American History: Articles of Confederation

A plan of government adopted by each state after declaring independence from Britain outlining how the state would be run.

A two-house legislature, commonly used in states to further distribute government tasks.

The power or authority to govern or rule.

A system where citizens choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

The process of dividing power between different branches of government, such as legislative, executive, and judicial.

The branch of government responsible for making laws and enacting policies.

The branch of government responsible for enforcing laws.

The branch of government responsible for interpreting laws and resolving legal disputes.

A set of rules that established a weak central government for the newly formed United States after the American Revolution.

A governing system in which individual states retain significant power and independence, with a limited central government.

The ability to make rules and decisions that affect a group, such as a government.

A type of government where the states have the most power, and the central government has limited authority.

One of the 13 original states of the United States.

The ability of a state to govern itself and make its own laws.

The process of adding changes or improvements to a document or system.

A system of government where representation is based on the population of each state, meaning more people get more votes.

A system where each state has an equal number of votes, regardless of its population size.

The fear that larger states would overpower smaller states in government decisions.

Disagreements over land ownership between states, especially in the western territories.

The process of formally adding new states to the United States.

The area north of the Ohio River and west of the Appalachian Mountains, which became the focus of westward expansion.

The agreements reached in the Treaty of Paris, which gave the United States control over lands west of the Appalachian Mountains.

The need for the United States government to establish rules for settling and governing the western territories.

The challenge of creating a clear and orderly process for territories to become states.

A law passed in 1785 by the Confederation Congress that aimed to organize and sell lands north of the Ohio River. It divided the land into townships and sections for sale at public auctions, aiming for orderly settlement.

A law passed in 1787 by the Confederation Congress that established the Northwest Territory from lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River. It outlined a process for the territory to eventually become states, while ensuring basic rights and prohibiting slavery.

A square area of land measuring 6 miles long and 6 miles wide, used for organizing the land in the Northwest Territory.

A small area of land, one square mile in size, marking a subdivision within a township in the Northwest Territory.

The guaranteed right to practice religion freely without government interference, as stated in the Northwest Ordinance.

The right to a fair trial by a jury of peers, as outlined in the Northwest Ordinance.

A clause prohibiting slavery in the Northwest Territory, included in the Northwest Ordinance.

A territory established in 1798 by the United States Congress from land west of Georgia, following a similar model to the Northwest Ordinance.

This law simplified the process of purchasing land in the Northwest Territory by allowing people to pay for land in installments.

The paper money issued by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War, which lost its value due to overprinting.

The decrease in value of currency, often caused by inflation or excessive printing.

A situation where goods are scarce and prices rise dramatically, causing hardship for people.

The action of taking goods by force, often used to protest high prices or shortages.

Money borrowed during the Revolutionary War that the Continental Congress couldn't repay due to lack of taxing power.

The inability of the Continental Congress to collect enough taxes to pay its debts.

A plan proposed by the Continental Congress to raise revenue through taxes on imported goods, but faced opposition from states.

A tax on imported goods, proposed by Robert Morris to help pay the national debt.

The inability of the United States government to enact laws effectively due to the requirement of unanimous agreement among the states under the Articles of Confederation.

The actions taken by the British government to block American access to British markets and territories, in violation of the Treaty of Paris.

The Treaty of Paris, which granted independence to the United States, included a British promise to withdraw from American territories east of the Mississippi River. However, they failed to keep this promise.

The financial crisis faced by the United States government after the Revolutionary War, characterized by high national debt and inability to raise funds effectively.

The Treaty of Paris also required the United States to compensate Loyalists for property lost during the Revolution. Congress had proposed this, but states refused, highlighting the lack of power held by the central government.

Spain, controlling Florida and lands west of the Mississippi River, blocked US expansion and access to the Mississippi River for American shipping in 1784.

Despite facing challenges from both Britain and Spain, the United States managed to reach a new trade agreement with Spain in 1786.