Ch 8 Ss Vocab

Front 1

constitution

Back 1

a set of basic principles that determines the powers and duties of a government

Front 2

republicanism

Back 2

people hold power and elect representatives

Front 3

limited govermnent

Back 3

a political principle which holds that a govermnent should be bound by laws that limit its power

Front 4

virginia statute for religious freedom

Back 4

legislation that gave people in virginia freedom of worship and freedom to speak their opinions about realigion separated church and state

Front 5

suffrage

Back 5

voting rights

Front 6

articles of confederation

Back 6

document that created the first central govermnent for the united states was replaced by the constitution in 1789 no president or court system no army stunk

Front 7

ratification

Back 7

formal approval

Front 8

northwest ordinance of 1787

Back 8

legislation passed by congress to establish a political structure for the lands in the northwest territory and create a system for the admission of new states

Front 9

northwest territory

Back 9

lands including present day illinois indiana michigan ohio wisconsin and part of minnesota organized by the northwest ordinance of 1787

Front 10

tariffs

Back 10

taxes on imports or exports

Front 11

interstate commerce

Back 11

trade that is conducted between states

Front 12

inflation

Back 12

increased prices for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money

Front 13

debtors

Back 13

people who owe money

Front 14

creditors

Back 14

people who lend money

Front 15

depression

Back 15

a steep drop in economic activity combined with rising unemployment

Front 16

shays rebellion

Back 16

uprising of massachusett farmers led by daniel shays to protest high taxes heavy debt and farm foreclosures closed down courts

Front 17

daniel shays

Back 17

poor farmer and revolutionary war veteran who led shays rebellion

Front 18

popular sovereignty

Back 18

political authority rests with the people

Front 19

constitutional convention

Back 19

meeting in philadelphia at which delegates from the states wrote the constitution

Front 20

james madison

Back 20

one of the most importand delegates at the constitutional convention wrote virginia plan

Front 21

virginia plan

Back 21

plan for government proposed at the constitutional convention in which the national government would have 3 branches executive judicial legislative representation in the legislature would be determined by state population

Front 22

new jersey plan

Back 22

proposal to create a unicameral government with representation by state rather than by population refected at constitutional convention

Front 23

the great compromise

Back 23

agreement worked out at the constitutional convention establishing that a states population would determine representation in the lower house of the legislation while each state would have equal representation in the upper house of the legislation

Front 24

three fifths compromise

Back 24

agreement worked out at the constitutional convention stating that 3/5 of the slaves in each state should be counted as part of the states population for determining representation in the lower house of congress

Front 25

federalism

Back 25

system of government in which power is destributed between a central authority and individual states

Front 26

legislative brabch

Back 26

division of the federal government that proposes bills and passes them into laws

Front 27

exectuive branch

Back 27

division of the federal government that includes the president and the administrative departments enforces laws

Front 28

judicial branch

Back 28

division of the federal government that is made up of the national courts interprets laws punishes criminals and settles disputes

Front 29

checks and balances

Back 29

a system established by the constitution that prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful

Front 30

antifederalists

Back 30

people who opposed ratification of the constitution power should be in hands of states

Front 31

federalists

Back 31

people who supported ratification of the constitution

Front 32

the federalist papers

Back 32

series of essays that defended the constitution and tried to reassure americans that the states would not be overpowered by the proposed national government

Front 33

amendments

Back 33

official changes corrections or additions to a law or constitution

Front 34

bill of rights

Back 34

first 10 amendments to the constitution and some states would only ratify if these were added