American History Until 1877 Key Concepts

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The purpose of Government according to the Constitution

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To promote a more perfect Union
To establish Justice
Insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
To promote the general welfare
To secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity

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Articles of Confederation

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America's first plan of government

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Confederation

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A loose association of States

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Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

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Weak federal government (little power)
Only one branch of government
No executive branch ( no president)
No judicial system (federal courts)
No system of checks and balances
Had to ask states for soldiers
Had to ask states for money

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Federalism

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A system of government in which power is divided between state and national (central) government

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delegated powers

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Declare war
Maintain the armed forces
Regulate interstate and foreign trade
Admit new states
Establish post offices
Set standard weights and measures
Coin money
Establish foreign policy
Make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out delegated powers

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Powers of the reserved for the States

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Establish and maintain schools
Establish local governments
Regulate business within the state
Make marriage laws
Provide for public safety
Assume other powers not delegated to the national government nor prohibited to the states

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Shared Powers/Concurrent powers

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Maintain law and order
Levy taxes
Borrow money
Charter banks
Establish courts
Provide for public welfare

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Aristocracy

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A government in which a select few people get to rule.

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Autocracy

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A type of government in which one person has unlimited power and can do what ever he or she wants.

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Democracy

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a form of government in which people either vote directly or elect people to vote for them.

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Legislative

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Branch of governement that makes the laws

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Executive Branch

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Branch of governement that sees that the laws are arried out

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Judicial

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Branch of Government that interprets the laws

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35 years old or older
Resident of the U.S. for 14 years
Natural born citizen
o be president

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Qualifications to be president

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4 years/ 2 terms/ 10 years max

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Term of Office for a President

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term of Senators

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6 years /no limit

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Qualifications to be a senator

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30 years old or older
Resident of the state they represent
Live in the U.S. for the last 9 years

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Supreme CourtQualification and term

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No Specific Qualifications to be on the supreme Court
Appointed by the president
Lifetime term

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Supreme Court

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Highest Court in the land

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Chief Justice

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Head of the Supreme Court

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Appeal

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To review the decisions of a lower court

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Judicial Review

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The right to declare laws passed by congress as unconstitutional (not agreeing with the Constitution) or constitutional

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uphold

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To agree with the decision of a lower court

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overturn

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To change the decision of a lower court

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Marbury vs Madison

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The case that established the right of judicial review

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The Alien and sedition Acts

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Passed by Adams it limited the rights of immigrants and put into prison anyone that criticized the government.

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impeachment

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to charge a president with a crime.

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McCullough vs Maryland

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Said the establishment of the National bank was constitutional. A conflict between states and the Federal government

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Dred Scott

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Slave that sued for his freedom after living for a short time in a free state. Supreme Court said a slave had no right to sue for anything because they were property. It further said that any African American had no rights in court.

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Direct tax

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is charged directly on personal or corporate income

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indirect tax

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Tax that is levied on the price of a good or service

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taxes

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finance government and the services they provide

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Excise – (duty)

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– a tax on a certain production of a certain good. (sometimes called a sin tax

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Sales tax

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Tax- tax on the sale of a good or service, Usually a percentage of the price of the good purchased

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income tax

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tax on income or corporations net profit( federal or state income taxes)

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Progressive tax

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higher taxes on higher incomes

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poll tax

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a tax on the right to vote. People pay a fee to vote.

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The Great Compromise

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a compromise where small states got to be represented equally in the senate 2 per state and large states got to be represented based on population in the House of Represenatives

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3/5 ths Compromise

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They decided to count slaves as 3/5ths of a person for both the purpose of taxation and representation.

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How a bill becomes a law

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Bill is read and sent to committee
Committee can change, table or send the bill as is back to the full house.
Bill is put on calendar of the full house for voting
If vote yes it goes to the next house where it will go through the same procedure (read, committee voted)
If it is voted yes in next house it is then sent to the president.
The President can sign, veto (forbid) or pocket veto it.

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Federalist

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supported a strong Federal government and supported the ratification of the Constitution. (Madison, Hamilton)

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Anti federalist

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supported little power for the Federal government and were against the ratification of the Constitution. (Jefferson)

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Mayflower Compact

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Agreement made by the pilgrims on the Mayflower. It said that they would make fair laws for all.

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Constitution

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– Americas blue print for government. It divides power between state and National governments and balances power between three branches of government Executive, judicial, and legislative.

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Declaration of Independence

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Written by Thomas Jefferson. It stated the reasons for America’s break from England as well as the idea of the relationship between government and the governed.

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Bill of Rights

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The first ten Amendments to the Constitution it Contains our most important rights: Freedom of Speech, Religion press etc

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Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom

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Written by Thomas Jefferson. It was the first document that prohibited the establishment of a national religion.

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Direct Democracy

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Everyone votes themselves.

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indirect democracy

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We elect representatives to vote for us. Example in Congress we elect senators, representatives and president to vote for us

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13th

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Amendment Bans slavery

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19th

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Amendment gave women the right to vote

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15th

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bans the denial ofvoting on the basis of race

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14th

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Amendment granted former slaves citizenship

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26th

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Amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote

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to the state they where they committed the crime.

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states Must send arrested people back

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Full faith and credit

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States must agree to follow the laws and trust other states.

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Methods for amending the constitutiuon

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Method 1
A bill pass both houses of the legislature by a 2/3 majority if it does the amendment is proposed.

Method 2
a 2/3 majority of legislatures of the states meet and propose 1 or more amendments (Method never taken)

Approval

¾ of state legislatures must approve the a

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Constitution

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the Supreme Law of the land.

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9

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how many had to Ratify (approve) the Constitution for it to be in effect

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Jefferson

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– the author of the Declaration of Independence

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James Madison

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The Father of the Constitution

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George Washington

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The Father of Our Country. First President and leader of the Continental Army In the Revolutionary war

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Paul Revere

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Colonial Silversmith that warned the minutemen before Lexington and Concord that the British were coming

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Alwexander Hamilton

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a leading Federalist he pushed for the ratification of the Constitution

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Ben Franklin

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Colonial Patriot Leader wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac. Represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Congress

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!st Amendment rights

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. Congress can't make any law about your religion, or stop you from practicing your religion, or keep you from saying whatever you want, or publishing whatever you want (like in a newspaper or a book). And Congress can't stop you from meeting peacefully for a demonstration to ask the government to change something.

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2nd Amendment

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. Congress can't stop people from having and carrying weapons, because we need to be able to defend ourselves.

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3rd Amendment

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You don't have to let soldiers live in your house, except if there is a war, and even then only if Congress has passed a law about it.

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4h amendment

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. Nobody can search your body, or your house, or your papers and things, unless they can prove to a judge that they have a good reason to think you have committed a crime.

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5th Amendment

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. You can't be tried for any serious crime without a Grand Jury meeting first to decide whether there's enough evidence for a trial. And if the jury decides you are innocent, the government can't try again with another jury. You don't have to say anything at your trial. You can't be killed, or put in jail, or fined, unless you were convicted of a crime by a jury. And the government can't take your house or your farm or anything that

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6th Amendment

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. If you're arrested, you have a right to have your trial pretty soon, and the government can't keep you in jail without trying you. The trial has to be public, so everyone knows what is happening. The case has to be decided by a jury of ordinary people from your area. You have the right to know what you are accused of, to see and hear the people who are witnesses against you, to have the government help you get witnesses on your side, and you have the right to a lawyer to help you.

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7th Amendment

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You also have the right to a jury when it is a civil case (a law case between two people rather than between you and the government).

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8th Amendment

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. The government can't make you pay more than is reasonable in bail or in fines, and the government can't order you to have cruel or unusual punishments (like torture) even if you are convicted of a crime.

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9th Amendment

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Just because these rights are listed in the Constitution doesn't mean that you don't have other rights too.

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10th Amendment

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Anything that the Constitution doesn't say that Congress can do should be left up to the states, or to the people.

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Judiciary Act of 1789

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Establishes the federal Court system.

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Whiskey Rebellion

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In order to raise taxes the government places a tax on Whiskey. Farmers particularly in Western Pennsylvania use excess corn and make Whiskey to sell. In some parts of Western Pennsylvania, Whiskey is used like money. The farmers revolt against the government and the government bring in the military (headed by Washington to squash the rebellion.

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French Revolution

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Revolt in France where the citizens overthrew the king and established a republic form of government