SS2

Constitutional Convention

-Meeting in Philadelphia from May 1787-September 1787
-originally met just to revise/fix the AofC
-created a new federal structure of government for America

US Constitution

-America's written plan of government
-still in use today

Delegate

-A person who represents his/her state at a meeting or convention

Virginia Plan

-"Large state" plan for deciding how many representatives each state would get in Congress
-this plan was based on a state's population
-higher population \= more representatives
-favored the large states because they had more people

New Jersey Plan

-"Small state" plan for deciding how many representatives each state would get in Congress
-plan called for every state to have the same number of representatives, no matter how large the population was
-favored the small states

Great Compromise

-Proposed by Roger Sherman of CT
-created a two-house (bicameral) Congress
-combined the VA & NJ plans
-Senate - every state same number of representatives (NJ Plan)
-House of Representatives - number of representatives based on state's population (VA Plan)

Bicameral

-Two houses (sections) of Congress

George Washington

Chairman of the Constitutional Convention

James Madison

-"Father of the Constitution"
-attended the convention every day and took notes

⅗ Compromise

-A slave was to be counted as three-fifths of a person, for representation in Congress and for taxation purposes

Federalists

-group that supported a stronger central government (US Constitution)

Anti-Federalists

-Americans who were against a stronger central government
-Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry

Ratify

-To formally vote for and approve
-Applies to treaties, contracts, agreements

Bill of Rights

-the first 10 amendments to the Constitution
-protect personal freedoms
-written by James Madison

Benjamin Franklin

-Oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention

Tariff

-A tax on imported goods (goods coming INTO the country from a foreign country)
-usually imposed to regulate trade with foreign countries

Decisions made at Constitutional Convention

-Get rid of Articles of Confederation
-Hold meetings in secret
-Create 3 branches of government

Rhode Island

-Only state not to show up to Constitutional Convention
-feared a strong central government would take all their power as a state

Slave Trade/Tariff Compromise

-Tariffs would be controlled by Congress (this is what north wanted)
-Slave trade allowed to continue for 20 years (this is what south wanted)

Electoral College

-the group of people (electors) who formally elect the President after the general election
-each state's electors is equal to the number of people they have in Congress (House of Rep. members + 2 Senators)

Rationale for Congress electing President

-Believed the common people weren't educated enough to elect a good President

Rationale for the people electing President

People are supposed to choose their rulers/leaders in a democracy

Article I (1)

-establishes Legislative Branch of government

Article II (2)

-establishes Executive Branch of government

Article III (3)

-establishes Judicial Branch of government

Article IV (4)

-sets up the relationships between the states

Article V (5)

-sets up procedure for amending the Constitution

Article VI (6)

-Supremacy Clause - the Constitution is the SUPREME law of the land

Article VII (7)

-Ratification - sets up a procedure for the states to ratify the constitution

We the people of the United States

-all citizens of the US

In order to form a more perfect union

-to have a better government than the Articles of Confederation

establish justice

-ensure fairness for all

insure domestic tranquility

provide law and order within the country

Provide for the common defense

-protect the country from foreign enemies

promote the general welfare

-improve the quality of life for all Americans

secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

-guarantee freedom for future generations

do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

-set up a new government for the United States

posterity

-future generations

Preamble

-The "introduction" to the Constitution
-outlines the main ideas and the purpose of the Constitution

Elections, Amendments

-example of "in order to form a more perfect Union"

Supreme Court cases, Education, Environmental protection laws

-example of "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity"

Military, CIA

-example of "provide for the common defense"

All citizens, not just white men who own property

-example of "We the people of the United States"

Fair court/legal system

-example of "establish justice"

FBI, TSA, US Marshalls

-example of "insure domestic tranquility"

Sovereignty (power) is given BY the people TO the government

We the people

What is the length of a term of office for members of the U.S. House of Representatives?

2 years

How old must a person be to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives?

25 years old

Who has the power to propose a law to raise revenue (a tax law)?

House of Representatives

Specific powers that Congress has (Article 1, Section 8)

-Make laws
-Control trade
-Make money
-Declare war
-Fund the military
-Provide funding for government agencies
-Create budget
-Approve treaties
-Approve judges and cabinet members appointed by the president
-Override veto

How many members of the Senate AND House are there?

535 members

What is the main job of the Legislative Branch?

-Make the laws
-Act as the "bank" for the US

Who is the leader of the House of Representatives?

Speaker of the House

What is another name for the Legislative Branch?

Congress

Who has the sole power to try (bring to trial) all impeachments?

Senate

What is the length of a term of office for members of the U.S. Senate?

6 years

How old must a person be to be elected to the U.S. Senate?

30 years old

Who is the leader of the Senate?

Vice-President

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

435

How many members are in Congress?

535 (There are 435 in the House of Representatives, and 100 in the Senate)

How many terms can a Senator serve?

Unlimited number of terms

How many terms can a representative serve in the House of Representatives?

Unlimited number of terms

How many members are there in the Senate?

100 members (2 from each state)

Impeachment

-a formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office

Override (a veto)

-vetoed law goes back to Congress
-Congress can re-pass the law with a 2/3 majority in both houses and it becomes a law despite President's veto

The Senate is based on which plan?

New Jersey Plan

The House of Representatives is based on which plan?

Virginia Plan

What is the length of a term of office for the president of the United States?

4 years

How old must a person be to hold the office of president of the United States?

35

What are 3 specific powers that the President has (Article 2, Sections 2 & 3) that you understand?

Answers may include: Enforces laws, propose laws, veto bills, leads military, appoints justices, conducts foreign policy, makes treaties, etc.

What is the main job of the Executive Branch?

Enforce the laws

Who is the leader of the Executive Branch?

President

What is the role of the Cabinet?

Advise the president

President's title as Leader/example for the American people

Head of State

President's title as "Boss" of the Executive Branch. Sets policy and decides how the laws of the U.S. are to be enforced.

Chief Executive

President's title as head of the U.S. Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps.

Commander in Chief

How many terms/years can a President serve?

2 terms (or 10 years)

Who is second-in-command of the Executive Branch?

Vice-President

Aside from being 35 years old, what are the other requirements to become President?

-Natural-born US citizen
-Have lived in the US for the previous 14 years

Chief Executive

-Title/role of the president as head of the executive branch of the government

Head of State

-Title/role of the president as ceremonial head of the government/leader of the country

Federalism (Federal Structure)

A government structure in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Veto

-to reject (the President can veto/reject a law passed by Congress)

Commander in Chief

-Title/role of the president as head the military

How many justices are there on the Supreme Court?

9

What is the length of a Supreme Court Justice's term?

For life (or retirement)

How can a Supreme Court decision be overturned?

Future Supreme Court decision OR Constitutional Amendment

What is the power of the Supreme Court to declare a law or executive action unconstitutional?

Judicial Review

How many lower courts are there? What are they called?

94 - District courts

Who leads the Supreme Court?

Chief Justice

What is the main job of the Judicial Branch?

Judge/interpret the Constitution and other laws

Who has the power to settle disputes between different states?

Supreme Court

What does "Law of the Land" mean?

Supreme Court rulings become the law for ALL states

Precedent

Supreme Court Justices use previous court ruling as an example to help them decide cases

The Supreme Court's power to declare laws and actions of the government as unconstitutional

Judicial Review

An act or action that goes against the U.S. Constitution

Unconstitutional

Sovereignty

Power or authority
-a country that governs itself is a "sovereign nation"

Unitary structure

-Government structure that gives more power to the national (central) government and less power to the states (local)

Confederation structure

Government structure that gives more power to the states/less power to the national (central) government

Federal structure

-Government structure that shares power between the national (central) and the states (local)