This is an organization in which states or members work together towards common goals but retain most of their own power; the parts have more power than the whole.
What is a confederation?
100
This protest by farmers in Massachusetts scared the nation's leaders and eventually led to the call for a Constitutional Convention to revise the Articles of Confederation and make a stronger national government.
What is Shays's Rebellion?
100
This phrase in the Constitution's preamble means that the national government will protect the U.S. from invasion by other countries by providing and maintaining an army.
What is "provide for the common defense"?
100
This article of the Constitution sets up the Legislative Branch of our national government.
What is Article I?
100
This amendment protects our essential freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom to petition the government.
What is the First Amendment?
200
This is an organization in which states are strongly united and act together for a common purpose; the whole has more power than the parts.
What is a union?
200
This compromise was reached regarding how slaves would be counted in determining a state's population and how many representatives they would get.
What is the Three Fifths Compromise?
200
This phrase in the Constitution means that it is the goal of government to ensure that we are a union of states rather than just a confederation.
What is "in order to form a more perfect union"?
200
This article of the Constitution sets up the Executive Branch of our national government.
What is Article II (2)?
200
This amendment ensures the "right to bear arms".
What is the Second Amendment?
300
This principle involves separating a government's power among different branches of government in order to limit that power; our government's division into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches is an example of this.
What is the separation of powers?
300
This plan presented at the Constitutional Convention called for a bicameral government with proportional representation in both the lower and upper houses. It was favored by states with larger populations.
What is the Virginia Plan?
300
This phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means that it is an important goal of the government to ensure that people and their descendants have freedom.
What is "secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity"?
300
This article of the Constitution sets up the Judicial Branch of government.
What is Article III?
300
This amendment requires law enforcement to have warrants before they can search or seize your property.
What is the Fourth Amendment?
400
This is a system in which each branch of government has powers that limit the powers of other branches of government; the president's veto of a law passed by Congress is an example of this.
What is the system of checks and balances?
400
This plan presented at the Constitutional Convention was favored by states with smaller populations; it called for a unicameral government with equal representation.
What is the New Jersey Plan?
400
This phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means to ensure that all citizens receive the same rights and are treated equally under the law.
What is "establish justice"?
400
This article of the Constitution describes the amendment process.
What is Article V (5)?
400
This amendment emphasizes "due process" and the rights of citizens to fair treatment; no citizen can be deprived of "life, liberty, or property" without appropriate legal procedures being followed.
What is the Fifth Amendment?
500
This describes a system of government in which the federal government and state governments share certain powers but also each have powers that are expressly theirs.
What is federalism?
500
The was the final compromise between states with smaller populations and states with larger populations. The government would have two houses, but one house would have proportional representation (the House of Representatives) and the other would have equal representation (the Senate); this is the government we have today.
What is the Great Compromise?
500
This phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means to maintain order and peace within the country.
What is "ensure domestic tranquility"?
500
This article of the Constitution declares that national law is the supreme law of the land.
What is Article VI (6)?
500
This amendment explains the rights of the accused: the right to a fair and speedy trial, a lawyer, and witnesses.