Government > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

3 basic concepts of government:

A
  • Ordered Government
  • Limited Government
  • Representative Government
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2
Q

Representative gov

A
  • Government should serve the will of the people
  • People should have a voice in what the government does
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3
Q

Limited Gov

A
  • Government is restricted to what it can do
  • People have rights that the government can’t take away
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4
Q

3 important British documents that led to American freedom:

A
  • Magna Carta
  • Petition of Right
  • English Bill of Rights
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5
Q

What was the Magna Carta?

A

Established the principles that the monarchy was not absolute and established the rule of law

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6
Q

Who signed the Magna Carta

A

Signed by King John

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7
Q

Rule of Law

A

“The law in charge” - there is a set of limits on government power!!

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8
Q

What is the cornerstone of the US Constitution?

A

the Magna Carta

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9
Q

Petition of Right

A

it limited the kings power in specific ways (no punishment w/out trial, no martial law in time of peace, limited taxation etc.)

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10
Q

Who signed the Petition of Right

A

King Charles I

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11
Q

The English Bill of Rights

A

est. the idea that people had certain natural rights that couldn’t be taken away by the government (free speech, religion, fair trial, etc)

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12
Q

Who signed the English bill of rights

A

signed by William and Mary

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13
Q

The two bedrock principles we as Americans live by today are:

A
  • No one is above the law
  • We all have rights that the government must protect
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14
Q

3 types of Colonial government (describe)

A

Royal (direct control of the crown)
Proprietary (direct control of the proprietor/owner)
Charter (direct control of the people)

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15
Q

Early attempts to unite the colonies (5)

A
  1. Albany Plan of Union - 1754
  2. Stamp Act Congress - 1765
  3. First Continental Congress - 1744
  4. Second Continental Congress - 1775
  5. Declaration of Independence 1776
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16
Q

What was the Albany Plan of Union?

A

Attempt to address colonial trade and unite during the French and Indian War

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17
Q

What was the Stamp Act Congress?

A

United and Fought to repeal the stamp tax

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18
Q

What was the First Continental Congress?

A

United and Demanded a repeal of the Intolerable Acts

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19
Q

What was the Second Continental Congress?

A
  • First time all colonies united
  • 1st temporary national government during the war for independence
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20
Q

What was the Declaration of independence?

A

United to form our new nation

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21
Q

Common features of the first state constitutions: (4)

A
  1. Popular Sovereignty - people were the supreme source of power
  2. Limited Government - states not all powerful
  3. Civil Rights and liberties: people had certain rights that the states must recognize and protect
  4. Separation of powers and checks and balances: states powers were divided among the three branches and each branch could check/restrain each other
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22
Q

When was The Critical Period

A

1783-1788

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23
Q

What was the articles of confederation and what was it designed to do?

A

First constitution of the USA, Designed to have a weak central government and strong state governments

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24
Q

Who wrote the first draft of the Articles of Confederation?

A

Benjamin Franklin

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25
Who wrote the final draft of the Articles of Confederation?
John Dickinson
26
Why did they fear a strong central government?
They wanted each state to keep its own sovereignty, freedom, and independence
27
What was the only branch of gov they had under the Articles of Confederation?
Legislative (congress)
28
What is a Confederate form of government like?
most power in the local (states) - very little to Central Government - almost like 13 individual countries
29
Major weaknesses of a Confederate government? (6)
The government (had): 1. No power to tax 2. No power to coin money 3. No power to regulate trade 4. No power to enforce its own laws 5. No power to create an army 6. could make Amendments (changes to the Articles) only with the consent of all 13 states
30
Shay’s Rebellion
Revolt against land/home foreclosures! /some arrested/ anger led to violence.
31
Why were the Articles of Confederation a failure?
Central Government had too little power
32
What was the Annapolis Convention ?
A call for action to solve the problems with the articles of confederation - only 5 states showed up
33
Who called for another meeting in Philadelphia after the Annapolis Convention?
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
34
At the meeting in Philadelphia who came up with a plan and what was it?
James Madison comes with a plan to create a new constitution
35
Framers
group of 55 delegates sent to Philadelphia
36
Who were the key people not included among the Framers? (3)
- Patrick Henry - John Adams - Thomas Jefferson
37
Why was patrick henry not among the framers in Philadelphia?
he said "I smelt a rat" (feared that the states were going to lose power)
38
Why were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson not among the framers in Philadelphia?
they were in europe as diplomats
39
Original purpose of Philadelphia convention:
To revise the articles of confederation
40
What were the 2 major plans presented at the Philadelphia Convention to write the Constitution?
Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan
41
Due Process
gov cant keep a person from their freedom or property without going through the court system
42
glorious revolution
the events surrounding William and Mary the Orange's ascent to the throne
43
bicameral
two-house legislature
44
charter
a written grant of authority from the king`
45
quorum
majority
46
Father of our constitution
James Madison
47
Virginia Plan Features:
1. 3 brances 2. Bicameral legislature 3. Representation baesd on population or the amount of money you gave the government 4. National Executive (1 president) 5. National and state judiciary (several courts) 6. Greatly increased powers for the central government
48
Who came up with Virginia Plan
James Madison
49
Who came up with the New Jersey Plan?
William Patterson
50
Features of the New Jersey Plan:
1. 3 branches 2. Unicameral - 3. representation equal 4. national executive (3 people) 5. National Judiciary (one single court) 6. Very limited powers to the central government/shared with the states - federal
51
Key issue of New jersey plan:
representation in Legislative Branch
52
How did they decide on which plan for the constitution (virginia or new jersey)?
The Great Compromise
53
Who proposed the great compromise?
Roger Sherman
54
What were the features of the Great Compromise?
1. Bicameral Legislature 2. Executive - 1 president 3. National/State judiciaries (supreme court AND state courts) 4. Gave co-equal powers to Central and local governments (federal) 5. Greatly increased the powers of the central government
55
In the great compromise, how did the bicameral legislature compromise for both plans?
Bicameral Legislature with representation based on population in the lower house and equal representation in the upper house
56
Other compromises (2):
1. The three fifths compromise 2. The commerce and Slave Trade compromise
57
What was the question that caused the need for the three-fifths compromise?
Should slaves be counted as population?
58
Provisions of the three-fifths compromise
1. Slaves would be counted as three fifths of a person 2. South must pay three fifths of a head tax
59
What two issues prompted the commerce and slave trade compromise?
1. The south feared that Congress would tax exports to help fund the government 2. feared they would stop the slave trade
60
What were the provisions of the commerce and slave trade compromise?
1. Congress was forbidden from taxing exports 2. Congress could not stop the slave trade for 20 years
61
Sources of the Constitution: (4)
Greece Rome Great Britain Judeo-Christian
62
Ratify
official approval of the states
63
2 opposing sides of the ratification process?
Federalists Anti-federalists
64
What was the federalist stance and their main argument?
- in favor of the new constitution - main argument was that the central government was too weak
65
Who led the federalists?
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
66
What was the anti federalist stance?
Opposed the new constitution
67
who led the anti federalists
Patrick Henry
68
Anti federalists 2 main arguments?
It gave too much power to the federal government, No Bill of Rights (written rights of the people)
69
Who later added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution?
James Madison
70
First state to ratify the constitution?
Delaware
71
9 states ratified (enough to pass it) but what was the problem?
Virginia and New York (the two largest states) didn't ratify
72
Why didn't virginia ratify
Thomas Jefferson (key vote) wouldn't ratify because there was no Bill of Rights
73
What swayed the vote of New York and got them to ratify?
The Federalist New York Papers
74
What was the Federalist New York Papers?
Was a series of 85 articles written - to promoted the new constitution
75
Last two states ratify:
- NC in 1789 - Rhode Island in 1790
76
Where did Congress meet for the first time?
In NYC in Federal Hall
77
Where was the first US capital?
NYC
78
Quorum
Majority
79
sworn in as first president
George Washington
80
first vice president
John Adams
81
George Washington was the only president to what? (3)
be elected unanimously, run unopposed, not belong to a political party
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