Constitutional Compromises
This 1787 meeting was originally held to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and develop an improved system of government
What is the Constitutional Convention?
Favored by larger states, this proposal called for a bicameral legislature with representation based on population
What is the Virginia Plan?
The major political clash between Federalists and Anti-Federalists focused on how much authority should be granted to this level of government.
What is the national government?
This core concept divides governmental responsibilities into three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
What is separation of powers?
Adopted during the revolution, tis document served as the nation's first governing framework prior to the constitution.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
Proposed by Connecticut delegates, this agreement balanced representation desires between larger and smaller states by creating a bicameral legislature.
What is the Great Compromise?
Supported by smaller states, this plan proposed a single-house legislature with equal representation for each state.
What is the New Jersey Plan?
This group opposed a strong central government, preferring strong state governments.
Who were the Anti-Federalists?
This constitutional arrangement allows each branch of government to restrain or limit the power of the other branches.
What are checks and balances?
Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government lacked this crucial power, making it difficult to raise revenue or settle debts.
What is the power to tax?
Under the Great Compromise, this chamber of Congress provides equal representation for every state regardless of size.
What is the Senate?
This term describes a single-house legislative body, such as the one proposed in the New Jersey Plan.
What is a unicameral legislature?
Notable Anti-Federalist leader that was the third president of the United States and made the Louisiana Purchase.
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
This fundamental democratic principle asserts that government authority originates from the consent of the people.
What is popular sovereignty?
This body of electors formally selects the President and Vice President of the United States.
What is the Electoral College?
The Commerce Clause provided Congress with this power...
What is the enumerated authority to regulate interstate commerce and trade
Because neither the Virginia Plan nor the New Jersey Plan could win majority support on its own, delegates reached this major agreement.
What is the Great Compromise?
This group wanted a strong central government under the new constitution and stated it was absolutely necessary for national defense and economic groewth.
Who were the Federalists?
This political system divides and shares government authority between national, state, and local entities.
What is federalism?
This was the primary issue with the Articles of Confederation.
What is a weak central government?
This compromise determined that five enslaved individuals would count as three free persons when calculating congressional representation as well as taxation.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
Both the Virginia and the New Jersey Plan aimed to significantly increase the authority of this level of government compared to the Articles of Confederation.
What is the national government?
To address Anti-Federalist concerns about potential tyranny, Federalists agreed to add this safeguard to the Constitution.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This principle of the constitution states that no one is above the established rules and laws.
What is Rule of Law?
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, provides basic protections for civil liberties and civil rights.
What is the Bill of Rights?