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60 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is a confederation?
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A loose union of independent states with a weak central government.
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What is a federation?
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A tight union of weak state governments with a strong central government.
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What were the Articles of Confederation?
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A weak system of United States government from 1781-1789.
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What does unicameral mean?
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One house in the government.
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Which of the following branches of government did NOT exist under the Articles of Confederation: executive, judicial, legislative?
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Executive and Judicial.
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What were some achievements of the Articles of Confederation?
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It was the government that successfully ended the Revolution; it negotiated the Treaty of Paris.
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What was the Land Ordinance of 1785?
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It surveryed the land west of the Ohio River and divided it into townships.
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What was a township?
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A section of land sold from the Land Ordinance of 1785; the money from the purchase went to a specific fund.
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What was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?
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Obtained for the Union Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota
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How does a territory become a state?
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1. Congress appoints 3 judges and a governor to govern the territory. 2. When the population exceeds 5,000 adult male landowners, it can elect a legislature. 3. When the population exceeds 60,000 adult male landowners, it can draft a state constitution.
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What did state constitutions have to consist of?
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A bill of rights and the forbiding of slavery.
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What foreign affairs were conducted under the Articles of Confederation?
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Britain did not hold to the Treaty of Paris; Spain claimed the Mississippi River.
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What was the Jay-Gardoqui Treaty?
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(1785) Gave the Spain complete control over the Mississippi River; never ratified by Congress.
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Where and when was the Constitutional Convention?
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Philadelphia, 1787
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Who called the delegates to the Constitutional Convention under the premise of revising the Articles of Confederation?
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James Madison
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Who were some important figures in the Constitutional Convention?
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George Washington, Ben Franklin, Edmund Randolph, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, William Patterson, Roger Sherman
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What were the four major conflicts/compromises of the Constitutional Convention?
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Representation, Slave states vs. free states, Commercial states vs. agricultural states, and the Presidential Election
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How many votes did each state have in Congress prior to the Constitutional Convention?
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One
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What was the Virginia Plan?
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Each state should receive votes in Congress based on population.
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What was the New Jersey Plan?
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Each state should receive only one vote in Congress.
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What was the Great Compromise, otherwise known as the Connecticut Compromise?
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Composed by Roger Sherman; stated the government would be a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives would have votes based on population and the Senate would have two votes per state.
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What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
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Three-fifths of a state's slaves would count towards their population in Congress; slaves would be taxed.
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What was the conflict between commercial and agricultural states during the Constitutional Convention?
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Commerical states wanted Congress to regulate trade; agricultural states didn't want Congress to regulate trade.
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How was the conflict between commerical and agricultural states resolved during the Constitutional Convention?
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The Commerce Clause: Congress can regulate trade, but cannot forbid the importation of slaves.
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What did Alexander Hamilton believe in terms of Presidential election?
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Congress should elect the President.
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How was the conflict over the Presidential election resolved during the Constitutional Convention?
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With the Electoral College.
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What does Article I of the Constituion talk about?
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The Legislative Branch
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Who is the President of the Senate?
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The Vice President
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Who is the President protempore?
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The person in charge in the abscence of the Vice President.
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What are enumerated powers?
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Written powers granted to Congress; delegated
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What are residual powers?
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Powers that only the states have; reserved
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What are concurrent powers?
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Powers that all levels of government have (taxation); shared
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What is the Elastic Clause, otherwise known as the Necessary and Proper Clause?
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Congress has the ability to stretch their powers to fit certain circumstances.
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What are the two laws Congress cannot pass?
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A Bill of Attainder and an ex post facto law.
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What is a Bill of Attainder?
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A bill that convicts someone without the right of due process.
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What is an ex post facto law?
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A law that allows Congress to punish someone for breaking a law before the law was passed.
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What does Article II of the Constitution talk about?
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The Executive Branch
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What are some powers given to the President of the United States?
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Commander in Chief, Chief Executive, make treaties, appoint officials, must give State of the Union Address, is subject to impeachment
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What does Article III of the Constitution talk about?
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The Judicial Branch
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What is the only crime discussed in the Constitution and how is one convicted of it?
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Treason; requires two witnesses or a confession.
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What is corruption by blood?
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If someone in your family committed a crime, you are also punished for that crime.
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What does Article V of the Constitution talk about?
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Amendments
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What does Article VI of the Constitution talk about?
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Federal Supremacy
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What is federal supremacy?
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The federal government always wins over lesser governments.
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What does Article VII of the Constitution talk about?
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Nine out of thirteen states are required to ratify the Constitution.
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What were the two main opposing groups over the ratification of the Constitution?
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Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
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Describe Federalists as opposed to Anti-Federalists.
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Merchants, bankers, large landowners; favored strong central government; included James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
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Describe Anti-Federalists.
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Laborers, farmers, small landowners; favored independent state governments; included Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry
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What were the Federalist Papers?
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Written by James Madison; an attempt to encourage others to ratify the Constitution.
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What are the first ten amendments of the Constitution called?
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The Bill of Rights
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How long was George Washington's administration?
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1789-1796
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What was the Judiciary Act of 1789?
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Created lower courts; determined the number of justices on the Supreme Court (6)
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Who was appointed the first Chief Justice?
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John Jay
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What did Jefferson's opposition of Hamilton's Economic Plan lead to?
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The development of political parties
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What caused the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794?
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Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey.
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Why did Hamilton want a protective tariff?
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To protect and encourage the growth of domestic industry.
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How did the Whiskey Rebellion test the Constitution?
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Washington was forced the send in federal troops to control farmers.
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Until 1793 who did the U.S. have Treaty of Alliance with?
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France
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What was the Proclamation of Neutrality?
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1793; stated the U.S.is impartial to foreign conflict
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What was the Citizen Genet Affair?
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Genet, a French ambassador, ordered French ships to attack British ships in American ports; Washington asked France to recall Genet and they accept; an example of American neutrality
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