UNIT 2: THE CONSTITUTION & NEW GOVERNMENT

Vocabulary flashcards covering the formation of the U.S. government, the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the creation of the Constitution, and key events of the first three presidencies.

Articles of Confederation

The document that created the first, weak government of the United States, characterized by having only one branch (legislative) and no power to collect taxes.

Shays' Rebellion

A rebellion that the central government under the Articles of Confederation was unable to defeat without the financial help of wealthy Americans.

Northwest Ordinance

A law passed under the Articles of Confederation that defined the procedure for adding new states into the nation.

Constitutional Convention

The meeting held in $1787$ where American leaders decided to write the Constitution to build a stronger government.

Framers

The individuals who wrote the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention.

Great Compromise

An agreement that created a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on proportionate representation and a Senate based on equal representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A compromise reached between Northern and Southern states where each enslaved person would be counted as $\frac{3}{5}$ of a person for determining representation.

Federalists

A group at the Constitutional Convention who wanted a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

A group who wanted a weaker central government and demanded that a Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution.

Bill of Rights

A document added to the Constitution to protect people against government abuse.

Limited Government

The main idea in the Constitution that the government should not have too much power.

Separation of Powers

The division of government into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Checks and Balances

The system where each branch of government has the power to limit the power of the others.

Elastic Clause

A provision that gives Congress the power to make laws about any issue it sees as necessary, providing flexibility to the Constitution.

Federalism

The principle that power is shared between state governments and the federal government.

Precedents

Examples for others to follow, many of which were established by George Washington as the $1\text{st}$ President in $1789$.

Unwritten Constitution

Customs and traditions, such as the Cabinet and political parties, that are essential parts of the system but are not explicitly part of the Constitution.

Whiskey Rebellion

A protest by farmers in Pennsylvania against a whiskey tax that served as a critical test of federal authority for Washington's government.

Proclamation of Neutrality

A statement issued by George Washington to stay out of ongoing feuds between Great Britain and France.

Jay's Treaty

An attempt to negotiate with Britain to stop them from seizing American ships.

Farewell Address

Washington's final message to the nation in which he warned against foreign entanglements and forming political parties.

XYZ Affair

A conflict with France that occurred during the presidency of John Adams.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws that allowed the President to imprison or deport aliens and fine Americans who criticized the government.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Statements issued by Jefferson arguing that states had the right to decide the constitutionality of laws.

Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme Court decision that established judicial review.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to decide whether laws passed by Congress are constitutional.

Louisiana Territory

Land purchased from France for $15 \text{ million}$ in a transaction that doubled the size of the U.S. and gave it control of the Mississippi River.

Embargo of 1807

Restrictions on trade with France and Britain imposed by Jefferson to stop the seizure of American ships, which ultimately hurt American merchants.