Bill of Rights
What is one purpose of the Bill of Rights?
to protect people from their government
What is Federalism ?
Power is shared by the national and state governments
Why was the institution of slavery not abolished at the Constitutional Convention?
Southern states would not have ratified the Constitution.
What did Congress fear about a strong central government?
They feared creating a new king and a tyrannical government in the United States.
What was one of the greatest challenges for the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?
compromising on the interests of large and small states
How does freedom of the press help maintain a democratic society?
It allows citizens to be informed
What is a republic?
A government led by elected representatives
Why would many Northerners be opposed to the enslaved population being counted for the Southern states?
It would give the southern states more political power in Congress.
Why does each state have two senators?
to ensure equal representation for large and small states
As a result of the Great Compromise, how is representation determined in the House of Representatives?
By population
Why did the Antifederalists feel that it was important for the Constitution to include a bill of rights?
They feared that a strong central government would ignore people’s basic rights.
What is the purpose of the system of Checks and Balances?
to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful
Once the Constitution was ratified by the 13 states, how many senators would there be?
26 (2 for each state)
What is the primary job of the Legislative Branch (Congress)?
to create federal laws for the country
As a result of the Great Compromise, how is representation determined in the Senate?
Equal representation - 2 per state
What did the Founding Fathers believe about the relationship between religion and government?
They believed the government should not interfere with people's religious beliefs.
What is the purpose of “due process”?
To ensure fair treatment in the judicial system
What made the Articles of Confederation weak?
No control of taxes, military, or federal laws.
What is the primary job of the Judicial Branch today?
to interpret federal laws for the country
What compromise decided whether the enslaved population should be counted for states’ representation in Congress?
3/5 Compromise
What name is given to the Supreme Court’s power to declare a law unconstitutional?
Judicial review
What are the 3 branches of government?
Executive branch, Legislative branch, executive branch
What is the first sentence of the preamble?
We the people in order to form a more perfect union...
What is the primary job of the Executive Branch?
to enforce laws
How did the 3/5th Compromise affect the representation of Southern states?
It increased the representation.