Founding the Nation and the Creation of the U.S. Constitution

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the American Revolutionary postwar era, Enlightenment foundations, Articles of Confederation, Constitutional Convention debates, Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists, and early U.S. government policies.

Second Continental Congress

The governing assembly that advised the colonies to form new individual state governments after the Revolutionary War ($1775\text{--}1783$) brought an end to British monarchical rule.

John Locke

An Enlightenment thinker who asserted that people are born as a "blank slate," are identical, and that "ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL."

Montesquieu

An Enlightenment thinker who lived under the monarchy of King Louis XIV and advocated for checks and balances to prevent a single ruler from having too much power.

Social Contract

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's political philosophy stating that an agreement must exist between the government and the governed, and that revolution is necessary if this contract is broken.

Articles of Confederation

A wartime document written in $1777$ and ratified in $1781$ that created a weak national government giving each state $1$ vote, while denying Congress the power to tax, regulate commerce, appoint an executive, or pass laws without unanimous consent.

Continentals

Paper "soft money" issued by Congress to fund war debts that rapidly lost its value due to overprinting, triggering the depression of $1784$.

Shays' Rebellion

An uprising of indebted Massachusetts farmers led by Daniel Shays who lacked "hard" gold or silver money and forcibly shut down courthouses to prevent property foreclosures and debtors' prison.

Convention of 1787

A meeting held in Philadelphia from May to September $1787$ intended to amend the Articles of Confederation, which ultimately overthrew the existing government to draft a new Constitution.

The Virginia Plan

The "Big State Idea" presented at the Constitutional Convention proposing a strong central government with three branches and a bicameral legislature with representation based on population.

The New Jersey Plan

The "Little State Idea" presented at the Constitutional Convention proposing a strong central government with three branches and a one-house legislature with equal representation for each state.

The Great Compromise

An agreement establishing a bicameral Congress consisting of the House of Representatives (apportioned by population: all free people plus $\frac{3}{5}$ of enslaved people) and the Senate (equal representation with $2$ senators per state).

Checks and Balances

A constitutional mechanism where overlapping responsibilities among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches prevent any single branch from abusing power.

Federalists

Supporters of the new Constitution—such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay—who favored a strong federal government, a loose interpretation of the law, and opposed a Bill of Rights.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the new Constitution—such as Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock—who advocated for a weak federal government, strict interpretation of the law, and the inclusion of a Bill of Rights.

Bill of Rights

The first $10$ Amendments to the U.S. Constitution adopted in $1791$, added to fulfill a condition demanded by the final states before completing ratification.

Supremacy Clause

A constitutional rule dictating that whenever federal and state laws conflict, federal law serves as the "supreme Law of the land."

Elastic Clause

A constitutional provision granting Congress the power to take actions and pass laws not specifically outlined in the Constitution.

The Cabinet

The official panel of executive advisors established under President George Washington in March $1789$, originally including the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, and Attorney General.

Hamilton's Economic Plan

Alexander Hamilton's plan to pay off the nation's entire $\$77\text{ million}$ Revolutionary War debt ($\$12\text{ million}$ foreign, $\$40\text{ million}$ to individual Americans, and $\$25\text{ million}$ in state debts) through the new federal government.