Our Political Beginnings
A territory populated by and governed by a state located somewhere else
What is
a colony?
the Stamp Act, the Declaratory Act, the Coercive ("Intolerable") Acts
What were
British Policies that violated the rights of the British American Colonists?
the form of government the United States used immediately following independence
What was
a confederacy?
to propose changes to the Articles of Confederation
What was
the purpose of the Philadephia Convention of 1787?
the number of states needed to ratify the Constitution of 1787
What was
Nine of the Thirteen?
the period of time during which the British crown allowed the colonies to govern themselves with very little interference
What is
salutary neglect?
the war against France that caused Britain to send many troops to North America for nearly a decade
What was
the French & Indian War?
not really a constitution; more of a treaty of alliance and framework for collaboration between the original 13 states.
What were
the Articles of Confederation?
What was
the decision to draft an entirely new Constitution instead of drafting revisions to the Articles of Confederation?
Who were
the Federalists?
nobles and community leaders who formed an advisory group to the British King and eventually became the chief policymaking institution of the British government
What was
Parliament?
the only people in the British Empire who weren't consulted about changes in government policy, like taxation
Who were
women, children, and servants?
Congress had no power to tax the people to raise revenue; Congress had no power to regulate trade between the states; Congress had no power to make the state governments enforce its policies; the structure and process of government could not be changed without unanimous consent of the 13 states
What were
flaws in the Articles of Confederation?
James Madison's plan for government that featured three balanced branches, the power to tax, a two-house legislature based on proportional representation, and a federal system of government
What was
the Virginia Plan?
the opponents of the ratification of the Constitution of 1787
Who were
the Anti-Federalists?
Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights
What were the landmark documents from British Government (that limited government and protected the rights of the people)?
called for the purpose of addressing the Intolerable Acts; resulted in the Declaration of Rights and Grievances
What was
the (First) Continental Congress?
the event that convinced most Americans that the national government of the United States needed more power
What was
Shays' Rebellion?
the agreement to allocate an equal number of delegates from each state to the Senate and a number of representatives proportional to the population of each state to the House of Representatives
What was
the Great Compromise?
the agreement made between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists to ensure the ratification of the Constitution of 1787
What was
the Bill of Rights compromise?
Limited Government, Individual Rights, the Social Contract, Representative Democracy, Popular Sovereignty
What were the basic principles of the British government (that we copied from them)?
Basic principles reflected by the Declaration of Independence's line: "...governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."
the social contract and popular sovereignty
an executive branch and a judicial branch
What was
missing from the Confederation government?
an agreement to count a state's whole population of free persons, indentured servants, and “three-fifths of all other persons" when deciding how many representatives a state can send to the House of Representatives
What was
the Three-Fifths Compromise
the significant strength of the proposed national government; the overall massive size of the republic; and the absence of a bill of rights
What were
the Anti-Federalists concerns with the proposed Constitution of 1787?