Chapter 2: The Constitution

Unalienable

A basic right that is based on nature

Articles of Confederation

A constitution created during the Revolutionary War that failed

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in 1787 that made a new constitution

House of Representatives

________ has representation based on population.

Shays’s Rebellion

Soldiers tried to prevent foreclosures of farms from high interest and tax rates through a rebellion

Virginia Plan

Strong national government, with representation proportional to population

New Jersey Plan

Weak national government, with representation the same for all states. Amendment to the Articles

The Great Compromise

Two chambers, one that suffices each plan (proportional and equivalent representation)

Representation

________ is the same for all states.

Jefferson

________ tried to get a clause opposing the slave trade in the Declaration of Independece.

Republic

Elected representatives, who represent the population, make decisions

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court can declare laws as unconstitutional

There were two main plans that the delegates debated over about representation

the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan

Shayss Rebellion

1787 Revolutionary War veterans feared losing their property to tax collectors

Issue

how to have a government strong enough to preserve order but not so strong that it would threaten liberty

Aristotle

Democracy can decay into an oligarchy or tyranny

John Locke

People exist in a state of nature, but desire for self-preservation of liberties will want them to have a government that will protect their liberties

Thomas Hobbes

Absolute, supreme leader needed

No Bill of Rights included in the Constitution

even the Antifederalists wanted it, why

Greatest Compromise

slaves were deemed as ⅗ of other people, and they would be added to the number of free people to make up the population for representation in the House

Unalienable

A basic right that is based on nature

Articles of Confederation

a constitution created during the Revolutionary War that failed

Constitutional Convention

the convention of United States statesmen who drafted the United States Constitution in 1787

Shays’s Rebellion

soldiers tried to prevent foreclosures of farms from high interest and tax rates through a rebellion

Virginia Plan

Strong national government, with representation proportional to population

New Jersey Plan

Weak national government, with representation the same for all states. Amendment to the Articles.

The Great Compromise

two chambers, one that suffices both the Virginia and New Jersey Plan (proportional and equivalent representation)

Republic

Elected representatives, who represent the population, make decisions

Judicial Review

The power for the Supreme Court to declare laws as unconstitutional

Federalism

Distribution of government power in the national and state level

Enumerated

Powers exclusively for the national government

Reserved

Powers exclusively for the state governments

Concurrent

Powers shared by both the national and state governments

Checks and Balances

Power split between the three branches, each of the branches can check the power of the others in order to create balance

Separation of Powers

authority shared by the three branches

Faction

A group with specific political interest

Federalists

Proponents of the Constitution and a strong national government

Anti-federalists

Opponents of the Constitution and favor a weak national government

Coalition

alliance of groups

Habeas Corpus

Order to bring an arrested person in front of a judge

Bill of Attainder

Declaring a person without a trial to be guilty is a crime

Ex post facto law

Makes an action criminal, even though the action was legal when it was committed

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments in the Constitution

Line-item Veto

An executive veto where you can block a particular part in a bill

Federalism

Distribution of government power in the national and state level

Enumerated

Powers exclusively for the national government

Reserved

Powers exclusively for the state governments

Concurrent

Powers shared by both the national and state governments

Checks and Balances

Power split between the three branches, each of the branches can check the power of the others in order to create balance

Separation of Powers

Authority shared by the three branches

Faction

A group with specific political interest

Federalists

Proponents of the Constitution and a strong national government

Antifederalists

Opponents of the Constitution and favor a weak national government

Coalition

Alliance of groups

Habeas Corpus

Order to bring an arrested person in front of a judge

Bill of Attainder

Declaring a person without a trial to be guilty is a crime

Ex post facto law

Makes an action criminal, even though the action was legal when it was committed

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments in the Constitution