Foundation of the nation Flashcards
(34 cards)
Enlightenment
- age of reason
- time when people started of using observations & science to determine how things worked
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
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
Territory
-a piece of land controlled by the U.S., but that is not a state
Northwest Territory
- a big piece of land that the US acquired after the revolution
- what is now Ohio, Indiana
Bill of Rights
- List of protections from the government written into the constitution
- 1st 10 amendments to the US constitution
Amendment
- a change to a written document
- there are 27 Amendments to the US
13th Amendment
-Ended slavery
Constitution
-a list of what the government can do and cannot do
Democracy
- government run by the people
- based on majority rule
Republic
-democracy where elected officials make decision on the behalf of the people
Republicanism
- representative democracy
- form of government 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
Federalist
- supporters of the U.S. constitution
- didn’t want a bill of rights
