feudalism
a social system based on a rigid social and political hierarchy based on the ownership of land
slavery
the ownership, for forced labor, of one people by another
French and Indian War
a war fought between France and England, and allied Indians, from 1754 to 1763; resulted in France's expulsion from the New World
popular sovereignty
the concept that the citizens are the ultimate source of political power
Common Sense
1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that persuaded many Americans to support the Revolutionary cause
Declaration of Independence
the political document that dissolved the colonial ties between the United States and Britain
constitution
the rules that establish a government
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the United States (1777) creating an association of states with weak central government
confederation
a government in which independent states unite for common purpose, but retain their own sovereignty
popular tyranny
unrestrained power of the people
Shay's rebellion
a grassroots uprising (1787) by armed Massachusetts farmers protesting foreclosures
Constitutional Convention
the assembly of fifty-five delegates in the summer of 1787 to recast the Articles of Confederation; the result was the U.S. Constitution
federalism
a political system in which power is divided between the central and regional units
Federalists
supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government
Anti-Federalists
advocates of states' rights who opposed the Constitution
Virginia plan
a proposal at the Constitutional Convention that congressional representation be based of population, thus favoring large states
New Jersey plan
a proposal at the Constitutional Convention that congressional representation be equal, thus favoring the small states
Great Compromise
the constitutional solution to congressional representation: equal votes in the Senate, votes by population in the House
Three-fifths Compromise
the formula for counting five slaves as three people for purposes of representation, which reconciled northern and southern factions at the Constitutional Convention
ratification
the process through which a proposal is formally approved and adopted by vote
The Federalist Papers
a series of essays written to build support for ratification of the Constitution
factions
groups of citizens united by some common passion of interest and opposed to the rights of other citizens or the interests of the whole community
Bill of Rights
a summary of citizen rights guaranteed and protected by a government; added to the Constitution as its first ten amendments in order to achieve ratification