Protestant Episcopal Church
New name for the Anglican Church after it was disestablished and de-Anglicized in Virginia and elsewhere
Republican Motherhood
The idea that AMerican women had a special responsibility to cultivate "civic virtue" in their children
Constitutional Convention
A type of special assembly, originally developed in Massachusetts, for drawing up a fundamental law that would be superior of ordinary law
Articles of Confederation
The first constitutional government of the United States
Old Northwest
The territory north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi governed by the acts of 1785 and 1787
Township
In the new territories, 6 mile by 6 mile square areas consisting of 36 sections, one of which was set aside for public schools (Land Ordinance of 1785)
Territory
The status of a western area under the Northwest Ordinance after it established an organized government but before it became a state
Shay's Rebellion
A failed revolt in 1786 by poor farmers that raised fears of "mobocracy" ; They wanted paper money and fewer local taxes. This revolt showed the need for a strong centralized government
The Large State Plan
The plan proposed by Virginia at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with representation based on population
The Small State Plan
The plan proposed by New Jersey for a unicameral legislature with equal representation of states regardless of size and population
3/5 Compromise
The compromise between North and South that resulted in each slave being counted as 60% of a free person for purposes of representation
Also, after 1807, no more slaves were allowed to be imported/traded from outside the US
Antifederalists
The opponents of the Constitution who argued against creating such a strong central government
They were for states rights
The Federalist
A masterly series of pro-Constitution articles printed in New York by Jay, Madison, and Hamilton
President
The official under the new Constitution who would be commander in chief of the armed forces, appoint judges and other officials, and have the power to veto legislation
Bill of Rights
A list of guarantees that feudalists promised to add to the Constitution in order to win ratification
Society of the Cincinnati
An exclusive order of military officers that aroused strong democratic opposition
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Legislation passed by an alliance of Jefferson and the Baptists that disestablished the Anglican Church
Articles of Confederation
Document of 1781 that was put out of business by the Constitution
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Legislation that provided for the orderly transformation of western territories into states
Dey of Algiers
North African leader who took advantage of the weakness of the Articles of Confederation to attack American shipping
Daniel Shays
Revolutionary War veteran who led poor farmers in a revolt that failed but had far-reaching consequences
George Washington
Unanimously elected chairman of the secret convention of "demi-gods
James Madison
Father of the Constitution and author of Federalist No.10
Federalists
Wealthy conservatives devoted to republicanism who engineered a nonviolent political transformation
Antifederalists
Group that failed to block the central government they feared but did force the promise of a bill of rights
Patrick Henry
Virginia antifederalist leader who thought the Constitution spelled the end of liberty and equality
Alexander Hamilton
Young New Yorker who argued eloquently for the Constitution even though he favored an even stronger central government
John Jay
Frustrated foreign affairs secretary under the Articles; one of the 3 authors of The Federalist
Massachusetts
First of key states where federalists won by a narrow margin over the opposition of antifederalist Sam Adams
New York
The only state to allow a direct vote on the Constitution
The American Revolution brought about...
Somewhat greater social and economic equality and the virtual end of slavery in the North
Agreement among states to give up western land claims made possible...
The approval of the Articles of Confederation and the passage of two important laws governing western lands
The weakness of the Articles of Confederation nearly...
Bankrupted the national government and invited assaults on American interests by foreign powers
Shay's Rebellion scared...
Conservatives and made them determined to strengthen the central government against debtors
The conflict in the Constitutional Convention between large and small states forced...
The adoption of the "Great Compromise", which required a bicameral legislature with two different bases of representation
The North-South conflict in the Constitutional Convention over counting slaves for representation forced...
Acceptance of the "Three-Fifths Compromise", counting each slave as 3/5 of a person for purposes of representation
A meeting in Annapolis to discuss revising the Articles of Confederation issued...
A call to Congress for a special convention to revise the Articles of Confederation
Antifederalist fears that the Constitution would destroy liberties made...
The federalists promise to add a bill of rights to the Constitution
The Federalist and fears that New York would be left out of the Union finally...
Brought New York to ratify the Constitution by a narrow margin
The disestablishment of the Anglican Church laid...
The basis for the Virginian Statue for Religious Freedom and the separation of church and state
Strengths of the Articles of Confederation
Legislature gave the power to the people; Republic
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
No executive branch
No strong standing military protection
No taxes or ways to collect revenue to support the government; no ability to regulate commerce
Convention of Demi-Gods
Washington, Franklin, Madison (Father of the Constitution) and Hamilton came together to revise the Articles of Confederation. However they realized that it would be easier to just start over; the final product would end up to be the Constitution. The Bil
The Bill of Rights
Explained the rights of the states and people.