Founding Fathers, Key Documents, and Early U.S. Government Frameworks

HUSH

Daniel Shay

Led a rebellion of farmers who were being foreclosed on.

John Dickinson

Put in charge of writing the Articles of Confederation.

Thomas Jefferson

Proposed the Land Ordinance of 1784; proposed banning slavery in the NW Territory.

Alexander Hamilton

Called for a convention to fix the A of C; one of the writers of the Federalist Papers; used the pen name 'Publius'.

James Madison

Proposed the Virginia Plan; proposed a Bicameral Congress; expanded the powers of the central gov; one of the writers of the Federalist Papers; introduced an amendment for the Bill of Rights.

Roger Sherman

Proposed the Connecticut Compromise; proposed a bicameral congress with the lower house based on population and the upper house on equal representation.

John Jay

One of the writers of the Federalist Papers; used the pen name 'Publius'.

Patrick Henry

Opposed the Constitution.

John Hancock

His support convinced Mass. to ratify the Constitution.

Sam Adams

His support convinced Mass. to ratify the Constitution.

Ben Franklin

Compared the new gov't to either a rising sun or a setting sun.

George Washington

Elected president of the Constitutional Convention; elected president by the electoral college; refused an offer to become dictator.

Articles of Confederation

Charter originally signed by the 13 states to establish their new government; passed during the War for Independence; approved in 1777; ratified in 1781; did not allow the central govt to levy taxes.

Treaty of Paris

Ended the war b/t US & Britain; officially declared America to be free and independent; revealed the weaknesses of the Confederacy.

Land Ordinance of 1784

Proposed by T. Jefferson; banned slavery in the NW territory; gave land to people who were willing to settle the NW territory; ordinance that was rejected by the Confederacy.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Divided the NW territory into townships; established money for schools in the NW territory.

NW Ordinance of 1787

Divided the NW territory into states; prohibited slavery in the new states.

Virginia Plan

Introduced by James Madison; proposed a bicameral congress; representation in the lower house was based on popular vote.

New Jersey Plan

Unicameral congress; each state received 1 vote.

Connecticut Compromise

Also called the Great Compromise; representation in lower house based on population; representation in upper house was equal.

3/5ths Compromise

Dealt with the issues of slavery; ⅗ of the slave population was counted for taxation and representation.

Trade Compromise

Congress has power over foreign & interstate trade; Congress couldn't tax exports; Congress couldn't interfere with slave trade for 20 years.

Inflation

Abundance of paper $, lack of hard $, devaluing of paper $.

Continental

Money for the Confederacy.

Unicameral

One chamber/house.

Bicameral

Two chambers.

Exports

Cannot be taxed by the central gov't.

Ratify

Vote to adopt.

Amend

Change.