strict Construction

41. A philosophy of interpreting the Constitution narrowly and thereby limiting the scope of the Federal government’s power to those powers specifically enumerated • Popular with the Democratic-Republican Party • Unpopular with the Federalist Party, who preferred loose construction

42. Alexander Hamilton

43. New York financier who served as treasury secretary during George Washington’s presidency • He designed the economic development of the united states, beginning the first NationalBank • Primary leader of the Federalist party • He also served as one of the pseudonymous authors of The Federalist Papers • Was killed in duel by Vice President Aaron Burr

44. Electoral College

45. A body mandated by the Constitution • Electors, representing each state, choose the president based upon the popular vote within their state • When the electoral college cannot reach a decision, a final decision is made by the House of Representatives • Until the passage of the 12th Amendment in 1804, the electoral college named the candidate with the second most electoral votes as the vice president • This caused trouble when Federalist John Adams was elected president and Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson was elected vice president (1796)

46. Bill of Rights

47. Collective name for the first ten amendments to the Constitution • These amendments guarantee individual rights and liberties are protected from the federal government • Many states would not ratify the Constitution until this was promised • Written by James Madison

48. Land Ordinance of 1785

49. This established a plan by which the federal government surveyed the land and sold it to settlers at affordable prices.

50. 3/5ths Compromise