Documents
First 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
Under the articles, the government could not pay the nation's war debt
No power to tax
Under the articles, the government could not pay the nation's war debt
Gave national government the power to tax
Shay's Rebellion
Compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Adding the Bill of the Rights
(Massachusetts Compromise)
Wanted representation based on population
Virginia Plan
someone who supported the Constitution - wanted a strong central government
Federalist
Created the first government of the United States
Articles of Confederation
Could not regulate commerce or trade
Under the Articles, the United States struggled to defend itself against invasions from Britain and Spain, as well a Native American tribes
Constitution gave the government the power to declare war and create a military,
Constitutional Convention
Compromise between Northern and Southern states
Three-Fifths Compromise
Wanted representation based on equality
New Jersey Plan
Someone who did not support the Constitution - wanted to protect states and people
Anti-Federalists
Written by Federalists to gain support for the new Constitution
Federalist Papers
Unfair to larger states because they had the same amount of representation even though they had larger populations
One vote per state
Unfair to larger states because they had the same amount of representation even though they had larger populations
President of the Convention
Compromise between larger and smaller states
Great Compromise
Wanted representation to ONLY be based on a state's free population
Northern States
Number of states needed to ratify the U.S. Constitution
9
Replaced the Articles of Confederation and created a stronger national government
U.S. Constitution
Under the Articles, there was no president or way to enforce laws
No Executive Branch
Under the Articles, there was no president or way to enforce laws
Created a President and Executive Branch
Only state to not attend the Constitutional Convention
Rhode Island
Explain the Great Compromise
Combined the Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan - created a 2 House Congress - Senate based on equality (2 per state) and House of Representatives based on population (more population=more representation)
Wanted representation to be based on a state's free population + enslaved population
Southern states
Had to be added the U.S. Constitution in order for it to be ratified
Bill of Rights
Type of government created by the Articles of Confederation
loose alliance of states with a weak central government
Under the articles, the government could not settle disputes between states.
No Judicial Branch (or national court system)
Under the articles, the government could not settle disputes between states.
Created the Supreme Court and the Judicial Branch
Purpose of the Constitutional Convention
Fix the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
Explain the Three-Fifths Compromise
Representation in the House based on a states' free population + 3/5th's of its enslaved population
Number of slaves that counted towards a state's population for represenation.
3/5ths or 3 out of every 5 enslaved person
Type of government created by the Constitution - divided power between state and national governments
Federalism