Founding of the Nations Flashcards
Enligtentment
Age of reason
Time when people started using observation & science to determine how things work
Declaration on Independence
America’s letter to England that we are going to start our own country
Natural Rights
Life, liberty, & property
Enlightenment Idea
Social Contract
Governments are created to protect natural rights, if they don’t, they can start a new government
Enlightenment idea
Sovereignty
The right to rule
Popular Sovereignty
The right to rule comes from the people
Syn: Democracy
Grievance
A reason for complaint
Northwest Ordinance
Document created to govern the Northwest Territory
Established several precedents for the US Constitution
Territory
A piece of land controlled by the US but is not a state
Northwest Territory
Big piece of land that the US acquired after the revolution
What is now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, & Michigan
Bill of Rights
List of protections from the government written into the US Constitution
1st 10 amendments to the US Constitution
Amendment
A change to a written document
There are 27 amendment to the US constitution
13th Amendment
Ended Slavery
Constitution
A list of what the government can and cannot do
Democracy
Government run by the people
Based on majority rule
Republic
Democracy where elected people officials make decisions on behalf of the people
Republicanism
Representative democracy
Form of government the US has
Monarchy
Government run by a king or queen
Articles of Confederation
America’s first constitution
Failed because federal government was too weak
Provision
A condition or requirement in a legal document
Legislate
To make laws
Federal Government
National government (over entire country)
Federalism
National and state governments share power
Federalist
Supporters of the US Constitution
Didn’t want a Bill of Rights
