| Term | Definition |
|---|
| compromise | an agreement between two parties where both give up something they want |
| amendment | a change or addition to an important document |
| article | a part or section of the United States Constitution |
| Articles of Confederation | America's first constitution, but had a very weak central government |
| constitution | a formal plan of government |
| delegate | a person sent to vote for a group of people / representative |
| depreciate | to fall in value |
| depression | a period of time when economic activity slows and unemployment increases |
| federalism | the sharing of power between the state and federal government |
| manumission | the freeing of individual enslaved persons |
| petition | a formal request |
| proportional | corresponding in size or population |
| ratify | to approve |
| executive | the branch of government that enforces and carries out the laws |
| legislative | the branch of government that makes the laws |
| judicial | the branch of government that interprets the laws and determines whether they are constitutional |
| Roger Sherman | This person proposed the Great Compromise. |
| John Locke | This philosopher said the government was "an agreement between the people and their ruler." |
| Edmund Randolf | This person proposed the Virginia Plan. |
| James Madison | The "Father" and primary writer of the U.S. Constitution. |
| George Washington | The leader of the Constitutional Convention. |
| George Mason | The person who proposed a Bill of Rights to be added to the U.S. Constitution. |
| Enlightenment | Movement in the 1700s that claimed science, reason, and knowledge would better society. |
| Electoral College | The body that elects the President. |
| Federalist | A person in support of a new United States Constitution. |
| Anti-Federalist | A person opposed the United States Constitution. |
| republic | A type of government where citizens rule through elected representatives. |
| Daniel Shays | The person who led a revolt of farmers against he government. |
| Northwest Ordinance | This law helped to stop the spread of slavery to the west. |
| bicameral | term meaning 'two-house' legislature |
| Great Compromise | This compromise came up with a bicameral legislature in order to please both the large population and small population states. |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | This compromise said that only a fraction of the slaves in southern states could count toward total population. |
| House of Representatives | legislative body where representatives are based on population |
| Senate | legislative body where every state is equally representatives regardless of population |
| separation of powers | the separation of power in American government into three unique branches |
| checks and balances | the system where each branch of government has a check or 'limit' over the other branches of government |
Combine with other sets
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