The name for the United States' original governing document
What is the Articles of Confederation
100
Poor Massachusetts farmers began protesting high taxes in 1787, causing the United States to realize that they needed a stronger central government
What is Shays' Rebellion
100
This group supported the ratification of the constitution, believed in a strong central government, and felt that the Constitution did not need a Bill of Rights to be added
Who are the Federalists
100
The name for the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, added to the document to appease the Antifederalists
What is the Bill of Rights
100
Before it became the official governing document of the United States, the new Constitution had to be ___________ by 9 of the 13 states. (this word means to adopt, support, or approve a document)
What is ratified
200
A system of government where several independent states are united in a loose friendship/alliance
What is a confederation
200
Organized in 1787, 12 of the 13 states sent delegates to Philadelphia for the purpose of rewriting the Articles of Confederation. Ultimately, this group abandoned the AOC and created a new governing document for the U.S.
What is the Constitutional Convention
200
This political faction feared that the Constitution gave too much power to the central government, preferred the states to have more power, and wanted a Bill of Rights added to the document before they would support it
Who are the Anti-Federalists
200
The Bill of Rights was designed to protect individuals' and states' rights from being taken by who/what?
What is the central government
200
Protects United States' citizens right to own firearms
What is the 2nd Amendment
300
Under the Articles of Confederation, this was the level of government that had the majority of the power
What is state governments
300
This plan for determining representation in congress proposed that larger states should send more representatives than smaller states
What is the Virginia Plan
300
He was the leader of the Antifederalist party and the author of the Declaration of Independence
Who is Thomas Jefferson
300
Protects freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom to assemble peacefully
What is the 1st Amendment
300
Agreement that created a bicameral congress with a House of Representatives, where representation was based on states' populations, and a Senate, where every state had equal representation
What is the Great Compromise
400
This was one of the important powers that the weak central government did not have under the Articles of Confederation (they really needed this power after the expensive Revolutionary War)
What is the power to tax
400
This plan for determining representation in congress proposed that all states should have equal votes, regardless of size
What is the New Jersey Plan
400
Known as the "father of the Constitution", this Virginian wrote the majority of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Who is James Madison
400
Protects against unlawful search and seizure of your person (body), home, papers, etc.
What is the 4th Amendment
400
One of the few successes of the Articles of Confederation, this 1787 law explained how the land of the Northwest Territory would eventually become new states
What is the Northwest Ordinance of 1787
500
This was the only branch of government that existed under the Articles of Confederation
What is the legislative branch (congress)
500
This compromise settled the debate between northern and southern states over whether slaves should count towards a state's population when determining representation
What is the 3/5ths Compromise
500
A series of 85 essays written by the Federalist party to convince states to support the Constitution
What are the Federalist Papers
500
Protects individuals rights of "due process". Forbids double jeopardy (being tried for the same crime twice)
What is the 5th Amendment
500
This system, put in place by the Constitution to ensure no branch gained too much power, gives each branch of government the ability to limit the power of the other two branches. (Ex. The President can veto laws from Congress that he/she does not approve of)