CONSTITUTION TERMS
Articles of Confederation - the set of laws that were the first attempt at workable government in the United States. It failed because the National gov. was too weak, no power to tax
Shay’s Rebellion - An anti-tax protest by farmers that exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the need for a stronger Federal government
James Madison- often led the debate and kept a written record of the Convention, “Father of the Constitution” and he wrote the “Virginia Plan.”
Va. Plan - Plan that was determined by the size of a state’s population; the more people, the more representatives, established the idea of 3 branches of government.
New Jersey Plan - Small states plan that wanted equal representation in Congress regardless of population size
Great Compromise - The convention compromised by creating the House of Representatives and the Senate, and using both of the two separate plans as the method for electing members of each.
Checks and Balances - a system by which each branch of government can check or stop the actions of the other branches.
3/5 Compromise - negotiation that the northern and southern states made regarding the slave states’ membership in the House of Representatives. 3 out of 5 slaves were counted towards representation in the House of Reps.
Federalism - sharing power between the national government and state governments
Federalist - favored the ratification of the Constitution and a strong central government
Antifederalist - did not favor the approval of the Constitution and feared a strong central government
George Washington - he served as chairman of the Constitutional Convention and gave the Convention legitimacy
George Mason – author of the Va. Declaration of Rights
Va. Declaration of Rights - written by George Mason, set forth the idea that governments should not violate basic human rights, influenced the Bill of Rights
Va. Statute of Religious Freedom - the ties between the Anglican church and the state were abolished; the church would no longer receive state tax money, influenced the Bill of Rights
Thomas Jefferson - author of Va. Statute of Religious Freedom
Bill of Rights - the first ten amendments to the Constitution
Constitution of U.S. - provides the framework of U.S. government. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Ratification - approval
Legislative Branch - branch of government that makes laws
Separation of Powers - The division of power among different branches of government
Constitution Convention -55 Delegates who meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to amend the Articles of Confederation
Judicial Branch - branch of government that interprets laws
Executive Branch - branch of government that enforces laws