Foundational Documents
This document served as the first U.S. Constitution from 1781 to 1789 but created a central government that was too weak.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This amendment formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.
What is the 13th Amendment?
This is the total number of electoral votes available in a presidential election.
What is 538?
This group supported a strong central government and the ratification of the Constitution.
Who are the Federalists?
He led the Continental Army and presided over the Constitutional Convention.
Who is George Washington?
Signed on September 17, 1787, this document is considered the "Supreme Law of the Land."
What is the Constitution?
This amendment ensures that no citizen is denied the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
What is the 15th Amendment?
To win the presidency, a candidate must receive at least this many electoral votes.
What is 270?
This group feared tyranny and demanded that a Bill of Rights be added to the Constitution.
Who are the Anti-Federalists?
He is known as the "Father of the Constitution" and authored the Bill of Rights.
Who is James Madison?
This group of the first ten amendments was ratified in 1791 to protect individual liberties.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This amendment redefined citizenship and guaranteed "equal protection" under the law.
What is the 14th Amendment?
The number of electors each state receives is based on this specific metric.
What is population?
This system of government divides and shares power between national and state governments.
What is Federalism?
He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd U.S. President.
Who is Thomas Jefferson?
These two constitutional principles work together to divide government functions and allow branches to restrain each other (e.g., impeachment).
What are Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances?
his amendment gave Congress the power to levy a federal income tax.
What is the 16th Amendment?
The Electoral College was created as a compromise between these two methods of choosing a president.
What are a popular vote and a vote by Congress?
Because of federalism, states are often referred to by this phrase, meaning they can tailor laws to local preferences.
What are "Laboratories of Democracy"?
As the first Secretary of the Treasury, he established the national bank and the nation's financial system.
Who is Alexander Hamilton?
This specific reason explains why the Bill of Rights was added shortly after the Constitution was signed.
What is to appease concerns that the federal government was too strong/lacked individual protections?
Collectively, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments are known as this, designed to secure civil rights after the Civil War.
What are the Reconstruction Amendments? (Note: You can also accept "The Civil War Amendments").
Aside from balancing large and small states, the Founders created the Electoral College because they feared this.
What is a direct popular vote? (or "uninformed/uneducated voters").
This was the primary fear of the Anti-Federalists regarding a strong national government.
What is that it would destroy states' rights and individual liberties?
This Founding Father orchestrated the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States.
Who is Thomas Jefferson?