Unit 2 Test

usurpation

wrongfully seizing and holding by force

self-evident

clear without needing explanation/obvious

Declaration of Independence

Signed in 1776 by US revolutionaries; it declared the United States as a free state.

despotism

the exercise of absolute power - unlimited or complete power

Despository

a place where things are stored

annihilation

complete destruction/to completely destroy

Inalienable Rights

rights that cannot be taken away

Sovereignty

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of others

Enlightenment

A movement in the 18th century when philosphopers shared their beliefs and ideas

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson

Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Patriots

American colonists who were determined to fight the British until American independence was won

Loyalists

American colonists who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for independence

Trade Boycott

A form of protest whereby people refrain from buying or using the goods or services of a particular country

Intolerable Acts

series of laws passed in 1774 to punish Boston for the Tea Party

Shay's Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures and loss of military pensions - a weak central government

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

New Jersey Plan

A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress

Virgina Plan (large state plan)

A plan that called for 3 branches of government, a judicial, executive and legislature and the legislature based on population

unicameral legislature

a legislature with one chamber - proposed under New Jersey Plan

bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts/ proposed under Virginia Plan

Great Compromise

A compromise between the small and large states that each should be represented equally in the government

Federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalists

Anti-Federalists rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed a strong centralized government and ensured a Bill of Rights was added to protect civil liberties.

Ratify

(v.) to approve, give formal approval to, confirm

John Locke

English philosopher who argued that people have natural rights/consent of the governed/Life liberty and property

Montesquieu

French political philosopher who advocated the separation of executive and legislative and judicial powers (1689-1755)

Rousseau

Believed all people were born naturally good until corrupted by government

Carpenter's Hall

A meeting place for the first Continental Congress

Georgia

Only state not to attend the First Continental Congress

Continental Congress

A body of representatives from the British North American colonies who met to respond to England's Intolerable Acts. They declared independence in July 1776 and later drafted the Articles of Confederation.

Reconciliation

the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute

Thomas Paine

Author of Common Sense

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

powerful pamphlet telling the colonists to break free. British were trying to destroy colonies' natural rights. Convinced undecided Americans to "have common sense" and break away

Second Continental Congress

Resulted in the signing of the Declaration of Independence

John Dickenson (PA)

Wrote most of the Articles of Confederation

Daniel Shay

Head of Shay's Rebellion; he and several other angry farmers violently protested against debtor's jail; eventually crushed; aided in the creation of constitution/Showed Articles to be too weak and needed to be revised.

consent of the governed

People decide their government through elections and votes

3/5's Compromise (1787)

*3/5* of slaves count towards states' population for taxation and representation in the House of Representatives

9/13

Under the Articles of Confederation, 9 out of 13 states had to agree to change the laws

One vote

under the Articles of Confederation, each state was allowed THIS MANY votes in Congress

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution/protected individual civil liberties

Which amendments were mentioned in the DOI?

6th amendment and 4th amendment

Social Contract

an implicit agreement among people that results in the organization of society; individual surrenders liberty in return for protection