Chapter 2 Flashcards
Charles A. Beard
Historian who argued that the founders were largely motivated by the economic advantage of their class in writing the Constitution
Articles of Confederation
The government charter of the states from 1776 until the Constitution of 1787
Constitution
A set of principles, either written or unwritten, that makes up the fundamental law of the state
Constitutional Convention
A meeting of the delegates in Philadelphia in 1787 charged with revising the Articles of Confederation
Declaration of Independence
A document written in 1776 declaring the colonists’ intention to declare independence from Britain
Federalism
A Constitutional principle reserving separate powers to the national and state governments
Federalist Papers
Series of 85 essays published in New York newspapers to convince New Yorkers to adopt the Constitution.
Great Compromise
Proposal for two houses in congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives so states have equal power. Senate: Two senators per state. House: Based upon population
John Locke
British philosopher whose ideas on civil government greatly influenced the Founders
James Madison
Principle architect of the Constitution who felt that a government powerful enough to encourage virtue in it’s citizens is too powerful
Massachusetts Constitution
State constitution with a clear separation of powers but produced too weak of a government
Natural Rights
Rights of all human beings that are ordained by God, discoverable in nature and history, and essential to human progress
New Jersey Plan
Constitutional proposal that would give each state one vote in congress
Pennsylvania Constitution
A governing document considered to be highly democratic yet with a tendency towards tyranny as a result of concentrating all powers in one set of hands
Separation of Powers
A constitutional principle of creating three branches of government into the judicial, executive, and legislative branches
Shay’s Rebellion
Armed attempt by Revolutionary War veterans to avoid losing their property by preventing the courts in western Massachusetts from meeting
Virginia Plan
A Constitutional principle that the smaller states feared would give permanent supremacy to larger states. Representatives based upon population
Constitutional Amendment
Change in, or addition to, a constitution
Antifederalists
Those who are opposed to giving as much power to the national government as the Constitution did, favoring instead stronger states’ rights
Bill of Attainder
A law that would declare a person guilty of a crime without a trial
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Checks and Balances
The power of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government to block some acts by the other two branches
Coalition
An alliance between different interest groups or parties to achieve some political goal
Confederation
An agreement among sovereign states that delegates certain powers to a national government
Constitutional Convention
A meeting of the delegates in 1878 to revise the Articles of Confederation
Republic
A form of democracy in which leaders and representatives are selected by means of popular competitive elections
Unalienable Rights
Rights thought to be based on nature and providence rather than on the preferences of the people
Ex Post Facto Law
A law that would declare an act criminal after the act was committed
Faction
A group of people sharing a common interest who seek to influence public policy for their collective benefit
Judicial Review
The power of the courts to declare acts of the legislature and of the executive unconstitutional and therefore null and void
Federalists
Supporters of a strong central government who advocated the ratification of the Constitution and then founded a political party; Federalism
Line-Item Veto
The power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while approving others
Madisonian View
A philosophy holding that accommodating individual self-interest provided a more practical solution to the problem of government than aiming to cultivate virtue
Writ of Habeas Corpus
A court order requiring political officials to produce an individual held in custody and show sufficient cause for that person’s detention
Natural Rights
Rights that exist by virtue of natural law
