Constitutional Convention

Articles of Confederation

This document, the nation's first constitution, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolution. The document was limited because states held most of the power, and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage.

What Shays' Rebellion showed

The need for a strong national government

Event that led to the Constitutional Convention

Shays' Rebellion

Rhode Island

Only state not to attend the Convention

Philadelphia

city where the Constitutional Convention met

George Washington

presided over the Convention

James Madison

kept notes at the Convention and considered the "Father of the Constitution"

Virginia Plan

plan liked by the large states because representation was based only on population

New Jersey Plan

Opposite of the Virginia Plan, it proposed a single house in congress in which each state had one vote. This created a conflict with representation between bigger states, who wanted control befitting their population, and smaller states, who didn't want to be bullied by larger states.

The Great Compromise

2 houses, House of Representatives would be based on population, the senate would have 2 representatives from each state

Three-Fifths Compromise

Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Founding Fathers

refers to the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention who drafted the Consitution of the U.S.

Executive Branch

The division of the federal government that includes the President, Vice President, and Cabinet members; enforces the nation's laws.

Judicial Branch

The court systems of local, state, and federal governments, responsible for interpreting the laws passed by the legislative branch and enforced by the executive branch.

Articles of Confederation

First Constitution, adopted during the Revolutionary War. Very weak; established a national legislature (Continental Congress), but left most authority with the states. No executive or judicial branch, no power to tax.

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature (Senate) and representation based on population in the other house (House of Representatives)

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. Favored by the small states.

Virginia Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for bicameral (2 houses) congressional representation based on population

Three-Fifths Compromise

Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Federal Government

The government of the U.S. (Washington D.C.)

Shays's Rebellion

Massachusetts farmers who rose up to protest taxes and actions against debtors (those who could not pay debts.) Revealed the inability (weakness) of the national government to put down an uprising if it occurred.

Constitutional Convention

The meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US Constitution.

Northwest Ordinance

Describes how the Northwestern territory was to be governed and set conditions for settlement and citizen rights. New states would have equal rights with existing states and laid the groundwork for Western expansion.

Taxation

monies citizens have to pay to help the government run

Representation

the number of people/votes that each state gets based on the state's population

Census

Official count of a population

Surveyed

To examine and record the features of an area as to create a map

Population

A group of individuals living in one area

Legislative Branch

Only branch that made up the government under the Articles of Confederation

Northwest Territory

the vast territory of land that included present-day Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin; was politically organized by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Land Ordinance

A major success of the Articles of Confederation. Provided for the orderly surveying and distribution of land belonging to the U.S.

Gouverneur Morris

Wrote the final draft of the Constitution

Alexander Hamilton

Co author of the federalist papers, was a major supporter of a strong federal government

John Locke

Natural Rights philosopher

James Madison

Considered to be the Father of our Constitution

Federalist

Someone who supports the new Constitution

Antifederalist

Someone who was against the new Constitution

Why did the Articles of Confederation set up a congress?

To fight the American Revolution and deal with limited national concerns

Bicameral

Two House legislature

What caused Shay's rebellion?

Farmers were angry about their national debt

What convinced George Washington to attend the Constitutional Convention?

Shay's Rebellion

What was the new Jersey Plan?

Plan to create a congress that had equal representation, could create taxes, regulate trade and elect a weak chief executive.

What is federalism?

Sharing of power between the state and federal governments

Early state constitutions were greatly influenced by...

The English bill of rights

What caused the economic depression after the American revolution?

Poor trade, worthless money, the inability to tax, and the Congress had a difficult time passing any kind of law

What was the Virginia Plan?

A legislature based on proportional representation

The Great Compromise

Proposed by Roger Sherman and created a two house legislature, one house based on equal representation and the other house based on proportional representation.

Why did the framers of the Constitution divide the constitution into three branches

Based on Montesquieu's theory of government

Magna Carta

limited Government; framers to the constitution used this idea to create our constitution