Chapter 7

Republicanism

A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed.

Benjamin Banneker

African-American scientist who taught himself calculus and trigonometry. He also helped design the capitol in Washington D.C. He challenged racist theory that claimed they African Americans were inferior.

Fort Stanwix Treaty

An important treaty between North American Indians and the British Empire. It was signed in 1768 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York. The purpose of the conference was to adjust the boundary line between Indian lands and British colonial settlements set forth in the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

Letters of a Federal Farmer

Anti-federalist pamphlet that listed the rights that they believed should be protected by a Bill of Rights

Fugitive Slave Clause

Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution, which stated that slaves who escaped must be returned to their owners. It was later abolished in the Thirteenth Amendment

Northwest Ordinance 1787

Created the Northwest Territory (area north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania), established conditions for self-government and statehood, included a Bill of Rights, and prohibited slavery

The Federalist

Essays promoting ratification of the Constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787 and 1788

Abigail Adams

John Adam's wife, she appealed to her husband to protect the rights of women.

Shays' Rebellion 1787

Led a rebellion of 1,200 men against a Massachusetts arsenal to protest heavy state taxes- he was stopped- led to a call for a revision of the Articles of Confederation by showing its weakness.

Federalists

Led by Alexander Hamilton, the Federalists believed in a strong central government, loose interpretation, and encouraged commerce and manufacturing. They were staunch supporters of the Constitution during ratification and were a political force during the early years of the United States. The Federalist influence declined after the election of Republican Thomas Jefferson to the presidency and disappeared completely after the Hartford Convention.

Constitutional Convention 1787

State delegates met to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately decided to write the Constitution as a replacement.

Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan was presented to the Constitutional Convention and proposed the creation of a bicameral legislature with representation in both houses proportional to population. The Virginia Plan favored the large states, which would have a much greater voice. In opposition, the small states proposed the New Jersey Plan. In the end, the two sides found common ground.

James Madison

The fourth President of the United States (1809-1817). A member of the Continental Congress (1780-1783) and the Constitutional Convention (1787), he strongly supported ratification of the Constitution and was a contributor to The Federalist Papers (1787-1788), which argued the effectiveness of the proposed constitution. His presidency was marked by the War of 1812.

Equal Representation

The idea that each state should have the same number of representatives in Congress. The number of representatives in the Senate is based on this. Initially proposed in the New Jersey Plan.

Articles of Confederation

a written agreement ratified in 1781 by the thirteen original states

Elastic Clause

clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers expressed in the other clauses of Article I

Anti-Federalists

opponents of a strong central government who campaigned against the ratification of the Constitution in favor of a confederation of independant states

New Jersey Plan

plan presented as an alternative to the Virginia plan at the Constitutional Convention; called for a unicameral legislature in which each State would be equally represented

Proportional Representation

representation in Congress based on state population

3/5ths Clause

three of every five slaves would count as population for the purposes of apportioning seats in the House of Representatives.

Land Ordinances 1785

western lands of the colonies were divided into 6-mile squares called townships. Then each township was divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each. Then each section could be sold to settlers. Made land affordable to the "common man".

Judith Sargent Murray

women's theorist who argued for women's education on the basis that women are equally mentally capable