Founding of American Government and the Articles of Confederation

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts discussed in the lecture about the founding of the American government and the challenges under the Articles of Confederation.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak national government and strong state governments.

Constitutional Convention

A gathering of representatives from the states in 1787 to address problems in the Articles of Confederation, ultimately leading to the creation of the U.S. Constitution.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers in 1786-1787 protesting against economic injustices and government policies.

Great Compromise

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature, balancing representation for populous and less populous states.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Federalism

A system of governance in which power is divided between a central national government and state governments.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures that no one branch of government becomes too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

Bicameral Legislature

A two-chamber legislative system, as established by the Great Compromise, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Unicameral Legislature

A single-chamber legislative system that was used under the Articles of Confederation.