Unit 2: Early Republic – Key Concepts & Terms

Flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the Articles of Confederation and the Early Republic, including structure, compromises, federalism, and constitutional principles.

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. constitution (a confederation of states) that preserved state sovereignty but created a weak central government with limited powers (no direct tax power, no regulation of commerce, no national currency, and one vote per state in Congress).

Confederation

A union of sovereign states that delegates limited powers to a central government while retaining most authority at the state level.

Sovereignty

Supreme authority within a territory; under the Articles, each state retained sovereignty and independence.

Taxation power (AoC)

Congress could not tax directly and could only request funds from states, limiting national fiscal power.

Regulation of trade (AoC)

Congress could not regulate interstate or foreign trade, weakening national economic policy.

One vote per state

Each state had equal representation in Congress regardless of population, leading to imbalance among larger and smaller states.

Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787)

Farmer uprising in Massachusetts highlighting AoC weaknesses and prompting calls for a stronger central government.

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

Established a plan for admitting new states from the Northwest Territory, banned slavery there, provided for public schools, and outlined territorial governance.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Policy for surveying and selling western lands; divided the land into surveyed townships (640-acre tracts) to fund education and organize settlement.

Republican Motherhood

Idea that women influence politics by raising virtuous citizens; emphasized women’s education to educate and guide future generations.

Abigail Adams

Advocate for women’s education and political involvement; famous for urging that women be treated with respect in the new republic.

Adam Smith; Wealth of Nations

Enlightenment economist whose work argued for capitalism and free markets, influencing the shift away from mercantilism.

Capitalism

Economic system based on private property and free markets where supply and demand drive production and prices.

Federalism

Division of powers between a central (national) government and state governments to balance authority and prevent tyranny.

Delegated/Enumerated powers

Powers granted to the federal government (e.g., coining money, regulating foreign and interstate commerce, raising armies).

Reserved powers

Powers kept for the states by the Tenth Amendment (e.g., regulating schools, marriage, local governments).

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by federal and state governments (e.g., taxation, borrowing money, establishing courts).

Supremacy Clause

Constitutional principle that federal law is the supreme law of the land and overrides conflicting state laws.

Separation of powers

Division of government into three branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) to prevent concentration of power.

Checks and balances

System where each branch can limit the power of the others (e.g., vetoes, appointments, judicial review).

Elastic/Necessary and Proper Clause

Allows Congress to pass laws needed to exercise its enumerated powers, providing flexibility to government action.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)

Roger Sherman’s proposal for a bicameral legislature: Senate with equal representation and House based on population.

Virginia Plan

Plan by James Madison proposing a strong central government with representation based on state population (favoring larger states).

New Jersey Plan

Plan favoring smaller states: retained a unicameral legislature with equal state representation and expanded federal powers.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Compromise counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

Agreement that Congress could regulate foreign trade but could not ban the slave trade for 20 years; taxation of imports allowed, exports not taxed.

Ratification

Process by which the Constitution was approved by the states; required nine states to ratify for the document to take effect.

Amendment Process

Methods to amend the Constitution: proposal by two-thirds of Congress or a national convention; ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Judicial Review

Power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional (established later in practice, but part of the conceptual