US Constitution: Essay DBQ

1. Key Facts About the Constitution

• Purpose: Replaced the Articles of Confederation to create a stronger federal government while balancing states’ rights.

• Framework:

  • Legislative Branch (Congress): Makes laws.

  • Executive Branch (President): Enforces laws.

  • Judicial Branch (Supreme Court & courts): Interprets laws.

• Principles:

  • Separation of Powers: Each branch has different responsibilities.

  • Checks and Balances: Each branch can limit the others.

  • Federalism: Power is shared between federal government and states.

  • Popular Sovereignty: Government power comes from the people.

  • Limited Government: Leaders must follow the law.

  • Republicanism: Citizens elect representatives to make decisions.

• Bill of Rights: First 10 amendments protecting individual liberties; added to satisfy Anti-Federalists.

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2. Major Compromises

These are key for a DBQ because they show how the Constitution balanced competing interests:

A. The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

• Issue: Representation in Congress

  • Large states: wanted representation by population (Virginia Plan)

  • Small states: wanted equal representation (New Jersey Plan)

• Solution:

  • Bicameral legislature:

    • House of Representatives → representation by population

    • Senate → 2 senators per state

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B. Three-Fifths Compromise

• Issue: Counting enslaved people for representation and taxes

• Solution: Each enslaved person counted as 3/5 of a person for both purposes.

• Impact: Increased Southern political power but did not grant rights to enslaved people.

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C. Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

• Issue: Congress wanted to regulate trade, Southern states feared restrictions on slavery

• Solution:

  • Congress could regulate interstate and international trade

  • Could not ban the slave trade until 1808

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D. Electoral College

• Issue: How to elect the president

• Solution: Created Electoral College as a compromise between popular vote and congressional selection

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3. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

• Federalists: Supported Constitution; wanted a strong central government (Hamilton, Madison, Jay)

• Anti-Federalists: Opposed Constitution; feared central government would threaten individual rights (Patrick Henry, George Mason)

• Compromise: Bill of Rights added to protect liberties

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4. Important Documents to Reference

• Federalist Papers: Especially #10 (factions) and #51 (checks & balances)

• Articles of Confederation: Weaknesses (couldn’t tax, no executive/judiciary, states too powerful)

• Declaration of Independence: Philosophical foundation: government exists to protect rights

(Federalist Paper #10

Author: James Madison

Main Topic: Factions

What is a faction?

A faction is a group of people with shared interests that may work against the rights of others or the common good (ex: special interest groups).

The problem:

Factions are inevitable because people have different opinions, wealth, and interests.

Removing factions would require limiting freedom, which Madison says is worse than the problem.

The solution:

Large republic

In a large republic, there are many different factions.

This makes it harder for any one faction to dominate the government.

Representative democracy

Citizens elect representatives instead of voting directly on laws.

Representatives are more likely to act in the public interest rather than emotional or selfish demands.

Big idea:

👉 A strong, large republic best protects liberty by controlling the effects of factions, not eliminating them.

Federalist Paper #51

Author: James Madison

Main Topic: Checks and balances / Separation of powers

The problem:

People in government cannot be fully trusted.

Each branch might try to gain too much power.

The solution:

Separation of powers

Government is divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and balances

Each branch has powers to limit the others (veto, judicial review, impeachment).

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition

Leaders’ desire for power will naturally keep other branches in check.

Big idea:

👉 Liberty is protected when no single branch can dominate, because power is divided and balanced.)

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5. DBQ Tips

• Identify the perspective: Federalist or Anti-Federalist?

• Use key terms: checks & balances, separation of powers, federalism, compromise

• Connect to cause & effect: How did weaknesses of the Articles lead to the Constitution? How did compromises shape the final document?

• Include examples:

  • Great Compromise → House & Senate

  • Three-Fifths → Southern representation

  • Bill of Rights → individual liberties

Articles of Confederation, stronger federal, states
Makes, Enforces, Interprets
Separation, limit, federal, states

Sovereignty, power, people,
Limited, law
Representatives

10 amendments, liberties, Anti-Federalists

Great Compromise, Representatives, population, equal
Bicameral, 2,

Ensalaved, representation, taxes 3/5, Southerm, rights

Commerce, regulate, southern, restrictions, slavery, interstate, international, ban, 1808

elect, electoral college, popular, congressional

Constitution, central, threaten, bill of rights

10, 51, tax, executive & judiciary, powerful

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a

b

b

c

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