0.
01Unit 3 Vocabulary
1. Republic-A government controlled by the people through elected representatives.
2. Democracy-a system of government by the people.
3. Legislative-branch of the government that makes laws.
4. Executive-the branch of the government that enforces the laws.
5. Judicial- branch of the government that interprets the laws.
6. Confederation-an act of being united. A loose union.
7. Articles of Confederation-the plan ratified by the states in 1781 that made a national congress with limited
powers.
8. Ratified-formally approved.
9. Republicanism-support for a system of representative government known as a republic.
10. Northwest Territory-land north of the Ohio River to the Great Lakes and west of the Mississippi River.
11. Ordinances-government regulations.
12. Land Ordinance of 1785-a law that established a plan of surveying and selling the federally owned landswest of the Appalachian Mountains.
13. Northwest Ordinance-the 1787 law that set forth a plan of government for the Northwest Territory; created a system for the admission of new states, provided for freedom of worship, protection of civil liberties, and free public education.`
14. Cede- to break away.
15. Daniel Boone-a famous woodsman and scout who created a wagon road over the Appalachian Mountains (Wilderness Road).
16. Wilderness Road-the wagon road over the Appalachian Mountains built by Daniel Boone. It led through the Cumberland Gap into the land the Iroquois Indians called Kentake (meadow land)
17. Inflation-increased prices for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money.
18. Debtors-people who owe money.
19. Daniel Shays/Shays’ Rebellion-(1786-87) uprising of Massachusetts farmers, led by Daniel Shays, to protest
high taxes, heavy debt, and farm foreclosures.
20. Convention-a meeting of delegates.
21. Constitutional Convention-1787 meeting in Philadelphia at which delegates from the states came to
consider changes to the Articles of Confederation; resulted in the drafting of the Constitution.
22. Constitution-A set of basic principles that determine the powers and duties of a government.
23. 1787-Constitution written.
24. Preamble-introductory part of the Constitution that states the reason and the intent of the law.
25. Founding Fathers-the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, as well as other American leaders of the
time. (James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, etc.)
26. Civic Virtue-the willingness to work for the good of the nation or community even at great sacrifice.
27. Virginia Plan-(1787) plan for government proposed at the Constitutional Convention to make a new
national government with three branches-executive, legislative, and judicial; representation in the
legislature would be determined by state population.
28. New Jersey Plan-proposal at the Constitutional Convention, favored by smaller states, which called
for three branches of government with a single chamber legislature in which each state has one vote.
29. Compromise-a settlement in which each side gives up some of its demands in order to reach an agreement.
30. Great Compromise-(1787) plan at the Constitutional Convention that settled the differences between small
and large states. It established a two-house legislature, with all states having equal representation in one
house (Senate) and each state having representation based on its population in the other (House of
Representatives).
31. 3/5 Compromise-(1787) Constitutional Convention’s agreement to count 3/5 of a state’s slaves as
population for purposes of representation and taxation.
32. Impeach- to vote to bring charges against.
33. Electoral College-group selected from each of the states to cast votes that elect the president.
34. Federalism-system of government in which power is distributed between a central authority and individual
states.
35. Checks and Balances-the ability of each branch of government to check or control the other branches of
government, which prevents any branch from becoming to powerful.
36. Veto- to cancel
37. Unconstitutional-not allowed under the Constitution.
38. Amend-to change
39. Amendment-official change, correction, or addition to a law or constitution.
40. Individual Rights-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
41. Popular Sovereignty-a principle of the Constitution that states that the people have the right to create, alter,
andabolish their government.
42. Bill of Rights-first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, and consisting of a formal list of
citizens’ rights and freedoms.
43. Due Process of Law-fair treatment under the law.
44. Elastic Clause-a clause in the Constitution that permits Congress to pass laws that are necessary for Congress
to carry out its powers.
45. Cabinet-group made up of the heads of the executive departments that advise the U. S. president.
46. Separation of Powers-the division on governmental power into executive, legislative, and judicial branches;
prevents one branch from becoming too powerful.
47. Federalist-people who strongly favored the new form of government (outlined in the Constitution).
48. Anti-Federalist-people who opposed the new plan of government.
49. The Federalist-the series of essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay in support of the Constitution.
50. Bicameral- a lawmaking body made up of two houses.
51. Mayflower Compact-(1620) document, which called for laws for the good of the colony (Majority Rule) and
set forth the idea of self-government (self rule)
52. Magna Carta-(1215) Great Charter, agreed to by King John, it gave nobles and other individual greater rights
and made it clears that all must obey the laws. It describes due process of law (the right to a speedy trial and
trial by jury.
53. Declaration of Independence-(1776)defined colonists’ rights, outlined their complaints against Great Britain,
and declared the colonies’ independence.
54. English Bill of Rights-guaranteed English citizens certain rights and stated that elections of Parliament were to
be heldoften.
55. Habeas Corpus-the right that no prisoner can be held in prison without first being charged with a specific
charge.
56. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut-First written constitution in America. Described a new government in
writing, which worked together for the good of all.
57. Virginia Declaration-Virginia offered to give up claims to land for the good of the nation.
58. Federalist Papers/Anti-Federalist writings-A series of essays during the ratification of the Constitution.
Federalist supported the Constitution and Anti-Federalist did not.
59. Limited Government-wanting the national government to not have too much power.
60. James Madison-Federalist whose ideas inspired the Constitution. Recorded all the information from the
Constitutional Convention, wrote The Federalist, wrote most of the Bill of Rights.
61. Alexander Hamilton-a delegate to the Constitutional Convention who wrote parts of The Federalist, which
urged adopting the Constitution.
62. George Mason-a delegate from Virginia who refused to ratify the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.
63. John Jay-helped negotiate the treaty ending the Revolution.
64. Thomas Jefferson- Anti-Federalist who opposed the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.
65. George Washington-elected first president of the United States.