Forming a Government Flashcards
A New Nation
signed in 1215, made the King of England subject to law
Magna Carta
declared that Parliament was the supreme law of England
English Bill of Rights
Age of Reason, emphasized the use of reason to examine old traditions
Enlightenment
English Enlightenment thinker, believed that evey man was born with natural rights- life, liberty, & property, Job of the gov’t was to protect these rights, therefore, gov’t got it’s power from the people (popular sovereignty)
John Locke
People would meet and talk and decide on local issues
town meetings
first representative legislature in the English colonies
Virginia House of Burgesses
An agreement to form a political body and give it the power to enact laws for the good of the colony, one of the first examples of self government
Mayflower Compact
early colony included a bill of rights guaranteeing that no one could be deprived of life, liberty, and property w/o due process
Massachusetts Bay
early colony stated that people had the right to elect governors, judges, and a legislature
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
a set of basic principles and laws that states the powers and duties of the gov’t
consitution
tax on imports or exports
tariff
goods coming into a country
import
goods leaving a country
export
trade between two or more states
interstate commerce
increased prices for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money
inflation
drew attention that the Articles of Confederation had failed to protect the values & ideals of liberty set forth in the DOI
Shay’s Rebellion
held to address the issues (weaknesses) of the Articles of Confederation, ended up creating the US Constitution
Constitutional Convention
proposal to create a bicameral legislature w/ representation based on states population
Virginia Plan
proposal to create a unicameral legislature w/ equal representation of states
New Jersey Plan
3 out of every 5 slaves would count when determining its population for representation in the House of Rep
3/5 Compromise
Agreement worked out between the Vir Plan & NJ
Plan, created a bicameral legislature w/each state having 2 senators & a house of rep based on population population
Great Compromise
official changes to the Constitution
amendments
Constitution was written in this year
1787
principle that political power rests with the people,government gets its power from the people
popular sovereignty
principle which power is divided and shared between national, state, and local governments
federalism
principle that divides governmental powers into 3 branches of gov’t: executive, legislature, and judicial branches
separation of powers
.principle that the government is controlled by the people through elected representatives
republicanism
principle that there are limitations on government power and authority
limited government
“L”- lawmakers- House of Rep/ Senate
legislative branch
“E”- enforce the law- President is the head
executive branch
“J”- judge the law- Supreme Court is the head
judicial branch
principle that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches
checks & balances
principle that these “natural rights” are guaranteed to all people
individual rights
afraid that the federal gov’t would subdue people’s freedoms and rights. therefore opposed to the ratification of the Constitution until the Bill of Rights were added
Antifederalist
essays supporting the Constitution, reassured Americans that the federal govt would not overpower the states
Federalist Papers
were in favor of ratifying the Constitution
Federalist
added to the Constitution, first 10 amendments
Bill of Rights
“Rule of Law” in USA
US Constitution
written law, stating what the gov’t powers are and the citizens rights
Rule of Law
no written law, gov’t or ruler has no limitations
Rule of Man
right to vote
suffrage
created the first central gov’t for the USA, national gov’t was weak, only a legislative branch(Congress)
Articles of Confederation
an official approval
ratification
created a system for bringing new states into the Union
Northwest Ordinance
period of low economic activities combined w/ a rise in unemployment
depression
legislative branch made up of two houses
bicameral
legislative branch made up of one house
unicameral
supreme power
sovereignty
