William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

Study guide 67

The historical context of the

Constitution

Describe the historical circumstances that led to the Con-

stitutional Convention of 1787. (Pages 32–39)

Summary

The U.S. Constitution was shaped by historical events preceding its

creation, particularly the period of British rule over the colonies, the

Revolutionary War, and the states’ experience under the Articles

of Confederation. Under British rule, the colonies were relatively

independent of one another, and the framers sought to create a

strong nation while still maintaining the autonomy of the states in the

system. The framers based the Constitution on three key principles:

the rejection of a monarchy, popular control of the government, and a

limited government that protected against tyranny.

Key terms

Articles of Confederation

(p. 33)

limited government (p. 33)

monarchy (p. 33)

Shays’s Rebellion (p. 35)

republicanism (p. 36)

“consent of the

governed” (p. 37)

natural rights (p. 37)

Federalists (p. 38)

Antifederalists (p. 38)

Practice Quiz Questions

1. How were members of Congress selected under the Articles of
   Confederation?
   a by the state governor
   b by the state legislature
   c by the state supreme court
   d by popular election
   e by random lot
   2. What power did the president have under the Articles of
   Confederation?
   a power to raise an army
   b power to veto congressional legislation
   c power to negotiate foreign agreements
   d power to nominate federal judges
   e There was no president under the Articles of Confederation.
   3. Who is the philosopher who argued that without government,
   life would be “nasty, brutish, and short”?
   a Thomas Hobbes
   b John Locke
   c Baron de Montesquieu
   d Thomas Paine
   e Thomas Jefferson
   4. At the American Founding, what is the best way to describe the
   economic inequality among classes and the economic diversity
   among regions?
   a high inequality / high diversity
   b high inequality / low diversity
   c low inequality / high diversity
   d low inequality / low diversity

The politics of compromise

at the Constitutional

Convention

Analyze the major issues debated by the framers of the

Constitution. (Pages 39–48)

Summary

Although the framers of the Constitution agreed that the Articles

of Confederation needed to be changed, there was little consensus

otherwise. The Federalists and Antifederalists clashed on several

issues, though the most important were (1) balancing majority rule

with minority rights, (2) allocating power between large and small

states, (3) allocating power between the legislature and executive,

(4) allocating power between the national government and the states,

and (5) determining how to handle slavery.

Key terms

pluralism (p. 41)

Virginia Plan (p. 42)

New Jersey Plan (p. 42)

Great Compromise (p. 42)

parliamentary system (p. 44)

reserved powers (p. 45)

national supremacy clause (p. 45)

Three-Fifths Compromise (p. 46)

Study Guide

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