SSUSH5 vocabulary terms Diagram | Quizlet

Government

the governing body of a nation, state, or community.

State Constitutions

During the war, most states had their own constitutions to spell out the rights of citizens and set limits on the government's power.

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Confederation Congress

national legislative body formed by the Articles of Confederation

Land Ordinance of 1785

A major success of the Articles of Confederation. Provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Federal order that divided the Northwest Territory into smaller territories and created a plan for how the territories could become states.

Daniel Shays

A veteran of the Continental Army, led a rebellion of poor farmers in Massachusetts who demanded debt relief, lower taxes, and protections against property seizures.

Shay's Rebellion (1786)

Armed uprising of western Massachusetts debtors seeking lower taxes and an end to property foreclosures. Though quickly put down, the insurrection inspired fears of "mob rule" among leading Revolutionaries.

Constitutional Convention

held in Philadelphia in 1787 to create a new, stronger government for the nation

James Madison

"Father of the Constitution," Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

Three-Fifths Compromise

the agreement by which the number of each state's representatives in Congress would be based on a count of all the free people plus three-fifths of the slaves

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Preamble

Introduction to the Constitution

"We the People"

First three words of the constitution

Congress

the legislature of the United States government

Senate

A council of representatives. 2 from each state

House of Representatives

the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of representatives from each state, depending on population

President

Head of the Executive Branch

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Supreme Court

the highest judicial court in a country or state.

Separation of Powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Legislature

Creates the laws

Executive

Enforces laws

Judicial

Interprets the laws

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Ratification

official approval

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

Alexander Hamilton

Secretary of Treasury

The Federalist Papers

Written by Hamilton, Jay, & Madison to support ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Freedom of Religion

the right to practice whatever religion one chooses.

First Amendment

5 freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly, petition