1. George Washington ( )
As 1st president, set precedents (examples)
Created the Cabinet
Served only 2 terms
Foreign policy of neutrality
Helped turn the ideas in the Constitution into a strong national government
Judiciary Act of 1789 sets up federal courts
Hamilton’s financial plan creates a national bank
Used military force to put down the Whiskey Rebellion
Warned us against military alliances and political parties in his Farewell Address

2. John Adams ( )
Leading member of the Federalist party, he believed in a strong national government and that the elastic clause could be used to stretch the power of the federal government (loose interpretation of the Constitution)
XYZ Affair– French diplomats demand bribes from the US, resulting in tension (quasi-war) between France and the US until 1800
The Alien and Sedition Acts made people afraid that the Federalists were abusing their power
Sedition Act: Punished people for speaking out against the government (which violated 1st Amendment freedom of speech/press)
Alien Acts: extended the wait for citizenship to from 5 to 14 years and allowed the president to deport any “dangerous” non-citizen
These laws were designed to weaken the Democratic-Republican party but actually hurt the Federalists
Elected to only one term in office
1st president to reside in the White House– he moved in November 1, 1800 just before he lost the election to Jefferson (his vice president)

3. Election of 1800 John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, received the same number of electoral votes, therefore, they were tied for President.
The tie was broken in the House of Representatives and Jefferson was elected President.
1st peaceful transfer of power from one political party (Federalists) to another (Democratic-Republicans)
Motivated Congress to draft the 12th Amendment which clarified the process to elect the President and Vice President

4. Effects of the Louisiana Purchase
More than doubled the size of the United States (13 states would be created)
Secured American access and control of the Mississippi River
Strengthened the case for loose interpretation of executive power and use of the elastic clause.

5. Thomas Jefferson ( )
Primary author of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Jefferson pardoned all who were convicted under the Alien & Sedition Acts.
Returned naturalization to 5 years
Repealed excise tax on whiskey
Reduced national debt and balanced the budget
Sent the navy to fight the Barbary pirates
Contradicted his belief in strict interpretation of the Constitution by purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million in 1803

6. Alexander Hamilton
One of the authors of the Federalist Papers, which argued for ratification of the Constitution
1st Secretary of the Treasury ( )
His Financial Plan helped create a stable economy for the US and strengthened the power of the national government
Created a national bank (the Bank of the US)
Had the federal government take over all debts from the Revolutionary War, resulting in a compromise that moved the capital of the US from New York to Washington, DC
proposed an excise tax on whiskey
proposed a tariff (tax on imports) to promote manufacturing in the US
Debate over the national bank led to the creation of the 1st political parties in the US
Hamilton was the leader of the Federalist party—believed in a strong national government and the use of the elastic clause by Congress
Shot to death in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr in July 1804

7. Strict construction vs. Loose construction
The Constitution should be interpreted word for word– if it doesn’t say it, the federal gov’t can’t do it
The Constitution should be interpreted broadly—the elastic clause allows Congress to stretch its powers
Ex: Thomas Jefferson (before Louisiana Purchase) and the Democratic Republicans
Ex: Alexander Hamilton and the Bank of the US, the Federalist party

8. Lewis & Clark
Jefferson authorized an expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory.
Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery departed in 1804 and followed the Missouri River westward to the Pacific Ocean.
The Corps returned in 1806 with important data about the landscape, animals, plants, mineral wealth and inhabitants of the area.
Their expedition encouraged settlement of the west.

9. James Madison ( )
Asked Congress to declare war on Britain in 1812 for 2 reasons: the US was hoping to gain land in Canada, and to stop the impressment (kidnapping) of US sailors
War of 1812 is often called 2nd war for American independence; it makes Britain finally respect us as a separate nation
Era of Good Feelings: during Madison’s presidency, the country experiences a feeling of nationalism– there is only 1 dominant political party and we build roads and canals to improve trade inside the country

10. If The War of 1812 ended in a tie, why was it important?
Gave the United States a National Identity
We were able to hold our own against the British
Started us thinking about continuing westward expansion
Led to an increase in nationalism (part of the Era of good Feelings)
British forces captured Washington DC and burned the Capitol building and the White House
Created a hero in Andrew Jackson and the Western Frontiersmen at the Battle of New Orleans (which actually happened after the war had ended)
Gives us Uncle Sam and the poem that will become our national anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner)

11. Significance of Marbury v. Madison
Establishes the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review– the power of the Court to declare a law unconstutitional
If a law conflicts with the Constitution, the law gets thrown away because the Constitution is the supreme law
Expands the power of the judicial branch (judicial review is not in the Constitution!)

12. How did Chief Justice John Marshall’s decisions strengthen the power of the federal government ( )?
Marbury v. Madison: Established the power of judicial review (which made the judicial branch stronger)
McCulloch v. Maryland: Allowed Congress to stretch its powers under the elastic clause to create a national bank
Used the Supremacy Clause to explain that the federal government should have more power than the states (McCulloch v. Maryland, Gibbons v. Ogden)