Boston Tea Party

Protest against increased tea prices in which colonists dumped British tea into Boston harbor.

Intolerable Acts

Series of laws passed in 1774 to punish Boston for the Tea Party.

Declaration of Independence

the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain.

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Constitutional Convention

The meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US Constitution.

U.S. Constitution (1787)

Replaced the Articles of Confederation and established a functioning government. Established (1) federalist system, (2) separation of powers, (3) checks and balances, (4) Bill of Rights.

Virginia Plan

Proposal to create a strong national government

bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

unicameral legislature

One-house legislature

Conneticut Compromise (AKA GREAT COMPROMISE)

created two houses of congress, one where the number of votes determined the population of each state (House of Representatives) and one where each state had equal votes (Senate)

Federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.

Shay's Rebellion

A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Amendment

A change in, or addition to, a constitution or law

Inalienable Rights

unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor : freedom of religion, the most inalienable of all human rights. LIFE, LIBERTY, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation

• No power to raise money through taxes (federal/national government was too weak)
• No way to enforce the laws passed by Congress (federal/national government was too weak)
• the federal (national) government was too weak;
  the state governments had more power
• Each state only had one vote in Congress despite the size of the state
• No Judicial Branch, or Exeuctive Branch

Constitutional Convention (what was it?)

Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of the thirteen original states to write the Constitution of the United States.

3/5th Compromise

The 3/5's compromise declared that three fifths of enslaved men and women would be counted to determine representation and direct taxation.

Who helped write the majority of what would be included in the Constitution? Also know as the "Father of the Constitution."

James Madison

Who was the founder that presided over the Constitutional Convention (think celebrity status during this time)

George Washington