American History: A Survey (Brinkley), 13th Edition

Chapter 6: THE CONSTITUTION AND THE NEW REPUBLIC

Main themes of Chapter Six:

• The origins of and debates surrounding the U.S. Constitution, and how the debates were resolved



• The differing views of what the nation should become, and how these differences led to the rise of the Federalists, the Republicans, and America's "first party system"



• The ways in which the new United States tried to establish itself as a nation in the eyes of both foreign powers and its own people



• The rise and fall of the Federalist Party and the background of the "Revolution of 1800"

• The groups that advocated a stronger national government and how they, probably a minority, were able to achieve their objective



• The historical debate concerning the motives of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention



• The debate over the Virginia and New Jersey plans and how it was resolved



• The idea of federalism and the working design of the American Constitution



• The importance of The Federalist Papers in the ratification struggle, and the arguments of the Antifederalist opposition



• The financial program of Alexander Hamilton, and its contribution to the success of the new government



• The emergence of the first party system, the political philosophies of the Federalists and Republicans, and their respective influence through the election of 1800



• The ways in which the weak new nation coped with various domestic and international problems, including the Whiskey Rebellion, Native American unrest, and the "quasi war" with France



• The presidency of John Adams, the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, and their role in helping to bring about the "Revolution of 1800"