Trade that is conducted between the states. Interstate commerce

Formal approval. ratification

Series of essays that defended the Constitution & tried to reassure Americans that the states would not be overpowered by the proposed national government. Federalist Papers

Uprising of Massachusetts farmers led by Daniel Shays, to protest high taxes, heavy debt & farm foreclosures. Shays’s Rebellion

Document that created the First central government for the United States, was replaced by the Constitution in Articles of Confederation

Official changes, corrections, or additions to the law or the Constitution. amendments

Taxes on imports or exports. tariffs

A set of basic principles that determines the powers & duties of government. constitution

System established by the framers of the Constitution to prevent any branch of government from becoming too powerful. Checks and balances

People who lend money. creditors

Support for a type of government in which representatives are elected and in which the people hold the political power. republicanism

Fundamental rights, such as religious liberty and equality before the law. Natural rights

Distribution of governmental power between a central authority and the states or provinces that make up the nation. federalism

Decision made at the Constitutional Convention that settled the issue of how the states would be represented in Congress. Great Compromise

Steep drop in economic activity combined with rising unemployment. depression