2-2 AP Gov Flashcards

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering the Constitutional Convention, state constitutions, key plans, compromises, and major historical figures.

What was the Constitutional Convention?

A meeting held in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution.

What was Shays's Rebellion?

A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes.

What historical event in western Massachusetts is depicted here, which stirred deep fears of anarchy across America in 1786–1787?

Shays's Rebellion, where armed ex-Revolutionary War soldiers forcibly prevented courts from sitting until dispersed by a privately funded volunteer army.

What did James Madison conclude after studying ancient and modern confederacies in 1786?

He concluded that confederacies were too weak to govern and tended to collapse from internal dissension, writing that history consists of beacon lights "which give warning of the course to be shunned, without pointing out that which ought to be pursued."

What were the primary features and tyrannical outcomes of the Pennsylvania constitution of 1776?

It was a radically democratic system with all power given to a unicameral Assembly elected annually (members capped at 4 years) and no governor/president; it proved tyrannical by disfranchising Quakers, persecuting conscientious objectors, ignoring trial by jury, and manipulating the judiciary.

What key features were included in the Massachusetts constitution of 1780?

It had a clear separation of powers, a directly elected governor with veto power who had to own at least $£1,000$ worth of property, life terms for judges, property requirements for voters and officials, and required officeholders to swear they were Christians.

How did Thomas Jefferson and George Washington react differently to Shays's Rebellion?

George Washington despairingly urged employing the force of government at once, while Thomas Jefferson held a detached view, writing that "A little rebellion now and then is a good thing" to refresh the tree of liberty.

How many delegates attended the Philadelphia Convention, and which state refused to send anyone?

55 delegates attended (about 30 participated regularly), and Rhode Island refused to send anyone.

What were the general demographics and experience levels of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?

They were mostly young (Alexander Hamilton was 30, James Madison 36) but experienced men of practical affairs: 8 signed the Declaration of Independence, 7 had been governors, 34 were lawyers, 39 served in the Confederation Congress, and one-third were Continental Army veterans.

Which prominent Revolutionary figures were conspicuously absent from the Philadelphia Convention?

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams (serving as ministers abroad), Samuel Adams (ill), and Patrick Henry (refused to attend, stating he "smelled a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward monarchy").

How did Thomas Hobbes and John Locke differ on the necessity of an all-powerful government?

Thomas Hobbes argued that without an absolute supreme ruler there is bound to be violent turmoil—a "war of all against all"—whereas John Locke argued that government must be limited and derive its power from the consent of the governed to protect life, liberty, and property.

How did James Madison summarize the core difficulty of framing a government in the Federalist papers?

"you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

Why did James Madison argue that written constitutional limits were insufficient checks on political power?

He stated that "A mere demarcation on parchment of the constitutional limits [of government] is not a sufficient guard against those encroachments which lead to a tyrannical concentration of all the powers of government in the same hands."

What were the key provisions of the Virginia Plan presented by Governor Edmund Randolph and drafted by James Madison?

It called for a strong national union organized into three branches (legislative, executive, judicial), a bicameral legislature (first house elected by the people, second chosen by the first house), a council of revision with veto power, and supreme legislative powers to override state laws.

What were the key features of William Paterson's New Jersey Plan?

It proposed to amend the Articles of Confederation to enhance national powers while maintaining equal state representation (one vote per state) in a unicameral legislature, a plural executive chosen by the legislature, and an executive-appointed judiciary.

What was the outcome of the convention's first vote on June 19 regarding the Virginia Plan versus the New Jersey Plan?

Seven states preferred the Virginia Plan, three states preferred the New Jersey Plan, and one state was split.

What comparison of political plans is illustrated in this diagram?

Figure 2.3 comparing the Virginia Plan (favored larger states), the New Jersey Plan (favored smaller states), and their synthesis in The Great Compromise.

What structure did the Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) establish for the national legislature?

A House of Representatives consisting initially of 65 members apportioned by population (counting each slave as three-fifths of a free person) elected by the people, and a Senate consisting of two senators from each state chosen by state legislatures.

What historical building in Philadelphia is shown here as the setting for the Constitutional Convention?

Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

By what vote was the Great Compromise adopted on July 16, and which states voted in favor?

It passed 5 to 4; states in favor were Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina (Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia opposed; Massachusetts was split).

How did the convention resolve the structure and term length of the executive branch?

They rejected direct election and election by Congress in favor of an electoral college system, settling on a four-year presidential term with no bar to reelection.