1. A More Perfect Union

2. Constitution
A formal plan of government

3. Legislature
a group of people with the power to make, change, or repeal laws for a state or country

4. Bicameral
a legislature consisting of two houses, or chambers

5. Republic
a government in which citizen’s rule through elected representatives

6. Articles of Confederation
The first constitution of the United States

8. Weaknesses of the Articles
Could not regulate trade
Could not force citizens to join the army
Could not deal with the nation’s finances
Could not impose taxes
Did not have an established leader

9. Petition
A formal request

10. Confederation Congress
American Congress under the Articles of Confederation
Established an arrangement for handling new states in the west

11. Ordinance
A law or regulation

13. Northwest Territory
Territory established by the Confederation Congress of all the land north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River

15. Depreciate
To fall in value

16. Depression
A period of low economic activity and wide spread unemployment

18. Shay’s Rebellion
A pair of civilian attacks led by Daniel Shays on a court house and a federal arsenal
Forced courts to close so they could not confiscate the land of farmers
Helped point out that the newly formed government needed to be improved

19. Quakers
Created the first antislavery organization in America

20. Manumission
The freeing of individual enslaved persons

22. Constitutional Convention
a meeting of state delegates in 1787 leading to the adoption of a new Constitution

23. Constitutional Convention
Every state except Rhode Island sent delegates to fix the flaws of the Articles of Confederation.
Rhode Island opposed a stronger central government and did not attend the Convention
Meeting took place in Philadelphia at the Independence Hall
George Washington unanimously selected to preside over the convention

24. Constitutional Convention (continued)
Patrick Henry was elected as a delegate, but he opposed the Convention and did not attend
Ben Franklin, 81, was the oldest delegate at the convention
Thomas Jefferson did not attend because he was in Europe representing the American government

26. James Madison
Convention was secret, so there is no official record of the things discussed.
Most information from the meeting comes from James Madison’s notebook of daily events.
Known as the “Father of the Constitution” since it was his basic plan for government that the convention used

29. Proportional
To be the same as or corresponding to

30. Virginia Plan
designed by James Madison called for a legislature with two houses with representation in each house based on population and an executive and judicial branch selected by the legislature
Larger states liked this plan
Smaller states felt it would ignore their interests

33. New Jersey Plan Proposed by William Patterson
called for a single legislative house with equal representation for each state.
Smaller states liked this plan
Larger states felt they should have more power than the smaller ones

34. Compromise
An agreement between two or more sides in which each side gives up some of what it wants

36. Great Compromise Headed by Roger Sherman
Agreement providing a dual system of congressional representation
Broke a deadlock between the large and small states
Senate representation would be equal for each state (New Jersey Plan); this pleased the small states
House of Representatives representation would be based on population (Virginia Plan); this pleased the large states

37. Three-fifths Compromise
Agreement providing the amount that enslaved persons would count as in determining representation in Congress

39. George Mason
Proposed a bill of rights during the Constitutional Convention
He and other delegates feared the new government might abuse its power without one
The proposal was defeated

41. Magna Carta Placed limits on the power of the monarch
The king had to rely on Parliament to pay for wars and fund the royal government

43. Parliament
England’s lawmaking body, or legislature

44. Enlightenment
A movement in the 1700’s that promoted knowledge, reason, and science as the means to improve society

46. John Locke
English philosopher who influenced the Framers of the Constitution
Believed all people have natural rights
Believed that government is based on a contract between the people and the ruler

48. Natural Rights
Life, liberty and property

50. Baron de Montesquieu
French philosopher who influenced the Framers of the Constitution
Believed that the powers of the government should be separated and balanced against each other

51. Federalism
Sharing of power between federal and state governments

52. Federal Powers Under the Constitution (Expressed Powers)
Tax the entire nation
Regulate national and international trade
Control national currency
Raise an army
Declare war
Pass laws “necessary and proper” to carry out responsibilities

53. State Powers Under the Constitution (Reserved Powers)
Regulate trade within state borders
Establish local governments and schools
Collect taxes within the state

55. Legislative Branch Defined in Article I of the Constitution
The law making branch of the government
Called Congress
Consists of the House of Representatives (like the Virginia Plan) and the Senate (like the New Jersey Plan)

57. Executive Branch Defined in Article II of the Constitution
The branch of government that carries out the laws
Headed by the President

58. Electoral College
A special group of voters selected by their state’s voters to vote for the president and vice president

60. Judicial Branch Defined in Article III of the Constitution
The branch of government that interprets the nation’s laws
Headed by the Supreme Court

62. Checks and Balances
System of government where each branch is able to restrain the power of the other two branches

63. Ratify
To approve

64. Federalists
Supporters of the Constitution

65. The Federalist Papers
A book, using a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay supporting the Constitution

66. Antifederalists
People who opposed the Constitution

68. Amendment
An addition to a formal document

69. Bill of Rights
First 10 amendments to the Constitution

70. State Ratification
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution