Untitled Flashcards Set
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Articles of Confederation
Q: What were the strengths of the Articles of Confederation?
A:
Allowed Congress to declare war, make peace treaties, and manage foreign affairs.
Organized the Northwest Territory through ordinances, like the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
Q: What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
A:
No power to tax, leading to financial struggles.
No executive branch to enforce laws or judiciary to resolve disputes.
Inability to regulate trade between states or with foreign nations.
Amendments required unanimous consent of all 13 states, making changes nearly impossible.
Q: Why was it designed this way?
A:
To limit central authority and protect state sovereignty, reflecting fears of tyranny from a strong central government like Britain’s monarchy.
Shays' Rebellion
Q: What happened during Shays' Rebellion?
A:
In 1786-1787, Massachusetts farmers, led by Daniel Shays, rebelled against high taxes, economic hardship, and debt imprisonment.
They tried to seize the federal arsenal in Springfield to prevent foreclosures on their farms.
Q: How did Shays' Rebellion affect the Articles of Confederation?
A:
Revealed the federal government’s inability to maintain order or assist states, as it had no standing army or funding.
Fueled calls for a stronger central government and led to the Constitutional Convention.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Q: How does a territory become a state under the Northwest Ordinance?
A:
Congress appoints a governor and judges.
When the population reaches 5,000 free adult males, the territory can elect a legislature.
At 60,000 free inhabitants, the territory can draft a state constitution and apply for statehood.
Q: What else did the Northwest Ordinance establish?
A:
Banned slavery in the Northwest Territory.
Guaranteed basic rights like freedom of religion and trial by jury.
Promoted education by reserving land for public schools.
3/5ths Compromise
Q: What were free and slave states arguing about?
A:
Free states wanted enslaved people excluded from population counts to limit the power of slaveholding states in the House of Representatives.
Slaveholding states wanted enslaved people fully counted to increase their representation.
Q: What were the terms of the 3/5ths Compromise?
A:
Enslaved individuals would count as 3/5ths of a person for representation in the House and taxation purposes.
Temporarily resolved disputes over political power between free and slave states.
Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and the Great Compromise
Q: What were the terms of the Virginia Plan?
A:
Proposed a bicameral legislature (two houses) with representation based on population.
Favored larger states.
Included three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Q: What were the terms of the New Jersey Plan?
A:
Proposed a unicameral legislature (one house) with equal representation for all states.
Favored smaller states.
Q: What was the Great Compromise?
A:
Created a bicameral legislature:
House of Representatives with representation based on population.
Senate with equal representation (two senators per state).
Balanced interests of both large and small states.
The Constitution
Q: What are the main parts of the Constitution?
A:
Preamble: States the purpose of the government.
Articles: Outline the structure of government (e.g., powers of Congress, presidency, judiciary).
Amendments: Changes or additions, starting with the Bill of Rights.
Q: What is the system of Checks and Balances?
A:
Ensures no branch of government becomes too powerful:
Legislative: Makes laws but can be vetoed by the President or reviewed by courts.
Executive: Enforces laws but needs Congressional approval for budgets and treaties.
Judicial: Interprets laws but judges are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Ratification of the Constitution
Q: Who supported ratification, and why?
A:
Federalists supported it, arguing that a strong central government was needed to maintain order and unity.
Q: Who opposed it, and why?
A:
Anti-Federalists opposed it, fearing it would concentrate too much power in the federal government and threaten individual rights.
Q: What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers?
A:
Essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to explain and promote the Constitution, addressing concerns about tyranny and defending the need for a stronger government.
Bill of Rights
Q: Why was the Bill of Rights needed for ratification?
A:
To address Anti-Federalists’ fears by explicitly protecting individual freedoms and limiting government power.
Q: What are the 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights, and why are they important?
A:
Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition (basic freedoms).
Right to bear arms (militia defense).
No quartering of soldiers (response to British abuses).
Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures (privacy).
Due process, no double jeopardy or self-incrimination (fair legal procedures).
Right to a speedy and public trial (justice).
Right to a jury trial in civil cases (fair dispute resolution).
No cruel or unusual punishment (humane treatment).
Rights not listed in the Constitution belong to the people (flexibility).
Powers not delegated to the federal government belong to states or the people (limits federal power).
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