constitution Flashcards
What was the first form of government in america in 1781?
The Articles of Confederation
How many branches of government did the articles have?
one, the legislative branch.
What did the legislative branch do?
it had the ability to declare war, make treaties, and borrow money
What were the weaknesses of the articles?
the government had no power to pass taxes, they could nor regulate trade, 9/13 states had to approve any changes in the government, there was no executive branch to enforce the laws, and the states had more power than the national government.
What did the Northwest Ordinance do?
it created a plan for the orderly addition of states to the union.
What did the new addition of land from the Northwest ordinance do?
it forbid slavery, and allowed freedom of religion and trial by jury.
what did the population of a territory have to be in order for them to apply and be equal in the state union?
60,000
what happened to farms after the American revolution?
they were damaged in the south and trading with other countries slowed.
what happened once farners couldnt grow any crops, or trade with other counties?
farmers could not pay state taxes, and the state took the farmers land away.
What is the name of the farmer that started the rebellion in Massachusetts?
Daniel shay
Why did Shay and other framers start a rebellion is Massachusetts?
they started it because, they wanted their land back
What did Shay and the other farmers do during the Rebellion?
they marched outside a courthouse with guns, not allowing judges inside.
What did shays rebellion result in?
it resulted in many Americans wanting a stronger form of government than the Articles of Confederation.
What was the original purpose of the constitutional convention?
in 1778, the founding fathers met in Philadelphia to revise the articles of confederation
what happened after the constitutional convention meeting started?
delegates decided to create a while new form of government instead of revising the articles.
What did the Virginia plan suggest?
it suggested that 3 branches of government and representation in congress based on the population in each state.
what did the New Jersey plan recommend?
it recommended that each state be equal.
what did the great compromise do?
it created a bicameral congress, with one house based on population, and the other house having two representatives from each state for equal representation.
what did the three-fifths compromise do?
it made every 3/5 slaves count towards a states population.
What did the magna Carta do?
it limited the Kings power and gave citizens the right to a trial by jury
What did the English Bill of Rights do?
protected certain rights of citizens from the government.
who created the Mayflower compact?
the people
What did John Locke claim about the constitution?
he claimed that if a government did not fulfill its purpose of protecting individuals freedoms, the citizens had the right to overthrow it.
What did Montesquieu believe about the constitution?
he believed that government power should be separated to keep one group from gaining too much power.
What did William Blackstone believe about the constitution?
he believed that even the king should not take away a persons property and believed strongly in individuals rights.
What happens once a constitution is written?
9/13 states have to approve the constitution in order for it to go into affect.
What did the federalists support?
they supported the ratification of the constitution
What did the federalist believe about the constitution?
they believed the constitution created a more powerful government, but not too powerful.
Who wrote the Federalists paper and why?
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote it too explain how the constitution worked
Who wrote the anti-federalists paper?
Patrick Henry and George Mason
What did the Anti-federalist believe?
they believed that the constitution created a government that was too powerful and would take away some freedoms.
What did the Anti-Federalist demand?
they demanded a Bill of Rights to be added to the constitution before they would ratify it.
Was the constitution accepted?
in 1787, it was accepted after the Bill of rights, as promised, was added to the constitution.
When was the Bill of Rights ratified?
In 1791.
What is the Preamble?
The introduction of the constitution.
What does the Preamble do?
it announces the purposes of the constitution.
What are the purposes of the Constitution?
to form a more united country, to give justice to all, to keep peace, to keep our country safe, to help people, and to protect out liberty
What is article 1?
Legislative branch
What is article 2?
executive branch
What is article 2?
executive branch
What is article 3?
Judicial branch
What is article 4?
states respect each other.
What is article 5?
Amending constitution
What is article 6?
constitution is supreme.
What is popular sovereignty?
the people have the ultimate authority
What is republicanism?
the people vote for representatives to rule on their behalf.
What is limited government?
the government cannot do what is not in the constitution.
What is federalism?
power is shared between national and state government.
What is separation of powers?
power is separated between the three branches.
What is checks and balances?
each branch has power over the other two branches.
What is individual rights?
basic liberties of citizens are protected.
What needs to happen to amend the constitution?
2/3 of both houses of congress have to vote for the change, and 3/4 of the states legislatures have to vote for the change.
how many parts are in the legislative branch?
two, the senate, and house of represenatives.
What does the legislative branch do?
It has the power to make laws, declare war, and tax citizens.
What is the executive branch made up of?
the president, vice president, and cabinet of advisors.
what does the executive branch do?
it enforces the laws that the legislative branch makes up.
what is the judicial branch made up of?
the supreme court and other federal courts.
what does the judicial branch do?
it has to interpret and rule on the laws congress makes.
How many ways are their to become a U.S citizen and what are they?
two, birthright citizen, and naturalized citizen
How do you become a birthright U.S citizen?
you have to be born in the U.S or you r parents are U.S citizens
How do you become a naturalized U.S citizen?
you have to live in the U.S for 5 years, be 18 years old, understand U.S history and government, and swear allegiance to the constitution.
What are the responsibilities of a U.S citizen?
vote during elections, staying informed, serves on juries, serve in military if asked, pay taxes, obey all laws, attend school.
What is the 1st amendment in the Bill of rights?
freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and right to petition the government.
What is the 2nd amendment in the Bill of Rights?
the right to bear arms.
What is the 3rd amendment in the Bill of Rights?
the right not to quarter soliders
What is the 4th amendment in the Bill of Rights?
No unreasonable search or seizure.
What is the 5th amendment in the Bill of Rights?
Right to due process
What is the 6th amendment in the Bill of Rights?
right to trial by jury
What is the 8th amendment in the Bill of rights?
no cruel or unusual punishment
What is the 9th amendment in the Bill of Rights?
citizens have more rights that are not listed in the constitution.
What is the 10th amendment in the Bill of Rights?
rights not given to the federal government go to the states.
Problem by King: king imposes taxes without consent
Solution by constitution: Taxes must be approved by congress
problem by king: King made judges dependent on his will
solution by constitution: All judges are appointed for lifetime
problem by king: King refuses colonists permission to petition
solution by constitution: 1st amendment provides right to petition.
problem by king: King quartered troops in colonists homes
solution by constitution: 3rd amendment provides right to not quarter soldiers
Problem by King: King deprived colonists right to trial by jury
solution by constitution: 6th amendment provides right to trial by jury to everyone.
