Constitution Flashcards
What was the Articles of Confederation?
First U.S. government
What were strengths of the AOC?
Created the first government of the US
Promoted state Sovereignty
Diplomacy and Treaty-making (negotiation)
Western land claims
Created the Northwest territory
What were weaknesses of the AOC?
Weak central government
inability to tax
difficulty in amending (amendment)
No executive and judicial branches
State sovereignty
What was the Northwest Ordinance?
A way for new states to be admitted into the US
1787
Western Lands (NorthWEST)
How many people were at the Constitutional Convention?
55 delegates
Where was the constitutional convention held?
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania State House
What was the point of the constitutional convention.
What happened instead?
Revise the Articles of Confederation
Ended up creating the Constitution
How long did the constitutional convention last?
About four months
May 25 to September 17, 1787
What was the great compromise?
Representation in the states
New Jersey plan (small states)
Virginia Plan (large states)
2 houses in congress:
House of Representive-population
Senate-equal representation-2 per state
What was the three-fifths compromise?
A compromise that solved the issue on whether or not to count slaves as people or property.
3/5 of the slave population would be counted towards representation and taxes (for property)
Who were the Federalists and what did they want?
Pro-constitution
They wanted a stronger national government
Who were the anti-federalists and what did they want?
anti-constitution
Wanted a bill of rights and a stronger state government
Who in the world was George Mason
some Virginia delegate who led the fight against ratification
What is Ratification
It was (is) the approval of states by (through) votes
What is an Amendment?
A change or addition to the constitution. It is approved by 2/3 vote in both houses and it is ratified by 3/4 of the states
What are the 3 branches of Government?
Legislative
Judaical
Executive
Who works in the Executive branch and what do they do?
The president
Carry out the law
Who works in the Legislative branch and what do they do?
Congress
Make the law
Who works in the Judaical branch and what do they do?
Supreme Court
Interprets the law
What are the 7 principles of government?
Popular sovereignty
Republicanism
Federalism
Separation of power
Checks and balances
Limited Government
Individual rights
When was the Bill of Rights added into the Consitiution?
(December 15) 1791
