Constitution Background Flashcards
What is the Articles of Confederation?
Established the functions of the national government of the U.S. after it declared independence from Great Britain
What limited the Article of Confederation?
The states, not Congress, had the power to tax
What is Shay’s Rebellion?
A series of protests in 1786 and 1787 by American farmers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments for debt
What is the Constitutional Convention?
The convention that drew up the Constitution of the U.S.
What was the goal behind the Constitutional Convention?
To balance power between the federal government and the governments of the states, and to establish a stronger federal government
What is James Madison V Plan?
The Virginia Plan proposed a strong central government composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
What is William Patterson’s NJ Plan?
The key feature of Patterson’s proposal was giving equal power to every state, regardless of population
What is Roger Sherman and Great Compromise?
Solved the conflict of how the number of congressional representatives would be determined by establishing two-house law-making body
What is the 3/5ths Compromise?
A slave would be counted as three-fifths of a white person for the purposes of taxation and representation
What is the 20 Year Compromise?
Congress would control trade, but they cannot stop the slave trade for 20 years (1808)
What is North/South trade compromise?
The North didn’t want a slave trade. The South did. The North got a ten-dollar tax per head on each slave, and the South was able to keep the slave trade and there would not be a vote on it for at least 20 years
What is the Bill of Rights debate?
Federalists- Believed that the Constitution already ensured individual rights & some important rights would be left out
Anti-Federalists- Wanted a Bill of Rights to ensure the protection of individual rights
What is ratification of the Constitution?
Required the approval of 9 of 13 states
What differentiates anti-federalists from federalists?
- Federalists supported the Constitution and wanted a stronger national government
- Anti-federalists opposed the Constitution because they wanted more power to remain with the states.
