Declaration of Independence
The primary author of the Declaration of Independence, who was inspired by the Enlightenment thinker John Locke's ideas regarding the social contract.
Who is Thomas Jefferson?
The Northwest Ordinance outlined a clear process for these entities to be admitted into the Union on equal footing with original states.
What are new states/territories?
The famous opening phrase of the U.S. Constitution "We the people" demonstrates which Constitutional principal?
What is Popular Sovereignty?
This group supported ratifying the U.S. Constitution and favored a stronger central government.
Who are the Anti-Federalists?
The collective name given to the first ten amendments added to the U.S. Constitution in 1791.
What is the Bill of Rights?
The Declaration of Independence states that people are endowed by their Creator with these types of rights, which cannot be taken away or surrendered.
What are unalienable rights/natural rights?
Section 14, Article 3 of the ordinance explicitly states that "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government," these must forever be encouraged.
What are schools and the means of education?
The division of government powers among three separate branches—Legislative, Executive, and Judicial—illustrates this constitutional principle designed to prevent tyranny.
What is separation of powers?
This group supported ratifying the U.S. Constitution and favored a stronger central government.
Who are the Federalists?
Rather than participating in a direct democracy where every citizen votes on every law, the U.S. Constitution established this principle to ensure a stable, representative government.
These three specific rights are explicitly named as unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence.
What are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness?
The Northwest Ordinance famously banned this institution in the Northwest Territory, setting a precedent for future territorial expansion.
What is slavery (and involuntary servitude)?
Functions such as presidential vetoes and congressional overrides reflect this principle, allowing each branch to limit the powers of the other two.
Answer: What are checks and balances?
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of 85 essays under the pseudonym "Publius" known by this title.
What are the Federalist Papers?
The division of power between the federal and state governments.
What is federalism?
According to the Declaration of Independence, governments derive their "just powers" from this principle
What is the consent of the governed (or consent of the people)?
The Northwest Ordinance guaranteed individual natural rights, including trial by jury, freedom of speech, and this key religious protection.
What is freedom of religious worship?
The government has only those powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution and is bound by the rule of law under this key principle.
What is limited government?
Anti-Federalists feared that the national government would abuse its power because the original Constitution lacked this crucial addition.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This Enlightenment concept states that people agree to surrender some individual freedom to a government in exchange for the protection of their natural rights.
What is the Social Contract?
According to the Declaration of Independence, if a government becomes destructive of the people's rights, the people have the right to do this.
What is alter or abolish it (and establish a new government)?
The Northwest Ordinance set aside land sales from 'Section 16' to establish and fund which institution in every new town?
What are public schools?
This constitutional principle divides and balances political power between the national (federal) government and individual state governments.
What is federalism?
What primary argument did the Anti-Federalists make against creating a strong executive (President) in the new Constitution?
What is the fear that a single powerful executive could turn into a monarch or tyrant?
Before the Bill of Rights was ratified, this 1787 document guaranteed individual rights—including trial by jury and freedom of religion—to residents of new U.S. territories.
What is the Northwest Ordinance?