Vocabulary
What is an Ordinance?
A Law
Who was the first president and believed a strong national government was needed?
George Washington.
What was the first plan for a national government?
The Articles of Confederation.
Which branch of government makes the laws?
The Legislative Branch.
Why did some people want a weak national government after the Revolution?
They feared it would become unfair like Britain’s had been.
What does it mean to ratify something?
To accept or approve something formally.
Who wrote the Virginia Plan and wanted representation based on population?
James Madison.
What happened at the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
Delegates created a new Constitution.
Which branch carries out the laws?
The Executive Branch.
Why were the Articles of Confederation not strong enough?
The national government couldn’t solve problems like money issues or state arguments.
What is an amendment?
A change to the Constitution.
Who refused to attend the Constitutional Convention and said, “I smelt a rat”?
Patrick Henry.
What did most delegates agree about the Articles of Confederation?
That they weren’t working and needed to be replaced.
Which branch decides what the laws mean?
The Judicial Branch.
What did some farmers in Massachusetts lose because they couldn’t pay debts or taxes?
Their land.
What is a political party?
A group that shares similar ideas about government.
Who believed the government should protect farmers and states’ rights?
Thomas Jefferson
What plan called for three parts of government and favored big states?
The Virginia Plan.
What is it called when each branch limits the power of the others?
Checks and Balances.
What event helped leaders realize the government needed to be stronger?
Farmers losing land and debt problems after the war.
What is the purpose of checks and balances?
To make sure no branch of government becomes too powerful.
Who believed in a strong national government and supported trade and manufacturing?
Alexander Hamilton.
What solved the issue between big and small states over representation?
The Great Compromise.
What are the two parts of Congress created by the Great Compromise?
The House of Representatives and the Senate.
What did the Constitution do that the Articles could not?
Made the national government stronger and able to solve problems.