In what period did the Framers of the Constitution live in?

The Enlightenment

What are the five key ideas of the Enlightenment?

Reason, Natural laws, progress, liberty, toleration

What did John Locke argue?

People have "natural rights," including life, liberty, and property

What did Charles de Montesquieu argue in Spirit of the Laws?

Ideal government has separated powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches

What did Jean-Lacques Rousseau argue in his Social Contract?

The power to rule lies in the will of the people

Did the Articles of Confederation establish a bicameral or unicameral system?

Unicameral

What did the Articles of Confederation establish?

A "firm league of friendship" between the states; each state retained sovereignty

What were the flaws in the Articles of Confederation?

• Congress couldn't tax
• No federal commerce regulation
• No judicial or executive authority
• Amendments required a unaminious vote to pass

What was the effect of Shays' Rebellion on leaders of the United States?

Convinced them of a need for a stronger central government

What did Thomas Jefferson call the Framers of the Constitution?

An Assembly of Demi-Gods

Which state did not send a delegation to the Constitutional Convention?

Rhode Island

What did the Framers think about human nature?

People are inherently selfish

What kind of government did the Framer's want?

A limited government with checks and balances

What was in the Virginia Plan?

• Bicameral legislature
• representation based on population
• favored by large states

What was in the New Jersey Plan?

• Unicameral legislature
• Each state has a certain number of votes
• Favored by small states

What was the Connecticut Plan?

A bicameral legislature with two houses: the House of Representatives (population) and the Senate (2 members from each state)

What was the three-fifths compromise?

Each person who was not free (slaves) counted as three-fifths of a person 

What economic powers did the Constitution give Congress?

• Taxation
• Coining and regulating money
• regulate interstate and foreign commerce
• Pay debts
• Establish post offices

What safeguards for individual rights does the Constitution provide?

• Prohibits suspension of hapeas corpus
• Prohibits bills of attainder
• Prohibits ex post facto laws
• Upholds right to a trial by jury
• Prohibits religious requirements on offices

What are the three branches of government?

Executive, Legislative, Judicial

What checks on majority rule are in the Constitution?

• the Senate
• An independent judiciary
• an indirectly elected President

How are federal judges appointed?

They are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate

What groups were Anti-federalist?

Small farmers, shop keepers, and laborers

What did anti-Federalists favor?

Strong state governments and a Bill of Rights

What groups made up the Federalists?

Large landowners, wealthy merchants, professionals

What did Federalists favor?

Stronger central government and weaker state governments

What did James Madison argue in the Federalist No. 10 

Factions are undesirable but inevitable

What are the two methods by which an amendment to the Constitution can be proposed?

• Two-thirds vote in both Houses
• Constitutional convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of both Houses

How can an amendment to the Constitution be ratified?

By legislatures OR conventions in three-fourths of the states

What are the informal methods of changing the Constitution?

Congressional legislation,executive actions, judicial decisions, party practices, and unwritten traditions