The Constitutional EraThe Constitutional Era

1781-17891781-1789

What is a republic?What is a republic?

• A representative A representative democracydemocracy

How does a republic How does a republic work?work?

• The people elect The people elect representativesrepresentatives

• Representatives make the Representatives make the lawslaws

What was the first attempt at What was the first attempt at workable government in the workable government in the

United States?United States?

• The Articles of The Articles of ConfederationConfederation

What was the basic problem What was the basic problem with the government under the with the government under the

Articles of Confederation?Articles of Confederation?

• Too weakToo weak

What does the What does the Constitution provide?Constitution provide?

• The basic framework for the The basic framework for the U.S. governmentU.S. government

For what two reasons had For what two reasons had Americans fought the Americans fought the Revolutionary War?Revolutionary War?

• Unfair taxation by Unfair taxation by ParliamentParliament

• King George III had ruled King George III had ruled like a tyrantlike a tyrant

How did the Articles of How did the Articles of Confederation limit Congress’ Confederation limit Congress’

lawmaking power?lawmaking power?

• No power to taxNo power to tax

• No power to regulate No power to regulate interstate commerceinterstate commerce

What is a synonym for What is a synonym for commerce?commerce?

• TradeTrade

What is interstate What is interstate commerce?commerce?

• Trade between statesTrade between states

What is currency?What is currency?

• Paper moneyPaper money

Where did the Constitutional Where did the Constitutional Convention meet?Convention meet?

• Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

What is a compromise?What is a compromise?

• An agreement in which An agreement in which both sides get part of what both sides get part of what they want, but neither side they want, but neither side gets all of what it wantsgets all of what it wants

What two Virginians played What two Virginians played important roles at the important roles at the

Constitutional Convention?Constitutional Convention?

• George WashingtonGeorge Washington

• James MadisonJames Madison

What position did George What position did George Washington hold at the Washington hold at the

Constitutional Convention?Constitutional Convention?

• President (chairman) of the President (chairman) of the Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention

Who wrote the Who wrote the “Virginia Plan”?“Virginia Plan”?

• James MadisonJames Madison

Who often led the debate and Who often led the debate and kept a written record of the kept a written record of the Constitutional Convention?Constitutional Convention?

• James MadisonJames Madison

Who is considered the Who is considered the “Father of the Constitution”?“Father of the Constitution”?

• James MadisonJames Madison

What is federalism?What is federalism?

• The division of power between The division of power between the federal or national the federal or national government and the state government and the state governmentsgovernments

What is another name for What is another name for federalism?federalism?

• The federal systemThe federal system

What is another name for What is another name for national law?national law?

• Federal lawFederal law

What does it mean to say that What does it mean to say that federal law is the supreme law federal law is the supreme law

of the land?of the land?

• When state law conflicts with federal (national) law, then the federal law overrides the state law.

What clause of the Constitution says that federal law is the supreme law of the

land?

• The supremacy clause

What type of national What type of national legislature did Madison’s legislature did Madison’s “Virginia Plan” propose?“Virginia Plan” propose?

• A two-house legislatureA two-house legislature

• Population would determine Population would determine a state’s representation in a state’s representation in both houses of Congressboth houses of Congress

What effect would the What effect would the “Virginia Plan” have on the “Virginia Plan” have on the smaller states’ influence in smaller states’ influence in

the government?the government?

• Reduce it greatlyReduce it greatly

How did the small states respond to the “Virginia

Plan”?

• Rejected itRejected it

• Proposed the “New Jersey Proposed the “New Jersey Plan”Plan”

What did the What did the “New Jersey Plan” “New Jersey Plan”

say about representation in the say about representation in the national legislature?national legislature?

• Each state would have equal Each state would have equal representation, regardless representation, regardless of population.of population.

Which states would have Which states would have been hurt by the been hurt by the

“New Jersey Plan”?“New Jersey Plan”?

• The large statesThe large states

What solved the large What solved the large state/small state state/small state

disagreement about disagreement about representation in Congress?representation in Congress?

• The Great CompromiseThe Great Compromise

How did the Great How did the Great Compromise solve the big Compromise solve the big

state/small state state/small state disagreement about disagreement about representation in the representation in the national legislature?national legislature?

• Congress would be a two-Congress would be a two-house legislature: the Senate house legislature: the Senate and the House of and the House of RepresentativesRepresentatives

• Each state would have two Each state would have two U.S. SenatorsU.S. Senators

• Population would decide a Population would decide a state’s membership in the state’s membership in the House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

What balanced power in What balanced power in Congress between the Congress between the large and small states?large and small states?

• The Great CompromiseThe Great Compromise

What states had decided to What states had decided to abolish (end) slavery in the years abolish (end) slavery in the years

right after the Revolution?right after the Revolution?

• The Northern statesThe Northern states

What states had decided to What states had decided to keep slavery after the keep slavery after the

Revolution?Revolution?

• The Southern statesThe Southern states

Did the North want slaves Did the North want slaves counted in figuring a state’s counted in figuring a state’s

representation in the House of representation in the House of Representatives?Representatives?

• NoNo

Did the South want slaves Did the South want slaves counted in figuring a state’s counted in figuring a state’s

representation in the House of representation in the House of Representatives?Representatives?

• YesYes

What was the What was the 3/5 Compromise?3/5 Compromise?

• Compromise between the Compromise between the North and the SouthNorth and the South

• Slaves would count as 3/5 of Slaves would count as 3/5 of a person in figuring a state’s a person in figuring a state’s representation in the House representation in the House of Representativesof Representatives

Define the term Define the term separation of powers?separation of powers?

• The division of power The division of power among different branches among different branches of governmentof government

What three branches of What three branches of government did the government did the Constitution create?Constitution create?

• LegislativeLegislative

• ExecutiveExecutive

• JudicialJudicial

What is the name of the What is the name of the legislative branch of the legislative branch of the

federal government?federal government?

• CongressCongress

What does the What does the legislative branch do?legislative branch do?

• Makes the lawsMakes the laws

What official leads the What official leads the executive branch?executive branch?

• The PresidentThe President

What does the What does the executive branch do?executive branch do?

• Enforces the lawsEnforces the laws

What court leads the judicial What court leads the judicial branch of the federal branch of the federal

government?government?

• The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court

What does the What does the judicial branch do?judicial branch do?

• Interprets or explains the Interprets or explains the meaning of the lawsmeaning of the laws

Define Define checks and balances checks and balances

system.system.

• A government in which A government in which each branch can stop or each branch can stop or check the actions of the check the actions of the other branchesother branches

How many states had to How many states had to ratify the Constitution ratify the Constitution

before it could take effect?before it could take effect?

• 99

What does ratify mean?

• ApproveApprove

Why was the ratification Why was the ratification debate in Virginia debate in Virginia very important?very important?

• Virginia was the largest state Virginia was the largest state in population and located on in population and located on the Atlantic coast right in the the Atlantic coast right in the center of the United States.center of the United States.

Who were the Federalists?Who were the Federalists?

• Supporters of the Supporters of the ConstitutionConstitution

Who were the Who were the Anti-Federalists?Anti-Federalists?

• Opponents of the Opponents of the ConstitutionConstitution

Who were the two leading Who were the two leading Federalists in Virginia?Federalists in Virginia?

• George Washington George Washington

• James MadisonJames Madison

Why did the Why did the Anti-Federalists fear a Anti-Federalists fear a

powerful national powerful national government?government?

• Believed it would destroy Believed it would destroy the rights of individuals and the rights of individuals and the power of the statesthe power of the states

Who were the two leading Who were the two leading Anti-Federalists in Anti-Federalists in

Virginia?Virginia?

• Patrick HenryPatrick Henry

• George MasonGeorge Mason

What group wanted a Bill of What group wanted a Bill of Rights included in the Rights included in the

Constitution?Constitution?

• Anti-FederalistsAnti-Federalists

Who took responsibility for Who took responsibility for drafting a Bill of Rights?drafting a Bill of Rights?

• James MadisonJames Madison

What two documents did What two documents did Madison use to write the Madison use to write the

Bill of Rights?Bill of Rights?

• Virginia Declaration of Virginia Declaration of RightsRights

• Virginia Statute for Virginia Statute for Religious FreedomReligious Freedom

Who wrote the Virginia Who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights?Declaration of Rights?

• George MasonGeorge Mason

What was the basic idea of What was the basic idea of the Virginia Declaration of the Virginia Declaration of

Rights?Rights?

• Government should not Government should not violate basic human rightsviolate basic human rights

Who wrote the Who wrote the Virginia Statute for Virginia Statute for

Religious Freedom?Religious Freedom?

• Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

What did the What did the Virginia Statute for Virginia Statute for

Religious Freedom forbid?Religious Freedom forbid?

• An established churchAn established church

Which church had been the Which church had been the established church in established church in

colonial Virginia?colonial Virginia?

• The Anglican ChurchThe Anglican Church

Define the term Define the term established church.established church.

• The practice of the colony The practice of the colony giving government giving government support to one favored support to one favored churchchurch

What basic idea did the What basic idea did the Virginia Statute for Religious Virginia Statute for Religious

Freedom support?Freedom support?

• Freedom of religionFreedom of religion

What is the What is the Bill of Rights?Bill of Rights?

• The first ten amendments The first ten amendments to theto the Constitution Constitution

What is a constitutional What is a constitutional amendment?amendment?

• An addition to the An addition to the ConstitutionConstitution

What rights are guaranteed What rights are guaranteed by the First Amendment?by the First Amendment?

• Freedom of Speech

• Freedom of the Press

• Freedom of Religion

• Freedom of Assembly

• The Right of Petition

What does freedom of What does freedom of assembly mean?assembly mean?

• The right to gather at The right to gather at public meetingspublic meetings

What does the right of What does the right of petition mean?petition mean?

• The right to make written The right to make written requests to make changes requests to make changes in the governmentin the government

Define free markets.Define free markets.

• Business and trade Business and trade without government without government regulation or rulesregulation or rules