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U.S. Government and Founding Documents Study Guide
This deck covers key concepts and events related to the formation and functioning of the U.S. government through its founding documents, influential figures, and pivotal events.
Limited Government
In this type of government everyone, including all authority figures, must obey laws. Constitutions, statements of rights, or other laws define the limits of those in power so they cannot take advantage of the elected, appointed, or inherited positions.
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Key Terms
Term
Definition
Limited Government
In this type of government everyone, including all authority figures, must obey laws. Constitutions, statements of rights, or other laws define the li...
John Locke
English empiricist philosopher who believed that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience (1632-1704)
Stamp Act
An act passed by the British parliament in 1756 that raised revenue from the American colonies by a duty in the form of a stamp required on all newspa...
Intolerable Acts
In response to Boston Tea Party, 4 acts passed in 1774, Port of Boston closed, reduced power of assemblies in colonies, permitted royal officers to be...
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met to discuss problems with Britain and to promote independence.
Second Continental Congress
They organized the continental Army, called on the colonies to send troops, selected George Washington to lead the army, and appointed the committee t...
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Limited Government | In this type of government everyone, including all authority figures, must obey laws. Constitutions, statements of rights, or other laws define the limits of those in power so they cannot take advantage of the elected, appointed, or inherited positions. |
John Locke | English empiricist philosopher who believed that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience (1632-1704) |
Stamp Act | An act passed by the British parliament in 1756 that raised revenue from the American colonies by a duty in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents. |
Intolerable Acts | In response to Boston Tea Party, 4 acts passed in 1774, Port of Boston closed, reduced power of assemblies in colonies, permitted royal officers to be tried elsewhere, provided for quartering of troops in barns and empty houses. |
First Continental Congress | Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met to discuss problems with Britain and to promote independence. |
Second Continental Congress | They organized the continental Army, called on the colonies to send troops, selected George Washington to lead the army, and appointed the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. |
Common Sense | A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation. |
James Madison | Strict constructionist, 4th president, father of the Constitution, leads nation through War of 1812. |
Republic | A government where citizens rule themselves. |
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 | Opposite of the Virginia Plan, it proposed a single-chamber congress in which each state had one vote. This created a conflict with representation between bigger states, who wanted control befitting their population, and smaller states, who didn't want to be bullied by larger states. |
Alexander Hamilton | 1789-1795; First Secretary of the Treasury. He advocated creation of a national bank, assumption of state debts by the federal government, and a tariff system to pay off the national debt. |
3/5 Compromise | The decision at the Constitutional convention to count slaves as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of deciding the population and determining how many seats each state would have in Congress. |
Federalist Papers | A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay (using the name 'publius') published in NY newspapers and used to convince readers to adopt the new constitution. |
Bill of Rights | A statement of fundamental rights and privileges (especially the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution). |
Checks and balances | A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power. |
Articles of Confederation | This document, the nation's first constitution, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the revolution. The document was limited because states held most of the power, and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage. |
Marbury v. Madison | The 1803 case in which Chief Justice John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. The decision established the Court's power of judicial review over acts of Congress, (the Judiciary Act of 1789). |
Popular Sovereignty | People hold the final authority in all matters of government. |
Shays Rebellion | This conflict in Massachusetts caused many to criticize the Articles of Confederation and admit the weak central government was not working; uprising led by Daniel Shays in an effort to prevent courts from foreclosing on the farms of those who could not pay the taxes. |