All Flashcards
Define 'ratification'.
The process of states approving the Constitution.
What is the 'Bill of Rights'?
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual liberties.
Define 'Federalism'.
A system of government where power is divided between a national government and state governments.
What are 'checks and balances'?
A system where each branch of government can limit the power of the other two.
Define 'Electoral College'.
A body of electors chosen to elect the President and Vice President.
What is the 'Preamble' of the Constitution?
The introduction to the Constitution, stating its goals and source of authority.
Define 'state sovereignty'.
The concept that states have supreme power within their own borders.
What is a 'bicameral legislature'?
A legislature with two houses or chambers.
Define 'judicial review'.
The power of the judiciary to review and invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.
What is the 'supremacy clause'?
A clause in the Constitution stating that federal law is supreme to state law.
Who was James Madison?
The "Father of the Constitution"; he drafted the Virginia Plan.
Who was George Washington?
Chairman of the Constitutional Convention; his leadership was crucial.
Who was Alexander Hamilton?
A leading Federalist who co-authored The Federalist Papers.
Who was Patrick Henry?
A prominent Antifederalist who opposed the Constitution.
Who was John Jay?
A Federalist who co-authored The Federalist Papers.
Who was Samuel Adams?
A leading Antifederalist who feared a strong central government.
Who was John Hancock?
A prominent Antifederalist.
Who was Thomas Jefferson?
Although absent from the convention, his ideas influenced the process.
Who was Benjamin Franklin?
Played a key role in shaping the final document of the Constitution.
Who was Gouverneur Morris?
He is credited with writing the Preamble and was a strong advocate for a powerful national government.
What was the Constitutional Convention?
A meeting in 1787 to create a new government structure for the United States.
When was the Constitution ratified?
1787-1788 (but Rhode Island held out until 1790!).
What was the significance of the Federalist Papers?
A series of essays written to persuade New Yorkers (and others) to ratify the Constitution.
What led to the creation of the Bill of Rights?
Antifederalist concerns about the lack of protection for individual liberties.
What was the Great Compromise?
An agreement that created a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in one house and equal representation in the other.
What was the Virginia Plan?
James Madison's proposal for a strong national government with representation based on population.
What was the New Jersey Plan?
A proposal for equal representation for all states, regardless of population.
What was the 3/5 Compromise?
An agreement to count slaves as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation and taxation.
What was the Commerce Clause?
Gives Congress the power to regulate interstate and international commerce.
What was the Whiskey Rebellion?
A protest against a federal tax on whiskey that tested the authority of the new government.