founding of us Flashcards
Enligtenment
age of reason
• time when people started using
observation & science to determine how
things work
Declaration of
Independence
America’s letter telling England that we
were going to start our own country
Natural Rights
• life, liberty, pro• governments are created to protect natural
rights, if they don’t, people can start a new
Social Contract
• governments are created to protect natural
rights, if they don’t, people can start a new
government
• enlightenment ide
Sovereignty
the right to rule
Popular Sovereignty
the right to rule comes from the people
• synonym–democracy
Grievance
a reason for a complaint
Northwest Ordinance
• document created to govern the
Northwest Territory
• established several precedents for the US
Constitution
Territory
• an piece of land that is controlled by the
U.S., but that 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 Amendments to the U.S.
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 officials make
decisions on behalf of the people
Republicanism
representative democracy
• form of government the U.S. 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 & state governments share power
Federalists
supporters of the U.S. Constitution
• didn’t want a bill of rights
Anti-federalists
opponents of the U.S. Constitution
• wanted a bill of rights
Magna Carta
Document from 1215
• Established the precedent of trial by jury
English Bill of Rights
One basis for American Bill of Rights
• Established precedent against cruel and
unusual punishment
Virginia Declaration of
Rights
protected rights
• precedent for the US BILL OF RIGHTS
Precedent
a way of doing things based on the way
people did them in the past
Infringement
violation of a right or law
Quartering Act of 1765
made colonists provide lodging for British
soldiers
Massachusetts
Government Act
limited colonists right to assemble
Due Process
the government taking all the right steps
before fining or imprisoning someone
Ratify
• accept or adopt
