Government Final- Ch 1-2 Flashcards
The nation’s first constitution
Articles of Confederation
Name some weaknesses of the articles
Placed many limits on congress, denied congress the power to tax, congress couldn’t regulate trade between the states, congress had no sole power to coin money, and laws were very difficult to pass
Established a plan for settling the Northwest Territory. First known way to establish a state. Included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota
Northwest Ordinance
Representative Democracy
elected officials representing a group of people
Federal System
A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units
Confederal System
The vast majority of political power rests with the local governments; the central federal government has very little power
Plan in which congress is bicameral and both houses are based on the population of the state
Virginia Plan
Plan in which congress is unicameral and each state has one vote (how it was under the articles)
New Jersey Plan
System used in today’s government. Bicameral Congress, lower hous is based on state population and the upper house has two members from each state
The Great Compromise
Supporters of the constitution and strong government
Federalists
Those who opposed the constitution and supported state controlled government
Antifederalists
The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens
Electoral College
