Foundations of Government Flashcards
What were the Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers was a collection of essays written by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. The essays urged the ratification of the United States Constitution.
What was the first permanent settlement in North America called?
Jamestown, Virginia
What differences exist between the First and Second Continental Congress.
The First Continental Congress organized a boycott of British goods. The Second Continental Congress declared independence from Britain.
What idea replaced the Articles of Confederation
The need for a stronger Federal government soon became apparent through issues that independent and powerful states had and eventually led to the Constitutional Convention.
Thomas Hobbes
believed the worst in people and that the government was in place to keep order.
John Locke
people should give up some power in exchange for peace, safety and order from a strong fair government/leader
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
believed that the government was for the common good and NOT for the wealthy few
Baron de Montesquieu
believed that the power of the government should be separated, checks and balances (where one branch can check the power of another)
Adam Smith
government regulations should not inflict on the ability of business owners to operate their businesses
What beliefs did the Anti-federalists have?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution
They feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties
The absence of a bill of rights threatened the individual liberties
What were the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence
God made all men equal and gave them the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The main business of the government is to protect these rights.
What taxes were imposed on the colonists that caused the greatest tension between colonists and the British government
The Stamp Act (taxed colonists for every piece of paper they used), Sugar Act, Townshend Acts (The Townshend Acts were a series of measures, passed by the British Parliament in 1767, that taxed goods imported to the American colonies), and Intolerable Acts are four acts that contributed to the tension and unrest among colonists that ultimately led to The American Revolution.
What was the great compromise
The Great Compromise was the solution to Virginia and New Jersey plan debate.
What issues or ideas were most heavily debated during the Constitutional Convention
The major debates were over representation in Congress, the powers of the president, how to elect the president (Electoral College), slave trade, and a bill of rights.
Magna Carta
Magna Carta was issued in June 1215 and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law.
