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

a law passed by Congress in 1787 that specified how western lands would be governed

(1781- 1787) The new nation faced many problems under the Articles of Confederation.

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

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)

an agreement during the Constitutional Convention protecting slave holders; denied Congress the power to tax the export of goods from any State, and, for 20 years, the power to act on the slave trade

A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed.

a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states

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

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

government structure in which government actions are limited by law

A change to the Constitution

Formal approval

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

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government, generally.

a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay (using the name "publius") published in NY newspapers and used to convince readers to adopt the new constitution