limited government
government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has certain rights that government cannot take away
representative government
government serves the will of the people and people get a say in how government works
Magna Carta
The Great Charter. Signed by King John at Runnymede in 1215. First time king's power is limited in any way
Petition of Right
signed by Charles I in 1628. Parliament refused to grant king's wishes until he signed it. Challenged divine right by saying that even monarchs had to follow the law
English Bill of Rights
signed by William and Mary; talks about basic human rights
charter
a written grant of authority from the king
bicameral
two-house legislature
proprietary
organized by a proprietor who could do whatever he wanted
proprietor
person to whom the king gave a charter
King John
signed the Magna Carta in 1215
King Charles I
signed the Petition of Right
William and Mary
signed the English Bill of Rights
royal colony
King's colonies. Governors and councils appointed by the king. (NH, MA, NY, NJ, VA, NC, SC, GA)
proprietary colony
organized by a proprietor (ML, PN, DL)
charter colony
based on charters granted to the actual colonists themselves; largely self-governed (CN, RI)
New England Confederation
first attempt at unity; gathered together to form a defense against Native Americans
Albany Plan of Union
offered by B. Franklin; proposed for an annual congress of deleates to do stuff.
delegate
a representative from a state
boycott
refusal to buy or sell certain goods and products
repeal
to recall something
popular sovereignty
government can exist only with the consent of the governed
Stamp Act Congress
Congress that wrote up the Declaration of Rights and Grievances to oppose the king
King George
British King during colonial revolution
Boston Massacre
March 5, 1770. British soldiers fire into a crowd of boycotters.
Boston Tea Party
Sam Adams leads a group of men dressed as Indians onto British ships and dump tea to oppose the Tea Act
First Continental Congress
Response to the Intolerable Acts. Wrote a Declaration of Rights and urged people to refuse trade with Britain.
Second Continental Congress
First national government
Declaration of Independence
document that said that America was going to secede from Britain
Articles of Confederation
firm league of friendship where each State kept its sovereignty and freedom
ratification
formal approval (for example, approval of the Constitution by the states)
presiding officer
person who directs debate in chamber
framers
group of delegates at the Philadelphia Convention
Virginia Plan
called for legislative, judicial, and executive branches with a bicameral congress based on population
New Jersey Plan
Unicameral legislature with equal representation
Connecticut Compromise
Two houses of legislature. One population based, other equal representation. Also called the Great Compromise.
Three-Fifths Compromise
each slave counts as three-fifths of a person
Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Congress can't tax exports or do anything about slavery for 20 years
Federalists
group of people who wanted ratification of the Constitution
Anti-federalists
group of people who didn't want ratification of the Constitution
quorum
least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business
James Madison
Father of the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton
a Federalist who stressed the weakness of the Articles
Bill of Rights
1st - 10th Amendments; guarantees basic human rights
New York
last key state for ratification of the Constitution