Explore Module 3

Key Terms:

• Articles of Confederation - the first constitution of the United States, law of the land from 1776-1777; had a weak Central government with strong State governments.
• Daniel Shays - American Revolutionary War captain best known for leading a rebellion of western Massachusetts farmers in 1786-1787 seeking relief from oppressive economic conditions.
• Land Ordinance of 1785 - established a system for surveying and subdividing public land outside the 13 original colonies.
• Northwest Ordinance of 1787 - thought to be the single most important piece of legislation of the Confederation period; established a specific frame of government for the Old Northwest and provided the means by which new states could be admitted to the Union and made it clear that the new states would be equal to the old.
• Ratification - to approve or confirm.
• Republicanism - a system of government in which the supreme power of the country is vested in an electorate.
• Shay's Rebellion - a revolt by desperate Massachusetts farmers in 1786 that arose from the economic hardship that followed the war of independence; led by Daniel Shays.
• Sovereignty - supreme authority in a political community.
• 3/5 Compromise - compromise stating that population for the purpose of representation in Congress would only count 3 out of every 5 slaves.
• Anti-Federalists - opponents of the adoption of the federal Constitution.
• Bill of Rights - the first 10 amendments to the Constitution ensuring such rights as freedom of speech, right to bear arms, and right to a trial by jury.
• Constitutional Convention - meeting of delegates, in Philadelphia, from 12 of the 13 US states (Rhode Island abstained), which resulted in the creation of the US Constitution.
• Federalists - favored a strong central government; pushed for ratification of the US Constitution.
• Great Compromise - presented by Roger Sherman, called for a two "house" legislature with the upper house (Senate) having equal representation of two officials per state and the lower house (The House of Representatives) representation based on population.
• New Jersey Plan - introduced by William Paterson, also known as the small-state plan; called for a loose confederation of states, wanted each state to have two representatives.
• U.S. Constitution - has served as the basic frame of government since 1789; establishes 3 branches of government.
• Virginia Plan - introduced by Edmond Randolph, also known as the large-state plan; called for a strong federal government, wanted representation to be based solely by population.
• Alexander Hamilton - delegate to the convention, was 32 at the time.
• Benjamin Franklin - oldest delegate at the age of 81, he was considered the patriarch of the convention.
• James Madison - known as the "Father of the Constitution" he took impeccable minutes of the convention.
• Jonathan Dayton - youngest delegate at the convention at the age of 26, from New Jersey.