Studied by 2 people
Northwest Territory
lands northwest of the Appalachians, covered by the Land Ordinance of 1785
Articles of Confederation
plan for national government passed 1781
Confederation
a group of individuals united for a purpose
Land Ordinance of 1785
law that established a plan for dividing the federally owned lands west of the Appalachian Mountains Northwest
Ordinance
law that described how the Northwest Territory was to be governed
Commerce
the activity of buying and selling
Constitution
the set of political principles by which a place or organization is governed, or the written down document that records it
Republic
state, country or nation in which people elect representatives to govern
Constitutional Convention
1787 meeting at which the U.S. Constitution was created
Founding Fathers
people who helped create the U.S. Constitution
James Madison
prominent advisor to the Constitutional Convention
Virginia Plan
proposal for a two-house legislature with representation according to each state’s population or wealth
New Jersey Plan
proposal for a legislature in which each state would have one vote
Great Compromise
agreement to establish a two-house national legislature, with all states having equal representation in one house and each state having representation based on its population in the other house
Three-fifths compromise
agreement that three fifths of a state’s slave population would be counted for representation and taxation
Executive branch
government department that enforces laws
Judicial branch
government department that interprets laws
Legislative branch
government department that makes laws
Checks and balances
the ability of each branch of government to exercise checks, or controls, over the other branches
Bill
a proposed legislation under consideration by the legislature
Electoral College
the system that is used in the U.S. in presidential elections; the electors act as representatives for each state, and they elect the president and vice president
Veto
a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body
Impeach
to charge with a crime or misdemeanor
U.S. Supreme Court
the highest court in the federal judiciary
U.S. Congress
the bicameral (two chambers) legislature (law-making body of people) of the federal government of the United States: the House of Representatives and the Senate
Justice
a judge or magistrate, in particular a judge of the Supreme Court
Representative
a person who has been chosen to act or make decisions on behalf of another person or group of people
Ratification
act of official confirmation
Note
Flashcard