Articles of Confederation and the Constitution

Question 1

Constitution

Answer 1

The document which established the present federal government of the United States and outlined its powers. It can be changed through amendments.

Question 2

Constitution: Preamble

Answer 2

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Question 3

Constitution: Legislature

Answer 3

One of the three branches of government, the legislature makes laws. There are two parts to the legislature: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Question 4

Constitution: Logrolling

Answer 4

This refers to the practice of representatives or senators exchanging votes for each others’ pet bills.

Question 5

Constitution: Quorum

Answer 5

The minimum number of members of Congress who must be present in order to hold a session. In Congress, this number is more than half of the members.

Question 6

Constitution: House of Representatives

Answer 6

One of the two parts of Congress, considered the “lower house.” Representatives are elected directly by the people, with the number of representatives for each state determined by the state’s population.

Question 7

Constitution: Senate

Answer 7

The other of the two parts of Congress, considered the “upper house.” Senators were originally appointed by state legislatures, but now they are elected directly by the people. Each state has two senators.

Question 8

Constitution: Executive branch

Answer 8

One of the three branches of government, the executive enforces laws. It is headed by the president, who has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress.

Question 9

Constitution: Judiciary branch

Answer 9

One of the three branches of government, the judiciary interprets laws. The highest authority in the judiciary is the Supreme Court, which determines the constitutionality of laws.

Question 10

Constitution: Interstate relations

Answer 10

No state is allowed to form a compact with another state or with a foreign power without the consent of Congress.

Question 11

Constitution: The amendment process

Answer 11

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed if 2/3 of the members of Congress or 2/3 of state legislatures vote for it. The amendment may then be added to the Constitution by a 3/4 vote of state legislatures, or special state conventions elected for that purpose.

Question 12

Constitution: Supremacy clause

Answer 12

Article VI of the Constitution, which declares the Constitution, all federal laws passed pursuant to its provisions, and all federal treaties, to be the “supreme law of the land,” which override any state laws or state constitutional provisions to the contrary.

Question 13

Constitution: Ratification

Answer 13

The Constitution had to be ratified (approved) by at least 9 of the 13 original states in order to be put into effect.

Question 14

Constitution: Checks and balances

Answer 14

Each of the three branches of government “checks” (i.e., blocks) the power of the other two, so no one branch can become too powerful. The president (executive) can veto laws passed by Congress (legislative), and also chooses the judges in the Supreme Court (judiciary). Congress can overturn a presidential veto if 2/3 of the members vote to do so. The Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress and the president unconstitutional, and hence invalid.

Question 15

Constitution: Separation of power

Answer 15

The powers of the government are divided between three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary.

Question 16

Maryland, cession of western land claims

Answer 16

After the Revolutionary War, many states claimed all of the western land between their northernmost and southernmost borders, which meant that many strips of land were claimed by more than one state. The Continental Congress was trying to get the states to ratify the Articles of Confederation, but Maryland refused to ratify it until all the states gave their western land claims. Maryland held out, and the western land claims were abandoned.

Question 17

New state constitutions during the Revolutionary War and after

Answer 17

The first set of constitutions drafted by the individual states placed most of the government’s power in the legislature, and almost none in the executive in order to promote democracy and avoid tyranny. However, without the strong leadership of the executive, the state legislatures argued among themselves and couldn’t get anything done. After the Constitution was written, the states abandoned these old constitutions and wrote new ones that better balanced the power between the legislative and the executive.

Question 18

Pennsylvania militia routs Congress, 1783

Answer 18

Unpaid Revolutionary War veterans staged a protest outside Congress’ meeting hall, forcing Congress to move to Princeton, New Jersey.

Question 19

Northwest posts

Answer 19

British fur-trading posts in the Northwest Territory. Their presence in the U.S. led to continued British-American conflicts.

Question 20

and Ordinance of 1785

Answer 20

A major success of the Articles of Confederation. Provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S.

Question 21

Northwest Ordinance, 1787

Answer 21

A major success of the Articles of Confederation. Set up the framework of a government for the Northwest territory. The Ordinance provided that the Territory would be divided into 3 to 5 states, outlawed slavery in the Territory, and set 60,000 as the minimum population for statehood. Allowed all new states to enter the Union as full members.

Question 22

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 22

Occurred in the winter of 1786-7 under the Articles of Confederation. Poor, indebted landowners in Massachusetts blocked access to courts and prevented the government from arresting or repossessing the property of those in debt. The federal government was too weak to help Boston remove the rebels, a sign that the Articles of Confederation weren’t working effectively.

Question 23

Annapolis Convention, 1786

Answer 23

A precursor to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. A dozen commissioners form New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia met to discuss reform of interstate commerce regulations, to design a U.S. currency standard, and to find a way to repay the federal government’s debts to Revolutionary War veterans. Little was accomplished, except for the delegates to recommend that a further convention be held to discuss changes to the form of the federal government; the idea was endorsed by the Confederation Congress in February, 1878, which called for another convention to be held in May that year in Philadelphia.

Question 24

1780’s Depression

Answer 24

Caused by a post-war decrease in production and increase in unemployment, and also caused by tough interstate commerce rules which decreased trade.

Question 25

Noah Webster (1758-1843)

Answer 25

Wrote some of the first dictionaries and spellers in the U.S. His books, which became the standard for the U.S., promoted American spellings and pronunciations, rather than British.

Question 26

Philadelphia Convention for the Constitution (Constitutional Convention)

Answer 26

Beginning on May 25, 1787, the convention recommended by the Annapolis Convention was held in Philadelphia. All of the states except Rhode Island sent delegates, and George Washington served as president of the convention. The convention lasted 16 weeks, and on September 17, 1787, produced the present Constitution of the United States, which was drafted largely by James Madison.

Question 27

Montesquieu, The Spirit of Laws

Answer 27

He believed that the government’s power should be divided into separate branches, that the government should be close to the people, and that laws should reflect the will of the people.

Question 28

John Locke, Second Treatise of Government

Answer 28

He wrote that all human beings have a right to life, liberty, and property and that governments exist to protect those rights. He believed that a contract existed between a government and its people, and if the government failed to uphold its end of the contract, the people could rebel and institute a new government.

Question 29

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

Answer 29

English philosopher who believed that people are motivated mainly by greed and fear, and need a strong government to keep them under control. He developed the theory that kings are given their position by divine right, and thus should have absolute power.

Question 30

James Madison, “Father of the Constitution”

Answer 30

His proposals for an effective government became the Virginia Plan, which was the basis for the Constitution. He was responsible for drafting most of the language of the Constitution.

Question 31

Great Compromise

Answer 31

At the Constitutional Convention, larger states wanted to follow the Virginia Plan, which based each state’s representation in Congress on state population. Smaller states wanted to follow the New Jersey Plan, which gave every state the same number of representatives. The convention compromised by creating the House and the Senate, and using both of the two separate plans as the method for electing members of each.

Question 32

Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut Plan

Answer 32

The Virginia Plan called for a two-house Congress with each state’s representation based on state population. The New Jersey Plan called for a one-house Congress in which each state had equal representation. The Connecticut Plan called for a two-house Congress in which both types of representation would be applied, and is also known as the Compromise Plan.

Question 33

North-South Compromises

Answer 33

The North was given full federal protection of trade and commerce. The South was given permanent relief from export taxes and a guarantee that the importation of slaves would not be halted for at least 20 years, plus the national capitol was placed in the South. Slaves were also deemed to be counted as 3/5 of a person when determining the state population, thus giving the Southern states a greater number of representatives in the House.

Question 34

Slavery and the Constitution: slave trade, 3/5 Clause

Answer 34

The South’s slave trade was guaranteed for at least 20 years after the ratification of the Constitution. Slaves were considered 3/5 of a person when determining the state population.

Question 35

Procedures for amendments

Answer 35

An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed if 2/3 of Congress or 2/3 of state legislatures vote for it. The amendment may then be added to the Constitution by a 3/4 vote of state legislatures or state conventions.

Question 36

Beard thesis, his critics

Answer 36

Charles Austin Beard wrote in 1913 that the Constitution was written not to ensure a democratic government for the people, but to protect the economic interests of its writers (most of the men at the Constitutional Convention were very rich), and specifically to benefit wealthy financial speculators who had purchased Revolutionary War government bonds through the creation of a strong national government that could insure the bonds repayment. Beard’s thesis has met with much criticism.

Question 37

Fiske, The Critical Period of American History

Answer 37

He called the introduction of the Constitution the “critical period” because the Constitution saved the nation from certain disaster under the Articles of Confederation.

Question 38

Antifederalists

Answer 38

They opposed the ratification of the Constitution because it gave more power to the federal government and less to the states, and because it did not ensure individual rights. Many wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-federalists were instrumental in obtaining passage of the Bill of Rights as a prerequisite to ratification of the Constitution in several states. After the ratification of the Constitution, the Anti-federalists regrouped as the Democratic-Republican (or simply Republican) party.

Question 39

Supporters of the Constitution

Answer 39

Known as Federalists, they were mostly wealthy and opposed anarchy. Their leaders included Jay, Hamilton, and Madison, who wrote the Federalist Papers in support of the Constitution.

Question 40

Opponents of the Constitution

Answer 40

Known as Antifederalists, they were mostly commoners who were afraid of strong central government and being taken advantage of. They included Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams.

Question 41

Patrick Henry (1736-1799)

Answer 41

One of the main opponents of the Constitution, he worked against its ratification in Virginia.

Question 42

Sam Adams

Answer 42

He was opposed to the Constitution until the Bill of Rights was added, and then he supported it.

Question 43

George Mason, Bill of Rights

Answer 43

He opposed the Constitution because it didn’t protect individual rights. His opposition led to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights.

Question 44

The ratification fights, especially in Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia

Answer 44

Massachusetts farmers opposed the Constitution because they felt it protected trade more than agriculture, but Massachusetts became the 6th state to ratify. New York was opposed to the Constitution; the Federalist Papers were published there to gain support for it. Virginia and New York would not ratify until the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.

Question 45

The Federalist Papers, Jay, Hamilton, Madison

Answer 45

This collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government. It was published to convince New York to ratify the Constitution.

Question 46

“The Federalist, # 10”

Answer 46

This essay from the Federalist Papers proposed setting up a republic to solve the problems of a large democracy (anarchy, rise of factions which disregard public good).

Question 47

Bill of Rights adopted, 1791

Answer 47

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guarantee basic individual rights.