A | B |
Articles of Confederation | the compact made among the 13 original Amreican states to form the basis of their government; adopted by Congress in 1781 |
Second Continental Congress | the assembly of representatives from the 13 colonies that later became the government of the U.S. |
factions | a group that seeks to promote its own special interests at the expense of the common good |
loyalists | colonists who remained loyal to Great Britain during the American Revolution |
majority rule | a principle of democracy which asserts that the greater number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies |
national government | intended to manage relationships among the states and to unite the states in their relations with the rest of the world |
Northwest Ordinance | defined the new territory and created a plan for its government, providing for a trasition from territory to statehood, provided education and prohibiting slavery |
Shay's Rebellion | an armed revolt by Massachusetts farmers in 1786-1787 seeking relief from debts and possible foreclosures of mortgages |