The Constitutional Era Washington/Adams ( ) ( )

What is a republic? A representative democracy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What does the executive branch do? Enforces the laws

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.

Where did the Constitutional Convention meet? Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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.

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.

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.

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

What is federalism? The division of power in the United States between the national government and the state governments.

Who served as chairman of the Constitutional Convention? George Washington

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

When federal law and state law conflict, which law is supreme? Federal Law

Who leads the executive branch of the federal government? The President

Who leads the judicial branch of the federal government? The Supreme Court

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

What are the two houses of Congress? The House of Representatives The United States Senate

How is a state’s membership in the Senate decided? Two senators from each state

How is a state’s membership in the House of Rep. Decided? By Population; States with large populations have more representatives than states with small populations.

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

What is separation of powers? The division of power among different branches of government.

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

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

Who were the Federalists during the Constitutional era? People who supported the Constitution with a strong national government supported by business, industry and banking

Who were the Anti-federalists- known as the Democratic– Republicans? People who opposed the Constitution, wanted a weak central government, supported states rights, supported by farmers and artisans.

What does interstate commerce mean? Trade between states

What is the Bill of Rights? The first ten amendments to the Constitution

What was the basic idea of the Virginia Declaration of Rights? That government should not violate basic human rights.

Who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights? George Mason

Who wrote the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom? Thomas Jefferson

What did the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom do? Outlawed the established church in Virginia Supported the idea of freedom of religion

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

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

What church was the established church in colonial Virginia? The Anglican church or Church of EnglandThe Anglican church or Church of England

What does the term ratify mean? ApproveApprove

To what did the phrase “ratification of the Constitution” refer? 9 of the states approving the Constitution so that it would take effect9 of the states approving the Constitution so that it would take effect

What First Amendment freedom allows people to gather at public meetings? Freedom of AssemblyFreedom of Assembly

What First Amendment freedom allows Americans to make written requests to make changes in the government? Freedom of PetitionFreedom of Petition

On what document was the Bill of Rights based? The Virginia Declaration of RightsThe Virginia Declaration of Rights

What is a constitutional amendment? An addition to the ConstitutionAn addition to the Constitution

During the state ratifying conventions, what did the Anti-Federalists force the Federalists to promise to adopt? A Bill of RightsA Bill of Rights

When George Washington became the first President in 1789, who did he select as Secretary of State? Thomas Jefferson

Who introduced the New Jersey Plan at the Constitutional Convention? William Patterson

Who introduced the Virginia Plan at the Constitutional Convention?

Edmund Randolph

What act established and organized territorial lands into Townships of 36 square miles each?

Land Ordinance of 1785

What state resolutions stated that the states had the right to judge if a federal law was Constitutional or not?

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

What legislation was passed during the administration of John Adams which had the power of deportation and to imprison critics of the government?

Alien and Sedition Acts

What incident was an attempt by French agents to bribe American Diplomats?

XYZ Affair

Which treaty with Spain allow navigation on the Mississippi, the use of New Orleans as a port of deposit, and established a border between northern Florida and the United States?

Pickney’s Treaty

What were the reasons Washington sent John Jay to negotiate a treaty with Britain?

To receive compensation for recent British assaults on American shipping. To demand the withdrawal of British forces from their posts on the United States frontier. To negotiate a plan for a combined attack against France To avoid war and to negotiate a favorable commercial treaty with Britain

Which treaty with Britain stated that Britain would remove troops from the Northwest, the US would not trade in the West Indies, but did avoid war?

Jay’s Treaty

Some were upset by Jay’s Treaty because

They felt the US had “sold out” to the British and the treaty did not reach all US objectives.

Between the United was involved in an undeclared war with France because:

The French interfered with American trade French ships and US ships fought on the high seas ( US actually captured 85 French ships) The US cut off all trade with France Our ministers to France had been insulted by the French government

In his Farewell Address, what two things did Washington advise the nation?

Beware of political parties and foreign entanglements

Who was elected President in the Presidential election of 1800?

Thomas Jefferson

What did the election of Jefferson in 1800 prove ?

That the United States could change power in the executive and legislative branches of government without a bloody civil war and that democracy could work as a form of government.