Building a New Nation

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the founding of the United States and the Articles of Confederation.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States, which established a loose union of the states.

Critical Period

The time from 1781 to 1788 when the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation were particularly apparent.

Northwest Ordinance

A law passed in 1787 to regulate the settlement of the Northwest Territory and establish a method for admitting new states.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a strong national government with a bicameral legislature, presented by James Madison.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, designed to protect small states' interests.

Great Compromise

An agreement made during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

3/5 Compromise

An agreement to count three-fifths of a state's slave population for representation and taxation purposes.

Federalism

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

Federalists

Supporters of a strong national government and the ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who feared a powerful national government and advocated for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights.