Constitution
What document created the first U.S. government?
Articles of Confederation
Which branch appoints federal judges?
Executive Branch
Who sent Lewis and Clark west?
Thomas Jefferson
What does secession mean?
Leaving the Union (country)
A legislature with one house.
unicameral
Why was Shay’s Rebellion important?
It showed the national government was weak and could not maintain order.
Which branch can declare laws unconstitutional?
Judicial Branch
What was one goal of the Corps of Discovery?
Who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Representatives sent by states to discuss and create the Constitution.
Delegates
What does bicameral mean?
A legislature with two houses.
What is it called when a president rejects a bill?
A veto
Who helped guide Lewis and Clark?
Sacagawea
Name one abolitionist
Strong loyalty to one region rather than the entire country.
Sectionalism
Explain one weakness of the Articles of Confederation.
No strong executive branch
No national court system (judicial branch)
Congress could not collect taxation
Government could not repay loans
States argued over waterways and trade
Government struggled with foreign nations
Each state had too much power (states rights)
Congress was unicameral (one house)
Difficult to pass laws because a quorum was needed
An amendment required unanimous consent from all 13 state legislatures
Rhode Island often refused cooperation and was the last one to finally join and ratification required all 13 states
Shay’s Rebellion showed the government was weak
Under the Articles of Confederation, a lack of quorum frequently paralyzed the government because the Confederation Congress struggled to get enough state delegates to attend meetings.
Why did the Framers of the Constitution give the president the power of veto and also give Congress the right to override that veto?
One branch could become too powerful
Laws could be unfair
A president could act like a king
Congress could pass extreme laws without limits
What government policy resulted in The Trail of Tears?
The Indian Removal Act (1830) Signed by President Andrew Jackson
Which government policy allowed territories to decide about slavery, leading to violence in Kansas.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
A place where weapons and military supplies are stored.
(John Brown attacked the this at Harpers Ferry in an attempt to start a slave rebellion)
Arsenal
Which state was the last to finally ratify the Articles of Confederation?
Rhode Island
Suppose the U.S. Supreme Court declares an act of Congress unconstitutional. Is there any check on that power of the Court?
Create an amendment
The president appoints judges
Senate confirms judges
Congress can change the structure of courts
Explain the human impact of the Trail of Tears.
Thousands of Cherokee died from disease, starvation, and exhaustion. Native Americans lost their homes, land, and traditions. Became the basis for other Native American forced removal in 19th century.
Which Supreme Court decision ruled enslaved people were not citizens and Congress could not ban slavery in territories, angering many Northerners.
Dred Scott
The minimum number of members needed to conduct business.
Quorum