review of articles of confederation and basics of the constitution

Alexander Hamilton

sec of treasury, grew up poor and is a genius

patrick henry

didnt want a more powerful governent, didnt attend the constitutional convention and said pop. gov could only exist in small territories, a national government could only be held together by force, advocated for the bill of rights

sam Adams

cousin of john adamns, organized the sons of liberty, served in MA legislature after the constitutional convention, didnt show up the constitutional convention because he was in Boston

thomas paine

wrote common sense and the crisis, went to france to get involved in the revolution

john Adams

ambassador to britain, was VP then president

ben Franklin

oldest member of the constitutional congress

thomas jefferson

wrote the declaration of independence, 1st secretary of state, ambassador to france, and 3rd president

John Hancock

governor of MA, president of 2nd constitutional convention, 1st to sign the declaration of independence

james Madison

father of the constitution, 4th president, and made the virginia plan

george Washington

chairman of the constitutional convention and a president of the US

john jay

1st chief justice

governeur morris

wrote the preamble of the constitution

articles of confederation

1781: 1st legislative branch (unicameral); consisting of one representative from each state (13), 9/13 to pass laws, 1/13 is chosen to lead (John Hanson); 1st social contract of the US - expected to fail

1. no power to tax individuals and states

2. no executive branch

3. no judicial branch

name the weaknesses of the articles of confederation

1. 2/3 majority both houses of congress

2. 2/3 states in a convention of states

2 ways to propose an amendment

1. ¾ of state legislatures

2. ¾ of state conventions

2 ways to ratify an amendment

John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton

who wrote the federalist papers

checks and balances

allows one branch to restrain others

separations of powers

legislative: congress approves presidential nominees and controls the budget; it can pass laws and impeach the president; the senate confirms the presidents nominations; congress can impeach judges and remove them from office
executive” president can veto congressional legislation; president nominates judges
judicial: the court can declare presidential acts unconstitutional; cort can declare laws unconstitutional

federalism

sharing or division of power between national, state, and local governments

concurrent powers

shared between federal and state governments (ex. collect taxes, build roads)

expressed powers

(national) written in the constitution (ex. coining money and declaring war)

inherent powers

(national) powers the government has because its a sovereign state (ex. regulate immigrants and acquire territory)

implied powers

(national) not directly stated in the constitution

state powers

powers that belong exclusively to the states (ex. issuing licenses and regulating interstate/intrastate business)

full faith and credit clause

one state must recognize another state’s official documents

privileges and immunities

something that will carry into different states (ex. extradition for wanted criminals)

federalists

believed in national sovereignty (consolidation of power in a strong national government); republicanism can flourish in a large political entity; states should be represented in their national government according to the populations, strong executive, rule by few or elite, indirect selection of officials acceptable, bill of rights, unnecessary to a constitution, long terms of office/unlimited number of terms

anti-federalists

believed in state sovereignty (preservations of states’ rights in a strong state government) republicanism can exist only in small political entities, all states should have an equal voice in the national government, strong legislature (particular lower house), rule by many, officials directly elected by the people, bill of rights essential for preserving individual liberties, short terms of office (annual elections), limited number of terms

virginia plan

james madison, strong government, bicameral

new jersey plan

unicameral, 3 branches, wanted states to have a stronger role in government

great compromise

lasted months, bicameral legislature, house of representatives based on population and directly elected by the eople, senate (2) elected by state legislature, both houses would have to pass bills to create laws, 17th amendment changed this

supremacy clause

most important, the US constitution trumps state laws