Basic Ideas
The History of Democracy
Constitutional Principles
Forms of Government
The Constitution
Founding Fathers
100
These rights are possessed by every person simply because they are human.
What are natural rights?
100
This document, signed in 1215, limited the English king's powers and required him to provide certain rights to nobles.
What is the Magna Carta?
100
This term is used to describe a formal change or addition to the Constitution.
What is an amendment?
100
This term describes a society ruled by citizenship.
What is a democracy?
100
Delegates from all the states except Rhode Island attended this gathering that was originally intended to amend and improve the Articles of Confederation.
What was the Constitutional Convention?
100
These people opposed ratification of the Constitution, fearing the threat of an abusive national government.
Who were the Antifederalists?
200
This term is used to describe a blending of two or more viewpoints.
What is a compromise?
200
At this meeting, the other American colonies agreed to support Massachusetts in its conflict with Great Britain.
What was the Second Continental Congress?
200
This concept, that no one is above the law including Congress and the President, is essential to a functioning democracy.
What is the rule of law?
200
This term is used to describe a government that exists as an alliance of independent states.
What is a confederation?
200
These are the first ten amendments to the Constitution which guarantee extensive individual liberties to Americans.
What is the Bill of Rights?
200
This primary author of the Declaration of Independence went on to serve as the third president of the United States.
Who is Thomas Jefferson?
300
This principle states that the government cannot take something of value from a citizen unless it follows a fair, established procedure.
What is due process?
300
This was the first constitution of the United States of America.
What were the Articles of Confederation?
300
This Constitutional principle holds that the people are the only source for governmental power.
What is popular sovereignty?
300
This term describes a legislature composed of two houses.
What is bicameral?
300
This was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.
300
This creator of the Virginia Plan is sometimes known as the "Father of the Constitution".
Who was James Madison?
400
This term is used for the formal approval of a contract, treaty, or other agreement.
What is ratification?
400
These three rights are specifically mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.
What are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
400
This government system divides the ruling authority between the central (national) and state governments.
What is federalism?
400
This is a government of shared powers, in which the executive and legislative branches have separate powers and operate independently from each other.
What is a presidential government?
400
The U.S. Constitution is an example of this theory of how governments form, which was developed by John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
What is social contract theory?
400
This member of the Constitutional Convention originally favored establishing an American monarchy.
Who was Alexander Hamilton?
500
This is the freedom from being imprisoned without criminal charges.
What is habeas corpus?
500
This insurrection was led by farmers in Massachusetts in an attempt to prevent foreclosures of their farms.
What was Shay's Rebellion?
500
This Constitutional principle holds that government may do only those things that the people have given it power to do.
What is limited government?
500
In this form of government, the power rests with the people and is exercised through their elected representatives.
What is a republic?
500
The U.S. Constitution was drafted in this city in 1787.
What is Philadelphia?
500
This collection of essays were written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in an effort to gain support for ratification of the Constitution.
What are The Federalist Papers?