Constitution Unit Study Guide
Challenges faced by the framers of the Constitution
Representation, Slavery, Articles of Confederation
Framers=leaders that wrote the Constitution
 Benjamin Franklin
 George Washington
 James Madison
Quizlet Study Set links:
Constitution Unit
https://quizlet.com/_5kgiuv
3 Branches/Checks and Balances
https://quizlet.com/_5kgtb3
Federal System https://quizlet.com/_5ir6y2
Articles of Confederation: the form of
government right after the American Revolution
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
1. Weak federal government (each state made their own rules)
2. Could not collect taxes
3. No military
4. Each state had 1 vote and all states had to agree
5. Could not regulate trade
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Constitutional Convention
Debated two plans to revise the Articles of Confederation
Virginia Plan: Virginia delegate James Madison’s plan of government in which
states got a number of representatives in Congress based on their population
New Jersey Plan: Small State Plan that called for equal representation of each
state in Congress regardless of the state's population. This created conflict
between bigger states, who wanted control based on population, and smaller
states, who didn’t want to be bullied by larger states
Great Compromise: Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which
states would have equal representation in one house of Congress and
representation based on population in the other house.
3/5 Compromise: When the Great Compromise happened, the delegates from
states with slaves argued they should be able to count the slaves to get more
representation in Congress. The Northern states opposed this plan. The delegates
compromised again and decided three-fifths of a state's slave population would
count when determining representation in Congress and taxation.
Constitution/Government
We the People=all of the people in the United States; the most important part of the
Preamble
This means the government gets its power from the people. It exists to protect the
people’s natural, or inalienable rights
Bill of Rights: first ten amendments to the Constitution
Representative Democracy: people choose represenatives to speak and act for them in
government
Federal System: system of government that divides the powers between the states and
the nation. It has 3 types of powers:
Federal Powers
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Coin money
Declare war
Establish armed forces
Enter treaties with
other countries
Create a post office
Make laws to enforce
the Constitution
State Powers
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Establish local
governments
Issue licenses
Conduct elections
Ratify amendments to
the U.S. Constitution
Provide for public
safety
Shared Powers
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Set up courts
Create and collect
taxes (Federal and
State taxes)
Build highways
Borrow money
Make and enforce
laws
Charter banks and
corporations
Spend money for the
betterment of the
general welfare
Three Branches of Government: executive branch, judicial branch, legislative branch
Checks and Balances: system used to keep the government from getting too powerful in
one branch