Honors US Government - Chapter 2: Foundations of Government

Flashcards covering vocabulary, key historical figures, documents, and foundational constitutional principles from Chapter 2 of Honors US Government.

Federalist

A person who supported the creation of a strong central government and favored the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, believing a powerful national government was necessary to keep the country united and stable.

Electoral College

The official system used in the United States to elect the president and vice president, where citizens vote for electors who then cast official votes for their state.

Anti-Federalists

A group of people who opposed a strong central government and argued against the original U.S. Constitution, fearing government abuse of power and demanding a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.

Amendment

An official change, addition, or correction made to a law or a constitution.

Loyalist

A colonist who remained loyal to the King of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War and chose not to support the rebellion.

Confederation

A loose alliance of independent states or groups that join together for a common purpose, like defense, in which individual states keep most of their power and the central government is very weak.

Bicameral

A legislature or lawmaking body that is divided into two separate houses, such as the U.S. Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Separatists

A group of people who wanted to break away completely from a larger group or established church to form their own independent community, such as the Pilgrims leaving the Church of England.

Unicameral

A legislature or lawmaking body that has only one house or chamber.

Ratification

The official approval or signing of a document, treaty, or law to make it legally binding.

Constituent

A voter or resident who lives within a specific district represented by an elected official.

Sovereignty

The supreme power or absolute authority of a country or state to govern itself without outside interference.

Federalism

A system of government where power is shared between a central national government and smaller state governments, each having their own specific areas of authority.

Bill of Rights

The first ten changes to the U.S. Constitution that guarantee basic personal freedoms like free speech, religion, and a fair trial.

Mayflower Compact

A rule book made in 1620 by the Pilgrims on the ship Mayflower that set up a temporary government where settlers agreed to follow fair laws.

First Continental Congress

A meeting in 1774 of leaders from twelve American colonies who joined together to protest harsh British laws and stop trading with Britain.

Second Continental Congress

A meeting in 1775 of American leaders during the Revolutionary War who raised an army, ran the war effort, and wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Articles of Confederation

The very first written constitution or plan of government for the United States, which created a very weak central government because people feared a king-like ruler.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal at the 1787 convention favored by small states that suggested a one-house Congress where every state received the exact same number of votes.

Federalist Papers

A famous group of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, published to convince people to vote in favor of the new U.S. Constitution.

Declaration of Independence

The historic document adopted in 1776 stating the 13 colonies were free from British rule and announcing that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Virginia Plan

A proposal at the 1787 convention favored by large states that suggested a two-house Congress where a state's power depended on how many people lived there.

Constitution

The supreme set of laws for the United States of America written in 1787, which outlines how the national government works and divides power into three branches.

Great Compromise / Connecticut Compromise

A deal that solved the conflict between big and small states over government power by creating a two-house Congress: the Senate with equal votes and the House of Representatives with votes based on population.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A deal from 1787 between Northern and Southern states deciding that three out of every five enslaved people would count toward state population numbers and taxes.

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

A law written by Thomas Jefferson and passed in Virginia in 1786 that stated the government cannot force people to follow a specific religion or pay for a church.

Magna Carta

A peace document signed in England in 1215 that placed the first major limits on the power of the king and protected noble rights.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786 and 1787 by struggling farmers in Massachusetts that revealed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and pushed leaders to write a new constitution.

George Washington

The first President of the United States and the top military general during the American Revolution who led the colonies to victory against Great Britain and helped set up the new government.

John Adams

The second President of the United States and first Vice President under George Washington, recognized for his sharp mind and passionate speeches regarding American independence.

Thomas Jefferson

The third President of the United States, main author of the Declaration of Independence, and buyer of the Louisiana Purchase.

James Madison

The fourth President of the United States, known as the Father of the Constitution for his central role in writing the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Daniel Shays

A Revolutionary War captain and farmer who led an armed uprising of heavily indebted farmers in Massachusetts against the government, prompting leaders to seek a stronger central government.

Roger Sherman

A lawyer and politician from Connecticut who signed all four of the United States' great founding documents and created the Great Compromise.

Charles Pinckney

A politician from South Carolina who helped write the U.S. Constitution, strongly supported a powerful national government, and later served as governor and U.S. Senator.

Northwest Ordinance

A major achievement of the Articles of Confederation that established a structured method for admitting new states and banned slavery in western territories.

Unalienable Rights

Fundamental human rights that belong inherently to all individuals, defined in the Declaration of Independence as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which cannot be surrendered or taken away.

Popular Sovereignty

A foundational constitutional principle defined as rule by the people.

Limited Government

A constitutional principle that restricts government power by law.

Separation of Powers

A constitutional structure that divides national authority into three distinct branches.

Checks and Balances

A constitutional mechanism where distinct government branches have the ability to limit each other's powers.

Republicanism

A fundamental philosophy of the Constitution emphasizing governance through elected representatives.

Rule of Law

A foundational principle ensuring that no leader or official is above the law.

Tenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that balances federalism by reserving all unspecified powers strictly to the states or the people.