List three characteristics of early national government: 1. gave power to the states, 2. it had a unicameral legislature, 3. no executive branch
What is a bicameral legislature?
A law-making body that has two houses known as the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Define a republic?
People get to choose their own government.
List the six weakness in the Articles of Confederation:
No bill of rights
no executive branch
weak federal govenment
couldn't raise taxes
gave too much power to the states
9 out of the 13 states was needed to pass a law
What was the Land Ordinance of 1787?
A plan to dispense and distribute public land in the Northwest Territory.
How many men does a territory need to be considered for admission into the Union?
10,000
What treaty ended the American Revolution?
The Treaty of Paris
What event suggested that a stronger national government was needed?
Shays' Rebellion
What is a unicameral legislature?
A law-making body that has one house and the people choose the representatives.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The original document for governing the colonies.
What is a federal government?
A national government
What are Federalists?
People who supported the constitution getting ratified.
What is an Antifederalists?
People who were against the ratification of the constitution
What is the rule of Law?
no one is above the law
What is a bicameral legislature?
a law making body with 2 houses
Why was the constitutional convention neccesary?
to make a new constitution to govern the colonies.
What is the Virginia Plan?
James Madison wanted a stronger government that divided the power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
What is the New Jersey Plan?
William Paterson wanted a unicameral legislature, giving each state one vote and keeping most of the Articles of Confederation.
List the 3 branches of government and their functions: Executive Branch - execute the law, Judicial Branch - makes sure the laws are constitutional, Legislative Branch - makes the
When was the constitution written?
1787
What are the first 10 ammendments called?
The Bill of Right
Who were the 6 people who were at the Constitutional Convention?
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, William Patterson, John Dickinson, George Mason
Name 3 things they had in common?
Rich, white, helped their state to write the constitution
How many states were needed to ratify the constitution?