Podcast
Questions and Answers
When was the U.S. Constitution written?
When was the U.S. Constitution written?
1787
How many times has the U.S. Constitution been amended?
How many times has the U.S. Constitution been amended?
27
Who was one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment?
Who was one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment?
John Locke
What event does the image depict British soldiers firing on unarmed civilians in?
What event does the image depict British soldiers firing on unarmed civilians in?
What is the name of the iconic lithograph where the modern Tea Party movement claim represents the same spirit as their colonial forebears?
What is the name of the iconic lithograph where the modern Tea Party movement claim represents the same spirit as their colonial forebears?
Who painted the presentation of the Declaration of Independence?
Who painted the presentation of the Declaration of Independence?
Who led an uprising of Massachusetts farmers in 1786–1787?
Who led an uprising of Massachusetts farmers in 1786–1787?
What was the name of the plan that called for a two-house legislature?
What was the name of the plan that called for a two-house legislature?
What compromise shows the methods proposed for counting slave populations?
What compromise shows the methods proposed for counting slave populations?
What has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress?
What has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress?
Which court hears cases involving federal law and is the nation's final court of appeal?
Which court hears cases involving federal law and is the nation's final court of appeal?
Who has the power to declare war?
Who has the power to declare war?
In what case did judicial rulings at the federal level supersede state legislation regarding marriage equality?
In what case did judicial rulings at the federal level supersede state legislation regarding marriage equality?
What state does the Massachusetts Sentinel encourage in the cartoon?
What state does the Massachusetts Sentinel encourage in the cartoon?
Which states ratified the constitution fairly quickly?
Which states ratified the constitution fairly quickly?
Who authored a series of essays intended to convince Americans to support the new constitution?
Who authored a series of essays intended to convince Americans to support the new constitution?
Who authored the majority of The Federalist Papers?
Who authored the majority of The Federalist Papers?
Before the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1920, all states gave women the right to vote.
Before the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1920, all states gave women the right to vote.
Flashcards
U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Constitution, drafted in 1787 and amended twenty-seven times, serves as the foundation for U.S. government.
John Locke's Influence
John Locke's Influence
John Locke's writings greatly influenced modern political ideas.
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre
An event where British soldiers fired on unarmed civilians; used to promote dissent.
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
Signup and view all the flashcards
Virginia Plan
Virginia Plan
Signup and view all the flashcards
New Jersey Plan
New Jersey Plan
Signup and view all the flashcards
Three-Fifths Compromise
Three-Fifths Compromise
Signup and view all the flashcards
Separation of Powers
Separation of Powers
Signup and view all the flashcards
Federal Supremacy
Federal Supremacy
Signup and view all the flashcards
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers
Signup and view all the flashcards
Constitution Ratification
Constitution Ratification
Signup and view all the flashcards
Study Notes
- The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 and has been amended 27 times.
- It is a "living document" that has served as the basis for the U.S. government for over 200 years.
- John Locke was a highly influential Enlightenment thinker.
- Locke's writings laid the groundwork for many modern political ideas.
- The Sons of Liberty used a sensationalized depiction of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, to promote their cause.
- The depiction portrayed British soldiers firing on unarmed civilians.
- Crispus Attucks, an African American, was among the first to die in the massacre.
- Eight British soldiers faced murder trials because of the confrontation.
- The modern Tea Party movement claims to embody the spirit of colonial forebears, protesting government interference with people's rights.
- In April 2010, Tea Party Express rally members left signatures on a wall to record their protest on Boston Common.
- John Trumbull's painting commemorates the presentation of the Declaration of Independence.
- The painting was commissioned to hang in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 1817.
- Arose from a contemporary drawing of Continental Army veteran Daniel Shays(left) and Job Shattuck(right),
- Shays and Shattuck led an uprising of Massachusetts farmers in 1786–1787 due to calls for a stronger national government.
- The drawing was featured on the cover of Bickerstaff's Genuine Boston Almanack for 1787.
- The Virginia Plan called for a two-house legislature, with representation based on population in both houses.
- Voters would elect representatives to one house, who then appoint representatives to the second house from candidates chosen by the state's legislature.
- The New Jersey Plan advocated maintaining a one-house Congress, with each state equally represented.
- The Three-Fifths Compromise, which determined how to count slave populations, led to the Three-Fifths Compromise.
- The Constitution divided the government into three branches to prevent any one group from becoming too powerful.
- No branch can function without the cooperation of the others, and each branch can restrict the powers of the others.
- The Executive branch is led by the President who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and responsible for foreign affairs.
- The Judicial branch is led by the Supreme Court hears cases involving federal law and is the nation's final court of appeal.
- The Legislative branch is led by Congress which can pass legislation and declare war.
- Reserve powers enable states to pass intrastate legislation, like laws on commerce, drug use, and marriage.
- Federal judicial rulings can sometimes supersede state laws, seen in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), concerning marriage equality.
- The Massachusetts Sentinel cartoon encouraged voters to join Georgia and Connecticut in ratifying the Constitution.
- Massachusetts became the sixth member of the newly formed federal union on February 6, 1788.
- The order in which states ratified the Constitution varies.
- Smaller states aiming to benefit from a larger union's protection ratified the Constitution quickly, for example, Delaware and Connecticut.
- Larger, more populous states like Virginia and New York ratified later.
- Rhode Island ratified last, having always been reluctant to act alongside the others.
- Between 1787 and 1788, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of essays.
- The essays aimed to convince Americans (especially New Yorkers) to support the new Constitution originally appearing in newspapers.
- The essays were collected and published under the title The Federalist in 1788, now known as The Federalist Papers.
- James Madison played a vital role in the formation of the Constitution.
- Madison was an important participant in the Constitutional Convention and authored many of The Federalist Papers.
- Alexander Hamilton authored the majority of The Federalist Papers and served as Secretary of the Treasury in George Washington's administration.
- Suffragists in Ohio encouraged men to support votes for women during voting for Amendment N°23 in September 3-1912.
- Before the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, a few western states (e.g., Wyoming) gave women the right to vote.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
