Articles of Confederation
Which level of government had the most power under the Articles?
The states
Why did states with higher populations support the Virginia Plan?
Since representation was based on population, they would have more power in Congress due to their larger population.
What was the name of the essays written by Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams to express their opposition to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Anti-federalist Papers
The principle that the government cannot have absolute power.
Limited government
How many articles make up the US Constitution?
7
How many states had to agree for any changes to be made the Articles of Confederation?
13/13 or All of them
What percent of enslaved people would be counted for determining representation?
What was the name of this compromise?
60%
Three-Fifths Compromise
What was the name of the essays written by Federalists to support the ratification of the US Constitution?
Federalist Papers
Rule of law
For what purpose did the Constitutional Convention originally meet?
To rework the Articles of Confederation
Name the event that led to the call for a Constitutional Convention.
Shay's Rebellion
What compromises were made concerning the slave trade and fugitive slaves?
That the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade could not be banned until 1808 (twenty years later), and that fugitive slaves must be returned to their owners.
Summarize the fears the Federalists had about remaining under the Articles of Confederation?
They worried the country would fall to anarchy and needed a stronger central government.
The principle that people have inalienable rights that the government is supposed to protect.
Individual rights/freedom
It guaranteed equal representation of states in the U.S. Senate.
Which branches of government was the Articles of Confederation missing?
Executive and judicial branches
What were the terms of the Great Compromise?
A bicameral legislature where the House of Representatives is based on population and the Senate is based on equal representation.
What were the two main fears the Anti-Federalists had about the new Constitution?
That the federal government would abuse their rights and take too much power away from the states.
The idea that the government gets its power from the people and that people make decisions within their government.
Popular sovereignty
How many states had to approve the US Constitution for it to go into effect?
How did they get enough states for it to go into effect?
9 out of 13 states
The Federalists promised they would add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
List 4 things the federal government could not do under the Articles of Confederation.
No power to collect taxes, No power to raise a military, Could not enforce laws, Could not strike down state laws, Could not adjudicate conflicts between states, Could not regulate currency, Could not regulate trade
Describe the ideas regarding representation in the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan: Bicameral house with representation based on population in both houses
New Jersey Plan: Unicameral house based on equal representation
List 2 Federalists and 2 Anti-Federalists:
Federalists: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay
Anti-Federalists: Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Patrick Henry
Describe the difference between checks and balances and separation of powers.
Checks and balances: each branch has the power to check the other branches of government to prevent them from becoming too powerful.
Separation of powers: each branch is separate from the others and has powers the other branches do not.
Why was the Constitutional Convention and its members' decisions kept secret?
They were drafting an entirely new plan for government. Also, if their individual decisions would have been known, it could have affected how various members voted on decisions/compromises for fear of angering the people of their state.