| First Continental Congress | Twelve of the thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia in September 1774 |
| Author the Declaration of Independence | Thomas Jefferson |
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence | July 4, 1776 |
| Major theme of the Declaration of Independence | Man as the natural rights of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” |
| Articles of Confederation | Post-independence document with limited national government |
| Anti-Federalists | Believed that the Constitution gave to much power to the central government |
| Adoption of the US Constitution | September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia |
| Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans | Advocated a weak central government |
| States rights | Strict interpretation of the 10th Amendment limiting the federal government’s authority |
| US Constitution | Written code that defines the basic structure of the national government |