Ch. 8: Creating the Constitution

Dispute

A strong disagreement

Township

A division of land 6 sq. miles under the Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Territory

Region of U.S. bounded by the Ohio & Mississippi rivers and Great Lakes

Northwest Ordinance

A law determining how new lands would be organized for government.

This also helped stop the spread of slavery in the West

Constitutional Convention

A meeting held in Philadelphia in 1787 at which delegates from the states wrote the U.S. Constitution

Committed

To agree or pledge to support someone or something

Enlightenment

“Age of Reason” in 17th & 18th century

Liberal

Supporting ideas of freedom, change, and progress

Republic

A country governed by elected representatives.

Constitution

A written plan that provides the basic framework of a government

Framework

A basic set of ideas used to develop a larger plan

Contradiction

A difference between two statements or situations that means they cannot both be true​

Three-Fifths Compromise

Slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person when determining a state’s population for representation in the House of Representatives

Ratify

To formally approve a plan

Federalist

Supporter of the constitution

The Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in support of the ratification of the Constitution by the states​

Amend

To change

What was Congress’ biggest fear about a strong national government?

Rights for which people fought would be lost

What was another name for the “Articles of Confederation?”

“A firm league of friendship”

What was a weakness of the Articles of Confederation that limited Congress?

Congress could not impose taxes

What land was affected by the Land Ordinance of 1785?

Land bound by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and the Great Lakes

How many people were needed in order for a state to apply for statehood?

60,000

What was the long term effect of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

Territories eventually became states

What is one of the main reasons Shays’ rebellion occurred?

Massachusetts taxes were unfairly high & farmers could not pay

Why was Shays’s Rebellion an important event?

It was a major cause for the Constitutional Convention

Where was the Constitutional Convention held?

Philadelphia

When did the Constitutional Convention take place?

Summer 1787

Who was the president of the Constitutional Convention?

George Washington

How many states were represented at the Constitutional Convention?

12

Who did not attend the Constitutional Convention in fear that a strong national government would endanger the rights of others?

Sam Adams, Patrick Henry & John Hancock

Why is James Madison known as the “Father of the Constitution”?

He was well prepared to lead the discussion at the convention

What was the original purpose of the convention in May 1787?

To revise the Articles of Confederation

What did the Virginia Plan propose?

Two houses of Congress with representation based on state population

What types of states supported the New Jersey Plan?

Small states

Why did small states feel that they would have more voice in Congress under the New Jersey Plan?

There would be one house with representation being equal for all states

What was a feature of both the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?

A national government with three branches

What did the Great Compromise decide?

Representation in Congress

In which house is the number of members affected by state population?

House of Representatives

Where did most of the slaves live at the time of the Constituional Converntion?

The South

Which group casts votes to elect the President?

Electoral College

How does the Electoral College operate today?

People choose their states’ electors when they vote in Presidential elections

If the electoral college fails to elect a president, which group makes the final decision on the president?

House of Representatives

How many states had to approve the Constitution before it went into effect?

9

What is a federal system of government?

Power is shared by the national and state governments

What were TWO concerns of the Anti-Federalists (opponents of the Constitution)?

-No list of people’s rights in the Constitution

-Giving up state powers to form a stronger Union (national government)

After reading this chapter, what was the greatest challenge for the delegates of the Constitutional Convention?

How to balance the interests of large and small states

Don't forget:

Review: Graphs from 8.4 & 8.6

Our class Constitutional Convention- candlelight, secrecy, delegates in attendance, had extensive political experience, etc.