The Constitution and it's Origins Flashcards
Anti-Federalists
those who did not support ratification of the Constitution
Articles of Confederation
the first basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government
bicameral legislature
a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress
Bill of Rights
the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties
checks and balances
a system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together
confederation
a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense
Declaration of Independence
a document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king
enumerated powers
the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs
federal system
a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government
Federalists
those who supported ratification of the Constitution
Great Compromise
a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate
natural rights
the right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by God; no government may take away
New Jersey Plan
a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote
republic
a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives
reserved powers
any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government
separation of powers
the sharing of powers among three separate branches of government
social contract
an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights
supremacy clause
the statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures
The Federalist Papers
a collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution
Three-Fifths Compromise
a compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all a state’s free population and 60 percent of its enslaved population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress
unicameral legislature
a legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan
veto
the power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress
Virginia Plan
a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house
Most significant contributions of John Locke
The most significant contributions of Locke, a seventeenth-century English philosopher, were his ideas regarding the relationship between government and natural rights, which were believed to be God-given rights to life, liberty, and property.
Magna Carta
a promise from King John to his subjects that he and future monarchs would refrain from certain actions that harmed, or had the potential to harm, the people of England.
What part of the constitution did this clause “No freemen shall be taken, imprisoned . . . or in any way destroyed . . . except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.” from the Magna Carta inspire?
The fifth and sixth amendment
Natural rights as Locke described them
The natural rights Locke described had been granted by God and thus could never be abolished by human beings, even royal ones, or by the institutions they created
What did Locke believe about property?
He believed that anyone should have the right to aquire property in any way they chose as long as they didn’t take it away from others.
How did the American Revolution begin?
The American Revolution began when a small and vocal group of colonists became convinced the king and Parliament were abusing them and depriving them of their rights.
What was the catalyst so that a lot of people became unhappy under British rule.
The colonists that had fought for Britain were hoping to be rewarded with land, but Britain didn’t want to take it away from the Native Americans. To pay off the war, the British directly taxed the citizens which made them mad.
Why did taxes make the British so mad?
Because the colonists had not consented to direct taxation, their primary objection was that it reduced their status as free men.
Who taxed the colonists?
Taxes were imposed by the House of Commons, one of the two houses of the British Parliament.
First tax that irked the colonists?
The Stamp Act
What was the stamp act?
required that almost all paper goods, such as diplomas, land deeds, contracts, and newspapers, have revenue stamps placed on them. (these stamps costed money which was the tax)
Townshend Acts
which imposed taxes on many everyday objects such as glass, tea, and paint.
How did the colonists fight back against the taxes?
They boycotted british goods
How did the British officials respond to the boycott?
British officials threatened to suspend the legislatures of colonies that engaged in a boycott and, in response to a request for help from Boston’s customs collector, sent a warship to the city in 1768.
What happened when the british troops arrived (sent by the British officials because of the boycott)
Boston Massacure
Boston Massacure
an altercation erupted outside the customs house. Shots rang out as the soldiers fired into the crowd (Figure 2.3). Several people were hit; three died immediately.
Which state did Boston lose the most support from after the Boston Massacure?
Massechuses (duh)
Boston tea party
In December 1773, a group of Boston men boarded a ship in Boston harbor and threw its cargo of tea, owned by the British East India Company, into the water to protest British policies, including the granting of a monopoly on tea to the British East India Company, which many colonial merchants resented.
How did Parliament respond to the Boston tea party
defiance by passing a series of laws called the Coercive Acts
Purpose of coercive acts
intended to punish Boston for leading resistance to British rule and to restore order in the colonies.
What did the coercive acts do?
These acts virtually abolished town meetings in Massachusetts and otherwise interfered with the colony’s ability to govern itself.
How did the people in Massachusetts react to the coercive acts?
delegates from all the colonies except Georgia formed the First Continental Congress to create a unified opposition to Great Britain. Among other things, members of the institution developed a declaration of rights and grievances.
Declaration of Causes
explained the colonies’ reasons for rebellion.
Who drafted the declaration of causes
congress
What happened two days after congress declared America as independent?
the declaration of indepencence was signed
Who drafted the declaration of independence
Thomas Jefferson
Articles of Confederation
formed the basis of the new nation’s government,
When was the final draft of the Articles of Confederation accepted by congress
November 1777
Why did Maryland hesitate to accept the Articles of Confederation
Maryland argued that all territory west of the Appalachians, to which some states had laid claim, should instead be held by the national government as public land for the benefit of all the states.
republic
, a regime in which the people, not a monarch, held power and elected representatives to govern according to the rule of law.
Why were people nervous about implementing a republic in America?
Many, however, feared that a nation as large as the United States could not be ruled effectively as a republic. Many also worried that even a government of representatives elected by the people might become too powerful and overbearing.
What was the government of america
confederation
confederation
created—an entity in which independent, self-governing states form a union for the purpose of acting together in areas such as defense.
What did the thirteen states do following the declaration of independence
Following the Declaration of Independence, each of the thirteen states had drafted and ratified a constitution providing for a republican form of government in which political power rested in the hands of the people, although the right to vote was limited to free (White) men, and the property requirements for voting differed among the states.
Why does the central government had authority to act in only a few areas
This arrangement was meant to prevent the national government from becoming too powerful or abusing the rights of individual citizens.
citizens. In the careful balance between power for the national government and liberty for the states, the Articles of Confederation favored the ________
states
Continental Congress became the what
Confederation Congress,
What did the Confederation Congress have the power to do?
had the authority to exchange ambassadors and make treaties with foreign governments and Indian tribes, declare war, coin currency and borrow money, and settle disputes between states.
How long could delegates serve
Delegates could serve for no more than three consecutive years, and could be repealed at any time
Could the state send in multiple delegates?
Yes but regardless of its size or the number of delegates it chose to send, each state would have only one vote.
What desire did the Articles of Confederation satisfy?
The Articles of Confederation satisfied the desire of those in the new nation who wanted a weak central government with limited power.
