Foundation of Our Government

  • House of Burgess

    Elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly.
  • May Flower Compact

    First framework of government written and enacted in the territory that is now the United States of America.
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    Common Sense

    Marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government.
  • Declaration of Independent

    13 American colonies in declaring independence from British rule.
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    Articles of Confederation

    An agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America that served as its first constitution.
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    Constitutional Convention

    Gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution.
  • Virginian Plan

    Strong central government composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
  • New Jersey Plan

    proposal for the structure of the United States Government presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention on June 15, 1787.
  • 3/5 Compromise

    compromise on slavery prohibited Congress from banning the importation of slaves until 1808. After all the disagreements were bridged, the new Constitution was submitted for ratification to the 13 states on September 28, 1787.
  • Federalist Paper

    the pseudonym "Publish" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.