| A | B |
|---|
| constitution | document stating the rules under which a government will operate |
| state constitutions following 1776 | limited power to governors; gave most power to state legislatures |
| executive | person who runs the government and sees that laws are carried out |
| Virginia | first state to include bill of rights to protect individual rights (freedom of religion; protection against cruel and unusual punishment) |
| Articles of Confederation | adopted in 1777; limited central government and gave most power to states; had one house legislature |
| Powers under the Articles of Confederation | could deal with foreign nations and with Native Americans outside 13 states; could make laws, declare war, coin money BUT could not enforce laws or levy taxes |
| Land Ordinance of 1785 | system for land sales and settlements |
| Northwest Ordinance of 1787 | created three-step process for admitting new states: Congress appointed governor, secretary, and judges; 2) once the territory had 5,000 free adult male settlers, it could elect a legislature; 3) when it reached 60,000 population, could ask to become a state; denied slavery |
| States created by Northwest Ordinance | Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin |
| Economic Problems with Articles of Confederation | 1) Each state set its own trade policy, making it difficult for states to trade; 2) each state printed its own money; 3) central government couldn't tax |
| Foreign Affairs Problems with Articles of Confederation | Powerful nations didn't respect it. Ex: Spain refused to let Americans trade down the Mississippi, requiring them to go over and around the Appalachian Mountains |
| Shays' Rebellion | Depression in 1780s made it hard for farmers to pay taxes; MA legislature seized property and didn't help them; Daniel Shays and 1,000 farmers tried to seize arms from state warehouse. This alarmed many and led to belief that we needed stronger central government to help control unrest. |
| Constitutional Convention | 1787 in Philadelphia; intended to revise Articles of Confederation; goal: to create stronger central government and still allow states' rights |
| Virginia Plan | proposed by James Madison; called for strong central government with two house legislature all based on population; large states liked it; small states didn't |
| New Jersey Plan | Each state would get one vote, because we're a nation of states. Big states said No Way! |
| Great Compromise | Roger Sherman's idea: two house Congress, with the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate with two states each |
| 3/5th Compromise | Counted each person who was a slave as three fifths of a free person. A gain for the South, giving them more seats in the House of Representatives. It made slavery a more permanent part of the US government. |
| Slavery Compromise of the Convention | Ships would be allowed to bring slaves for 20 years; after 1808, Congress would ban transportation of slaves into states, but trade within states would not be affected. |
| Roger Sherman | Although he created the Great Compromise, he also believed house members should be elected by legislatures because voters could be misled. |
| Federalist Papers authors | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay |
| Federalists | wanted stronger central government |
| anti-Federalists | afraid Constitution would weaken states' rights; concerned the Constitution had no Bill of Rights |
| Patrick Henry | from Virginia; feared there would be no checks and balances |
| Bill of Rights | passed in 1789; first ten amendments to Constitution; individual rights aimed at protecting people from abuses by federal government |
| Northwest Territory | Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin |
| checks and balances | a system that ensured that no branch of government --- executive, judicial, or legislative --- would have too much power |
| Daniel Shays | a farmer in Massachusetts who had fought in the Revolutionary War. He led a large group to raid the state arsenal in an attempt to prevent the government from taking their land. |
| Consequence of Shays' Rebellion | This event made many realize that the government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak to manage the people. |
