Failing Articles & Purpose
This document served as the first constitution of the United States, but it created a very weak central government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This big agreement created two parts of Congress: one where every state gets equal votes, and one based on population.
What is the Great Compromise?
This group supported the new Constitution because they wanted a strong national government.
Who were the Federalists?
The Bill of Rights is made up of the first ____ amendments added to the U.S. Constitution.
What is ten (10)?
Splitting government power into three parts so no single leader gets total control is called this.
What is Separation of Powers?
Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no national leader in charge of the country, like this position we have today.
What is the President?
This unfair agreement counted three out of every five enslaved people when figuring out a state's population for votes.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
This group was against the new Constitution because they feared a national government would become too powerful.
Who were the Anti-Federalists?
This amendment protects important freedoms like free speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.
What is the First Amendment?
Made up of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives), this branch has the job of making laws.
What is the Legislative Branch?
Congress under the Articles could not collect this from citizens, which meant the government had no money to pay its bills.
What are taxes?
In the House of Representatives, larger states get more votes because representation depends on state ______.
What is population?
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote these famous newspaper essays to convince people to support the Constitution.
What are the Federalist Papers?
The main reason the Bill of Rights was created was to place limits on this institution so it couldn't take away personal freedoms.
What is the national (or federal) government?
Led by the President, this branch has the job of carrying out and enforcing laws.
What is the Executive Branch?
This opening section of the U.S. Constitution outlines its main purpose and goals, starting with the famous words, "We the People."
What is the Preamble?
Every state, big or small, gets this exact number of votes in the U.S. Senate.
What is two (2)?
Anti-Federalists demanded that this list of rights be added to protect citizens before they would agree to the Constitution.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This amendment stops police from searching a person's home or belongings without a good reason.
What is the Fourth Amendment?
Made up of the Supreme Court and federal courts, this branch has the job of interpreting laws to see if they follow the Constitution.
What is the Judicial Branch?
Founders originally met in 1787 just to fix the Articles of Confederation, but ended up writing this brand-new document instead.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
At the Constitutional Convention, full voting rights and citizenship were given mostly to this specific group of people.
Who were free, white, property-owning men?
The big argument between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over government power is called this.
What is The Great Debate?
When it was written in 1791, the Bill of Rights left out and failed to protect the rights of these major groups.
Who were enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, and women?
This system gives each branch ways to block or limit the actions of the other two branches so power stays balanced.
What are Checks and Balances?