7.1 APUSH
What did the Constitution change about political life in the U.S.?
It expanded political participation by letting voters choose national leaders as well as local and state officials
Who became the first president and vice president of the United States?
George Washington became the first president, and John Adams became vice president.
What party dominated the election of 1788?
The Federalists swept the election, and the Electoral College chose Washington.
How did Washington set up the new government?
He adopted many Confederation administrative practices and asked Congress to reestablish executive departments.
Who led the three major executive departments under Washington?
State (Foreign Affairs): Thomas Jefferson
Treasury (Finance): Alexander Hamilton
War: Henry Knox
What law established the federal court system?
The Judiciary Act of 1789.
What did the Judiciary Act of 1789 do?
Created federal district courts in each state.
Established three circuit courts for appeals.
Made the Supreme Court the highest appellate court.
Who created the Bill of Rights, and how many were ratified?
James Madison wrote 19 amendments; 10 were approved and ratified by the states.
Why was the Bill of Rights important politically?
It eased Antifederalists’ fears of a too-powerful national government and addressed federalism concerns.
Who was Alexander Hamilton?
An intelligent New York lawyer who married into an influential family; he distrusted democracy and wanted a strong, authoritarian government with a powerful president.
What were Hamilton’s three major reports to Congress?
1) Report on Public Credit (Jan 1790)
2) Report on a National Bank (Dec 1790)
3) Report on Manufactures (Dec 1791)
What did Hamilton’s Report on Public Credit propose?
The federal government should assume all state debts and fund the national debt by offering interest payments instead of repaying immediately.
Why did Hamilton believe the U.S. needed good credit?
To secure loans from foreign nations like the Dutch and strengthen the nation’s financial reputation.
How did Hamilton tie wealthy creditors to the new government?
By paying note holders with new interest-bearing bonds, creating a permanent national debt that linked their success to the nation’s survival.
Who opposed Hamilton’s debt plan and why?
Patrick Henry and James Madison; they believed it unfairly rewarded speculators instead of original bondholders.
How much would the federal assumption of state war debts cost?
About $22 million.
What compromise helped Hamilton win southern support for his plan?
The national capital would be built along the Potomac River, closer to the South.
What was the Bank of the United States?
A national bank chartered in 1790, jointly owned by private investors and the federal government to stabilize the economy and issue credit.
Why did Jefferson and Madison oppose the national bank?
They argued it was unconstitutional and gave too much power to wealthy elites and the federal government.
What was the purpose of Hamilton’s excise taxes and tariffs?
To raise revenue to pay interest on the national debt and fund government operations.
What product did the excise tax target?
Whiskey distilled in the United States.
What was Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures (1791)?
A proposal urging federal support for American manufacturing and higher tariffs on imported goods to protect U.S. industries.
What caused divisions within the Federalist Party?
Hamilton’s financial program split Federalists into factions — some supported Jefferson’s ideas while others stayed loyal to Hamilton.
Which regions supported Jefferson and Madison?
Southern Federalists and western farmers joined them to form the Democratic-Republican Party.
Who did Jefferson primarily represent?
Southern planters and western settlers.
What kind of vision did Jefferson have for America?
A democratic, agrarian vision — a nation of independent farmers guided by Enlightenment ideals.
How did European markets support Jefferson’s vision?
High European demand for American crops, especially during the French Revolution, brought prosperity to U.S. agriculture.
What effect did the French Revolution have on American agriculture?
It increased wheat prices from 5 to 8 shillings and kept them high for about 20 years.
What major agricultural innovation boosted the southern economy?
The invention of the cotton gin, which caused a boom in raw cotton exports.
What was the Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)?
Issued by George Washington, it allowed U.S. citizens to trade with all nations involved in the war between France and Britain.
How did the Proclamation of Neutrality benefit the U.S. economy?
American merchants took over the sugar trade between France and the West Indies.
U.S. shipping increased by millions of tons.
Created thousands of shipbuilding and trading jobs.
How did Americans initially view the French Revolution?
They supported it because it abolished feudalism and established a constitutional monarchy.
Why did some Americans later turn against the French Revolution?
It became too radical, forming the French Republic, closing churches, and promoting violent democratic reforms.
What was the Whiskey Rebellion (1794)?
Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested Hamilton’s whiskey excise tax.
They attacked tax collectors, opposing distant federal control.
Washington led 12,000 militiamen to suppress the rebellion, showing federal authority.
What led to Jay’s Treaty?
In 1793, the British Navy seized 350 American ships trading with the French.
What were the terms of Jay’s Treaty (1795)?
U.S. accepted Britain’s right to stop neutral ships.
The government would pay pre-Revolutionary debts to British merchants.
Britain promised to remove troops and Indian agents from the Northwest Territory.
Allowed Americans to seek damages for seized ships.
How did Jay’s Treaty affect U.S. politics?
It deepened divisions — Federalists favored it (pro-British), while Democratic-Republicans opposed it.
What was Saint-Domingue (Haiti) before the revolution?
A wealthy French sugar colony with:
40,000 free whites
500,000 enslaved Africans
28,000 free people of color (gens de couleur) with limited rights.
Who led the Haitian Revolution?
Toussaint L’Ouverture, a former slave and plantation owner, led black Haitians to seize control in 1798.
When did Haiti gain independence and what was its significance?
1n 1803, Saint-Domingue became Haiti — the first black republic and the first nation founded by formerly enslaved people.
How did U.S. presidents react to the Haitian Revolution?
Washington: Supported white planters.
Adams: Aided the rebels and strengthened trade.
Jefferson: Cut off aid, imposed a trade embargo, and refused to recognize Haiti.
Why did Jefferson oppose recognizing Haiti?
Many Americans feared a nation of freed slaves threatened the racial and social order, seeing it as a "perversion of the republican ideal."
Why did early Americans distrust political parties?
They believed parties served their own interests instead of the public good
What caused the creation of political factions in the 1790s?
Conflicts over Hamilton’s financial policies destroyed the sense of shared public interest.
Who supported the Federalist Party?
Merchants, creditors, and wheat-exporting slaveholders.
Who supported the Republican (Democratic-Republican) Party?
Southern planters, western farmers, Germans and Scots-Irish in the backcountry, and northern subsistence farmers.
When did Federalist and Republican identities become clear?
By 1796 — both parties held public festivals to promote their causes.
What were the Federalist and Republican celebrations?
Federalists: Washington’s Birthday (Feb).
Republicans: July 4th (Declaration of Independence).
Who won the election of 1796?
John Adams (Federalist) became president; Thomas Jefferson (Republican) became vice president.
What was the XYZ Affair (1797–1798)?
French officials demanded a bribe and loan before negotiations.
U.S. refused, causing an undeclared naval war with France.
“X, Y, and Z” were the code names for the French agents.
What actions did Congress take after the XYZ Affair?
Cut off trade with France and authorized privateering in an undeclared maritime war.
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)?
Naturalization Act: Lengthened residency for citizenship.
Alien Act: Allowed deportation of foreigners.
Sedition Act: Banned criticism of the president or Congress.
How did the Republicans respond to the Sedition Act?
They claimed it violated the First Amendment’s free speech and press protections.
What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798)?
Written by Madison and Jefferson — declared the Alien and Sedition Acts unconstitutional and claimed states could judge federal law legitimacy.
How did the conflict over the Sedition Act influence the 1800 election?
It deepened partisan divisions and helped Republicans gain support.
How did John Adams handle the war crisis with France?
He rejected Hamilton’s call for war and used diplomacy to peacefully end the conflict.
What was the “Revolution of 1800”?
The election of Jefferson marked a peaceful transfer of power between political parties — Federalists to Democratic-Republicans.
What issue arose during the election of 1800?
Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the Electoral College; the House decided after 35 votes.
How did Jefferson win the presidency in 1800?
Alexander Hamilton persuaded Federalists in the House to support Jefferson over Burr.
What did Jefferson say after his victory in 1800?
“We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists,” emphasizing national unity.