What does the word "Bicameral" mean?
Having two separate lawmaking chambers.
What does the word "Republic" mean?
A government in which citizens rule through elected representatives.
What does the word "Ordinance" mean?
A law.
What does the word "Depreciate" mean?
To fall in value.
What does the word "Depression" mean?
A period when economic activity slows and unemployment increases. It lasts much longer than a recession (which lasts 2 years or less). Usually, it lasts about a decade or more.
What does the word "Manumission" mean?
The freeing of individual enslaved persons.
What does the word "Proportional" mean?
Having the proper size in relation to other objects or items.
What does the word "Compromise" mean?
A settlement of a dispute by each party giving up some demands.
What does the word "Federalism" mean?
Sharing power between the federal and state governments.
What does the word "Legislative Branch" mean?
Lawmaking branch of government.
What does the word "Executive Branch" mean?
Branch of government that executes, or carries out the law; headed by the president.
What does the word "Judicial Branch" mean?
The branch of government that includes the courts that settle disputes and questions of the law.
What does the word "Electoral College" mean?
Special group of electors chosen to vote for president and vice president.
What does the word "Checks and Balances" mean?
A system by which each branch of government limits power of other branches.
What does the word "Amendment" mean?
A change, correction, or improvement added to a document.
Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. Give at least three differences and three similarities between the two.
Differences:
1. NJ plan had one house of legislature with equal representation across all states. Virginia plan had two houses of legislature with representation based on population.
2. In the NJ plan, members of the executive branch were chosen by Congress. In the Virginia plan, members of the executive branch were chosen by the legislature.
3. In the NJ plan, the executive branch had more than one person. In the Virgina plan, the executive branch had just one person.
4. Virginia plan allowed legislative branch to veto state laws. NJ plan did not.
Similarities:
1. Both gave the federal government more power than under the Articles of Confederation.
2. Both had three branches. (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
3. Both had judges serve for life.
4. Both allowed the legislature to pass taxes.
What were the three compromises made that related to the constitution?
The Great Compromise:
Who wanted what: Small states wanted to follow the New Jersey Plan, as it gave equal representation to all states no matter their population. Large states wanted to follow the Virginia Plan, as it gave proportional representation based on population, which would give them more power.
How did they compromise: They merged both plans and created the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The 3/5ths Compromise:
Who wanted what: Southern States wanted enslaved people to count towards population numbers, as it would give them more seats in Congress. Northern States did not want this, feeling as though this would make states with slaves more powerful than they should be and that if slaves were considered property they should not count towards population.
How did they compromise: They compromised by making it so that every five enslaved persons would count as three people in the population.
The Bill of Rights:
Who wanted what: Anti-Federalists wanted more individual rights stated in the constitution, fearing that without one the government could become corrupt. The federalists felt that stating these rights was unnecessary.
How did they compromise: They compromised by adding the Bill of Rights in order to get Virginia and other skeptical states to ratify the constitution.
Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Give at least three differences and three similarities between the two.
Differences:
1. Articles of Confederation had a very weak central government; it gave most of its power to the states. The Constitution gave more power to the federal government, and less to the states.
2. In the Articles of Confederation, all 13 states had to approve a change to the Articles to be added. Under the constitution, only 9 out of 13 states had to approve an amendment to the Constitution for it to be added.
3. In the Articles of Confederation, the central government could not regulate trade or pass taxes. Under the Constitution, the central government could regulate trade and pass taxes.
4. The Articles of Confederation only had a legislative branch and one house under it. The Constitution had three branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) and two houses under the legislative one.
Similarities:
1. Power is shared between the states and the federal government. This is known as federalism.
2. Both allowed the government to declare war and maintain armed forces.
3. Both had a legislative body.