APUSH american pagent chapter 9

Reason for convention

"for the sole and express purpose of revising" the Articles of Confederation

Father of The constitution

A title given to James Madison for his role in drafting the document that lays out the system of government in the United States

Bill of Rights

Although the Anti-Federalists failed to block the ratification of the Constitution, they did ensure that the Bill of Rights would be created to protect individuals from government interference and possible tyranny. The Bill of Rights, drafted by a group led by James Madison, consisted of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed the civil rights of American citizens.

House of Representatives

As described in Article I of the US Constitution, this is one part of the bicameral (two-part) legislature, with the number of representatives from each state being elected according to the number of people in each state, at a minimum age of 25 years, for a term of two years.

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

Commerce as a motivator for Convention

Control of commerce touched off the chain reaction that led to constitutional convention Interstate squabbling over the issue had become so alarming by 1786 that Virginia, taking the lead, issued a call for a convention at Annapolis, Maryland.

Northwest Ordinance of 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 permanently prohibited slavery

Moving State capitals

In the Revolutionary era, the capitals of New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were all moved westward; these shirts portended political shirts that deeply discomfited many more conservative Americans

Land Ordinance of 1785

Legislation passed by congress authorizing surveys and the division of public lands in the western region of the country, A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers.

Excellent Political Leadership

The crisis was such as to induce the ablest men to drop their personal pursuits and come to the aid of their country including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison ("Father of Constitution), Alexander Hamilton among other

Republican Motherhood

The idea that American women had a special responsibility to cultivate "civic virtue" in their children

Virginias religious tolerance

The struggled for divorce was hardest in Virginia; it was prolonged to 1786 when Thomas Jefferson, his co-reformers and the Baptists, won a complete victory with the passage of the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom

Economic Status at Wars end

The whole economic and social atmosphere was unhealthy; a newly rich class of profiteers was noisily conspicuous; the controversy leading to the Revolutionary War had bred keen distaste for taxes and encourage disrespect for the majesty of the law generally

Electoral College

a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Federalist

a member of a former political party in the United States that favored a strong centralized federal government

Shay's Rebellion

a rebellion by debtor farmers in western Massachusetts, led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays, against Boston creditors. it began in 1786 and lasted half a year, threatening the economic interests of the business elite and contributing to the demise of the Articles of Confederation.

Abolitionist

a reformer who favors abolishing slavery

Ratification

formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Slavery vs. National unity

he sorry truth is that the fledgling idealism of the Founding Fathers was sacrificed to political practicality; a fight over slavery would have fractured the fragile national unity

antifederalist

name given to those who were against the ratification of the Constitution

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

no power to tax, no executive or judicial branch, no power to regulate trade between the states, 9 of 13 states needed to change or pass laws, 13 out of 13 states needed to change articles

Motives of Constitution Delegates

some of the travel-stained delegates when they first reached Philadelphia, decided upon a daring step—they would complete scrap the old Articles of Confederation inside of revise

Three- Fifths compromise

the agreement by which the number of each state's representatives in Congress would be based on a count of all the free people plus three-fifths of the slaves