What was the biggest weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
The federal government could not tax or enforce the laws it created.
Where was the Constitutional Convention held?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
How many articles are in the U.S. Constitution?
Seven
What branch makes the laws?
Legislative Branch
What series of essays encouraged Americans to support the Constitution? (Written by Federalists)
Federalist Papers
How many branches of government existed under the articles?
One (A Unicameral Legislature, no executive, no judicial)
Who is known as the "Father Of The Constitution?"
James Madison
What is the introduction to the Constitution called? (The Introduction)
The Preamble
What branch enforces the laws?
Executive Branch
Name one author of the Federalist Papers.
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay
What important power did the federal government lack that made trade difficult?
Regulating interstate and foreign commerce (the state governments talked to other countries, not the federal government)
What compromises created a two-house Congress?
The Great Compromise
What principle stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Checks and balances
What branch interprets the laws?
Judicial Branch
What was George Washington's role at the Constitutional Convention?
President of the Convention
What event proved the Articles were too weak to handle a national crises?
Shay's Rebellion
What compromise counted enslaved people as part of the population for representation and taxation?
The 3/5ths Compromise
What is the system that divides power between national and state governments?
Federalism
What is the highest court in the United States?
The Supreme Court
What argument did Anti-Federalists use against the Constitution?
It lacked a Bill of Rights. (No certified protections for citizens rights)
What is the main reason that a government needs to be able to tax its citizens in the modern era unlike in the Articles of Confederation?
To build an army, provide public services (firefighters, police), and other major things that citizens rely on from the government.
Which plan favored large states with representation based on population?
The Virginia Plan
What do we call the changes or additions made to the Constitution?
Amendments
How long is a president's term and how many can they serve?
4 years, 2 terms
Who proposed the Bill of Rights?
James Madison