Mr. Mazzuca – Government | Chapter 2:

Ordered Government

Government needs rules and organization to maintain order.

Limited Government

Government power is restricted by law.

Representative Government

People elect officials to make decisions for them.

Popular Sovereignty

Government gets its authority from the people.

Separation of Powers

Government power is divided among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

Each branch can limit the power of the other branches.

Magna Carta

1215 document establishing that the English king must obey the law.

Petition of Right

1628 document limiting the king's power over taxation and imprisonment.

English Bill of Rights

1689 document strengthening Parliament and protecting individual rights.

Albany Plan of Union

Benjamin Franklin's proposal to unite the colonies for common defense.

First Continental Congress

1774 meeting that organized resistance to British policies and boycotts.

Second Continental Congress

Created the Continental Army and acted as the first national government during the Revolution.

John Hancock

President of the Second Continental Congress.

George Washington

Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and president of the Constitutional Convention.

Declaration of Independence

Adopted July 4, 1776; declared the colonies independent from Britain.

Thomas Jefferson

Principal author of the Declaration of Independence.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States; created a weak national government.

Unicameral

A legislature with one house.

Bicameral

A legislature with two houses.

Powers Under the Articles

Congress could declare war, make treaties, borrow money, and settle interstate disputes.

Weaknesses of the Articles

Congress could not levy taxes, regulate trade, or effectively enforce national laws.

Voting Under the Articles

Each state had one vote; major decisions required nine states.

Amending the Articles

Required unanimous approval from all thirteen states.

Shays' Rebellion

Massachusetts farmers' uprising that exposed weaknesses of the national government.

Mount Vernon Conference

Virginia and Maryland met to settle navigation and trade disputes.

Annapolis Convention

1786 meeting that called for a larger convention to address weaknesses in the Articles.

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting in Philadelphia to create a new national government.

Framers

Delegates who helped write the United States Constitution.

James Madison

Major Framer known as the Father of the Constitution.

Virginia Plan

Favored large states; proposed a bicameral legislature with population-based representation.

New Jersey Plan

Favored small states; proposed a unicameral legislature with equal state representation.

Connecticut Compromise

Created a Senate with equal representation and a House based on population.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted three of every five enslaved people for representation and direct taxation.

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

Prohibited export taxes and delayed any federal ban on slave importation until 1808.

Ratification

Formal approval of the Constitution; required nine of thirteen states.

Federalists

Supported ratification and a stronger national government.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed ratification and demanded greater protection for individual rights.

Federalist Papers

85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay supporting ratification.

Publius

Pen name used by the authors of the Federalist Papers.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, protecting individual freedoms.

Federalist Leaders

Hamilton, Madison and Jay = FOR the Constitution.

Anti-Federalist Leaders

Patrick Henry, George Mason and Richard Henry Lee = AGAINST ratification.

Why Federalists Supported Ratification

The Articles were too weak. They wanted a stronger national government.

Why Anti-Federalists Opposed Ratification

They feared too much federal power and wanted people's rights protected.

George Mason

Refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a Bill of Rights.

Patrick Henry

Anti-Federalist who spoke against giving the national government too much power.

Publius

Pen name used by Hamilton, Madison and Jay in the Federalist Papers.

Irregular Ratification

Articles required ALL 13 states. Constitution required only 9.

State Ratifying Conventions

Special meetings where delegates decided whether to approve the Constitution.

New Hampshire

Ninth state to ratify the Constitution in 1788.

Why the Articles Were Weak

No federal taxes, no trade regulation, no separate executive or national courts.

Congress Under the Articles

One house, one vote per state, nine states needed for major decisions.

Amending the Articles

ALL 13 states had to approve changes.

Shays' Rebellion Cause

Massachusetts farmers were angry about debt, taxes and losing property.

Shays' Rebellion Importance

Showed that the national government was too weak to respond effectively.

Mount Vernon Conference

Virginia and Maryland settled waterway and trade problems at Washington's home.

Annapolis Convention

Only five states attended. Hamilton helped call for a bigger convention.

Constitutional Convention Facts

1787 in Philadelphia. 55 delegates from 12 states. Rhode Island did not attend.

George Washington at the Convention

Presiding officer who led the meetings.

Edmund Randolph

Presented the Virginia Plan.

William Paterson

Presented the New Jersey Plan.

James Madison's Role

Helped develop the Virginia Plan and became known as Father of the Constitution.

Three-Fifths Compromise Effect

Increased slaveholding states' representation without giving enslaved people voting rights.

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise Details

No export taxes and no federal ban on slave importation before 1808.

English Documents Compared

Magna Carta = king follows law. Petition of Right = limits taxes and imprisonment. English Bill of Rights = protects rights and strengthens Parliament.