Unit 1 - Founding of the Nation Flashcards
Enlightenment
• 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, property
* enlightenment idea
Social Contract
• governments are created to protect natural
rights, if they don’t, people can start a new
government
• enlightenment idea
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
• a 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