Term
| What is the purpose of government according to natural right philosophers? |
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Definition
| It is there to protect natural rights and to rule the people. The people have agreed to obey this government because of the social compact |
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Term
| What did G.Washington stress in his Farewell Address? |
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Definition
| it, he reminded Americans of all that bound them together as a people. Next, Washington warned of two threats to the nation’s future. One of those threats was problems the nation was having with other countries. The other threat was the “spirit of party.” It was natural for people to hold different opinions, Washington said. But he warned against the dangers of passionate loyalty to parties. If fighting between parties was not controlled, it could tear the young nation apart. |
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Term
| The French Revolution caused two parties to form in the US. What were they, who lead them, and what were their views on the Revolution? |
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Definition
Jefferson and his followers, who began calling themselves Democratic-Republicans, or simply Republicans. The Republicans saw the French Revolution as part of a great crusade for democracy.
Hamilton and his followers, who called themselves Federalists, were appalled by the bloodshed. Many Federalists were themselves wealthy. After hearing about the fate of wealthy families in France, they began to fear for their own safety, wondering whether such terrors could happen in the United States. |
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Term
| Who were the major reformers of the 19th century, and what did they accomplish? |
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Definition
Ralph Waldo Emerson, a former minister, was the central figure in a movement called transcendentalism[transcendentalism: a philosophy emphasizing that people should transcend, or go beyond, logical thinking to reach true understanding, with the help of emotions and intuition].
Dix and other reformers believed that the mentally ill needed treatment and care, not punishment. Dix continued campaigning for prison reform for the rest of her life.
Horace Mann, led this movement.Citizens in Massachusetts responded to Mann’s message. They voted to pay taxes to build better schools, to provide teachers with higher salaries, and to establish special training schools for teachers.
In 1831, a deeply religious white man, William Lloyd Garrison, started a fiery abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator.
Braving the disapproval of many Northerners, Garrison demanded the immediate freeing of all slaves.
Douglass quickly became a leader in the abolitionist movement. His autobiography, published in 1845, was an instant best seller. A brilliant and independent thinker, Douglass eventually started his own newspaper, North Star. |
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Term
| What major events led to the war of 1812? |
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Definition
| He offered France and Great Britain a deal: if you agree to cease[cease: to stop doing something] your attacks on American ships, the United States will stop trading with your enemy.Impressment.The Jay Treaty. James Madison chose to abandon isolationism. At his request, Congress declared war on Great Britain on July 17, 1812. This was a bold step for a nation with an army of 7,000 poorly trained men and a navy of only 16 ships. |
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Term
| Political beliefs of Hamilton? |
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Definition
| Hamilton’s view of human nature was shaped by his wartime experiences.Most Federalists shared Hamilton’s view that people were basically selfish and out for themselves. For this reason, they distrusted any system of government that gave too much power to “the mob,” or the common people. Federalists believed that “the best people” —educated, wealthy, public-spirited men like themselves—should run the country. Such people, they believed, had the time, education, and background to run the country wisely. Federalists favored a strong national government.Hamilton wanted to expand the economy and increase the nation’s wealth by using the power of the federal government to promote business, manufacturing, and trade.When the French Revolution began, Hamilton hoped that it would lead to the “establishment of free and good government.” But as he watched it lead instead to chaos and bloodshed, his enthusiasm for the revolution cooled. |
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Term
| Political Beliefs of Jefferson? |
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Definition
| Jefferson’s view of human nature was much more hopeful than Hamilton’s. He assumed that informed citizens could make good decisions for themselves and their country.Jefferson had great faith in the goodness and wisdom of people who worked the soil—farmers and planters like himself. Republicans favored democracy over any other form of government. They had no patience with the Federalists’ view that only the “best people” should rule. To Republicans, this view came dangerously close to monarchy, or rule by a king.Republicans believed that the best government was the one that governed the least. A small government with limited powers was most likely to leave the people alone to enjoy the blessings of liberty.Republicans favored an economy based on agriculture.For this change of heart, a Republican newspaper called the Federalists “British bootlickers,” implying that they were weak and eager to please the British.Despite the violence of the revolution, most Republicans continued to support France. While regretting the bloodshed, they argued that the loss of a few thousand aristocrats was a small price to pay for freedom. |
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