Unit 1: Introduction – The US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

What is special about the US Constitution?

It is the oldest written constitution still in use.

How many articles and amendments does the US Constitution have?

It has 7 original articles and 27 amendments.

What do the first seven articles of the Constitution establish?

They establish the federal government, the judiciary, and relations between states and the federal government.

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments that protect individual rights and liberties.

What was England’s first colony in North America?

Virginia.

What crop made Virginia economically successful?

Tobacco.

Why were African slaves brought to the American colonies?

To cultivate profitable crops, especially in the South.

When was the transatlantic slave trade officially abolished?

In 1808.

What was “New England”?

A group of Protestant colonies founded mainly by Puritans.

Who described the colonies as “a City upon a Hill”?

John Winthrop.

Why was Maryland founded?

As a refuge for English Catholics.

How many English colonies existed by the American War of Independence?

Thirteen colonies.

Why did colonists resent British taxes after the Seven Years’ War?

They were taxed without having representation in Parliament.

What does the slogan “No Taxation without Representation” mean?

Colonists opposed taxes imposed by a parliament in which they had no voice.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

A protest where colonists threw taxed tea into Boston Harbor in 1773.

Who led the Continental Army?

George Washington.

Which ideas inspired American revolutionaries?

Enlightenment ideas such as democracy, republicanism, and individual liberty.

What additional cause of rebellion do some historians mention?

The desire to seize Native American lands.

When was the Declaration of Independence signed?

July 4, 1776.

Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson.

Which thinkers influenced the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Paine and John Locke.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

A system creating a weak central government of sovereign states.

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

The central government was too weak and could not tax or settle disputes.

Q: What was the goal of the Philadelphia Convention (1787)?

To create a stronger national government.

Who proposed the Virginia Plan?

James Madison.

What did the Virginia Plan propose?

A strong national government with three branches and a bicameral legislature.

Who opposed the Federalists?

The Anti-Federalists.

What are the Federalist Papers?

Essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay to promote the Constitution.

What was the Great Compromise?

A compromise creating a bicameral legislature: House and Senate.

How is representation determined in Congress?

By population in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

Three-fifths of slaves were counted for representation purposes.

Why was the Bill of Rights added?

To protect citizens and states from federal government abuse.

What are the core principles of the US Constitution?

Federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances.

What is separation of powers?

The division of government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

What is the purpose of checks and balances?

To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.