America's First Government

Three-Fifths Compromise

A compromise made between the northern and southern states where black slaves would count as 3/5 of a person to determine population

Federalists

American Citizens who BELIEVED in the ratification of the new federal Constitution

Anti-Federalists

American citizens who DID NOT want to ratify the constitution because they believed it need a bill of rights

Senate

Part of the United States congress representing the upper house where each state is allowed two representatives

Ratified

Passed, Approved

Preamble

The intro or beginning

Veto

to reject

The Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Costitution

Tyranny

A cruel or unjust government or rule

Roger Sherman

A delegate from Connecticut who devised a way to organize the government in such a way as to satisfy both the small and large states

William Paterson

A delegate from New Jersey who devised the New Jersey Plan

Magna Carta

A document, the first of its kind that limited the King's power

Impeach

A formal process in which an official is removed from office

Checks and balances

A fundamental principle of the United States government, whereby powers and responsibilities are divided among the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branch

Republic

A government in which citizens rule themselves through elected

Unicameral Government

A government with only one house as proposed in the New Jersey Plan

Land of Ordinance

A law established for surveying and settling the Northwest territory which created townships that could be sold to settlers for $650

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A law that established a government in the Northwest territory which guaranteed basic rights to settlers, outlawed slavery, and created a new state once the territory had 60,000 settlers

Bill of Rights

A list of rights guaranteed to the citizens such as freedom of speech, assembly, and worship.

New Jersey Plan

A one house plan of government that allowed each state, regardless of population to have TWO representatives

Economic Depression

A period when business slows, prices and wages fall, and unemployment rises

Great Compromise

A plan that was successfully presented by Roger Sherman that merged the New Jersey and Virginia plans together to satisfy the demands of both sizes of states

Central Government

A political authority which gives the entire nation (all the states)

Federalism

A system of government where the duties of the constitution are divided between a central government and the states

Virginia Plan

A two house plan that allowed the most populous to have the most representatives

English Bill of Rights

An English Document written in 1689 that limited the King's Power

Constitution

An instruction book for how to run the government

Shay's Rebellion

An uprising led by a Massachusetts farmer and former soldier in the revolutionary war. He protested against farms being seized and farmers imprisoned because they couldn't pay their debt.

Natural Rights

Any right that exists by virtue of natural law, they are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Posterity

Future Generations

House of Representatives

Part of the U.S. Congress representing the lower house where representatives are based on a stat's population

Due Process

System in which the government must follow the same fair rules in all cases brought to trial

Articles of Confederation

The first "Constitution" of the United State that gave all the power to the states and little power to the government.

Ratify

To approve

Baron De Montesqieu

a French political and social philosopher who believed that government must have a seperation of powers so that no one branch could become too powerful

James Madison

a delegate from Virginia who devised the Virginia Plan

Separation of Powers

a fundamental principle of the United States government where buy powers and responsibilities are divided among the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branch.

Confederation

a partnership

Representative Government

a system of government in which representatives are elected by people

John Locke

an English philosopher in physician who believed that citizens have natural rights

Self-incriminating testimony

to be forced to speak out against oneself which could result in the confession of a committed crime

Amend

to change

Debt

to owe money