Constitution
This meeting in 1787 created a new framework for the government of the United States. BONUS: What city did this meeting take place?
What is the Constitutional Convention? What is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
Why were the first ten amendments added to the Constitution?
To protect individual rights and freedoms.
This principle means that the people hold the final authority in government.
What is popular sovereignty?
These people supported the new Constitution and a strong national government.
Who were the Federalists?
What was the name of the compromise that blended the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?
What is The Great Compromise?
This document replaced the Articles of Confederation as the supreme law of the United States.
What is the Constitution?
If the government tried to prevent a newspaper from criticizing its leaders, which amendment would protect the newspaper?
What is the First Amendment?
If state governments and the national government share authority, which constitutional principle does this demonstrate?
What is federalism?
Why was the Bill of Rights important to Anti-Federalists?
Who wanted to protect civil liberties?
This law established a way to admit new states from the territory north of the Ohio River.
What is the Northwest Ordinance?
This branch of government is described in Article I of the Constitution.
What is the Legislative Branch?
The right to bear arms is guaranteed by this amendment.
What is the Second Amendment?
What principle says that leaders must follow the Constitution and the laws, which restrict their authority?
What is limited government?
This collection of essays was written to support the ratification of the Constitution.
What are the Federalist Papers?
This document from England influenced American ideas about rights and government in 1689.
What is the English Bill of Rights?
Why is the amendment process important to the Constitution?
It allows the Constitution to change as the country's needs change.
If police search someone's home without a valid legal basis, which constitutional protection might be violated?
What is the Fourth Amendment?
Why did the Framers divide the government's responsibilities among three branches?
To separate powers and prevent too much power from being concentrated in one branch.
This group believed the new Constitution gave too much power to the central government and not enough to the states.
Who were the Anti-Federalists?
Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government lacked this important power.
What is the power to tax, enforce laws, and national court system?
How do checks and balances help protect Americans from an abuse of government power?
Each branch can limit certain actions of the other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.
This amendment guarantees a speedy and public trial by jury.
What is the Sixth Amendment?
How do checks and balances prevent an abuse of power?
What is this principle allows each branch to limit the powers of the other branches?
This famous Federalist was the primary author of many of the Federalist Papers.
Who was Alexander Hamilton?
How did Shays' Rebellion demonstrate weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation?
What is the national government could not raise money through taxes or maintain a strong military to respond?