| A | B |
|---|
| Articles of Confederation | the nation's first constitution, which was drafted in 1777 and created a framework for a loose confederation of states |
| bicameral legislature | a lawmaking body made up of two houses |
| checks and balances | the system by which each branch of the federal government can limit, or check, the power of the others |
| Constitutional Convention | the convention held in Philadelphia in 1787 to draft the Constitution of the United States |
| Constitution of the United States | the plan of government of the United States, drafted by the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to replace the Articles of Confederation |
| economic depression | a drastic decline in the economy, marked by business failures and unemployment |
| Electoral College | a body made up of electors from each state who cast votes to elect the president and vice president |
| Great Compromise | the compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention on representation in Congress, with each state represented equally in the Senate and with representation in the House based on state population |
| interstate commerce | trade between states |
| Northwest Ordinance | a law passed by Congress in 1787 specifying how western lands would be governed |
| ordinance | a law that sets local regulations |
| ratification | the approval of a plan of government or of a constitutional amendment |
| separation of powers | the division of government power into executive, legislative, and judicial branches |
| tariff | a tax on imported goods |
