Unit 1 Chapter 2: The C Flashcards
Alexander Hamilton
was a founding father of the united states of America one of the most influential interpreters and promoters of the constitution the founder of the nation financial system, and 1st American of the political party, established the national bank
Anti-Federalists
Opposed to a strong central government; saw undemocratic tendencies in the Constitution and insisted on the inclusion of the Bill of Rights. Included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and Patrick Henry
Article I
Legislative Branch - Organizations, powers, and restraints
Article II
Executive Branch - Powers, duties, restraints, and election of the President
Article III
Judicial Branch - Powers, restraints, and the definition of Treason
Article IV
Relation of the states to each other and to the federal government, guarantees to the states, and government of the territories
Article V
Method of Amending the Constitution. Guarantee of equal representation of the states in the U.S. Senate
Article VI
Provision for national debts. Supremacy of the United States Constitution, federal laws and treaties. Pledge of national and state officials to uphold the constitution. No religious test required as qualification for public office
Articles of Confederation
this document, the nations first constitution, was adopted by the second continental congress in 1781 during the revolution. the document was limited because states held most of the power, and congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage
Benjamin Franklin
Played a major role in the American Revolution and negotiated French support for the colonists
Sig: Signed the Treaty of Paris and helped draft the constitution
Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties, the Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power
checks and balances
This system gives each of the three branches of government ways to limit the powers of the other branches.
common sense
Written by Thomas Paine. Argument for an independent United States.
constitution
a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Constitutional Convention
meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which produced the new U.S. Constitution
Crispus Attucks
First colonist to be killed during the Boston massacre
Critical Period
refers to the 1780’s, a time right after the American Revolution where the future of the newly formed nation was in the balance
Declaration of Independence
a document that declared independence from Britain and the formation of a new country, the USA
Electoral College
the body of elector chosen from each state to elect the president and vice president of the U.S.
enumerated powers
Powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the Constitution
federalism
division of power between a central government and regional government
federalists
supporters of the constitution during the debate over its ratification; favored a strong national government
The Federalist Papers
essays published in New York newspapers over course of 2 years
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the Thirteen Colonies who met from September 5 to October 26, 1774, at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, early in the American Revolution
French and Indian War
war was fought between England and France for control of certain lands in North America
full faith and credit clause
Constitution’s requirement that each State accept the public acts, records, and Judicial proceedings of every other State
George Washington
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution, leader of the Constitutional Convention, and the first President of the United States.
Great Compromise
the agreement by which Congress would have two houses, the Senate (where each state gets equal representation-two senators) and the House of Representatives (where representation is based on population)
Implied Powers
Implied powers are powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution, in accordance with the statement in the Constitution that Congress has the power to “make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution” the powers enumerated in Article I
Inherent Powers
The powers of the national government in the field of affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government
James Madison
father of the constitution; leading federalist; author of the Bill of Rights
John Jay
United States diplomat and jurist who negotiated peace treaties with Britain and served as the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1745-1829)
Lexington and Concord
These battles initiated the Revolutionary War between the American colonists and the British. British governor Thomas Gage sent troops to Concord to stop the colonists who were loading arms. The next day, on April 19, 1775, the first shots were fired in Lexington, starting the war. The battles resulted in a British retreat to Boston
mercantilism
belief in the benefits of profitable trading; commercialism
Montesquieu
Famous for the idea of having three branches of government so that no one branch may have too much power
necessary and proper clause
Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government
New Jersey Plan
Opposite of the Virginia Plan, it proposed a single-chamber congress in which each state had one vote. This created a conflict with representation between bigger states, who wanted control befitting their population, and smaller states, who didn’t want to be bullied by larger states
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the majority of Earth’s Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas.
Political Culture
The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another. Social capital – Democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations
Samuel Adams
Founding father. American statesman and political philosopher. Leader in the Revolution. Founder of Sons of Liberty.
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in the spring of 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia between September 5, 1774, and October 26, 1774.
Separation of Powers
The powers of the national government are divided into three distinct branches
Shay’s Rebellion
this conflict in Massachusetts caused many to criticize the Articles of Confederation and admit the weak central government was not working; uprising led by Daniel Shays in an effort to prevent courts from foreclosing on the farms of those who could not pay the taxes
social contract theory
Idea that people join groups, and these groups make a presence know as a society. A social contract is the compact that the people agree form rules and conditions for membership in their society. The belief that all persons are entitled to equal rights and treatment before the law.
Sons and Daughters of Liberty
People who were brought together as a response of the Stamp Act. They were common people
Stamp Act Congress
The Congress asked the king to get rid of the taxes, said that Parliament didn’t have the right to tax them, and said that admiralty courts were unfair
supremacy clause
It is the highest form of law in the U.S. legal system, and mandates that all state judges must follow federal law when a conflict arises between federal law and either the state constitution or state law of any state
Thomas Jefferson
3rd President of the United States. He favored limited central government. He was chief drafter of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Paine
convinced Founding Father and colonists that rebellion against Britain is acceptable
Three-Fifths Compromise
Compromise agreement between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives
Virginia Plan
Virginia delegate James Madison’s plan of government, in which states got a number of representatives in Congress based on their population
