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N108 US History to 1900 Honors > HistoryC7BK > Flashcards

HistoryC7BK Flashcards

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1
Q

Define constitution

A

plan of government

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2
Q

So What? constitution

A

each state had their own constitution under the Articles of the Confederation, which lead to a weak central government until the states were united under the United States Constitution

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3
Q

Define petition

A

apply to

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4
Q

So What? petition

A

When the population of a district equaled the population of the smallest state, the district could petition Congress to become a state.

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5
Q

Define bicameral

A

legislative systems divided into two houses

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6
Q

So What? bicameral

A

under the Articles of the Confederation, many states created bicameral systems in order to divide the ruling power; later, the United States Constitution used the part of the Virginia Plan that included two houses

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7
Q

Define ordinance

A

a law

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8
Q

So What? ordinance

A

The Ordinance of 1785 created a plan for surveying and selling the land northwest of the Ohio River by dividing the area into townships.

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9
Q

Define republic

A

a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives

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10
Q

So What? republic

A

most Americans wanted a republic, but they were not sure how to organize it; the early republic created a central government that was too weak to function effectively

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11
Q

Define clause

A

condition added to a document

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12
Q

So What? clause

A

The Northwest Ordinance included a clause that forbid ‘slavery nor involuntary servitude’ in the Northwest Territory.

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13
Q

Define depreciate

A

to lower in value

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14
Q

So What? depreciate

A

money issued during the Revolutionary War depreciated until it was nearly worthless, so Congress and the states created their own money, but that too was worthless because they had no gold or silver

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15
Q

Define Articles of Confederation

A

the first constitution of the United States, adopted in November 1777

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16
Q

So What? Articles of the Confederation

A

the Articles created a central government that was limited, but was so weak that it could not act efficiently

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17
Q

Define John Adams

A

colonial leader sent to London in 1785 to discuss British trading issues

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18
Q

So What? John Adams

A

The British refused to discuss with John Adams because America had not done its part of the Treaty of Paris.

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19
Q

Define depression

A

a period in which economic activity slows and unemployment increases

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20
Q

So What? depression

A

the United States had a depression after the Revolutionary War, partly because its central government was to weak to solve problems

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21
Q

Define manumission

A

the freeing of individual slaves

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22
Q

So What? manumission

A

slavery became an important issue after the Revolutionary War; Virginia passed a law encouraging manumission

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23
Q

Define proportional

A

corresponding in size

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24
Q

So What? proportional

A

the Virginia Plan, from James Madison, had two houses in which the number of representatives for each state was proportional to its population

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25
Q

Define compromise

A

an agreement between two or more sides in which each side gives up some of what it wants

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26
Q

So What? compromise

A

the Constitution is a document of compromises

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27
Q

Define Shay’s Rebellion

A

a rebellion of angry farmers led by Daniel Shays in 1786 that forced western Massachusetts courts to close so that the judges could not take away their lands; they then attacked a arsenal but were scared by a militia; the rebellion convinced many people that a stronger government was needed

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28
Q

Define James Madison

A

a Virginia planter who created the Virginia Plan for the Constitution

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29
Q

So What? James Madison

A

the Virginia plan created a legislature with two houses, in both, every state was represented by its population

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30
Q

Define Alexander Hamilton

A

a New York lawyer who proposed the Constitution Convention

31
Q

So What? Alexander Hamilton

A

the Constitution Convention was created to fix the problems of the United States, and took on importance once George Washington agreed to attend

32
Q

Define Virginia Plan

A

a plan for a national government with two houses, in both, every state was represented by its population

33
Q

Define New Jersey Plan

A

a plan for a national government with one house and one vote for each state, as well as a weak executive branch

34
Q

So What? New Jersey Plan

A

the new Jersey plan largely kept the Articles of the Confederation but gave Congress more power

35
Q

Define Great Compromise

A

Roger Sherman proposed two houses, one in which each state would be represented by population, the other in which each sate would have two members

36
Q

So What? Great Compromise

A

the states agreed to create a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan

37
Q

Define Three-Fifths Compromise

A

each enslaved person counted as three-fifths of a free person when calculating taxation and representation

38
Q

So What? Three-Fifths Compromise

A

Northern states wanted slaves to count for taxation but not representation, while southern states wanted slaves to count for representation.

39
Q

Define Commerce Compromise

A

Congress would not ban the slave trade until 1808, but could tax imports (i.e. slaves) but not exports (i.e. cotton)

40
Q

So What? Commerce Compromise

A

Northern states wanted to end the slave trade, while Southern states wanted it to continue.

41
Q

Define Federalism

A

sharing power between the federal and state governments

42
Q

So What? Federalism

A

Federalism is a key feature of the Constitution that restrains the abilities of Congress

43
Q

Define legislative branch

A

the law-making branch of a government

44
Q

So What? legislative branch

A

Congress is the legislative branch of the United States government

45
Q

Define executive branch

A

the branch of government that carries out national law and policy

46
Q

So What? executive branch

A

the executive branch was designed to be limited after the experience with British rule, but has the power to lead the armed forces

47
Q

Define judicial branch

A

the court system headed by the Supreme Court

48
Q

So What? judicial branch

A

the judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws and tries criminal and civil cases

49
Q

Define checks and balances

A

each part of the government has ways to limit the other parts so none can become too powerful

50
Q

So What? checks and balances

A

checks and balances ensure that power does not become concentrated in a single ruler or group of rulers

51
Q

Define amendment

A

changes or additions to the Constitution

52
Q

So What? amendment

A

the Constitution is flexible, so it can be modified to fit the needs of the country

53
Q

Define Electoral College

A

a special group of voters who are chosen by states to vote for the President

54
Q

So What? Electoral College

A

the Electoral College ensures that the states have a part in electing the President

55
Q

Define John Locke

A

English philosopher of the Enlightenment

56
Q

So What? John Locke

A

believed that all people have natural rights and that the government should be based on a agreement between the people and the ruler to protect the people’s rights and limit the government

57
Q

Define Baron de Montesquieu

A

French philosopher of the Enlightenment

58
Q

So What? Baron de Montesquieu

A

believed that power should be separated and each ruling body balanced so that no single group or person could have too much power

59
Q

Define Federalist

A

supporters of the new Constitution and the new powers it provided

60
Q

So What? Federalist

A

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, along with many other political thinkers, supported the Constitution

61
Q

Define Anti-Federalist

A

people who opposed the Constitution

62
Q

So What? Anti-Federalist

A

wrote their own essays opposing the Constitution and thought that it took away the freedoms that they had fought to win from Britain

63
Q

Define popular sovereignty

A

authority of the people

64
Q

So What? popular sovereignty

A

the Constitution is based on giving the people power through their representatives

65
Q

Define enumerated powers

A

powers that belong only to the federal government

66
Q

So What? enumerated powers

A

only the federal government can create money, regulate interstate and foreign trade, maintain the military, and create federal courts

67
Q

Define reserved powers

A

powers retained by the states

68
Q

So What? reserved powers

A

the states can establish schools, pass marriage and divorce laws, and regulate trade inside the state

69
Q

Define concurrent powers

A

powers shared between the federal and state governments

70
Q

So What? concurrent powers

A

the right to raise taxes, borrow money, provide for public welfare, and administer criminal justice

71
Q

Define implied powers

A

powers not specifically defined in the constitution

72
Q

So What? implied powers

A

Congress interprets the elastic clause to mean that it has implied powers that it can use to make laws that adapt to changing needs; Congress uses the commerce clause to regulate areas such airlines, radio, and television

73
Q

So What? Virginia Plan

A

smaller states did not like being represented by population and supported the New Jersey Plan instead

N108 US History to 1900 Honors (14 decks)

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