Honors History Test 2

Duty

A tax on imports.

Recession

An economic slowdown.

Popular Sovereignty

Government subject to the will of the people.

Federalism

Political system in which power is divided between the national and state government.

Checks and Balances

A system in which each branch of government has the ability to limit the power of the other branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Veto

The power of the chief executive to reject laws passed by the legislature.

Amendment

A change to the Constitution.

Enumerated Powers

Powers listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government.

Reserved Power

Power retained by the states.

Concurrent Power

Power shared by the state and federal governments.

Impeach

To bring formal charges against a federal official.

Cabinet

A group of advisers to the president.

Judicial Review

The process by which the Supreme Court has the final authority to interpret the Constitution.

Ratification

Process by which amendment is approved.

Common Law

Law established by previous court decisions.

Agrarianism

The philosophy that agriculture and land ownership are the backbone of the economy.

Sedition

Incitement to rebellion.

Nullification

Theory that states have the right to declare a federal law invalid.

Embargo

A government ban on trade with other countries.

Shay's Rebellion

Farmers in Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays, rebelled over high taxes and debts. It showed how weak the Articles of Confederation were.

Articles of Confederation

America's first constitution; it allowed Congress to make treaties but couldn't tax or enforce laws. Its weakness led to calls for a stronger government.

Virginia Plan

Proposed by James Madison; wanted representation based on population, favoring large states.

New Jersey Plan

Proposed by William Paterson; called for equal representation for all states, favoring small states.

Great Compromise

Blended the Virginia and New Jersey Plans by creating two houses—House (population) and Senate (equal representation).

3/5 Compromise

Counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation, giving southern states more power.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Federalists supported the Constitution and a strong central government; Anti-Federalists opposed it and demanded a Bill of Rights.

Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France, doubling the U.S. and gaining control of the Mississippi River.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory, map it, and establish relations with Native tribes; Sacagawea helped guide them.

Embargo Act

Jefferson banned U.S. trade with all foreign nations to avoid war, but it badly hurt the American economy.

Marbury v. Madison

A Supreme Court case that established judicial review, giving courts power to declare laws unconstitutional.

Battle of New Orleans

Andrew Jackson defeated the British after the War of 1812 had officially ended, boosting national pride.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

Ended the Revolutionary War; Britain recognized U.S. independence and set borders to the Mississippi River.