Vocabulary Builder: Constitutional Foundations
Anti-Federalists - led by Thomas Jefferson, one of the first political parties urging the rejection of the constitution. Its members were farmers and represented the interest of the common people.
Articles of Confederation - the first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weaknesses, the period of time (1781-1789) became known as the critical period.
Connecticut Compromise - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and created a bicameral legislature, where one house is represented by the population, and the other house is represented by the states.
Consent of the governed - a derivative of the doctrine of natural rights; a philosophy, later adopted by Jefferson when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, that puts the authority of the government in the people's hands.
Constitution - provides the basic framework of government. It is the supreme law of the land.
Declaration of Independence - blueprint for the American Revolution containing three parts. The first part - an introduction including ideas such as natural rights as related to life, liberty, and property, the consent of the governed and the concept of limited government. The second part - a list of grievances against the King of England and the third part - a declaration of independence.
Democratic Republicans - led by Thomas Jefferson, they were characterized as the party of the "common man." they believed in a more limited role of the central government.
Federalist Papers - written using the pen name Publius; John Jay, alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote a series of articles urging the adoption of the Constitution. They argued for a Constitution that would establish a government that could deal with "the tyranny of the majority" by creating three branches of government having distinctive and separate powers.
Federalist Party - headed by Alexander Hamilton, this party, made up of the country's upper class, supported a strong national government and set a policy agenda that would solve the nation's economic problems.
Great Compromise - Created a bicameral legislature at the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in 1787. The compromise came about after delegates could not agree on the New Jersey plan that advocated one legislative house based on equal representation and the Connecticut plan that favored one house based on population.
Limited government - derived from the doctrine of natural rights, it was adopted by Jefferson and restricts the power of government especially in the area of protecting the rights of the people.
Natural rights - part of Locke's philosophy; rights that are God given such as life, liberty, and property.
New Jersey Plan - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on equal representation by the states.
Second Treatise of Civil Government - written by John Locke, it containes the blueprint principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Shays' Rebellion - a failed attempt by Daniel Shays, a farmer who lost his property, to revolt against the state government.
Three-Fifths Compromise - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and counted every five slaves as three people for representation and tax purposes.
Unalienable rights - rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are derived from the doctrine of natural rights.
Virginia Plan - offered at the Constitutional Convention at PHiladelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on the population of each state.
Articles of Confederation - the first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weaknesses, the period of time (1781-1789) became known as the critical period.
Connecticut Compromise - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and created a bicameral legislature, where one house is represented by the population, and the other house is represented by the states.
Consent of the governed - a derivative of the doctrine of natural rights; a philosophy, later adopted by Jefferson when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, that puts the authority of the government in the people's hands.
Constitution - provides the basic framework of government. It is the supreme law of the land.
Declaration of Independence - blueprint for the American Revolution containing three parts. The first part - an introduction including ideas such as natural rights as related to life, liberty, and property, the consent of the governed and the concept of limited government. The second part - a list of grievances against the King of England and the third part - a declaration of independence.
Democratic Republicans - led by Thomas Jefferson, they were characterized as the party of the "common man." they believed in a more limited role of the central government.
Federalist Papers - written using the pen name Publius; John Jay, alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote a series of articles urging the adoption of the Constitution. They argued for a Constitution that would establish a government that could deal with "the tyranny of the majority" by creating three branches of government having distinctive and separate powers.
Federalist Party - headed by Alexander Hamilton, this party, made up of the country's upper class, supported a strong national government and set a policy agenda that would solve the nation's economic problems.
Great Compromise - Created a bicameral legislature at the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in 1787. The compromise came about after delegates could not agree on the New Jersey plan that advocated one legislative house based on equal representation and the Connecticut plan that favored one house based on population.
Limited government - derived from the doctrine of natural rights, it was adopted by Jefferson and restricts the power of government especially in the area of protecting the rights of the people.
Natural rights - part of Locke's philosophy; rights that are God given such as life, liberty, and property.
New Jersey Plan - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on equal representation by the states.
Second Treatise of Civil Government - written by John Locke, it containes the blueprint principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Shays' Rebellion - a failed attempt by Daniel Shays, a farmer who lost his property, to revolt against the state government.
Three-Fifths Compromise - offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and counted every five slaves as three people for representation and tax purposes.
Unalienable rights - rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are derived from the doctrine of natural rights.
Virginia Plan - offered at the Constitutional Convention at PHiladelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on the population of each state.
