Alexander Hamilton Study Guide: Key Terms and Events

Terms

A Farmer Refuted
Hamilton published this essay as a follow-up to his A Full Vindication of the Measures of the Congress to defend the Continental Congress in Philadelphia from an anonymous essay signed by "A. Westchester Farmer."
A Full Vindication of the Measures of the Congress
Hamilton wrote A Full Vindication of the Measures of the CongressIn Answer to A.W. Farmer in 1774 to defend the American delegates in Philadelphia from the charges of the unknown author "A.W. Farmer". "Farmer" attacked the men in Philadelphia for their willingness to threaten Great Britain with economic sanctions. The following year, Hamilton wrote a follow-up to this essay entitled A Farmer Refuted.
[A] Report on the Public Credit
Hamilton wrote two Reports on the Public Credit while serving as Secretary of the Treasury. In these reports, Hamilton argued that the United States Government should assume the debts of all the states, and pay interest on the debts owed to the nation's creditors.
Anti-Federalist
The Anti-Federalists were those in the government who did not favor a strong national government and wanted to see more power go to individual states. Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton were among the most prominent Anti- Federalists.
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the people of the United States. It established a confederation of sovereign states and a national Congress comprised of representatives from each state. It failed to outline a strong central government, a defect that prompted Alexander Hamilton to call for another convention to amend them.
College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University, was one of the most distinguished colleges in the American colonies in the 1700s. With the recommendation of the Reverend Hugh Knox, Hamilton was interviewed by the school's president, John Witherspoon. When Witherspoon refused to admit Hamilton as a Special Student, Hamilton decided not to attend the college.
Constitution
The Constitution of the United States of America is the document that established the current American system of government. It was drafted to correct the mistakes in the previous Articles of Confederation.
Farewell Address
Alexander Hamilton helped George Washington write his Farewell Address to the Union in 1796. Many of the passages in the speech have a distinctly Hamiltonian flair.
Federalist
The Federalists were those who favored a strong national government over a union of strong state governments. They believed that a strong central government was the only method to ensure the stability of the Union. Hamilton was an ardent Federalist.
Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to convince the American people to ratify the Constitution. Their arguments were extremely persuasive, and the collected essays are regarded as one of the most valuable works on American political philosophy.
King's College
Hamilton attended King's College as a special student from 1774 through 1776. The university later changed its name to Columbia University.
Loose Interpretation
Alexander Hamilton and his followers favored a loose interpretation of the Constitution, which meant they believed that the document permitted everything that it did not expressly forbid. This contrasted sharply with Thomas Jefferson's strict interpretation.
Mint Act
Hamilton succeeded in convincing Congress to pass the Mint Act of 1791 to establish a single national currency.
Neutrality Proclamation
Alexander Hamilton convinced President George Washington to issue a Neutrality Proclamation in 1793 that announced that the United States would not participate in the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.
On the Subject of Manufactures
As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton wrote a report entitled On the Subject of Manufactures in an attempt to convince Congress that manufacturing, and not agriculture, was the future of the nation's economy.
Practical Proceedings in the Supreme Court of New York
Hamilton wrote his Practical Proceedings in the Supreme Court of New York in 1882 to help him prepare for his bar exam. The work was used for several decades after its original publication date as the standard text on New York law.
St. Croix
St. Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea that is now a part of the United States Virgin Islands. Alexander Hamilton spent most of his boyhood years on this island.
Strict Interpretation
Thomas Jefferson favored a strict interpretation of the Constitution, which he interpreted as forbidding everything it did not expressly permit. In contrast, Hamilton favored a loose interpretation.
Tory
Tories were those Americans who remained loyal to the British during the Revolutionary War. Those who remained in the United States after the war's end were criticized heavily for their disloyalty to the Union.

Events

Battle of Monmouth

Hamilton led a charge at the Battle of Monmouth. Although he was not injured, Hamilton had his horse shot out from under him during the attack.
Battle of Princeton

Hamilton participated in the Battle of Princeton in 1777 as an artillery captain.
Battle of Yorktown

Hamilton achieved his dream for glory when he led a charge of 400 men against the British at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
Lexington and Concord

The Battle at Lexington and Concord was the first major skirmish in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain.
Philadelphia Convention

The Philadelphia Convention was a conference originally held to amend the Articles of Confederation. Hamilton called the delegates from each state to the convention after the Annapolis Convention failed.
Rutgers v. Waddington

Rutgers v. Waddington was one of Hamilton's biggest cases as a New York attorney. Although Hamilton lost the case, the judge agreed with his argument that the national government has authority over the state governments.
Shay's Rebellion

Daniel Shays, along with other farmers in western Massachusetts, rebelled against the U.S. Government under the Articles of Confederation. Although Shays' rebellion did not seriously threaten the Union, it prompted a revision of the inadequate Articles.
Valley Forge

Hamilton stayed with George Washington and the Continental Army during the bitter winter of 1777 and 1778 at Valley Forge.
Whiskey Rebellion

When depressed farmers in western Pennsylvania threatened to march on Philadelphia and possibly secede from the Union, Alexander Hamilton convinced George Washington to give him command of a task force of 15,000 troops to fight the rebels. When the insurgents in the Whiskey Rebellion saw Hamilton and his men, they promptly ended their revolt.
XYZ Affair

The XYZ Affair occurred in 1797 when John Jay and two other diplomats went to Paris to negotiate a peace treaty between the United States and France. Three unnamed French diplomats demanded a bribe of $250,000 simply to receive the American delegates. The XYZ Affair greatly angered the American people.

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Terms

A Farmer Refuted

A Full Vindication of the Measures of the Congress

[A] Report on the Public Credit

Anti-Federalist

Articles of Confederation

College of New Jersey

Constitution

Farewell Address

Federalist

Federalist Papers

King's College

Loose Interpretation

Mint Act

Neutrality Proclamation

On the Subject of Manufactures

Practical Proceedings in the Supreme Court of New York

St. Croix

Strict Interpretation

Tory

Events

Battle of Monmouth

Battle of Princeton

Battle of Yorktown

Lexington and Concord

Philadelphia Convention

Rutgers v. Waddington

Shay's Rebellion

Valley Forge

Whiskey Rebellion

XYZ Affair

Popular pages: Alexander Hamilton

Review Quiz FURTHER STUDY

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