Articles of Confederation
This group had the most power under the Articles of Confederation, often acting like independent countries rather than a unified nation.
What are the states?
The Constitutional Convention was originally called in 1787 to revise this weak governing document.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This article of the Constitution establishes Congress and outlines its powers, including making laws and regulating commerce.
What is Article I
The Virginia Plan proposed that representation in Congress should be based on this factor, favoring larger states.
What is population?
The introduction to the Constitution, which outlines the goals of the government, is called this.
What is the preamble?
One major weakness of the Articles was the lack of this key government position, which meant there was no national leader to enforce laws.
What is the president?
This compromise created a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in one house and equal representation in the other.
What is the Great Compromise?
The presidency and the powers of the executive branch, including enforcing laws and serving as commander-in-chief, are described in this article.
What is Article II (2).
The New Jersey Plan favored small states by proposing that each state have this type of representation in Congress.
What is equal representation?
The first three articles of the Constitution establish these three branches of government.
What are the legislative, executive and judicial branches?
This was the main reason the Articles of Confederation created a weak national government with no power to tax or enforce laws.
What are taxes?
To settle the dispute over counting enslaved people for representation and taxation, delegates agreed to this compromise.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
This article establishes the Supreme Court and gives Congress the power to create lower federal courts.
Article III (Article 3)
The Virginia Plan called for this type of legislature, meaning it had two houses.
What is bicameral legislature?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which protect individual freedoms, are known as this.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This 1786 uprising by farmers in Massachusetts highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to calls for a stronger federal government.
What is Shay's Rebellion?
Bonus:This man, known as the "Father of the Constitution," played a major role in drafting and promoting the new framework of government.
Who is James Madison?
The relationship between the states and the federal government, including the Full Faith and Credit Clause, is outlined in this article.
What is Article IV (Article 4)
Bonus:This man is credited with drafting the Virginia Plan, which became the foundation for the U.S. Constitution.
Who is James Madison?
Bonus: The main body of the Constitution is divided into this many articles, each outlining a key part of the government.
What is seven?
Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government had only this one branch, which made laws but had no power to enforce them.
What is the legislative branch?
Bonus: To gain support for the new Constitution, Federalists promised to add this set of amendments to protect individual rights.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This article provides the process for making changes to the Constitution, requiring approval by Congress and the states.
What is Article V (Article 5)
he debate between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans was resolved by this agreement, which created a bicameral Congress with both proportional and equal representation.
What is the Great Compromise?
Bonus: The Constitution can be changed through this process, outlined in Article V.
What is the amendment process?