The Constitutional Convention & Debates over Ratification (College Board AP® US History): Flashcards
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Why did state representatives meet at the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
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Cards in this collection (29)
Why did state representatives meet at the Constitutional Convention in 1787?
Most Americans agreed the United States needed a stronger federal government than the one created by the Articles of Confederation.
True or False?
The Constitutional Convention was open to the public.
False.
The Convention was closed to the public while representatives negotiated and compromised.
Who led the efforts to change the Articles of Confederation?
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison led the efforts to change the Articles.
The Constitutional Convention began in May 1787 in .
The Constitutional Convention began in May 1787 in Philadelphia.
Which state chose not to attend the Constitutional Convention?
Rhode Island chose not to attend.
Which groups were not represented at the Constitutional Convention?
Indigenous peoples, African Americans, and women were not represented.
Why did the presence of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin matter?
Both men were well-respected, so the public trusted the proceedings.
How were decisions made at the Constitutional Convention?
Each state had one vote per question, and decisions were made by majority vote.
Define Virginia Plan.
The Virginia Plan, favored by larger states, proposed a bicameral legislature with membership based on state population.
True or False?
The New Jersey Plan was favored by the larger states.
False.
The smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan because it gave each state equal representation in a single-house legislature.
Define Great Compromise.
The Great Compromise, proposed by Roger Sherman, gave each state two senators and based representation in the House on population.
By 1786, which two states had neither banned nor taxed the importation of enslaved people?
Georgia and South Carolina had neither banned nor taxed the importation of enslaved people.
Why did slaveholding states want enslaved people counted in their population?
Counting enslaved people would give them more seats in Congress and more electoral college votes.
Why were Southerners wary of counting enslaved people in their population?
Taxes were based on population, so counting enslaved people would mean paying more taxes.
Define Three-Fifths Compromise.
The Three-Fifths Compromise counted every five enslaved people as three members of a state's population.
Why did Northern delegates compromise on slavery at the Convention?
They feared some Southern delegates would not support a strong central government otherwise.
Delegates agreed Congress could not stop the importation of enslaved people until .
Delegates agreed Congress could not stop the importation of enslaved people until 1808.
True or False?
The original Constitution freed enslaved people who escaped from their enslavers.
False.
The Constitution required enslaved people who ran away to be returned if they were caught.
Which amendment made slavery illegal and nullified the Constitution's clause on escaped enslaved people?
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, made slavery illegal.
How did the states decide whether to accept the Constitution?
Each state held a ratifying convention of representatives chosen by citizens.
of the 13 states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect.
Nine of the 13 states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect.
Define Federalists.
Federalists were those who supported the Constitution as it was written.
Define Anti-Federalists.
Anti-Federalists were those who did not support the Constitution as it was written.
True or False?
Anti-Federalists wanted an entirely new constitution.
False.
Anti-Federalists wanted only a revision of the Articles of Confederation, not an entirely new constitution.
What did Anti-Federalists fear about the new federal government?
They feared federal power would come at the expense of state powers, calling the president a "monarch in disguise."
What was the Anti-Federalists' biggest concern about the Constitution?
The Constitution did not include a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.
Who wrote The Federalist Papers?
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the 85 articles of The Federalist Papers.
How did the Federalists win the Anti-Federalists' support?
The Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights as soon as the Constitution was ratified.
The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments, was added to the Constitution in .
The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments, was added to the Constitution in 1791.
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