Articles of Confederation

the first written plan of government for the United States gave congress the power to: make war and peace, raise and army and navy, print money, set up a postal system

Constitutional

Convention

• met first on May 25, 1787
• first order of business: elect George Washington president of the convention
• 55 delegates from 12 states

James

Madison

• Father of the Constitution
• became president
• addressed the convention over 200 times

Enlightenment 

the "Age of Reason" in 17th and 18th  century Europe.

territory

• a region designated by congress and organized under a governor
• may apply for statehood when population is large enough

arsenal

a place where weapons and ammunition are stored

republic

a country governed by elected representatives

constitution

a written plan that provides the basic framework of a government

compromise

an agreement in which both sides in a dispute agree to give up something they want in order to achieve a settlement

Electoral

College

the group established by the Constitution to elect the president and vice president

each state has a select number of votes depending on population

ratify

to formally approve a plan or an agreement

the process is called ratification

Virginia

 Plan

Legislative branch (congress): make laws

Executive branch: carry out the laws

Judicial branch (court system): apply and interpret laws

Congress: House of Representatives and Senate

Number of representatives depended on population

New Jersey

Plan

a lot like the Virginia Plan except:

Legislative branch: only one House

Each state would have equal votes so that small states wouldn't be pushed over by larger states.