U.S. Founding Documents: Declaration, Articles & Constitution

When was the Declaration of Independence published?

July 4, 1776.

Who was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson.

Who was John Locke and what was his influence?

english philosopher during the enlightenment who influenced the concept of natural rights and the social contract.

What are natural rights?

fundamental rights that every individual possesses

What is the social contract?

a theory that individuals consent to form a government that will protect their natural rights in exchange for some of their freedoms.

What resulted from the Declaration of Independence?

led to the establishment of the United States as an independent nation and made the article of confederation

Define confederation.

a union of states, often created for a common purpose, where the central authority has limited power.

What was the purpose of the Land and Northwest Ordinances?

aimed to organize the settlement of the Northwest Territory and establish a method for admitting new states to the Union.

What were some of the problems with the Articles of Confederation?

ack of central authority, inability to levy taxes, and difficulty in passing legislation

What was Shay's Rebellion and how did it expose a critical weakness with the Articles of Confederation?

Shay's Rebellion was an armed uprising in 1786-1787 by farmers protesting economic injustices, which exposed the weaknesses of the articles of confederation

What were the issues each state brought to the Constitutional Convention?

representation, state sovereignty, slavery, and the balance of power between large and small states.

How did the Virginia and New Jersey Plans try to solve those issues?

The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population, while the New Jersey Plan called for equal representation for each state.

How did the Great Compromise address the states' issues?

The Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.

What did the 3/5 Compromise call for?

The 3/5 Compromise called for counting three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation and taxation purposes.

Define Federalism.

Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units, such as states.

How did the Constitution separate governmental power?

The Constitution separates governmental power into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, each with distinct functions and responsibilities.

What are the three branches of government?

The three branches of government are the legislative branch (Congress), the executive branch (President), and the judicial branch (Supreme Court).

How does the Constitution prevent any one branch from becoming more powerful than the others?

The Constitution establishes a system of checks and balances, allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

What were the concerns of the Anti-Federalists?

Anti-Federalists were concerned about the potential for a strong central government to infringe on individual liberties and state rights.

How were the concerns of the Anti-Federalists addressed?

Their concerns were addressed through the addition of the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed individual liberties.

Who were the Federalists?

Federalists were supporters of the Constitution who advocated for a strong national government.

What did the Federalists write to convince the American people of the Constitution?

wrote a series of essays known as The Federalist Papers to argue in favor of ratifying the Constitution.

Define ratify/ratification.

formally approve or confirm a decision or agreement, such as the Constitution

What does the Preamble say?

outlines the purposes of the Constitution, stating that it aims to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.

How many Articles are there in the Constitution?

seven Articles in the Constitution.

What are the first 10 Amendments called?

bill of rights.

What are the specifications of the major jobs of government?

The major jobs of government include making laws, enforcing laws, interpreting laws, and protecting individual rights.

What are details of our current government—federal and state numbers and names?

This information varies by state and can include the number of representatives, senators, and specific state government officials.