Unit 3 Study Guide: State and National Government, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution

Vocabulary practice flashcards detailing the governance under the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance, Shays' Rebellion, the debates and compromises of the Constitutional Convention, and the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Republicanism (Articles of Confederation)

The political philosophy adopted under the Articles of Confederation that gave state governments more power over the national government in order to avoid a dictatorship like Britain.

Land Ordinance of 1785

A law passed under the Articles of Confederation that created an organized system of land sales and settlements.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A law adopted by Congress establishing rules for governing the Northwest Territory, aiming to raise money for the national government after the war, provide fair government to settlers, keep slavery out, and bring education in.

Three Major Costs of the Revolutionary War

The post-war crises facing America: domestic problems within the country, economic problems including $50\text{ million}$ in debt from the war, and lack of respect from foreign governments.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising of angry Massachusetts farmers whose land was seized and sold by the state government to pay veterans owed money from the American Revolution; under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had no power to interfere or help.

Thomas Jefferson's Letter to William Stephens Smith (November 13, 1787)

A letter written from Paris arguing that Shays' Rebellion was not as dangerous as made out to be, served as a reminder that people still care about their freedom when government abuses power, and urged the U.S. to make amends rather than punish the farmers.

Natural Rights (John Locke)

The Enlightenment idea reflected in Jefferson's writing asserting that people should prefer freedom, even if dangerous, over allowing a government to treat them unfairly.

Virginia Plan

A constitutional proposal favored by larger states featuring a two-house legislature where representation in both houses was based on each state's population.

New Jersey Plan

A constitutional proposal favored by smaller states featuring a one-house legislature where each state received the exact same number of representatives.

The Great Compromise

An agreement proposed by Roger Sherman that resolved the dispute between large and small states by creating a two-house legislature with equal representation in one house ($2$ representatives per state) and representation based on population in the other.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement resolving disputes between Northern and Southern states by determining that only three-fifths of the total enslaved population would be counted toward representation in the House of Representatives and for taxation.

Fugitive Slave Clause

A constitutional provision preventing free states from emancipating enslaved workers who had escaped their masters into free states, reducing tension between Northern and Southern states.

International Slave Trade Clause

A constitutional compromise establishing that the United States would not consider banning or ending the international slave trade until 1808.

Federalists

An early political party that included Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, and James Wilson, who supported a strong central government, international trade, and the ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

An early political group led by figures such as Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Thomas Jefferson, who feared that a strong national government would become a dictatorship like Britain, favored state power, and advocated for the Bill of Rights.

The Federalist Papers

A series of political essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to convince the public and states to ratify the Constitution; though $20$ were originally planned, $85$ were published.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A constitutional clause requiring states to recognize legal documents and court decisions (such as marriages, divorces, wills, and contracts) from other states, ending confusion caused by differing state laws under the Articles of Confederation.

Dual Sovereignty

The constitutional division of power between two levels of government, granting state governments some authority while assigning predominant power to the national government.

Checks and Balances

A system dividing government power across three distinct branches to prevent the United States from turning into a dictatorship.

Common Market

A single, unified national economic system established under the Constitution to fix the issue under the Articles of Confederation where every state had its own separate currency.

Three Branches of Federal Government

The division of the national government into the Legislative branch (Congress, which makes laws), the Executive branch (led by the President, which enforces laws), and the Judicial branch (led by the Supreme Court, which interprets laws).

Benjamin Franklin's Speech at the Constitutional Convention

A closing appeal urging delegates to overcome disagreements and approve the Constitution for the sake of posterity, arguing that a general government was necessary, the plan was the best possible, and unity among framers was vital.