The Constitutional Era

1
The Constitutional Era

• (1781-1789)

2

• What is a republic?
• A representative democracy

3

• What is the basic principle of republican
  government?
• The people elect representatives who make the
  laws.

4

• What was the first attempt at workable government
  in the United States?
• The Articles of Confederation

5

• What was wrong with the government under the
  Articles of Confederation?
• It was too weak!

6

• What does a constitution provide?
• The basic framework of a government.

7

• Name 5 factors that made the national government
  under the Articles weak?
• 1) only a legislative branch 2) Congress had no
  power to tax 3) no national currency 4) each
  state had 1 vote in the Confederation Congress
  5) no executive and no judicial branch

8

• What does the legislative branch of a government
  do?
• Makes the laws

9

• What does the judicial branch of a government do?
• Interprets or explains the meaning of the laws

10

• What does the executive branch do?
• Enforces the laws

11

• What is a compromise?
• An agreement in which both sides get part of what
  they want, but neither side gets all of what it
  wants.

12

• Where did the Constitutional Convention meet?
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

13
What was the Great Compromise or Connecticut
Compromise?

• A plan providing for a two-house Congress in
  which the people would be represented in a House
  of Representatives and the states in the Senate.
  In other words, the House of Rep. would be based
  on population, while each state would have 2 U.S.
  senators.

14
What was the Virginia Plan?

• A framework proposed by the Virginia delegation
  to the Constitutional Convention under which the
  national government would have a legislature
  consisting of two houses. Representation in both
  houses would be based on population. Big states
  would have more representatives.

15
What was the New Jersey Plan?

• A framework proposed by the New Jersey delegation
  to the Constitutional Convention under which the
  national government would have a legislature
  consisting of one house. Under the New Jersey
  Plan each state had one vote. This plan
  benefited small states.

16
Which one became part of the Constitution the
Va. Plan, the N.J. Plan, or the Great Compromise?

• The Great Compromise

17
What was the Great Compromise or Connecticut
Compromise?

• A plan providing for a two-house Congress in
  which the people would be represented in a House
  of Representatives and the states in the Senate.
  In other words, the House of Rep. would be based
  on population, while each state would have 2 U.S.
  senators.

18
What is federalism?

• The division of power in the United States
  between the national government and the state
  governments.

19
Who served as chairman of the Constitutional
Convention?

• George Washington

20
Who is considered the Father of the
Constitution?

• James Madison

21
When federal law and state law conflict, which
law is supreme?

• Federal Law

22
Who leads the executive branch of the federal
government?

• The President

23
Who leads the judicial branch of the federal
government?

• The Supreme Court

24
What is the name of the legislative branch of the
federal government?

• Congress

25
What are the two houses of Congress?

• The House of Representatives
• The United States Senate

26
How is a states membership in the Senate decided?

• Two senators from each state

27
How is a states membership in the House of Rep.
Decided?

• By Population States with large populations have
  more representatives than states with small
  populations.

28
What was the three-fifths compromise?

• A compromise between the northern and southern
  states
• Slaves would count as 3/5 of a person in figuring
  the slave states population for representation
  in the House of Representatives

29
What is separation of powers?

• The division of power among different branches of
  government.

30
What is the checks and balances system?

• A system of government by which each branch of
  government can check or stop the actions of the
  other branches

31

• How many states had to ratify or approve the
  Constitution before it could take effect?
• 9

32
Who were the Federalists during the
Constitutional era?

• People who supported the Constitution.

33
Who were the Anti-Federalists during the
Constitutional era?

• People who opposed the Constitution

34
What does interstate commerce mean?

• Trade between states

35
What is the Bill of Rights?

• The first ten amendments to the Constitution

36
What was the basic idea of the Virginia
Declaration of Rights?

• That government should not violate basic human
  rights.

37
Who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights?

• George Mason

38
Who wrote the Virginia Statute of Religious
Freedom?

• Thomas Jefferson

39

• What two documents did Madison consult when he
  was working on the Bill of Rights?
• The Virginia Declaration of Rights and the
  Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom

40
What did the Virginia Statute of Religious
Freedom do?

• Outlawed the established church in Virginia
• Supported the idea of freedom of religion

41
What rights does the First Amendment guarantee?

• Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom
  of religion, freedom of assembly, and the right
  of petition

42
What church was the established church in
colonial Virginia?

• The Anglican church or Church of England

43
What does the term ratify mean?

• Approve

44
To what did the phrase ratification of the
Constitution refer?

• 9 of the states approving the Constitution so
  that it would take effect

45
What First Amendment freedom allows people to
gather at public meetings?

• Freedom of Assembly

46
What First Amendment freedom allows Americans to
make written requests to make changes in the
government?

• Freedom of Petition

47
On what document was the Bill of Rights based?

• The Virginia Declaration of Rights

48
What is a constitutional amendment?

• An addition to the Constitution

49
During the state ratifying conventions, what did
the Anti-Federalists force the Federalists to
promise to adopt?

• A Bill of Rights