an alliance of independent states

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

sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.

a region of the United States bounded by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes. The region was given to the United States by the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Divided the Northwest Territory into five smaller territories, established a method for governing territories, and created a path to statehood by allowing any territory with 60,000 residents to apply

6 sq mile sections established in Northwest, divided into 36 parts, the 16th one for schools, method of surveying

Provided for the surveying and selling of the land of the Northwest Territory; divided land into townships.

The freedom to stockpile goods until ships came to transport them overseas; needed since Spain controlled New Orleans where the Mississippi River emptied into the sea.

Treaty maker who negotiated with Spain for the right to deposit; his treaty made no one happy since it included Americans paying high tariffs.

Taxes on imported goods

This former Continental soldier led an uprising of about 1,200 Massachusetts farmers who tried to overthrow the government in response to high taxes/inflation that was causing many farmers to lose their lands and be placed in debtor's prison.

A convention held in September 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states and important because it issued the call to the Confederation Congress and the states for what became the Constitutional Convention

United States statesman and leader of the Federalists

"Father of the Constitution," Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.

Beginning on May 25, 1787, the convention recommended by the Annapolis Convention was held in Philadelphia. All of the states except Rhode Island sent delegates, and George Washington served as president of the convention. The convention lasted 16 weeks, and on September 17, 1787, produced the present Constitution of the United States, which was drafted largely by James Madison.

A document stating the rules under which a government will operate

A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws.

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation (more citizens = more representatives) in both houses of a bicameral Congress (Senate and House of Representatives).

"Small-state plan" for the new constitution, proposing equal representation by state, regardless of population, in a unicameral legislature.

A political system in which the legislature comprises two houses

Compromise proposed by Roger Sherman at the Philadelphia Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature (Senate) and representation based on population in the other house (House of Representatives)

the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of representatives from each state, depending on population

the official count of a population

Compromise between northern and southern states at the Philadelphia Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

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

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

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

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

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

a series of essays written to oppose and defeat the proposed U.S. Constitution; believed state/local governments should be supreme and feared that the President would become a monarch/dictator over time

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

First 10 amendments to the Constitution which provided for individual rights; required to gain the support of those opposed to a strong central government.

the introduction to the Constitution, outlining the goals of the document

President's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

the right to vote