KEY TERMS Key Terms and People to Know for the Regents Exam
Articles of Confederation
America’s first governing document. The authors purposely made the central government weak and gave power to the states because they did not want the same strong central government they had under the British. The central government could not even establish taxes.
Land Ordinance / Northwest Ordinance
The Land Ordinance (1785) and the Northwest Ordinance (1787) are considered achievements under the Articles of Confederation because they established processes for settling western territories and creating new states.
Shays’ Rebellion
Shays’ Rebellion (a Massachusetts farmers' rebellion against taxes and debtor courts in 1786) became a concern for many national leaders because it exposed fundamental weaknesses in government under the Articles of Confederation and convinced many Americans of the need for a stronger national government.