Study Guide for the Constitutional Convention Quiz

tariff

taxes on imported goods to protect local businesses

commerce

trade; exchange of goods for something valuable (money)

confederation

union of independent states who work together for a common purpose

unicameral

one chamber (Congress)

bicameral

two chambers (the House and Senate)

Virginia Plan

A government favored by large states which was bicameral and had proportional representation

New Jersey Plan

A government favored by small states which was unicameral and had equal representation

Great Compromise

Compromise between large and small states where they were bicameral, had proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate

⅗ Compromise

Slave count for 3/5 of the population for representation, but they cannot participate in government.

Electoral College

A mechanism where representatives selected from the citizen vote for president in the general election.

Federalists

A member of the Federalist Party where they believe in a strong central government to unite the states into a nation.

Antifederalists

A member of the Anti-Federalist party who wanted a small central government.

ratify

To approve a legally binding document that would not be binding without ratification.

Founders/Framers

The 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention and signed the Constitution.

Constitutional Government

A government that is structured by the Constitution.

Proportional representation

Number of representatives from each state determined by the population of the state.

Equal representation

Each state gets the same amount of votes (2 in the Senate).

Bill of Rights

Ten amendments added to the Constitution that guaranteed a list of rights to citizens.

Arguments for ending the International Slave Trade

The North was for national tariffs on imported and manufactured goods to protect their businesses from competition.

Arguments against ending the International Slave Trade

The South was against tariffs as they relied on slave labor and feared economic impact.

Final compromise on tariffs

The North wanted tariffs to protect their products, while the South opposed them due to reliance on slave labor.

Representation in Congress

Large states wanted proportional representation while small states wanted equal representation.

Final compromise on representation

The Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature with both proportional and equal representation.

Great Compromise

The compromise that established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.

3/5 Compromise

The agreement that counted three-fifths of the slave population for representation and taxation purposes.

Electoral College

The body that elects the President of the United States, where citizens vote for electors who then vote for the president.

Arguments for Bill of Rights

Federalists believed it was unnecessary because the Constitution already protected rights, while Antifederalists wanted explicit rights to ensure protection against government overreach.

Arguments against Bill of Rights

Antifederalists feared the Constitution threatened liberty and could lead to a president becoming a king.

James Madison

The individual who drafted the Bill of Rights.

Delaware

The first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

New Hampshire

The ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788.

Rhode Island

The last state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.

Federalists

Those who supported the Constitution and believed it adequately protected individual rights.

Antifederalists

Those who opposed the Constitution, fearing it would lead to a loss of individual liberties.

Proportional Representation

A system where the number of representatives is based on the population of each state.

Equal Representation

A system where each state has the same number of representatives regardless of population.

Constitutional Convention

The gathering that drafted the Constitution of the United States.

Southern States

States that wanted slaves counted for population to gain more power in the national government.

Northern States

States that argued against counting slaves as part of the population because they were considered property.

Electoral Votes

Votes cast by electors in the Electoral College, with a total of 538 electors needed to win the presidency.

State Legislatures

The bodies that initially chose the president before the establishment of the Electoral College.

Constitutional Rights

Rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution, which Federalists believed were adequately protected.

Taxation of Slaves

The argument that slaves should be counted for taxation purposes, similar to how they were counted for representation.

Power Balance

The concept of maintaining an equilibrium of power among the states and the federal government.

Citizen Rights

Rights that are afforded to individuals recognized as citizens, which Antifederalists sought to explicitly guarantee.