Unit 1 Review Flashcards
Great Britain placed what on American colonies in order to raise money for debt.
Taxes
Why did Great Britain place taxes on American colonies?
Needed to pay for war expenses
The Boston Town Meeting was held by colonists as a response to new taxes being placed on them. They argued that Great Britain couldn’t because why?
They didn’t have any representation by the colonists. “No Taxation without Representation” - Samuel Adams
Colonists responded to British taxes by boycotting British businesses. What did that mean?
The people refused to buy British goods in hopes it would ruin the British economy.
This Act required colonies to pay for an additional stamp when they bought any items made of paper
Stamp Act of 1765
After repealing the Stamp Act, the British passed what that said the British gov’t had the power to create laws to enforce in the American colonies
Declaratory Act
What are duties?
fees
What happened at the Boston Massacre?
A fight between the colonists and soldiers. It started when a soldier hit a colonist, and a mob formed as a result. Soldiers began firing their weapons randomly, leaving 5 people dead.
What is propaganda?
A form of media that gives only one side in an argument to gain support
The Coercive Acts passed by the British gov’t consisted of four elements.
1) Boston Harbor closed until Boston paid for damaged tea
2) Royal officials accused of crimes in America sent to Britain for trial
3) Quartering Act passed
4) Quebec Act - gave a large amount of colonists’ land to Quebec
What is a government?
the ruling authority for a community
What is a constitution?
the laws, customs, and institutions that create order for people
What two ancient civilizations were the US influenced by?
Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
A form of government that allows people to participate in governing
democracy
What is the difference between direct and indirect democracy. Give an example of both
-Direct allows the people to directly vote and participate in the government (Ancient Greece)
-Indirect allows the people to participate by voting on other people to represent and vote on laws for them (U.S.)
What ancient form of gov’t is the U.S. most similar to?
The Roman Republic
What is a mixed government?
It has parts of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy.
Define monarchy
A gov’t ruled by one person for life (Kings and Queens)
Define aristocracy
Gov’t ruled by people born into a country’s noble class
Define democracy
Gov’t ruled by the people
What was signed on July 4, 1776
The American Declaration of Independence
What were the four lasting American Constitutional Principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence
1) All men are created equal
2) All people have natural rights that cannot be taken away (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)
3)The gov’t gets its power to make decisions and to protect rights from the people
4)When the gov’t doesn’t protect the rights of the people, then the people have the right to change or remove the gov’t
After the Declaration of Independence was signed, who started to write their own constitutions and new gov’ts?
A lot of states
What is a legislature
Branch of government that makes laws
After the Dec. of Ind., representatives from states/colonies had to get together to create a what to coordinate the war against the British
A national gov’t
The Articles of Confederation had two main goals
1) Create a gov’t with enough power to make important decisions for the nation
2) Wanted power to govern territories in the hands of the states
The AoC created a loose what of the states and what else?
A loose confederation (alliance) and a national congress to make decisions.
What was the name of the national government created by the Articles of Confederation in America?
Congress
What was the biggest flaw of Congress after the AoC?
Congress could not collect taxes, they relied on the states to pay for the national government, and they couldn’t enforce decisions
What was the Constitutional Convention?
State delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787, and discussed how to grant the national gov’t more power.
The Virginia Plan offered a plan that would create three branches of gov’t to prevent any specific group from getting too much power
1) legislative
2) executive
3) judicial
The Great Compromise, presented by Roger Sherman, created a federal system that represented both the people and the states. This was done by splitting the Congress into two houses.
House of Representatives and the Senate
Define tyranny
abuse of gov’t power
In January of 1776, Thomas Paine wrote what that argued that citizens, not Kings/Queens, should make laws.
common sense
What two main sides emerged regarding the creation of a Constitution.
Anti-federalism - didn’t support the constitution, scared the gov’t would get too much power, and wanted guaranteed individual rights for citizens
Federalists - supports the constitution, thought it was a balanced system, and wanted to convince the people that change was needed in gov’t
What does ratify mean?
approve
What is federalism?
form of gov’t in which power is divided between the national/federal government and the state
These were a series of essays that supported the creation of a Constitution and tried to convince the people that the new federal gov’t would not have too much power
The federalist papers
All states eventually ratified the constitution because they were promised that what would be protected?
Individual rights
What are amendments and what was required for them to pass
Official changes - approved by 2/3 of majority vote in both houses
What represented the first ten amendments to the Constitution
The Bill of Rights
Define indict
to formally accuse
Define double jeopardy
being blamed for the same crime twice
Define eminent domain
the power to take personal property to benefit the public
Define jury
a group of people who decide whether the accused is guilty or innocent
Define bail
money paid by a subject to the court as a promise to appear at their trial
The first amendment
Freedom of religion, press, speech, assembly, and right to petition. Meetings have to be peaceful, and it doesn’t protect speech that endangers public safety.
The second amendment
The right to bear arms. Intended to make sure militias were well-supplied, but was hotly debated.
The third amendment
Prohibits (outlaws) the quartering of troops. Citizens didn’t have to shelter or feed soldiers.
The fourth amendment
Rules against unreasonable searches and seizures. A search warrant is needed with probable cause.
The fifth amendment
Provides guidelines to protect citizens. The government cannot punish anyone or take away property without due process of law.
The sixth amendment
Protects the right of someone who has been indicted. Right to trial by jury and a speedy and public trial, but jury has to be from area where crime happened.
The seventh amendment
Juries can decide civil cases. Deals with contract, money, and property disputes rather than crime.
The eighth amendment
Right to bail. Bans cruel and unusual punishment. Court can refuse bail if subject is too dangerous.
The ninth amendment
Says the rights listed in the Constitution aren’t the only rights that citizens have.
The tenth amendment
Recognizes that states and citizens have additional powers not given to Congress by the Constitution. Keeps a balance.
