history chapter 5 Israel Uni

unicameral legislature

Lawmaking body made up of a single house

Virginia Plan

James Madison's proposal for a bicameral legislature with representation based upon population

bicameral legislature

lawmaking body made up of two houses

New Jersey Plan

William Paterson's proposal for a unicameral legislature with each state having one vote

federal

national

Articals of confederation

original federal constitution drafted by the Continental Congress in 1777

Federalism

political system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Land Ordinance of 1785

law which designed a system for managing and settling lands in the Northwest Territory

Great Compromise

compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey plans for a bicameral legislature; each state would have equal representation in the Senate and varied representation in the House of Representatives based on the state's population

Northwest Territory

vast territory north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania as far as the Mississippi River

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

law which provided a basis for governing the Northwest Territory

Ratification

official approval

Shay's Rebellion

farmers' rebellion led by Daniel Shays against higher taxes in Massachusetts

Alexander Hamilton

was very conservative in principles

James Madison

showed his eagerness to participate in the convention by arriving in Philadelphia 11 days early

Electoral College

group of persons chosen in each state indirectly elect the president and vice president

Checks and Balances

system in which each branch of the government has the power to monitor and limit the actions of the other two

Antifederalists

one who opposed ratification of the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty

principle in which the people are the only source of government power

Bill of Rights

first ten amendments to the Constitution; written list of freedoms guaranteed to citizens by the government

Republic

form of government in which officials are elected by the people

John Jay

wrote the essays which were published in New York's ratifying convention

the federalists

series of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay that explained and defended the constitution