Early Articles
Signed by King John in 1215, this document made the king subject to law.
What is the Magna Carta?
In 1784, officials from this country closed the lower Mississippi River to U.S. shipping.
What is Spain?
Revolutionary War hero selected to preside as president over the Constitutional Convention.
Who is George Washington?
The constitutional principle that shares power between a central government and state governments.
What is federalism?
Virginian known as the "Father of the Constitution" who drafted the Bill of Rights in Congress.
Who is James Madison?
Under the Articles of Confederation, passing a new law required a vote of this many states out of 13
What is 9
This law established a survey system that divided western land into 36-square-mile townships.
What is the Land Ordinance of 1785?
Plan presented by Edmund Randolph proposing a bicameral legislature with representation based on population.
What is the Virginia Plan?
Series of essays written anonymously under the name Publius to convince citizens to support the Constitution.
What are The Federalist Papers?
Amendment protecting citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures without warrants or probable cause.
What is the Fourth Amendment?
Enlightenment philosopher who argued that a social contract exists between rulers and the people.
Who is John Locke?
Revolutionary War veteran who led a 1786 armed revolt of Massachusetts farmers against court foreclosures
Who is Daniel Shays?
Proposal by Roger Sherman creating equal representation in the Senate and population-based representation in the House.
What is the Great Compromise?
This became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution in June 1788, officially putting it into effect.
What is New Hampshire?
Fifth Amendment power allowing government to take private land for public use with fair compensation.
What is Eminent Domain?
This state held out on ratifying the Articles until 1781, demanding other states give up western land claims.
What is Maryland?
Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a territory needed a population of this size to request statehood.
What is 60,000?
Paterson presented this small-state plan advocating for a unicameral legislature with equal votes.
What is the New Jersey Plan?
Clause in Article VI that declares the U.S. Constitution the supreme law of the land.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
Amendment reserving all powers not granted to the national government to the states or the people.
What is the Tenth Amendment?
Settlers in this colony wrote the English colonies' first written constitution in 1639.
What is Connecticut?
Poor attendance at this 1786 meeting in Maryland prompted calls for a full Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
What is the Annapolis Convention?
Under the Commerce Compromises, Congress was allowed to place tariffs on imports, but prohibited from taxing these.
What are exports?
Anti-Federalist delegate who refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a explicit section protecting individual rights.
Who is George Mason?
Fifth Amendment protection preventing an individual from being tried twice for the exact same crime.
What is Double Jeopardy?