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Unit 4 vocab
VOCAB
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Articles of Confederation | The first official government of the United States, written and ratified during the American Revolution. US government that failed because it lacked a strong central government, the states were too powerful. US government that only had a legislative |
AOC PART 2 | branch and Congress could not tax. |
Northwest Ordianance | Law passed in 1787 that determined how a territory could become a state, also banned slavery in the Northwest Territory. |
Land Ordinance | Law that organized land in the Northwest Territory and auctioned off land to pay for the national debt. |
Sate of Franklin | Lost state located in East Tennessee that applied to be the 14th state but was declined. |
Northwest Territory | North of the Ohio River valley where slavery was banned; Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. |
Shays Rebellion | Revolt of farmers in Massachusetts over unfair taxes; showed that the Articles of Confederation could not keep law and order. |
James Madison | Father of the Constitution; presented the Virginia plan at the Constitutional Convention; took notes and explained major principles of the Constitution. |
George Washington | Elected the Chairman of the Constitutional Convention. Unanimously elected first president, only served two terms, set examples for future presidents to follow. |
Constitutional Convention | Meeting of 55 delegates to revise the Articles of Convention but drafted the Constitution in Summer of 1787. |
Constitution | US government that strengthened the power of the federal government while also sharing power with the states. |
Great Compromise | Agreement made over how larger and smaller states would be represented at the Constitutional Convention. Agreement that established the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress. |
Bicameral | Word that means a "Two House" legislature. |
Three-Fifths Compromise | Agreement at the constitutional Convention over how the southern states would count slaves for representation in Congress |
Preamble | The opening paragraph of the Constitution, states the purpose of the Constitution. Begins with the phrase, "We are the people." |
Bill of Rights | The first 10 amendments of the Constitution. Part of the Constitution that protects individual rights and liberties. |
Separation of Powers | Idea that the powers of government are divided among three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. |
Veto | The ability of the president to reject a bill passed by congress. |
Override | The ability of congress to pas a bill that the president has vetoed. |
Legistalive | Branch of government that writes the laws. |
Executive | Branch of government that enforces the laws. |
Judicial | Branch of government that applies/interprets the laws. |
Senate | Upper house of congress where each state has an equal number of representatives. |
House of Representatives | Lower house of Congress where the number of Representatives per state is based on that state's population. |
Checks and Balances | The ability of each branch of government and states governments to control the other two; keeps any one branch from becoming too powerful. |
Federalism | Idea that power is shared between a central government and state governments. |
First Amendment | Freedom of Religion, speech, press, petition and assembly. |
Second Amendment | Right to bear arms. |
Third Amendment | Right to not house and feed US soldiers in your home. |
Fourth Amendment | Protection from unwanted searches and seizures from the government. |
Tenth Amendment | Says that powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states. |
Ratification | The process of approving a constitution or amendment. |
Federalists | Group that wanted the Constitution to be ratified. |
Federalists | Group that opposed the ratification of the Constitution. A group that feared the Constitution would turn into a monarchy. Biggest contribution to US history is when they demanded for the Bill of Rights. |
Federalist Papers | Series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to convince Americans to ratify the Constitution. |