Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcard

Front

Articles of Confederation

Back

The first written plan of government for the United States. Ratified in 1781

Front

Constitutional Convention

Back

A meeting held in Philadelphia in 1787 at which delegates from the states wrote the U.S. Constitution

Front

Constitution

Back

A written plan that provides the basic framework of a government

Front

Great Compromise

Back

Adopted at the Constitutional Convention. Established a 2 house congress: House of Representatives (based on population) and Senate (2 per state)

Front

Northwest Territory

Back

A region of the United States bordered by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes. The region was given to the United States by the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Front

Northwest Ordinance

Back

a law passed by Congress in 1787 that specified how western lands would be governed

Front

Republic

Back

a country governed by elected representatives

Front

Three-Fifths Compromise

Back

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention stating enslaved persons would be counted as three-fifths of a person when determining a state’s population for representation.

Front

Legislative branch

Back

The lawmaking part of government. Passes bills into law

Front

checks and balances

Back

the system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other two branches