US Constitution: Creation of the Constitution

(Essay) Many of the delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention were considered the "stars" of America at the time. Why were they considered stars worthy of being admired?

Because they had all contributed to the creation of the new nation. - All of the men had served in public office. - Many served in Congress under the first government system known as the Articles of Confederation. - Many were war veterans and had helped write state constitutions. - They were men who spent their lives working to make a new strong nation based on the ideals of people running a government that served the people. - They were the men who created America.

When tension or disputes were at a high, which famous American politician and inventor was known to crack jokes or negotiate compromise? Roger Sherman Alexander Hamilton Benjamin Franklin James Madison

Benjamin Franklin

Something that causes an event to occur.

catalyst

Having to do with, or relating to, money and currency.

monetary

Widely recognized importance and distinction; high esteem.

prestige

In American history, the Connecticut Compromise is also known as __________. the Magna Carta the Great Compromise the Declaration of Independence the Constitution of the United States

the Great Compromise

Which of the following is a similarity between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan? - state representation based on population - the creation of a Supreme Court - the creation of a unicameral legislature - a series of international trading policies

the creation of a Supreme Court

(Essay) Write an argument using three main points of the Virginia Plan that will convince the Constitutional Convention's delegates to adopt its policies.

- Virginia Plan proposes a bicameral legislature because having two houses is the best way to maintain a balance of power. - Representation in both houses should be determined by population. - States with the largest population will receive the greatest representation. - Supreme Court that will have the final say in the law of the land is critical to the success of our nation. We need a stronger national government, and the Virginia Plan gives us a strong federal system.

(Essay) Outline three similarities between the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan.

Both call for a stronger federal government: - Both discuss creating a Congress that is in charge of a chief executive - both discuss the need for a Supreme Court to be the final word on the law of our land

Who was elected as the President of the Constitutional Convention?

George Washington

This resolved the debate over representation by population. Robert Sherman proposed that the number of representatives per state in the House of Representatives should be determined by population, while in the Senate, each state would have two representatives.

Great Compromise AKA Connecticut Compromise

Roger Sherman is a relatively unknown politician in American history; however, he holds a distinction that no other historical figure—including James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington—can claim. What is this distinction? He sat on the state legislatures for three different states. He managed to become a great politician despite a debilitating speech impediment. He signed the Articles of Association, the Articles of the Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. He was the only delegate to sit on the Supreme Court that he helped create at the Constitutional Convention.

He signed the Articles of Association, the Articles of the Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

The delegate responsible for taking extensive notes on the government to the convention, speaking numerous times, and recording the events of the conventions was __________. George Washington Alexander Hamilton James Madison Benjamin Franklin

James Madison

Who was known as the "Father of the Constitution"?

James Madison

One of the 13 states in the Union, __________ chose not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Rhode Island Virginia Pennsylvania New Jersey

Rhode Island

(Essay) The Annapolis Convention was one of many issues that led to the creation of the Constitutional Convention. Analyze how it played a role in the calling of the Constitutional Convention.

The Annapolis Convention was a failed meeting called by James Madison. All states in the union were supposed to attend, though only five states sent representatives. The discussions at the convention were not productive and only served to highlight the need to either amend the Articles of the Confederation or create a new Constitution altogether.

(Essay) The three-fifths compromise is one of the most controversial decisions in the history of the United States. What is the three-fifths compromise and what was its purpose?

The three-fifths compromise was a big component of the Connecticut Compromise. Since the compromise said that representation in the House of Representatives was to be based on population, the "value" of a slave had to be defined. In particular, smaller states did not think larger states with more slaves should be allowed to consider slaves as part of their population. A compromise was reached: a slave would count as three-fifths of a person when counting population for representation.

Which of the following was NOT one of the problems faced by the delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? many of the delegates arriving over a week late an unusually hot summer resulting in heated tempers during debates widely divergent visions for the future of the United States of America a slave rebellion that nearly resulted in the destruction of Independence Hall

a slave rebellion that nearly resulted in the destruction of Independence Hall

The original goal for the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was to __________. choose the first President of the United States amend the Articles of the Confederation create a new Constitution of the United States find agree on a way to put down Shays' Rebellion

amend the Articles of the Confederation

Changes or additions to a bill or constitution.

amendment

Shays' Rebellion was caused by __________. - an overtaxed aristocracy - angry slaves who wanted their freedom - an armed uprising of farmers angered by debt collection - politicians dissatisfied with the direction of the United States

an armed uprising of farmers angered by debt collection

Something that causes and event to occur is known as a(n) __________. amendment resolution catalyst contingent

catalyst

A representative group at an assembly is known as a __________. contingent resolution convention federalist

contingent

A representative group at an assembly.

contingent

A formal meeting of delegates and representatives.

convention

The delegates represented at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were mostly __________. farmers and craftsmen lawyers and politicians uneducated traders wealthy uneducated merchants

lawyers and politicians

Which of the following is NOT among the many accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin? serving as a foreign American official in France penning countless brilliant pieces of political writing making many discoveries relating to the nature of electricity painting a painting that now hangs in the Louvre in Paris, France

painting a painting that now hangs in the Louvre in Paris, France

Which of the following was NOT one of the concerns of the delegates when crafting the Constitution of the United States? - strengthening the national government - preserving much of the power of the states - preserving the Articles of the Confederation - making sure the power still rested with the people

preserving the Articles of the Confederation

All of the following influenced the call for the Constitutional Convention in 1787 EXCEPT: - the lack of a common currency for all states - trade wars between the states - disagreements over western lands - questions over Pennsylvania state boundaries

questions over Pennsylvania state boundaries

A formal decision by a governing body is known as a(n) ___________. amendment resolution catalyst contingent

resolution

A formal decision made by a governing body.

resolution

The primary difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan was __________. military funding a standard national currency state representation in Congress control of heavily used waterways

state representation in Congress

According to the Virginia Plan, one of the proposed powers of the new national government was __________. the ability to veto any state law the right to fill empty spots in state legislatures the ability to suspend all presidential powers in time of war the right to shift the nation's capital to America's first settlement in Jamestown, Virginia

the ability to veto any state law

From 1787 until the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, Senate members were selected by __________. the Supreme Court the state legislatures the House of Representatives the President of the United States

the state legislatures

A convention is best described as ____________. a formal meeting of delegates and representatives a formal event to raise money a formal revision made to a government a formal change made to a constitution

a formal meeting of delegates and representatives

All of the following were components of the Virginia Plan EXCEPT: a bicameral legislature a national court system to handle felonies a system of state representation in Congress based on population a new system for taxing interstate trade based on population income

a new system for taxing interstate trade based on population income

The three-fifths compromise was an agreement at the Constitutional Convention, which stated that in calculating population for state representation __________. a slave counted as three-fifths of a human being women only counted as three-fifths of a person only three-fifths of a state's population was allowed to be slaves only landowning citizens counted as a full person; all others counted as three-fifths of a person

a slave counted as three-fifths of a human being