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history ch.5
term | definition |
---|---|
republic | A government in which the citizens rule through elected representatives. |
Articles of Confederation | A document, adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 and finally approved by the states in 1781, that outlined the form of government of the new United States. |
confederation | An alliance permitting states or nations to act together on matters of mutual concern. |
Land Ordinance of 1785 | A law that established a plan for surveying and selling the federally owned lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. |
NW Ordinance of 1787 | A law that established a procedure for the admission of new states to the Union. |
Shay’s Rebellion | An uprising of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers protesting increased state taxes in 1787. |
Great Compromise | The Constitutional Convention’s agreement to establish a two-house national legislature, with all states having equal representation in one house and each state having representation based on its population in the other house. |
Three-Fifths Compromise | The Constitutional Convention’s agreement to count three-fifths of a state’s slaves as population for purposes of representation and taxation. |
federalism | A political system in which a national government and constituent units, such as state governments, share power. |
legislative branch | The branch of government that makes laws. |
executive branch | The branch of government that administers and enforces the laws. |
judicial branch | The branch of government that interprets the laws and Constitution. |
checks and balances | The provisions in the U.S. Constitution that prevent any branch of the U.S. government from dominating the other two branches. |
electoral college | A group selected by the states to elect the president and the vice-president, in which each state’s number of electors is equal to the number of its senators and representatives in Congress. |
ratification | The official approval of the Constitution, or of an amendment, by the states. |
Federalists | Supporters of the Constitution and of a strong national government. |
Antifederalists | An opponent of a strong central government. |
The Federalist | A series of essays defending and explaining the constitution, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. |
Bill of Rights | The first ten amendments to the U.S Constitution, added in 1791 and consisting of a formal list of citizens’ rights and freedoms. |