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Life in a New Nation

Terms

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Articles of Confederation
First plan of government for the United States, in effect from 1781 to 1789. It gave more power to the states then to the central government.
ratify
To officially aprove.
legislative branch
Part of the government that passes laws.
executive branch
Part of the government, headed by the president, that carries out the laws.
judicial branch
Part of the government that decides the meaning of laws.
inflation
Economic condition in which prices rise very quickly.
Shays' Rebellion
Revolt of Massachusetts farmers against high state taxes, led by Daniel Shays.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Federal order that divided the Northwest Territory into smaller territories and created a plan for how the territories could become states.
delegate
Person chosen to represent others.
Constitutional Convention
Meeting of delegates who met in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, in 1787 and replaced the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution.
Virginia Plan
Proposal during the Constitutional Convention that Congress be given greater power over the states and that large states have more representatives in Congress then small states.
New Jersey Plan
Prosal during the Constitutional Convention that each state should have the same number of representatives in Congress.
compromise
Settlement of a disagreement in which each side agrees to give up part of it's demands.
Great Compromise
Agreement at the Constitutional Convention to create a Congress with two houses. First proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut.
Three-Fiths Compromise
Agreement made at the Constitutional Convention that only three-fiths of the slaves in a state would be counted for representation and tax purposes.
Preamble
Introduction to the Constitution, beginning, "We the People of the United States...".
reserved powers
Powers in the Constitution that are left to the individual states.
separation of powers
Division of power among the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.
checks and balances
System set up by the Constitution that gives each branch of government the power to check, or limit, the powers of the other branches.
veto
Power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress.
Federalist
Supporter of a strong natural government and in favor of adopting of the Constitution.
federal
Refers to the national government.
Antifederalists
Person opposed to the new U.S. Constitution and it's emphasis on a strong national government.
The Federalist
Series of essays in 1787 and 1788 by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay that urged support of the new Constititution.
amendment
A change, or addition, to the Constitution.
Bill of Rights
First ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791.

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