5.1 history quiz Flashcards
Constitution
a set of basic principles and
laws that states the powers and duties of
government.
~powers of the person or group running it must be limited!
(first step)
Higher Law
Laws that must be obeyed by ALL people
(including people running the government.)
- Basic rights of citizens to life, liberty, and property.
- Government must protect those rights.
- Can only be changed with the widespread consent of the
citizens
Magna Carta
Document signed by King John in
1215 which made the king subject to laws.
*King must protect nobles rights.
*Social contract between ruler and its people.
*Government must obey the rules of laws.
English Bill of Rights
Law passed by
Parliament which limited the powers of the monarch
and gave more rights to the people.
~Kings and queens not allowed to pass taxes or change
laws w/o consent of Parliament.
Ideas from the Enlightenment
John Locke-social contract
Ideas about government
- Magna Carta
- English Bill of Rights
- Ideas from the Enlightenment
State Constitutions
~Goal: protect their basic rights and promote common good
Basic Ideas:
1. Natural rights and higher law
2. social contract
3. popular sovereignty: idea that ultimate power belongs to the people
4. Representation: ppl elect their legislature (suffrage)
5. Separation of powers: legislative, executive, and judicial
6. Checks and balances
7. Legislative supremacy: most of the power was given to the legislature
Suffrage
the right to vote (vote limited to white men who payed taxes and owned property)
Problems with State Constitutions
- Didn’t protect property rights of some citizens
- They were promoting own interest
- Passed laws that canceled debts and created paper money
- more taxes
- Laws were passed that interfered with the private lives of the citizens. Laws passed telling people what they should eat, drink, wear, believe
Articles of Confederation
~Document that was the first constitution (central government) for the U.S.
~Congress was the single branch of government which passed laws
~Congress was WEAK
~every action taken by Congress had to be with the consent and cooperation of the states
~9 of 13 had to approve any decision made by Congress for it to become law
Ppl’s fears:
- too much power to a central government
- some states could have too much power and dominate other states
~Result: founders created weak national government, where the states had a lot of power
Committee of 13
Group assigned to draft the Articles of Confederation
Powers of Articles of Confederations
- Each state had 1 vote in Congress
- Congress settled conflicts among states
- Congress could make coins
- Congress could borrow money
- Congress could make treaties with other countries
Problems under the Articles of Confederation
- Congress had no way to collect or raise money
- Congress had no power over state governments and their citizens
- Congress could not make the states live up to trade agreements with other nations
- Congress had no power to regulate trade among the states
- citizens thought their property rights were threatened
MANY PPL THOUGHT A STRONG NATIONAL GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO PROTECT PROPERTY RIGHTS!!
- Foreign affair failures
- Inflation
- Shay’s rebellion
Foreign affair failures
~Congress couldn’t negotiate with other countries
~Great Britain (tariffs), Spain (closed MS river)
Inflation
An increase in the price of goods and services combined with reduced value of money
~Congress could not stop states from printing paper money —> led to inflation
Shays Rebellion
Former Captain Daniel Shay led rebellion of angry farmers in MA protesting high taxes
~14 rebels sentenced to death, most freed bc nation agreed with the rebel cause
~concerned Americans worried the gov. couldn’t handle unrest
So What?
~Ppl realized having WEAK central government (Congress) w/ no checks and powers (only 1 branch) = no work
~Needed to change and draft NEW CONSTITUTION
~called 13 states to send delegates to a CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IN PA to discuss change of the Articles of Confederation.
