Lesson 1
What did the Articles of Confederation say the states would keep?
Their freedom and independence and be joined in a league of friendship
What was the original goal of the Constitutional Convention?
What were Antifederalists fearful of?
They were fearful that the states would lose a significant amount of power and that the national government would pass laws that did not protect the rights of Americans. They were afraid of a national government that was too powerful.
Who was George Washington?
He was elected the first leader of the United States at the Constitutional Convention.
What are the three branches of the government and their role?
Legislative: to make the laws, establish taxes
Executive: to make sure the laws are carried out
Judicial: to interpret the laws and decide if the laws follow the Constitution
What two branches was the government lacking with the Articles of Condeferation?
An executive branch and a judicial branch
Why did the Constitutional Convention need to meet in secret?
The delegates needed to be able to speak freely and to change their minds
What were The Federalist papers?
They are essays written to persuade people of the benefits of the Constitution and educate them of the Federalists' arguments.
Who was Daniel Shays?
The farmer from Massachusetts who organized other farmers to rebel against Massachusetts for their property tax.
What are the four goals of the Preamble?
To establish justice, ensure peace, defend the nation, and protect the people's liberty and well-being
A rebellion to property taxes in Massachusetts that was especially hard on farmers
True/False: The 3/5ths compromise blended the two proposed plans for representation in Congress of Constitution
False: That was the Great Compromise. The 3/5ths compromise proposed that enslaved people would count for both a state's population for representation and for taxes, but only 3/5ths of their number would count.
Why was the Bill of Rights written?
The Federalists pledged to add the Bill of Rights to appeal to the Antifederalists and convince them to ratify the Constitution
Who was John Jay?
John Jay was one of the writers of The Federalist papers.
A system that keeps one branch from becoming more powerful than another. Give some examples.
What are three weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Congress was not allowed to pass laws on taxes, the states did not all have the same form of money, Congress could not pass laws for trading with other countries, it only had one branch of government
Describe the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.
Virginia Plan:Proposed that Congress be given more power over the states, should have executive and judicial branches, and that states with larger populations should have more representatives in Congress than smaller states
New Jersey Plan: Agreed with all points except proposed that each states should have the same number of representatives in Congress, large or small
True/False: Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison were the authors of The Federalist papers.
True.
Many famous people were also Antifederalists.
Who was Roger Sherman?
He was the one who proposed the Great Compromise which established the House of Representatives and the Senate, a combination of both the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.
Who is involved in each branch?
Executive branch: the President
Legislative branch: Congress
Judicial branch: the Supreme Court and other federal courts
What were the steps that the smaller territories from the Northwest Territory had to follow to become a state?
1. Congress would name a governor and three judges to govern the territory
2. When the population reached 5,000 free adult males the territory could elect a legislature
3. When the population reached 60,000 adults males, the territory could ask to become a state
4. When approved, the new state would be equal with the original states
What are the reserved powers? Give some examples.
Why is the Constitution called a "living document"?
It was called a living document because it would change.
Who was Patrick Henry?
He was a famous Antifederalist who expressed his fears about the Constitution and how it would make the national government too powerful.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice....