Forming a Government 1780-1790

A formal change made to a law, contract, or constitution. Amendment. In history, an amendment is an official alteration or addition to a legal or constitutional document.

A diverse group of Americans who opposed the ratification of the 1787 US Constitution. Antifederalists. They believed the new Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of the states and individual rights.

An agreement among the 13 original states of the US, that served as its first constitution. Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, creating a loose alliance of the states with a weak central government.

A document of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is a set of fundamental freedoms and protections guaranteed to individuals in the United States.

A system of government in which no branch has more power than any other. Checks and balances. This means each branch of government can limit the powers of the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

The supreme law of the United States of America constitution. The Constitution is a document that outlines the fundamental principles and framework of the U.S. government.

Convention that created the United States Constitution. Constitutional Convention. The Constitutional Convention was a meeting in 1787 where leaders designed the framework for the U.S. government.

A populist uprising against controversial debt collection and tax policies. Daniel Shays. Daniel Shays was a farmer and a leader of Shays' Rebellion, an armed protest in 1786-1787 against economic injustices in Massachusetts.

A period of sustained, long-term downturn in economy. Depression. In history, a depression is a severe and prolonged economic slump, like the Great Depression of the 1930s, which caused massive unemployment and hardship.

A branch of government responsible for the governance of a state. Executive branch. The executive branch enforces laws and is headed by the president or leader of a country.

A combination of a general government with regional governments in a single political system. Federalism. In history, federalism is a system where power is shared between a national government and smaller regional governments.

A series of essays about the US Constitution, written by Hamilton, Madison and J. Jay. Federalist Papers. The Federalist Papers are writings that argued for the ratification of the US Constitution.

Statesmen and public figures supporting the proposed Constitution of the US. Federalists. Federalists were people who supported the creation of a strong central government in the United States during its early years.

One of three delegates who refused to sign the Constitution. George Mason was a Founding Father who advocated for individual rights, influencing the Bill of Rights.

An agreement that large and small states established a two-house legislature under the US Constitution. Great Compromise. The Great Compromise was an agreement reached in 1787 that created a two-house Congress, balancing the interests of both large and small states.

A sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services. Inflation. Throughout history, inflation has meant that money buys less over time, often due to increased demand or costs.

A federal law that was designed to regulate the railroad industry. Interstate Commerce Act. The Interstate Commerce Act was a law passed in 1887 to ensure fair rates and to regulate the monopolistic practices of railroads in the U.S.

The fourth president of the United States 1809 - 1817. James Madison. James Madison was a key figure in drafting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

A branch of government that administers justice. Judicial branch. The judicial branch interprets laws and ensures they are applied fairly in courts.

A system where settlers could purchase title to farmland in the undeveloped west. Land Ordinance of 1785. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was a policy to organize and sell land in the western territories of the United States.

A part of government that makes laws. Legislative branch. In simple terms, the legislative branch is the part of government responsible for creating and passing laws.

A charter of rights agreed to by King John of England. Magna Carta. It is a document from 1215 that limited the power of the king and established basic legal rights.

A plan that called for each state to have equal representation in the legislature. New Jersey Plan. The New Jersey Plan was a proposal during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that suggested each state should have equal representation in Congress, regardless of its population size.

Act that created the Northwest Territory. Northwest Ordinance of 1787. It was a law that set the framework for governing and admitting new states from the Northwest Territory into the United States.

Was formed from unorganized western territory of the US, Northwest of the River Ohio. Northwest Territory. The Northwest Territory was a large area of land that became the first organized region of the United States beyond the Appalachian Mountains.

The authority of a government is created and sustained by its people through elected representatives. Popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty is the idea that the power of a government comes from the consent of its people, who express their will through voting.

Give formal consent to, for example, Constitution. Ratify. In History, to ratify means to officially approve or confirm a decision or agreement, such as a treaty or constitution.

An armed uprising in Western Massachusetts in opposition to a debt crisis. Shays's Rebellion was an event where farmers protested high taxes and economic hardship in the 1780s.

The right to vote in public. Suffrage. Suffrage is the right to participate in elections and vote for leaders or laws in a democracy.

A tax charged on goods as they pass between one country and another. Tariff. In history, a tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported or exported goods to protect domestic industries and generate revenue.

The compromise counted 35 of each state's slaves toward that state's total population. Three-Fifths Compromise. The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement in the U.S. Constitution where three out of every five slaves were counted for state representation and taxation.

A proposal to the Constitutional Convention for the creation a government with 3 branches equal in power. Virginia Plan. The Virginia Plan was a proposal for a new U.S. government structure with three branches and representation based on state population.

Statute that disestablished the Church of England in Virginia and guaranteed freedom of religions. Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This document, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1786, ensured the separation of church and state and protected individual religious beliefs.