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| government by the people, either directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections | ||
| government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials more directly | ||
| government that derives its powers indirectly from the people, who elect those who will govern; also called a republic | ||
| a government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections | ||
| the set of arrangements, including checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers | ||
| the idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of individuals residing in that nation | ||
| the idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs | ||
| governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority | ||
| the candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election | ||
| candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half | ||
| participation in voluntary associations that reinforce democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences | ||
| a consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government | ||
| government by religious leaders, who claim guidance | ||
| the first governing document of the confederate states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789 | ||
| a convention held in September 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for what became the constitutional convention | ||
| the convention in Philadelphia, May 25 to September 17, 1787, that framed the Constitution of the United States | ||
| rebellion by farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures, led by Daniel Shays and important because it highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out | ||
| the principle of a two-house legislature | ||
| initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature, the lower house to be elected by the voters and the upper chosen by the lower | ||
| proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally | ||
| compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators | ||
| compromise agreement between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives | ||
| supporters of ratification of the Constitution whose position promoting a strong central government was later voiced in the Federalist party | ||
| opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government generally | ||
| series of essays promoting ratification of the Constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787 and 1788 |
