Unit 5 (Constitutional Convention) Vocab+Ppl

everything from the first half of the unit

Ratify

To approve

Regulate

To manage or control

Enforce

To make people obey a rule or a law

Amendment

A change or addition, usually to an existing text or document

Representation

When a citizens’ voices, opinions, and perspectives are “heard in the government”

Factions

A group of people within a larger organization who share a common interest or goal.

Compromise

An agreement in which both sides in an argument agree to give up something they want.

Bill

A potential new law that has been introduced to a lawmaking body, but hasn’t been passed yet.

Federal System

A system of government in which power is shared between the national government+the states

Social Contract

Agreement in which people allow leaders to govern as as long as they protect freedoms+rights.

Daniel Shays

He was a farmer, and he led a rebellion that protested the heavy taxes causing farmers to lose their farms. It showed the Articles of Confederation was weak.

James Madison

“Father of the Constitution”, took detailed notes during meetings, proposed the Virginia Plan, Influenced the final structure of the constitution.

George Washington

President of the Constitutional Congress, Helped guide decisions

Roger Sherman

Proposed the “Great Compromise” that settled a major debate between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.

Benjamin Franklin

He brought wisdom+experience to the Continental debates. Helped encourage compromise. Basically the peace-maker.

Alexander Hamilton

Helped organize the Convention to create a strong Government system, Argued for a strong central government.

Articles of Confederation

It explained how the U.S gov worked. It was the first U.S constitution.

National Government

The government that affects the whole country

State Government

The government that handles the smaller state matters

Unicameral Gov

Legislative body that only has 1 group of lawmakers

Bicameral Gov

Legislative that is divided into 2 groups of lawmakers

Shays Rebellion

Rebellion of Massachusetts farmers who were angry about the loss of their land due to excessive taxing.

Constitutional Convention

Meeting where delegates debated and compromised on the new U.S gov

Large States

Greater population+Wanted rep in congress to be population based

Small States

Smaller pop+Wanted rep in government to be equal for everyone.

Equal Representation

An idea that believed each state should have an equal number of reps in congress. Used in the AoC

Proportional Representation

The representation each state gets in congress is based off their population

The Virginia Plan

A plan that James Madison came up with. 3 branches, bicameral, proportionate representation in congress.

The New Jersey Plan

This plan also had three branches, but it also had a unicameral legislature, with all states getting one vote

Great Compromise

This agreement used both ideas from both the VP and the NJP to come up with a better and more fair government

3/5 Compromise

When counting a population, out of five enslaved people, 3 would be counted towards the state’s population

Bill of Rights

Was the first 10 amendments in the U.S Constitution. It protected a citizens natural rights and freedoms.

Federalist

Agree with and supports the U.S Constitution

Anti-Federalist

Basically a post-loyalist. Didn’t agree with the government, nor it’s ratification.