republic
A government ruled by representatives of the people
Articles of Confederation
a governing document that created a union of thirteen sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme.
Shay’s Rebellion
a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts. Exposed weakness of Articles of confederation and directly triggered the creation of the US constitution
Constitutional Convention
a meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the articles of confederations.
writ of habeas corpus
the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them
bills of attainder
when the legislature declares someone guilty without trial
ex post facto law
laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed
Virginia Plan
a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in congress
New Jersey Plan
a plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state
Great Compromise
an agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the virginia and new jersey plan; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a house of representatives apportioned proportionately and a senate appointed equally
3/5 th Compromise
an agreement reached by delegates at the constitutional convention that a slave would count as three-fifths of a person in calculating a state’s representation
Compromise on Importation
Congress could not restric the slave trade until 1808
separation of powers
a design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own
checks and balances
a design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy.
Executive: The president can veto congress.
Legislative: The senate must confirm presidential nominations and ratify treaties.
Judicial: Judicial review( the supreme court can declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.
federalism
the sharing of power between the national government and the states
federalists
supporters of the proposed constitution, who called for a strong national government
anti-federalists
Those opposed to the proposed constitution, who favored stronger state governments
Federalist Papers
A series of eighty-five essays written by alexander hamilton, james madison, and john jay and published between 1787 and 1788 that lay out the theory behind the constitution.
faction
a group of self interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process.
Federalist 10
an essay in which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government.
Brutus I
an antifederalist paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the constitution gave too much power to the national government
Federalist 51
an essay in which Madison argues that separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny
Bill of Rights
a formal declaration of the first ten amendments to the US constitution that limits government power and protect individual civil liberties
Charles Beard
defined government and the US constitution not as neutral bodies built on pure political ideals, but as economic documents shaped by financial self-interest of wealthy property owners.
Articles of Confederation: its weaknesses and how they helped shape the Constitution
-created a weak central government that could not manage the economy, enforce laws, or protect national security.
-no taxing power
-no regulation of commerce
-no executive branch
-no national court system
-no national currency
-unanimous consent rule
-inability to quell unrest
. Methods of amending the Constitution outlined in Article V of the Constitution
-two ways to propose amendments and two ways to ratify them
-by congress( 2/3rds majority bote in both the house of representatives and the senate.
-by a national convention( congress must call a constitutional convention if requested by 2/3rds of the state legislatures..)
-by state legislatures(approval by the legislatures of 3/4ths of the states)
-by state conventions(approval by special ratifying conventions held in 3/4ths of the states)
Arguments made during the ratification debate: Brutus I vs. Federalist 10 & 51
Brutus 1: warned that powerful central government would destroy states freedoming
Federalist No. 10+51: argued that a large republic and separated powers would protect liberty
Why the founders mistrusted pure democracy and ways the constitution reflected this view.
-They mistrusted pure democracy because they feared “mob rule” , the tyranny of the majority, and unstable governance that could easily be swayed by public passion or demagogues.
-The constitutional feature (how it curbed pure democracy)
-a representative republic(citizens do not vote on laws directly; instead, they choose representatives to deliberate and vote for them
-The amendment process(Changing the constitution requires majorities (2/3rds of congress and 3/4ths of states), meaning a simple majority cannot change foundational laws.