Declaration of Independence
This phrase from the Declaration—“All men are created equal”—is interpreted today to mean this about Americans under the law.
What is "All Americans have the same legal rights"?
This was one major weakness of the government under the Articles.
What is "Congress had no power to collect taxes"?
The Great Compromise created this type of legislature.
What is "a bicameral legislature"?
This branch includes the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
What is "the judicial branch"?
This group feared that a strong federal government would make state governments irrelevant.
Who were the Anti-Federalists?
The document that declared independence from Britain and stated key human rights principles.
What is the Declaration of Independence?
The main purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to do this.
What is "form a union of states"?
This compromise counted part of the enslaved population toward representation.
What is "the Three-Fifths Compromise"?
The Secretary of Education is part of this branch.
What is "the executive branch"?
Federalists promised to add this to the Constitution to gain Anti-Federalist support.
What is "the Bill of Rights"?
This Enlightenment idea, found in the Declaration, says people have basic rights that cannot be taken away.
What are "natural rights"?
Shays’ Rebellion showed the Articles were weak because the federal government lacked this.
What is "a national military"?
These two ideas became the foundation of the Great Compromise.
What are "equal Senate representation" and "population-based House representation"?
This branch includes the Speaker of the House.
What is "the legislative branch"?
Anti-Federalists believed these governments should collect taxes.
What are "state governments"?
According to the Declaration, the government's power comes from this source.
What is "the consent of the governed"?
The Massachusetts Constitution and 14th Amendment both define these for citizens.
What are "individual rights"?
This plan, supported by large states, proposed representation based on population.
What is "the Virginia Plan"?
This clause in Article 1 allows Congress to expand its powers as needed.
What is "the elastic clause"?
Local governments are primarily funded this way.
What is "by taxing residents"?
This part of the Declaration lists the colonists’ reasons for breaking away from Britain.
What is "the list of grievances"?
Legislative branches help protect individual rights by doing this.
What is "passing laws that support rights"?
This plan, supported by smaller states, called for equal representation regardless of a state's size.
What is "the New Jersey Plan"?
This branch checks the president’s power by confirming Cabinet appointments.
What is "the legislative branch"?
These are three common services provided by local governments.
What are "education, fire protection, and public safety"?