1492

Answer:• Christopher Columbus sails West to find a

faster all-water route to Asia and lands in the Caribbean (Hispaniola).

1494

Answer:• Treaty of Tordesillas = Pope divides the

New World with the Line of Demarcation. – Spain gets land west of the line.– Portugal gets the eastern land (Brazil) and

Africa.

1587-1590

Answer:• Roanoke Colony is founded and LOST.

– 1st English Colony off coast of N. Carolina– Founder = Sir Walter Raleigh– Lost during Spanish Armada attack.– Only clue = “Croatoan” carved into tree.

1588

Answer:

• Spanish Armada is defeated by the English navy.

1607

Answer:

• Jamestown founded– VA Company = joint-stock company– Captain John Smith

1619

Answer:• Boat of women• Boat of slaves (Portugal)• Headright system

– 50 acres of land if you paid for indentured servant trip to American colonies + keep indentured servant for ~7 years until debt paid back

• House of Burgesses– 1st representative assembly of

landed colonists

1620

Answer:• Plymouth Colony is founded by mostly

Pilgrims.– Mayflower Compact = majority rules– Separatist Gov. William Bradford– Squanto– Thanksgiving

1624

Answer:• VA becomes a royal colony b/c of financial

difficulties.– Tobacco saves the colony soon after & royal

government benefits financially.

1630

Answer:• Massachusetts Bay Colony is founded by

the Puritans.– Non-Separatist Gov. Winthrop = “build a city

upon a hill”

1636

Answer:

• Pequot War = Pequots attacked Plymouth and Mass. Bay because their land was being encroached upon. Pequot lose.

1675

Answer:• King Phillip’s War = Metacomet, leader of

the Wampanoag, attacked Plymouth and Mass. Bay because their land was being encroached upon. Indians lose.

1676

Answer:Bacon’s Rebellion• stops indentured

servants & starts slavery boom!

1680

Answer:

• Pope’s Rebellion = Indians in New Mexico attack Spanish over land encroachment and lose.

1688

Answer:• Glorious Revolution:

– Bloodless revolution to restore English rights & get rid of Catholic king.

– James II removed from the thrown– English Bill of Rights passed– William III & Mary II jointly rule

1689

Answer:

• Coode’s Rebllion = rebellion over religion in Maryland; Protestants take control from Catholics.

• Leisler’s Rebellion = rebellion over rights of Englishmen in NY; English men fight & win rights.

• Dominion of New England is broken up.– Sir Edmund Andros escapes.

1692

Answer:

• Salem Witch Trials

1713

Answer:• Salutary neglect begins = British are

not strictly enforcing the Navigation Acts.

1700’s

Answer:• Enlightenment Movement

1730s-1740s

Answer:• 1st Great Awakening• Leaders:

– Jonathan Edwards • Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

– George Whitefield

1739

Answer:

• Stono Rebellion

1754

Answer:• Albany Plan of Union

– for defense against Indians & French; it fails; shows disunity of colonies

• The French and Indian War begins: – Over Ohio River Valley – trade / settlement– French build forts in Ohio Valley– Fort Duquesne – and friendly with

the Indians– Washington sent to expel the French; attacks Fort Dusquene– British declare war on France

1763

Hint:

Answer:• Treaty of Paris of 1763

– Ends the French and Indian War - French loose all territory• Pontiac’s Rebellion

– Indians rebel against the British in the NW territory after the FIW; had been loyal to the French; British didn’t respect their culture or trade with them as equals = ANGER

• Proclamation of 1763 – Colonials temporarily can’t settle west of the Appalachians

• Paxton Boys Rebellion– A group of Western Pennsylvania backcountry Scotch-Irish “nur nurs”

decide to take the law into their own hands and get even with the Indians for Pontiac’s Rebellion in the NW Territory. They disobey the pacifist Mass. state government & attack innocent Christian Indian tribes nearby murdering women & children; never punished.

• SALUTORY NEGLECT ENDS– British need revenue ($) to pay off FIW debt; now going to enforce

Nav. Acts (regulations) & stop ignoring the smuggling; going to enforce mercantilist policy

1764

Answer:

• Sugar Act:• Purpose: to raise revenue ($) to pay off FIW debt by getting

Americans to stop smuggling French molasses & buy British in the Caribbean

• indirect tax (pre-added tax) on molasses & sugar imported into the colonies from Britain;

• it actually lowered the tax to make British goods cheaper than competitors BUT strictly enforced = end of salutary neglect

• Currency Act:– Colonies can only use British currency & can’t print their own.

Massachusetts, Three Shilling Note, 1775

1765

Answer: S3V• Stamp Act

– Direct tax on internal goods of the colonies (previously taxed by only by the colonial assemblies) including: legal documents, paper, cards, newspapers, dice

– purpose of tax: to raise revenue to pay off FIW war debt

• Sons of Liberty– Massachusetts colonials against direct taxes w/o actual representation

(like the colonial assemblies had)

• Stamp Act Congress– Delegates from several colonies met in NY & agree to boycott (non-

consumption) stamped products– Purpose: to hurt Britain economically, so they repeal the vile act

• Virginia Resolves– Patrick Henry; VA resolved that Britain could not directly tax the colonies

internally w/o colonial assembly approval b/c they don’t have actual representation in Parliament.

1766

Answer:• Stamp Act repealed by Parliament

– New Prime Minister Rockingham Rocks!

• Declaratory Act:– Parliament has unlimited power of taxation/legislation over colonies – & complete sovereignty over the colonies

This cartoon depicts the repeal of the Stamp Act as a funeral, with Grenville carrying a child's coffin marked "born 1765, died 1766".

1767

Answer: TDC• Townshend Acts

– Indirect tax on lead, paint, glass, silk, paper & tea imported from Britain– Purpose: to raise revenue to pay Brit officials’ salaries in colonies (which

irritates colonists b/c that used to be a power of the colonial assemblies used to control the officials, especially Governors) & to pay off FIW debt

• Dickinson’s “Letters of a PA Farmer”– Unites the colonists together against the Townshend Acts– Parliament can’t tax internal goods in the colonies (direct taxes) & it can’t tax for the sole purpose of

raising revenue it must be to regulate trade like the Nav. Acts

• Circular Letter - (Sam Adams & James Otis)– Mass. Assembly adopted this resolution & sent to other colonial assemblies & they adopted it as

well– It stated Am. Colonies had rights to assemblies, to tax themselves, right to representation, liberties…

• Colonies boycott (non-importation agreements) British Townshend taxed goods

1770

Answer:• Lord North new Prime Minister of Parliament• Townshend Acts repealed EXCEPT tax on tea!• Boston Massacre:

• Crispus Attacks; mob attacks custom house; hatred of taxes & British standing army in Boston; Sons of Liberty led propaganda

1772

Answer:

• Gaspee Incident– British smuggler catcher

boat burned off the coast of RI by the Sons of Liberty

1773

Answer:• Tea Act:

– reduces price of British East India Co. tea to give it a monopoly, so it doesn’t go bankrupt

• Boston Tea Party:– Sons of Liberty dump B.E.I.C. tea into Boston

Harbor (iced tea)

1774

Answer:• Coercive/Intolerable Acts:

– Purpose: punish Boston/Mass. for Tea Party– Boston Port Act = closes ports to all trade until tea repaid– Massachusetts Government Act = no town meetings, no trial by jury,

military rule, trials in England– Quartering Act, new Governor appt, Gen. Gage in charge– No stock piling of weapons

• Quebec Act: – Quebec extended to Ohio River Valley& Catholicism tolerated

• 1st Continental Congress – convenes in Philadelphia to discuss Coercive Acts– Passes the Declaration of Rights & Grievances and the Suffolk

Resolves• Declaration of Rights & Grievances = declares Am. Colonies rights (to

assemble, have juries…) & tells Parliament & King our grievances/problems with Intolerable Acts

• Suffolk Resolves = agree to NOT to buy Brit. Goods (non-import/non-consume) to hurt Brit. Econ. For Intolerable Acts

1775

Answer:• April = Lexington & Concord

– Gage sent troops to find militias & stockpiling of weapons outside of Boston; British were going to Concord by sea (2 lanterns); Revere & William Dawes warn that British are coming by sea

– Lex. the colonials & British meet up: “Shot heard ‘round the world”; starts the Am. Revolt.– Minutemen arrive at Concord & shoot British all the way back to Boston & surround the city

• May = 2nd Continental Congress – convenes b/c of Lex & Concord; U.S. gov’t until 1781 (Articles ratified)– Olive Branch Petition = written by Dickinson; last effort to avoid war; asked king to redress

grievances; king rejected the petition Turning point for declaring war (unites colonists in cause)

– Declaration of Necessity of Taking Up Arms• Continental Army created -> GW commander-in-chief

• June = Battle of Bunker/Breed’s Hill– Bloodiest battle of the Am. Revolution; proves it will not be a short, easy war;

colonials have the high ground outside Boston

• Aug. = Geo. declares the colonies in rebellion– 18,000 Hessian mercenaries hired

1776

Answer:• Jan. = Common Sense

• Pamphlet published by Thomas Paine• Should an island govern a continent?

• June = Richard Henry Lee’s Resolution• July 4, 1776 = Declaration of Independence

• Purpose: to gain foreign alliances (France)• Declared our natural rights of life, liberty & property had been violated• Declared we had the right to abolish our government b/c of violations• Lists 27 grievances with the king that he never remedied• Declares us an independent nation called the USA

• Dec. 26, 1776 = Battle of Trenton• 1st “battle” the Continental Army under GW won; • sneaked up on drunk Hessian mercenaries • by crossing Delaware River into NJ Xmas night • Motivates soldiers to keep fighting

1777

Answer:• Battle of Saratoga:

• Turning point = Brits lose big battle & surrender 5,800, French now will help

• Winter at Valley Forge: (outside Philadelphia)• British take over Philadelphia & Continental Congress runs & hides

• US Continental Army spends winter outside Philly at Valley Forge

freezing, while Brits are warm in our beds in Philly • Prussian Baron von Stuben trains soldiers

• Articles of Confederation adopted but NOT ratified:

• Not ratified until 1781 b/c ALL 13 states had to ratify it & they disagreed over the state borders; MD, Del & RI landlocked and borders didn’t extend into the land west of the Appalachian Mountains like other 10 states, so they refused to ratify it until they got land or others lost land.

• Written by John Dickinson

1778

Answer:• Franco-American Alliance

• France agrees to fight Britain until she acknowledges our sovereignty AND

• U.S. agrees to help France out when she asks in future

• British begin Southern strategy • Why? Need Loyalists to help now that the war is being fought

in Europe (France) and in America

1781

Answer:• Articles of Confederation is ratified by all

13 states. – Confederation = states are sovereign and more powerful

than the federal gov’t; loose “League of friendship” among the states

– Powers of the unicameral Federal Congress:•Make laws, declare war, make treaties (Treaty of Paris

1783; proposed the Jay-Gardoqui Treaty), print money, borrow money, each state got one vote regardless of size, its supposed to solve disputes b-w states, & all 13 states are needed to amend the Articles

• Battle of Yorktown– French arrive blocking off Chesapeake Bay; – Cornwallis surrenders; – Last major battle.

1783

Answer:• Treaty of Paris (1783)

– Set some of the boundaries between the US & British N. America (Canada)

– US got fishing rights in Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence

– US & Britain agreed to pay pre-war debts to private creditors

– State legislatures were supposed to return property & land to Loyalists confiscated after the war (This NEVER happens)

– Prisoners of war on both sides were to be released and all property left by the British army in the United States unmolested (including slaves); British were to leave forts in NW territory

– Great Britain and the United States were to share access to the Miss. River

Newburgh Conspiracy of Continental Army officers:•Planned to use force to make states relinquish power to tax to the national government, so veterans could get paid; GW prevents it with guilt.

1784

Answer:

• Spain closes off port of New Orleans! – U.S. sends Jay to negotiate treaty w/Spain to open port.

• US Army = 100 men; we can’t do anything to stop Spanish

1785

Answer:

• Land Ordinance of 1785– Passed by the Confederation Congress. – Purpose: To sell land to speculators &

westerners to raise $ for the fed’l gov’t – 1. Surveys & divides NW territory (Ohio

River Valley) into 5 possible territories; – 2. Divides into towns of 6X6 square

mile blocks; the blocks could be divided up further if necessary and sold for revenue for the federal gov’t;

– 3. The 16th square was not sold but instead saved for public education

1786

Answer:• Jay-Gardoqui Treaty

– Proposed but NOT ratified by Confederation Congress!!!!– Spain would have sole use of the Miss. River for 25 years and in

return the New Englanders would have a commercial advantage in trade

• Annapolis Convention– Wanted to amend Articles to help trade or commerce between the

largely independent states; not enough representatives came; rescheduled for Philadelphia the next year

• Shay’s Rebellion– W. Mass. Farmers rebel against Mass. state gov’t b/c of economic

depression, state gov’t taxing and foreclosing on farms – Federal gov’t can’t help b/c no money or army! – The events revealed weaknesses under the Articles of

Confederation and helped lead to adoption of the Constitution of the United States.

1787

Answer:

• Constitutional Convention– Met in Philadelphia to revise/amend the Articles (Madison = Father)– Great Compromise = bi-cameral legislature (equality in Senate, population in

House)– Commerce Compromise = federal gov’t controls interstate commerce & taxes

on imports (tariffs) BUT not on exports or intrastate! – 3/5 Compromise = 3/5th of slaves counted as pop. for determining

representation in House of Rep. & for determining taxation.– Importation of slaves can’t be legislated away earlier than 1808– Presidency Compromise =indirect election of Pres. by Electoral College with

4 year terms.

Northwest Ordinance (1787)•Organized the territory north west of the Ohio River into max. of 5 territories•Legislated away slavery in NW territory•All states to be admitted on equal status•60,000 pop. + state Constitution = Congress decides whether to admit territory as a state

Great CompromiseOne of the first issues to be resolved was representation to the new government. The Articles of Confederation had allowed each state equal representation and equal say, despite size or population and this did not sit well with the largest states (Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania). The smaller states feared losing say in the federal government and so continued to support equality in representation.

3/5ths CompromiseA fundamental economic and social division began to erupt over the issue of slavery. The southern, agriculturally based states relied heavily on slavery and slaves constituted a significant portion of their populations. The northern states opposed counting slaves for representation in government because they were not citizens and their population could easily be increased, tipping control of the federal legislature to the southern states.

Commerce CompromiseAgain a regional disagreement arose, in this case over the issue of trade and its regulation. The northern, more industrial states saw the regulation of trade by the federal government as essential to the smooth working of a national economy. The southern states feared regulation of trade would not only threaten the sale of slaves, but also the essential export of their agricultural products (chiefly cotton and tobacco).

Presidency CompromiseNearly all of the delegates could agree on the need for a president, to serve as a central figure and executive of the new nation. The disagreement arose over the power and service of such an office. Some delegates, fearing the rise of king-like president advocated for a weak official, who would be limited to a single one-year term. Others argued the need for a powerful figure who would be elected, but serve for life. Debates also raged about how best to elect the president and what role the people of the nation should serve in his selection.

1788

Answer:• Constitution is ratified

– by 9 of 13 states in June.

• Federalist Papers – Purpose = published in NY to get

NY and VA to ratify it.– These papers were written by

Hamilton, Madison & Jay under the pseudonym Publius to convince the people of NY that a strong central gov’t was needed & well thought out.

– Anti-Federalists (people against a strong federal gov’t at the expense of the states; want a Bill of Rights) persuaded NY & VA not to ratify it. (e.g. Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason)

– VA ratifies it in June 1788 with help of George Washington.

– NY finally ratifies it in July 1789.

1789

Answer:• 1st session of Congress convenes in NYC March 4th.• Georgia Washington is unanimously elected President & John

Adams VP by electoral college April 30th.– N. Carolina and Rhode Island refused to approve the Constitution or take part in the new

government until Congress agreed to add a bill of rights.

• Congress creates Departments of State, Treasury, War & Justice• GW selects cabinet = Secretaries for Departments w/ majority of

Senate’s approval:– Sec. of State = Thomas Jefferson (VA)– Sec. of Treasury = Alexander Hamilton (NY)– Sec. of War = Henry Knox (Mass.)– Attorney General = Edmund Randolph (VA)

• Judiciary Act of 1789 passed by Congress.• French Revolution begins • July 4th = Congress passed 1st Tariff = led by Madison (loved by Hamilton),

enacted a 5% tax on imports to raise revenue.

End OF Material for

Unit 2

1789-1793

Answer:

• George Washington’s 1st term as President

1790

Answer:• 1st national census = 4 million population• R.I. ratifies the Constitution & joins the U.S. • Hamilton issued his Report on Public Credit to Congress:

– “B.E. F.A.T.” = • Bank of the U.S. • Excise Tax on whiskey,• Funding at par (original value of the debt) • Assumption of state debts• Tariffs.

• July 16th =District of Columbia created.– Wash. signed bill that permanently placed the nation’s capital along

the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland.– This bill was the Southern states’ reward in exchange for passing

the assumption of states’ debts bill.*****

• Dec. 1790= capital moved from NYC to Philadelphia where it remained until 1800.

1791

Answer:• 1st B.U.S. is chartered by Congress for 20 yrs.

• Ham. wanted a B.U.S. to stabilize the national economic system.• Wash. asks his cabinet for their opinion on the B.U.S.!

– Sec. of State Jeff. says it is unconstitutional b/c not strictly enumerated. • Wash. sided with Ham. even though he wasn’t completely convinced.

– Why? If can’t decide, go with the person/department involved, they hopefully know more.

• In the doctrine of implied powers, Ham. used a loose construction of the Constitution to defend his proposal for a central BUS. He argued that the B.U.S. was a means by which Congress could exercise its constitutional power to collect taxes and regulate trade.

• According to Ham., b/c that power (trade) is specifically enumerated in the Constitution, the creation of the BUS was a means toward that end & thus constitutional.

• 1st Internal Revenue Law passed = excise tax on whiskey• Framers in the West HATE the tax b/c they rely on distilling whiskey in order to

use up surplus rye and corn crops. Federal law allows tax agents to enter homes and collect taxes from whiskey producers!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Miami Indians beat a US military force of 1400 men led by Gen. St. Clair (900 US lives lost). Wash. had sent the Gen. to the Ohio territory with the hope that his presence would clear the way for US settlers. Oops. (Nov.)

• Bill of Rights ratified by 2/3 of the states. (Dec.)• Congress rejects Hamilton’s Manufacturing Plan.

1st Bank of the United States

• The 1st Bank of the United States began operation in 1791 and was jointly funded by private and government monies.

• The Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton modeled it after the Bank of England as an institution meant to spur private commerce and support government funding of debts.

• The Bank was the nation's largest business enterprise of the time, capitalized at $10 million. Its shares, at $400 each, sold out within hours of being offered to the public on the 4th of July.

• By 1805 the Bank had 7 branches which circulated an acceptable form of paper currency throughout the country, although it was used mainly for wholesale rather than retail purchases.

• Critics of the Bank (D-Rs) feared that national finances would be controlled by only the very wealthy, who owned 80% of the shares, while supporters felt it was important to have a bank that allowed the federal government ready access to large reserves of deposits.

• Thomas Jefferson, who had argued that the Bank was unconstitutional, got rid of the remaining 2,200 shares of government stock in 1802 after becoming president.

• Congress allowed the Bank's charter to expire in 1811 (20 yrs later.)

1792

Answer:• Jan. = Thomas Pinckney appointed 1st

US Minister/Ambassador to England by Washington.

• He’s told to convey a spirit of “sincere friendship” and

• To seek liberation of US commerce from British regulations.

• The Militia Act is passed.• Passed b/c of growing resistance from Indians in the

NW Territory.• It commissioned Gen. Anthony Wayne as Commander

in Chief of the Army & authorized that all white males b-w 18 & 45 be enrolled for military service.

• Nov. = Wash. re-elected to 2nd term as President!!!

1793-1797

Answer:

• George Washington’s 2nd term as President.

1793

Answer:• Jan. = French King Louis XVI beheaded• April = France declares war on England, Spain, Prussia & Austria.

• France sends over Citizen Genet• Wash. issues the Neutrality Proclamation unilaterally• Citizen Genet/France angers Wash. threatening our neutrality

• June = Britain blockades French ports to all Neutral shipping • spread of D-R clubs freak out Federalists

• July = Jefferson turns in his letter of resignation after Wash. begins to heed Ham.’s advise on foreign affairs.

• Not effective until Dec. 31st, though• Oct. = Reign of Terror begins in France (lasts until July 1794)• Nov. = Great Britain issues Order of Council that allow for the seizure

of American ships carrying French goods in the West Indies & the impressments of American sailors.

• England then captures several hundred US vessels w/o warning US. • Jeff. wants a U.S. embargo against Brit. but it doesn’t happen!! • Result = tension b-w US & GB rises to the verge of war.

• Dec. = Jefferson resigns as Sec. of State; Edmund Randolph replaces him.

• ****1793 = Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin increasing slave demand in the South****

1794

Answer:• Jan. = 1,000 Brit. Soldiers still occupy NW Territory violating 1783 Treaty

• April = Senate confirms Wash.’s choice of John Jay, Chief Justice of

S.Ct., as special envoy to Britain. • Jay’s assignment is to seek British withdrawal from the NW Territory, reparations

for US ships seized by Brit., an end to impressments of US sailors, compensation for slaves seized during Am. Revolt., & restoration of trade rights in the West Indies.

• June = Neutrality Act passed by Congress.• The Act forbade US citizens from enlisting in service of a foreign god’s & bans the

outfitting of armed foreign vessels in US ports.• July-Nov. = Whiskey Rebellion

• Small farmers in western Penn. break into an open revolt against a 1791 federal excise tax on whiskey producers, comparing the tax to the Stamp Act of 1765.

• In response, Wash. calls up 15,000 militia from VA, MD, NJ & PA. After attempts to reach a negotiated settlement fail, he follows Ham.’s advice & orders the militia to forcibly put down the rebellion

• Important b/c it displays the use of federal power to enforce federal law w/in a state.

• Aug. = Battle of Fallen Timber• Treaty of Greenville

1795

Answer:• Jan. = Naturalization Act passed = non-citizens must live in US for 5 years

before they apply for naturalized citizenship.– Ham. resigns as Sec. of Treasury!!! Still active politically & influences Wash.

• March = Opposition to Jay’s Treaty after it’s terms become public. D-Rs insist better terms could have been reached if embargo had occurred.

– Southern planter’s angry over not being reimbursed for slaves. Northern merchants angry, too.

• June = Jay’s Treaty = Senate ratifies & Wash. reluctantly signs. Political humiliation for US

– GB agrees to withdraw its troops from NW Territory by 1796– GB agrees to pay US $10 million in reparations for seized ships– GB agrees to open ports in Brit. West Indies to very limited US trade.– US agrees to settle pre-Revolt. War debts owed to Brit. creditors– US agrees to allow Brit. subjects to continue trading fur on US soil.– ****GB does NOT agree to stop impressing Am. Sailors*****– ****France/Spain see this as an act defying neutrality = Anglo-American

Alliance****• ****NOT TRUE OF COURSE****

• Oct. = Pickney’s Treaty (officially Treaty of San Lorenzo) = Awesome treaty for US It helps US gain control over its vast western lands.

– Spain recognizes the Miss. River to be the U.S. western border. – Spain recognizes the 31st parallel to be US southern border. – Spain gives US right to deposit goods at the Port of New Orleans w/o having to

pay. – US have access to Miss. River (sharing w/ Spain.)

1796

Answer:• Sept. = Washington’s Farewell Address:

– Madison, Ham. & Jay helped him write it.– Published in the newspaper in Philadelphia– Announces:

• 1. Not running for a 3rd term• 2. Beware of political factions/parties, especially along regional lines• 3. Protect nation’s public credit• 4. Stay clear of permanent foreign political alliances = isolationalism

• Nov.-Dec.= Election of 1796– 1st election w/ Political Parties: Federalists pick Adams for Pres.&

Pinckney for VP; D-R pick Jefferson for Pres. & Burr for VP.– Choosing b-w Adams & Jeff. was like choosing b-w the head & the heart

of the Am. Revolt.– Mudslinging campaign by party not candidates– Candidate w/ most electoral votes = Pres. & 2nd place =VP regardless of

party– Hamilton (Federalist) tries to manipulate the Electoral College so that

Pinckney (Federalist) becomes President instead of VP and Adams (Federalist) becomes VP instead of Pres.

– This backfires & Adams wins Presidency BUT Jefferson becomes VP instead of Pinckney. (Wash. put support behind Adams.)

– So, President=Adams=Federalist and VP=Jefferson=D-R

1797

Answer:• March = Adams inaugurated as 2nd Pres. of US

– Out of the 1st six presidents, Adams is the only one to have a male heir & his son becomes Pres.

– Adams asks Jeff. to be his partner as VP & part of his cabinet. Adams was fighting the Federalists for this bipartisan relationship. Jeff. refuses. Jeff. & Adams stop speaking after this. Party politics & lines now too strong.

• April = Relations w/ France deteriorate! Quasi-War begins!!! – French become enraged when the Anglo-American Jay Treaty takes affect b/c it does

not guarantee US trade rights w/ France. – France begins seizing US ships & cargoes – France refuses to receive US minister, Charles Cotesworth Pickney, who Pres.

Adams had sent to Paris to secure friendly relations. • October = XYZ Affair

– To avoid a war w/ France over whether the US should take France’s side in its war w/ Britain, Adams sent a US delegation to France to negotiate.

– France’s foreign minister, Tallyrand, sent 3 agents to greet the US delegation upon arrival.

– The agents asked for a $250,000 bribe + a $12 million dollar loan for the French gov’t before the US delegates could speak w/ Tallyrand.

– Insulted the US delegation returned to the US.– Adams tried to keep the insult quiet b/c he knew Americans would demand war.– Adams released it to the public though, when Jeff. & the D-Rs blasted HIM for trying to

start a war w/ France. However, the names of the 3 French diplomats were not released; Adams used the pseudonym XYZ to describe them.

– Public opinion of XYZ then hurt the D-Rs****

1798

Answer:• January = 11th Amend. passed

– fed’l cts. decide cases involving people from diff. states• May = Department of the Navy & Provisional Army created

– Congress creates Dept. of the Navy in preparation for war w/ France.– Provisional Army (New Army) gave Adams power to enlist 10,000 men for service. Authorized

Adams to instruct commanders of ships-of-war to seize armed French vessels attacking US merchants along the coast.

• June = Naturalization & Alien Acts passed by Congress.• Naturalization Act:

– Must live 14 years in US & declare intent to be US citizen 5 years ahead of time.– Most recent immigrants were D-Rs.

• Alien Act granted Adams the power to deport any foreigner he deemed potentially dangerous to the country’s safety.

• July = Adams appoints Washington commanding general of the US military. Wash. accepts on the condition that Ham. Is appointed 2nd in command.

– Alien Enemies Act is passed = allows the US gov’t to arrest any citizen of an enemy power who resides in, or visits the US in times of declared war.

– Sedition Act passed= virtually nullifies the 1st Amend. freedoms of speech & press. It makes all US citizens subject to fines (up to $5,000) or prison if found to be “obstructing the implementation of federal law, or for publishing malicious or false writings against Congress, the pres., or the gov’t.”

• Passed by Federalists b/c of D-R’s criticism**• Adams never enthusiastically enforced the Alien Acts BUT he & his party used the Sedition Act to send

reporters, newspaper publishers & even a congressman to jail.• When Jefferson’s president, the D-Rs will repeal the Naturalization Act, and the other acts expire at the

beginning of his presidency. • Sedition Act KILLS Federalist Party. Why? “reign of witches” makes D-Rs arrested into martyrs.• Became a joke = D-R arrested for saying Adams had a big butt. Found NOT GUILTY b/c it was true. • D-R’s stood back & let the Feds KILL themselves.

Answer continued:• Nov.-Dec= Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions – statements by

these states refusing to enforce the acts & even threatening to nullify them.– Ky Resolution: Jeff. wrote it in response to the Sedition Act.

• State’s rights argument: Sedition Act is unconstitutional b/c it violates the natural rights of the citizens of each state to control their own domestic affairs. (violates 10th Amend.)

• Nullification doctrine = fed’l law can be nullified by states. States have the right to secede if fed’l courts refuse to uphold the states’ decisions.

• KY passes the resolution after deleting the nullification section. Too radical. Madison collaborates w/ Jeff. & convinces him to chill on the succession idea.

– Virginia Resolution: Madison wrote in response to the Sedition Act.• Sedition Act is unconstitutional b/c it violates the 1st freedoms of speech &

press.• Judicial Review = Fed’l Courts should be in charge of reviewing laws &

declaring them constitutional or unconstitutional.– VA, feared a federal attack & mobilized its state militia after publishing

the resolution for a possible showdown w/ Adams. Federalist Hamilton, now in charge of the federal military was ready to send in troops.

– Adams did NOT want a civil war!!!! He looked for a political solution & decided to make peace w/ France himself. He ignored Congress, his cabinet, and sent one last envoy to France to negotiate peace.

1799

Answer:• Feb. = Adams separates from Hamiltonian Federalists

• US has 1st naval victory in the Quasi-War • March = Adams sends envoy to France to have peace w/ France &

not an all-out war. • Why did he send it?

– 1. Adams hated & distrusted Hamilton.» Ham. manipulated his cabinet against him. » Ham. had convinced the Congress to create a dangerous/expensive

Provisional Army against Adam’s wishes. Adams loved the Navy.» If no war w/ France, then Ham.’s Provisional Army was no longer needed &

Ham. would lose power & never be a military dictator. – 2. John Quincy reports from Prussia say Tallyrand will receive US with respect &

eager for peace. – 3. Adams is personally declaring his independence from the Federalist Party. It’s

the virtuous/right thing to do; it’s what’s best for the country.» Adams will change parties in 1812 b/c of his hatred for Ham. & betrayal of the

Federalists. He will become a D-R, and his son will win the presidency as a D-R. (1812 Adams will renew correspondence/friendship w/ Jeff. as well)

• April-Nov. = Adams demobilized the Provisional Army. • Wanted to prevent a confrontation w/ VA. Hamilton was furious!!• Adams fired two members of his cabinet b/c he couldn’t trust them; they were

loyal to Hamilton. Hamilton gets his revenge in the upcoming election. • Nov. = Napoleon Bonaparte now in control of France: military

dictatorship. • Dec. = Washington died at Mount Vernon.

1800

Answer:• Convention of 1800/Treaty of Mortfontaine =

ends Quasi-War and Franco-American Alliance

• Election of 1800 = TJ & Burr tie• Revolution of 1800

1803

Answer:

• Louisiana Purchase – Federalists oppose – establish loose construction of the Constitution

• Marbury vs. Madison - Supreme Court declares parts of the Judiciary Act of 1789 – Supreme Court could declare law unconstitutional and powers of Court only given in Constitution

1807

Answer:• Robert Fulton builds his first steamboat.

• US ship Leopard sunk by Br. for refusal to be searched

• Embargo Act – stop exports – no war, no impressments – Federalist object to cut off trade

1812-1815

Answer:• The War of 1812 – to protest trade, stop

impressments, protect mercantilism

• War Hawks – want Canada to join

• Federalist against war

• Battle of New Orleans

1814

Answer:• Hartford Convention = Federalists

against War of 1812 and mercantile practices of Madison

• Treaty of Ghent – ends war with a status-quo

• Era of Good Feelings begins

1816

Answer:• 2nd Bank of U.S. created

• 1st protective tariff

• American Colonization Society founded – to relocate free blacks to Liberia

• Election of Madison (Rep) vs. King (Fed)

• Henry Clay’s American System – federally founded domestic improvements and protective tariff

1819

Answer:

• Adams-Onis Treaty

• McCulloch v. Maryland

1820

Answer:

• Missouri Compromise – Congress legislates territory North of 36-30 to be free TERRITORY, Maine admitted as free state and Missouri a slave state.

1835-1836

Answer:• Texas War for Independence – “Lone

Star Republic”

1846-1848

Answer:• Mexican-American War- Gen. Taylor

provokes Mexicans by moving into disputed Rio-Grande / Neuces River

• - Three part plan to take over Mexico – decide against

• Slidell Mission –Slidell sent to negotiate – rejected by Mexico

• Wilmot Proviso – no slavery in new states formed from Mexican land – rejected

• 54” 40’ or Fight – Get Oregon below 49th parallel

• Reestablish Independent Treasury System – vaults

• Walker Tariff Bill – lowered tariff

1848

Answer:• Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

• Gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill in California.

• Women's Rights Convention is held in Seneca Falls, NY – headed by Mott and Stanton

• Election of 1848 = Taylor (Whig) defeats Cass (Dem. – father of pop. sovereignty) and Van Buren(Free-Soil – abolitionists)

1849

Answer:• Wilmot-Proviso bill passes in HR but fails

in the Senate b/c balanced!!!!

1850

Answer:• Clay’s Compromise of 1850 – passes as

separate acts during Fillmore – California free state– Mexican Cession – popular sovereignty – TX get $10 million for Western land– Slave trade banned in Washington D.C.– Fugitive Slave Law strengthened

• Clayton – Bulwer Treaty = U.S. and Britain agree to neutrality of a canal in Central America

1854

Answer:• The Kansas-Nebraska Act - passed to

create two territories for a north transcontinental RR to go to west – slavery in territories to be determined by popular sovereignty

• Republican Party created =North fears overturn of Missouri Compromise

• 1854-1859 = Bleeding Kansas – Topeka (Free Soilers) government vs. LeCompton (slavery) gov.

• Ostend Manifesto – Southern Democrats plan to take Cuba – rejected

1857

Answer:• The Dred Scott decision:

– slaves are property to be taken anywhere – allows for slavery in North

– Missouri Compromise unconstitutional– Congress can NOT legislate away slavery in

a territory

• LeCompton Constitution rejected by Congress; Compromise

• Panic of 1857 – depression – Buchanan does nothing

1859

Answer:• John Brown’s Raid – Harpers Ferry to

free slaves

1863

Answer:• Battle at Antietam• The Emancipation Proclamation.• National Banking Act – establish central

banking system• Draft Riot - NY• Battle of Gettysburg – turning point• Battle of Vicksburg = Grant takes Miss.

River• Lincoln announces "10 Percent Plan" –

lenient plan – must swear allegiance to US

1876

Answer:

• Battle of Little Bighorn. – Custer killed

• U.S. vs. Reese- allows voting qualifications – literacy test, poll tax, grandfather clause

• Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone.

• Election 1876: Hayes (Rep) defeats Tilden (Dem)

1890

Answer:• North American Women's Suffrage Association

is founded = NAWSA• Sherman Antitrust Act = “Trusts in restraint

of trade are illegal”• 1890-1900: Blacks are deprived of the vote in

the South.• Battle of Wounded Knee = Indians revolt to

outlawing the sacred ghost dance – Last Indian war

• Sherman Silver Purchase Act – gov’t buys silver but doesn’t coin – curb inflation

• McKinley Tariff Act – raises tariffs

1895

Answer:• U.S. vs. E. C. Knight Co. = difference

between manufacturing and commerce – manufacturing doesn’t violate the Sherman Antitrust Act

• In reDebs – strikes are a restraint of trade under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act

• Pollack vs. Farmers’ Loan and Trust Co. = income tax is unconstitutional

• Booker T. Washington's Atlanta Compromise Speech = both races must accept and help each other – blacks have to earn rights

1896

Answer:

• Plessy vs. Ferguson – “Separate but Equal”

• Election of 1896: McKinley (Rep) defeats Bryan (Dem)

• Cross of Gold Speech by Bryan

1898

Answer:• Gen. Weyler’s reconcentration policy in

Cuba• DeLome Letter• Yellow journalism – Pulitzer & Hearst• U.S.S. Maine blows up off coast of Cuba• Teller Amendment• Spanish American War• U.S. annex Hawaii

1899

Answer:• Treaty of Paris 1899

– U.S. gets Puerto Rico, Guam & buys Philippines for $20 million

• Platt Amendment• Hay’s Open Door policy announced• Philippine-American War begins (ends in

1901).

1900

Answer:• Election: McKinley defeats W. Jennings

Bryan again• Teddy Roosevelt is McKinley’s new VP

• Gold Standard Act – gold standard unit of value

• Boxer Rebellion – Chinese nationalist rebel – foreign nations unite to put down rebellion

1901-1920

Answer:• Progressive Era = cure corruption, anti-

monopolies, temperance, help immigrants and labor, building codes, public utilities

1901

Answer:• US Steel Corporation formed

• Platt Amendment – gave US a base in Cuba and permission for troops to intervene and consent to treaties

• Insular Cases – Constitution does not follow the flag

1906

Answer:

• Upton Sinclair writes The Jungle – meat packing reform – resulted in Meat Inspection Act

• Gentleman’s Agreement – Japanese can return to school – if Japan limits immigration

• T. Roosevelt negotiates Treaty of Portsmouth of Russo-Japanese War – receives Nobel Peace Prize

• Hepburn Act - strengthened the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission

• Pure Food and Drug Act - Established Food and Drug Administration

1909

Answer:• NAACP is founded.

• Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy (Haiti, Nicaragua)

• Payne-Aldrich Tariff = lowered tariffs

• Ballinger - Pinchot Controversy = Ballinger, Sec. of Interior, dismissed – charged with not following nation’s conservation policy

1914

Answer:• WWI begins in Europe

• The Clayton Antitrust Act – amendment to Sherman Anti-Trust Act – strengthen anti-monopolistic reform

• Federal Trade Commission created to enforce anti-trust legislation

• United States invades Vera Cruz in Mexico

1917

Answer:• US enters WWI

• Great Migration = blacks move from South to North – causes race riots – Harlem Renaissance – Garvey back to Africa movement

• Creel Committee: Public Info. – spread propaganda – formed Liberty Leagues

1919

Answer:• Treaty of Versailles = Germany accepts full blame,

demilitarize Rhineland, Ger. Looses all colonies, reparations

• Red Scare =Palmer Raids• Shenck vs. US – “clear and present danger” – open

opposition to war will undermine war effort• Senate rejects Versailles Treaty and League of

Nations – Irreconcilables – Borah – disagree with Article X = involvement

in foreign affairs– Reservationists – Lodge – accept treaty if Article X is clarified

– only Congress can commit troops• 18th Amendment is ratified prohibiting sale,

manufacturing of alcoholic beverages.• Volstead Act = enforced 18th Amendment • Race riots - Chicago

1920

Answer:

• Election: Harding (GOP) wins = Return to Normalcy

• 19th Amendment grants Women Suffrage.

• Women vote 1st time

• KDKA – 1st radio station

• First Commercial radio broadcast.

1947

Answer:• Marshall Plan = economic aid to Europe after

WWII• Taft –Hartley Act = 80 cooling period not to

strike – labor leaders must sign Non-Communist oath

• Truman Doctrine = financial commitment to nations fighting Communism

• Federal Employee Loyalty Program – anti-communistic oaths

• National Security Act = created CIA• Jackie Robinson breaks color barrier in major

league baseball

1948

Answer:• Election of 1948 =Truman defeats

Dewey and Strom Thurman (DixieCrat)

• Truman desegregates armed forces

• Berlin Blockade - Berlin Airlift starts

• OAS = Alliance of North America and South America

• Alger Hiss Case = convicted of perjury– HUAC; Nixon; Pumpkin Papers

• Nuremberg trials begin

1949

Answer:• NATO formed

• China becomes communist under Mao

• Russia’s gets 1st A-Bomb

• Department of Defense created

• West Germany created

• Fair Deal: most don’t pass; Housing Act (construction increases); minimum wage increases

• Orwell, Ninteen Eighty-Four

1950

Answer:• Korean War begins – enter because of

containment

• McCarren Internal Security Act – illegal to contribute to Communism

• McCarthyism – fear of communism wide spread

• National Security Council Memo 68 – beginning of massive defense spending to stop communism

1953

Answer:• Rosenbergs executed

• Armistice in Korea – 38th parallel

• Shah of Iran returns to power in coup – to keep Iran from going Communistic

• Krushchev takes control of Russia

1954

Answer:• Army – McCarthy hearings = brought down Joseph

McCarthy• Brown vs. Board of Education = overturns Plessy vs.

Ferguson decision• SEATO = alliance Turkey, US, Iraq, and Iran• Fall of Dien Bien Phu = French loose in Vietnam• Geneva Accords = reduction of nuclear weapons,

divide Vietnam along 17th parallel for 2 years until free elections

• China (Mao) bombs Taiwan = Eisenhower threatens to send troops in and the A-bomb - brinkmanship

– Eisenhower sends troops to Taiwan & China backs off. Brinkmanship worked.

1960

Answer:• U-2 incident – US spy plane goes down

in USSR – convert operation discovered

• Greensboro sit -in

• Election 1960: Kennedy (Dem) defeats Nixon (Rep) – 1st TV debate

1961

Answer:• Bay of Pigs Invasion: attempt to overthrow

Castro – fails• U.S. trade embargo on Cuba• Alliance for Progress - to build up Third

World nations to the point where they could manage their own affairs.

• Berlin wall built to stop crossing• Peace Corps – encouraged US citizens to

help third world countries• Organization of Petroleum Exporting

Countries (OPEC) - an Arab majority - oil trade - joined together to protect themselves.

1962

Answer:• Cuban Missile Crisis – USSR sends missiles

to Cuba – US removes missiles from Turkey and USSR from Cuba.

• Baker vs. Carr – end of gerrymandering – manipulating voting districts

• Engel v. Vitale - prayer in public schools were banned on violation the First Amendment.

• Silent Spring by Rachel Carson – on pollution• Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

created - condemned anti-Democratic tendencies of large corporations, racism and poverty

1963

Answer:• March on Washington: Martin Luther

King Jr. I have a Dream Speech

• Test Ban Treaty – no testing in atmosphere or ocean – US, USSR, Br

• Kennedy assassinated by Oswald – Johnson becomes President

• The Feminine Mystique , Betty Freidan

1965

Answer:• Medicare and Medicaid – aid to elderly &

poor for healthcare• Higher Education Act – Federal Scholarships• Ralph Nadar's Unsafe at any Speed -

criticized poor construction and design of automobiles

• Watts, Detroit race riots - army sent in• Voting Rights Act - it allowed for supervisors

to register Blacks to vote in places where they had not been allowed to vote before

1968

Answer:• Election of 1968 – RFK shot; Demo.

National Convention riots in Chicago; Nixon elected

• Nixon's "New Federalism" - returning power to the states

• TET – Viet Cong attacks during Vietnamese holiday

• Civil Rights Act attempted to provide Blacks with equal-opportunity housing.

1969

Answer:• Vietnamization begins – slow withdrawal of

troops from Vietnam• Nixon Doctrine – reducing number of troops

abroad by helping nations economically and militarily

• Neil Armstrong walks on the moon• Warren E. Burger appointed - a conservative

to fill Earl Warren's liberal spot.]• U.S. bombed North Vietnamese positions in

Cambodia and Laos. Technically illegal because Cambodia and Laos were neutral

1970

Answer:• Kent State = Protest war & invasion of

Cambodia– troops sent in & 4 students die

1972

Answer:• Nixon visits Red China and Russia: eases

tensions/détente working • SALT1: Nuclear arms limitation agreement• Watergate Scandal begins: burglarizing and

wiretapping the national headquarters of the Democratic Party -- investigation headed by Baker

• Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) - proposed the 27th Amendment, calling for equal rights for both sexes

• Election of 1972: Nixon re-elected defeating McGovern in largest landslide victory

1973

Answer:• Treaty of Paris: Ends Vietnam – troops

withdrawn – Vietnam temp. divided again• Gideon vs. Wainwright - court decided

that state and local courts must provide counsel for defendants in felony cases

• Roe vs. Wade - states can’t restrict abortions during the 1st trimester. It’s a constitutional privacy right implied in Bill of Rights.

• VP Agnew resigns: Ford replaces him 25th Amend.

1974

Answer:• Nixon resigns

• Ford pardons Nixon

1975

Answer:• US ship Mayaquez attacked by

Cambodia - crew rescued

• North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam; South becomes Communist

1976

Answer:

• Election of 1976: Carter defeats Ford

• 1977:US gives up rights to Panama Canal in 1999

1979

Answer:• Department of Energy and Department of

Education created• Fuel shortage b/c of continued OPEC

embargo; stagflation• Camp David Accords: Peace between Israel

and Egypt• Shah expelled from Iran: American embassy

taken hostage: Carter’s rescue mission fails• SALT II - Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with

Russia - removed after Russia attacked Afghanistan

• Three Mile Island - power plant failure emits radiation in Pennsylvania