Why was the Judiciary Act of 1789 important?

1. Why was the Judiciary Act of 1789 important? • The Constitution had authorized Congress to establish a federal court system, but didn’t provide details. • The Judiciary Act set up a Supreme Court, three federal circuit courts, and thirteen federal district courts. Although these numbers have expanded, the essential structure has remained the same through today. • Section 25 of the Act also allowed state decisions to be appealed to federal courts, thus confirming that federal laws trump state laws.

2. Why is Article 6 of the Constitution important? • This section of the Constitution guarantees that federal laws remained the “supreme Law of the Land.” In other words, the federal government ‘trumps’ the state governments. • This clause is usually cited by those who favored a strong central government over state governments.

3. Who made up GW’s Cabinet? • GW’s closest advisers were: • Henry Knox as Secretary of War; • AH as Secretary of the Treasury; • TJ as Secretary of State; and • Edmund Randolph as Attorney General.

4. What were some of TJ’s main beliefs? • Because he distrusted the wealthy and monarchy, he believed in states’ rights. • He believed in a nation based on farmer-citizens. • He believed in a ‘strict’ interpretation of the Constitution, meaning that the government had rights only explicitly outlined in the document itself.

5. What were some of AH’s main beliefs? • AH believed in a strong central government, run by the elite. • AH believed that industry and commerce would make the nation prosperous. • He also had a ‘loose’ interpretation of the Constitution, meaning that the government can do whatever is ‘necessary and proper’ to carry out its enumerated powers. • This was based on the Elastic Clause, or Article 1, Section 8, Number 18 of the Constitution itself.

6. Describe some the key components of AH’s economic plans: • As an incentive for creditors to support the new federal government, AH proposed that the federal government assume the state’s debts. This greatly favored the North because it all but guaranteed the creditors would be repaid. He hoped that the rich would have an incentive to see the new government succeed. • AH also helped establish the Bank of the United States. This would be funded by wealthy investors and the government. • Opponents claimed that this would forge an ‘unhealthy alliance’ between the government and the rich. • To appease them, AH proposed that the capital be moved from NYC to the District of Columbia, between Maryland and Virginia.

7. What did TJ do in response to the direction the new government was heading? • TJ started his own political party: the Republicans. • Later, they became known as the Democratic-Republicans and found support in the South and West. • They were the ancestors of today’s Democratic Party.

8. What kind of taxes did Congress institute to help pay down the national debt? • Protective tariffs are those placed on foreign imports. Although they raise prices, they help domestic industries. • Excise taxes are levied on a product’s manufacture, sale, or distribution. • An excise tax was placed on whiskey. When farmers rebelled in the Whiskey Rebellion, GW and AH led federal troops to quell the uprising. It was the first time the new government passed a tax and forced payment. It was also a show of strength by the new government.

9. Who tried to garner American support for the French Revolution? • Edmond Genet hoped to persuade the US to honor the Treaty of 1778 and aid France to overthrow the monarchy. • However, when GW issued his declaration of neutrality, Genet continued to recruit American aid. • TJ supported the French Revolution and was widely criticized. Thus, he resigned from the Cabinet.

10. What did the Treaty of San Lorenzo state? • Fearing a British-American alliance in retaliation for their treaty with France, Spain agreed to negotiate with the US. • Spain gave up claims to land east of the Mississippi, except Florida. The northern boundary for FL was set at the 31st parallel. • Spain also agreed to open the Mississippi River and New Orleans to American shippers and traders. • This was also known as Pinckney’s Treaty.

11. What battle ended Native resistance in Ohio? • Natives in the Ohio region never accepted the terms of the Treaty of Paris and continued to fight for their land. • After two successful battles against the whites, Miami chieftain Little Turtle urged peace. • However, General ‘Mad Anthony’ Wayne defeated the Miami at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. This ended Native resistance in Ohio. • The Treaty of Greenville was signed and began a pattern in which the government paid the Natives much less than what the land was actually worth.

12. What did Jay’s Treaty determine? • The British agreed to evacuate the forts in the Northwest Territory after the news of the Battle of Fallen Timbers arrived. • The fur trade continued along the Canadian border, but a British military presence was gone.

13. What election highlighted the danger of sectionalism? • The election of 1796 displayed sectionalism, or placing the interests of one region over that of the nation as a whole. • Almost all the electors from the South voted for TJ (Republican) because he favored state government and agriculture, while all the electors from the North voted for Adams (Federalist) because he supported industry and commerce.

14. What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? • In response to anti-French sentiment, Congress passed a series of measures: • They raised the residency requirement for American citizenship from 5 to 14 years; • They allowed the president to jail or deport anyone considered to be undesirable; • They also set fines and jail terms for anyone expressing ‘false, scandalous, and malicious statements’ about the government. • Under these acts, the government prosecuted many Democratic-Republicans for opposing the government.

15. How did the D-Rs respond to the Alien and Sedition Acts? • The D-Rs claimed the A&S Acts were violations of freedom of speech. • James Madison crafted the Virginia Resolution, while TJ drafted the Kentucky Resolutions. • These stated the policy of nullification, or the right of the states to void any act of the federal government they deemed unconstitutional.

16. Why was the election of 1800 significant? • This election pitted DR TJ against Federalist John Adams. • TJ got the same electoral college votes as Aaron Burr, his VP. The HoR was called upon to decide who should become president. • Because AH supported TJ, Burr shot and killed AH in a duel. • The 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution to require that separate ballots be cast for the Pres & VP candidates.

17. What did John Adams do on the last day as President? • Because the Judiciary Act of 1801 increased the amount of federal judges, Adams appointed Federalist judges on his last day before TJ would take over. • The judges were called ‘midnight judges’ and angered TJ because of the late timing.

18. Why was Marbury v. Madison significant? • Chief Justice John Marshall affirmed the principle of judicial review. • Judicial review is the ability of the Supreme Court to declare an act of Congress as unconstitutional.

19. What major land purchase did TJ make as president? • Napoleon sold his claim to the Louisiana Territory to TJ in 1803. • TJ was conflicted because as a strict constructionist, there was nothing in the Constitution about acquiring land. • However, after the purchase, TJ authorized the Corps of Discovery to chronicle the land. Lewis&Clark were greatly assisted by Sacajawea, who served as an interpreter and guide.

20. What were some of the main reasons for the War of 1812? • The British blockade of American ships bound for Europe; • British impressment and harassment of US sailors, such as in the Chesapeake incident; and • British assistance of the Native Americans whom were still fighting with white settlers over the land.

21. Why was Tecumseh’s role leading up to the War of 1812 important? • Shawnee chief Tecumseh and his brother, Prophet, traveled through the US and the territories building a confederation of Natives to fight against the US government. • In response, General William Henry Harrison defeated the Shawnee at the Battle of Tippecanoe in the Indiana territory. • When it was discovered that the Natives had been using weapons supplied by the British, southern and western Congressional ‘war hawks,’ led by Henry Clay, demanded war with Britain.

22. What were some of the major effects of the War of 1812? • Leading up to the war, TJ’s Embargo Act in response to the blockades had stimulated industrialization in the US. • WHH, because of Tippecanoe, and AJ, because of New Orleans, became war heroes. AJ’s victory over the Natives at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend destroyed Native power in the South. • The Capitol and the White House were burned. Dolly Madison saved this portrait of GW from the flames. • The Treaty of Ghent and subsequent treaties established peace, land rights, and demilitarized the Great Lakes between the US and Britain.

23. Now that you know a bunch of these ‘founding fathers,’ who is on each of the dollar bills? • One dollar: GW • Two dollar: TJ • Five dollar: Lincoln • Ten dollar: AH • Twenty dollar: AJ • Fifty dollar: US Grant • Hundred dollar: Ben Franklin