The First Try
This was America's first attempt at a national government.
What is the Articles of Confederation
This principle divides powers between the federal government and the states.
What is federalism?
The name of the document that is the supreme law of the land in the United States.
What is the Constitution?
This branch has the power to make laws, control federal spending, and declare war.
What is the legislative branch?
This compromise counted enslaved people as a fraction of a citizen when it came to determining representation.
What is the 3/5 compromise?
Under the Articles, this branch of government was the only one that existed.
What is the Legislative Branch
This principle prevents any one branch of the federal government from becoming too powerful.
What are checks and balances?
A change or addition to the Constitution.
What is an amendment?
This branch has the power to veto laws passed by Congress, conduct foreign policy, and serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
What is the executive branch?
This document was created as a compromise between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
What is the Bill of Rights?
The national government under the Articles could not do this, making it hard to pay debts.
What is the power to tax?
This principle says that the people are the source of the government's power.
What is popular sovereignty?
To sign or give formal consent to (a treaty, contract, or agreement), making it officially valid.
What is ratify?
This branch can declare laws unconstitutional.
What is the judicial branch?
This legislative house gives two representatives for each state, regardless of size.
What is the Senate?
This requirement made it impossible to make changes to the Articles.
What is unanimous approval (13 of 13)
This principle created three branches of the federal government.
What is separation of powers?
In this event, the framers of the Constitution met in Philadelphia to hash out the fine details of the new plan for the federal government.
What was the Constitutional Convention?
This branch has the power to remove a president or judge from office.
What is the legislative branch?
This legislative house bases the number of seats on the populations of each state.
What is the House of Representatives?
This event proved that the Articles of Confederation were too weak to work.
What is Shays Rebellion?
This principle says that the government is based on elected officials chosen by the people they will represent.
What is republicanism?
What is the name for the opening statement in the Constitution that explains it's purpose.
The Preamble
This branch is responsible for interpreting laws and ensuring they are applied fairly.
What is the judicial branch?
This compromise created a two-house legislature.
The Great Compromise