U.S. Governmental Documents
Name of America's first government
Articles of Confederation
Separation of Powers
The Founding Fathers decide to compromise using the best parts of the Virginia and New Jersey plans creating a Legislative Branch (Congress) with 2 chambers.
The Great Compromise
The Federal (central) Government
Revolutionary War veterans & farmers lead an armed rebellion in Massachusetts because they were not paid for wartime service, they could not pay taxes on their land, had their land taken away, and some were placed in debtor’s prison
Shays' Rebellion
This document replaced America's first government.
United States Constitution
The principle that each branch of government has the power & responsibility to limit the other 2 branches so that no one individual or branch becomes too powerful or corrupt.
Checks & Balances
Congress has 2 chambers. Name them.
Senate and House of Representatives
Fix the Articles of Confederation
America's first government did not have these 2 branches of government.
Philadelphia
The system of government America has that includes federal, state, and local governments. It is a system of government in which state and local governments share power with a federal government.
Federalism
Representation in the Senate is based on what?
Equality. 2 Senators per state.
A President is accused of a very serious crime. Congress has the power to do this.
Impeach
(House votes to impeach)
(Senate hold trial)
(Supreme Court Chief Justice oversees the trial to determine President's guilt or innocence)
How many states were needed to amend the Articles of Confederation?
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.”
Preamble of the United States Constitution
Plan from Constitutional Convention
favored by large states
2 chambers (houses) of Congress
# of votes will be determined by state population
Virginia Plan
Representation in The House of Representatives is based on what?
State Population
Only President to serve more than 2 terms
Franklin D. Roosevelt (4 terms before an Amendment was passed to limit terms limits to 2)
America's first government failed in part because the states had the right to refuse these two requests from the Federal Government.
money (taxes) and soldiers
The United States Constitution created a 3 branch system of government. Name the 3 branches.
Executive (President), Legislative (Congress), Judicial (Supreme Court)
Plan from Constitutional Convention
favored by small states
1 chamber (house) of Congress
Each state will receive 1 vote, no matter how big or small
New Jersey Plan
This would require that only a portion of a state’s enslaved population would count towards the number of representatives in Congress.
3/5 Compromise
Number of Senators in Congress
100 (2 per State - 50 States)
Name a strength from America's first government.
Created a 3 step process for new territories to become states
No slavery in new territories
Freedom of religion, trial by jury for those accused of a crime, no cruel and unusual punishment for crimes committed promised to settlers in new territories (all 3 would be in the new Bill of Rights)