The A.O.C and Forming the Constitution

Central Government

The main authority of a country that makes and enforces laws and decisions for the whole nation

Unicameral Legislature

A lawmaking body that has only one chamber or house

Bicameral Legislature

A lawmaking body with two chambers or houses

Shays’ Rebellion

An armed uprising of farmers in Massachusetts (1786-1787) protesting high taxes, debt, and property seizures, showing the weakness of the A.O.C.

Constitution

A set if basic laws and principles that outline how a government is organized and how it operates

Federalism

A system of government where power is shared between a central (national) government and smaller regional (state or local) governments

Federalists

Supporters of U.S. Constitution who favored a strong central government; the rich; led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay (wrote “The Federalist Papers”)

Anti-federalists

People who opposed the U.S. Constitution because they feared a string central government would take away states’ rights and individual freedoms; farmers; led by Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Samuel Adams

Legislative branch

The part if government that makes laws (Congress)

Executive branch

The part if government that makes laws the part of government that enforced laws and runs day-to-day operations (President and federal agencies)

Judicial branch

The part of government that interprets laws and decides if they follow the Constitution (the courts)

Great Compromise

Was an agreement during the U.S. Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature with the representation based on population in the House and equal representation for each state in the Senate

Three-Fifth’s Cimpromise

Was an agreement during the U.S. Constitutional Convention that counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation and taxation

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. constitution that protect individual freedoms and limit power of the government:

• Freedom – religion, speech, press, assembly, petition

• Arms – right to bear arms

• Quartering – no soldiers in homes without consent

• Searches – protection from unreasonable searches/seizures

• Rights of accused – due process, no self-incrimination, no double jeopardy

• Fair trial – speedy/public trial, impartial jury, lawyer

• Civil trial – jury in civil cases

• Punishment – no excessive bail/fines, no cruel/unusual punishment

• People’s rights – rights not listed still belong to the people

• States’ powers – powers not given to federal government belong to states/people

Whiskey Rebelliom

Was a 1794 protest by farmers in Pennsylvania against the federal tax in whiskey, showing that the new U.S. government could enforce its laws