Student Friendly Definition Page
Word/DefinitionStudent DefinitionPicture
Articles of Confederation:the first constitution of the 13 American states, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789 by the Constitution of the United States.Executive: the person who runs the government and sees that the laws are carried out.
Resolution- a formal statement of opinion.
Economic Depression:is a period when business activity slows, prices and wages drop and unemployment rises.
Constitution:a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Shay’s Rebellion: An uprising led by a former militia officer, Daniel Shays, which broke out in western Massachusetts in 1786. Shays' followers protested the foreclosures of farms for debt and briefly succeeded in shutting down the court system.
Judicial Branch: interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution
Compromise: an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions
New Jersey Plan: a plan, unsuccessfully proposed at the Constitutional Convention, providing for a single legislative house with equal representation for each state
Three-fifths Compromise:outlined the process for states to count slaves as part of the population in order to determine representation and taxation for the federal government.
Ratify: sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.
Federalist: anadvocate or supporter of federalism and favored a strong federal government; member or supporter of the Federalist Party
Anti-Federalist: refers to a movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution
Bill of Rights: first ten amendments to the US Constitution, ratified in 1791 and guaranteeing such rights as the freedoms of speech, assembly, and worship.
Inauguration: formal admission of someone to office
Precedent: earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances
Bond: a certificate issued by government for an amount of money that the government promises to pay back with interest.
Speculator: People who invest in risky venture in the hope of making a large profit.
Unconstitutional: contrary to what is permitted by Constitution
Tariff: tax on imported goods
Whiskey Rebellion: was a tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskeytax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government
Reflection: Using at least 10 of the vocabulary words, explain what you know so far about the Causes of the American Revolution. Make Sure you circle all of the vocabulary words you use in the paragraph.
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