Untitled Flashcards Set

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, adopted in 1781, which established a national government with limited powers.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 led by Daniel Shays in Massachusetts against economic injustices and the lack of government response to debt relief.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a new constitution that called for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a new constitution that called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

Great Compromise

The agreement during the Constitutional Convention that created a two-house legislature, combining the Virginia and New Jersey Plans.

Checks and balances

A system that ensures no one branch of government becomes too powerful, with each branch having some measure of influence over the others.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement that counted three out of every five slaves as part of the population for determining representation and taxation.

Federalists

Supporters of the proposed Constitution who favored a strong national government.

Antifederalists

Opponents of the proposed Constitution who favored stronger state governments.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee individual rights and freedoms.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that allowed the government to deport foreigners and jail critics, seen as a violation of free speech.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident in 1797 that led to an undeclared naval war between the United States and France.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War.

Patriots

Colonists who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The treaty that ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the Constitution.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for American independence from Britain.

Quakers

A religious group known for their pacifism and social activism, particularly during the colonial period.

Proclamation of 1763

An order by King George III prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Navigation Laws

British regulations that controlled colonial trade and enabled England to collect taxes from the colonies.

First Continental Congress

A gathering of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies in 1774 to coordinate resistance against British policies.

Treaty of Greenville

An agreement in 1795 between the United States and several Native American tribes, allowing for the settlement of the Northwest Territory.

Declaration of Independence

The document declaring the thirteen American colonies independent from Britain, adopted on July 4, 1776.

Marquis Lafayette

A French military officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

Trenton & Princeton

Key battles in New Jersey during the American Revolution that boosted American morale.

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

A law enacted in 1786 that established the principle of separation of church and state in Virginia.

Whiskey Rebellion

An uprising in 1794 against a federal excise tax on whiskey, demonstrating the new government's authority.

Battle of Saratoga

A turning point in the Revolutionary War where American forces defeated the British, leading to French support for the colonies.

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by the British to fight against the American revolutionaries.

Battle of Yorktown

The last major battle of the Revolutionary War, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces.

The Federalist Papers

A collection of essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay advocating for the ratification of the Constitution.

Cabinet

A group of senior officials appointed by the president to head various executive departments.

Ratification of the Constitution

The process of formally approving the Constitution, requiring the consent of nine out of thirteen states.