Creating the Constitution and American Government

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention, Enlightenment influences, Federalist debates, and the structure and amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

Constitution

A document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and process of a government.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution that guarantee basic individual liberties.

Articles of Confederation

The first American constitution, passed in 1777, which created a loose alliance of 13 independent states to unite the colonies under one national government.

Cede

To give up.

Currency

Money.

Northwest Ordinance

A 1787 law that set up a government for the Northwest Territory and granted essential rights and civil liberties to settlers.

Land Ordinance of 1785

A law under which Western territories were divided into townships and plots of land were sold at $\$640$ a piece.

Shays' Rebellion

A 1786 revolt in Massachusetts led by farmers who attacked courthouses in reaction to high state taxes and falling crop prices.

Privatize

To put private individuals or companies in charge of something, such as selling public land to settlers.

Depression

A period when business activity slows, prices and wages fall, and unemployment rises.

Constitutional Convention

The gathering of state representatives in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, called with the intended purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.

James Madison

The most prominent delegate at the Constitutional Convention, known as the 'Father of the Convention.'

Virginia Plan

A proposal at the Constitutional Convention for a strong national government with three branches, an executive branch, and a two-house legislature with representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

A plan favored by smaller states calling for three branches of government with a single-chamber legislature, rejected by delegates for being too similar to the Articles of Confederation.

Compromise

A settlement or peaceful solution in which each side gives up some of its demands in order to reach an agreement.

Great Compromise

A plan at the Constitutional Convention that settled differences between small and large states by creating a legislative structure that everyone could accept.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that determined three-fifths of enslaved residents in any state would be counted toward its population.

Legacy

Something received from a predecessor or from the past.

Ethical

Following accepted standards for conduct or behavior.

Republic

A system of government in which citizens rule themselves through elected representatives.

Dictatorship

A government in which one person or a small group holds complete authority.

Magna Carta

A British document signed in 1215 containing two basic ideas: monarchs must obey the laws, and citizens have basic rights.

English Bill of Rights

A 1689 document that guaranteed the rights of English citizens, emphasizing elections and fair trials.

Separation of Powers

A principle dividing the powers of government among three separate branches to keep any single person or group from gaining too much power.

Ratify

To approve.

Federalists

Supporters of a strong federal government, led by Alexander Hamilton, who believed leaving too much power to the states would impede national governance.

Antifederalists

Opponents of a strong federal government who argued that a Bill of Rights was necessary to prevent a strong central government from ignoring basic rights.

The Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay to explain and defend the United States Constitution.

Founding Fathers

The men who laid the groundwork for the United States, utilizing experience gained from state constitutions and the Articles of Confederation.

John Locke

An Enlightenment philosopher who inspired the Constitutional delegates with his theory on natural rights and the principle that government is an agreement between the ruler and the ruled.

Baron de Montesquieu

The Enlightenment philosopher who inspired the delegates to divide power among three separate branches of government.

Federalism

The constitutional principle dividing power between the federal government and state governments.

Bill

A law that begins as a proposal.

Electoral College

The body that officially selects the President of the United States, regardless of the popular vote outcome.

Speaker of the House

The presiding leader of the House of Representatives.

Vice President

The constitutional leader of the Senate.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to determine whether a law passed by Congress is unconstitutional.

Checks and Balances

A system among the three branches of government that makes the separation of powers practical and prevents abuses of power.

Appropriations Bill

A bill that sets aside money for government programs, which the federal government has the sole power to introduce in the House of Representatives.

Amendments

Formal changes made to the Constitution, which can be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

First Amendment

A constitutional amendment guaranteeing basic individual liberties, including freedom of speech and religion.

Fifth Amendment

A constitutional amendment protecting individuals from being compelled to give evidence against themselves.

Thirteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments

Constitutional amendments that, along with the Thirteenth Amendment, address and protect the rights of African Americans.

Resident Alien

A noncitizen living in the United States.

Civic Virtue

The willingness to work for the good of the nation or community even at great sacrifice, exemplified by actions such as volunteering for community programs.

Naturalized Citizens

Individuals who have obtained citizenship, including individuals who were under $18$ years old when their parents were naturalized.