Chapter 7 Flashcards
Poleis
City or city-state often self-governed by its citizens as were the ancient Greek city-states. (plural of polis)
Supermajority
A specified majority of voters. in the ratification of the Constitution almost 70% (9 of 130) of the states was required
Samuel Adams
1722-1803 Second cousin to John adams, he was a Massachusetts statesman and organizer of the Boston Tea Party. Adams served in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of the Independence, but was opposed to a strong federal government.
Anti-federalists
Political group that was against the ratification of the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton
1755-1804 Hamilton served as the first Secretary of the Treasury under Washington and founded the Federalist Party. He also co-wrote The Federalist and championed a strong central government
Federalists
A political group the was for the ratification of the Constitution
Natural rights
Fundamental rights granted by nature that government can not abrogate and which government is bound to protect
Civil rights
Rights defined using narrow, concrete language, full of specific terms and qualifiers
The Great Oughts
Natural rights that don’t proclaim an “is” so much as an “ought” about the world the way things “should” be
Alien and Sedition Acts
Laws passed by congress in 1798 to try and stifle the “seditious” writings of French propagandists against the neutrality of the United States with regards to the French and British War
Marbury v. Madison
Supreme court case in which judicial review was established
Original jurisdiction
The authority of a court to hear certain kinds of cases first instead of waiting for those cases to be tried in a lower court
Judiciary Act of 1789
Congressional act passed in 1789 to form the federal court system and to authorize writs of mandamus
Lame Duck
The time between the election of a new political official and when they take office. Refers specifically to the outgoing official’s frequent lack of influence or power during that period
Midnight appointments
Judiciary appointments of Federalist judges made by Federalist president john Adams shortly before he left office, in response to the Democratic-Republican victory in the Congress and Presidency.
William Marbury
A “Midnight Appointment” by John Adams, Marbury sued Secretary of State James Madison for delivery of his commission, which was being withheld by order of President Jefferson
Writ of mandamus
A court document forcing an action by a certain party
Judicial review
Power of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of laws.
Edmund Randolph
1753-1813 Governor of Virginia and delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Randolph proposed Madison’s Virginia Plan but ultimately refused to sign the constitution inPhiladelphia because it had no bill of rights. later, however he was instrumental in persuading Virginia leadership to ratify it.
John Jay
1745-1829 A Founding Father, jay served as a president of the Continental Congress, Co-wrote The Federalist with Hamilton and Madison, and served as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
The Federalist
Series of essays published in New York newspapers under the pseudonym Publius for the express purpose of gaining support for the ratification of the Constitution. Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay.
