The Constitution Exam Questions Marking Scheme

The Constitution Exam Questions Marking Scheme Anti-Federalists Papers - ANSWER- a series of essays written to counter and defeat the proposed U.S. Constitution Anti-Federalists - ANSWER- a group of people in the early United States who opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution because they feared a strong national government and a lack of protection for individual rights Bill of Rights - ANSWER- the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, establishing rights and protections for American citizens Federalists Papers - ANSWER- a series of essays written to explain and defend the proposed U.S. Constitution Federalists - ANSWER- a group of people in the early United States who favored the establishment of a strong national government and who worked for ratification of the U.S. Constitution Ratification - ANSWER- the process of formally approving something; ratification of the U.S. Constitution Articles of Confederation - ANSWER- the first constitution of the United States, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789 confederation - ANSWER- a system of government where power is located with the independent states and there is little power in the central government Constitutional Convention - ANSWER- a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 where delegates decided to throw out the Articles of Confederation and draft the Constitution Debt - ANSWER- something owed; such as money Shay's Rebellion - ANSWER- an event when 2000 Massachusetts farmers rebelled against land foreclosures and debt from the Revolutionary War What is the Articles of Confederation? - ANSWER- The Articles of Confederation was the first government of the United States. What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? - ANSWER- Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress could not tax, could not regulate trade, or enforce laws. There was no central leadership to enforce laws and there was no central judicial branch. It requited unanimous approval of all 13 states in order to change any part of the articles. How did Shays's Rebellion lead to the Constitutional Convention? - ANSWER- Shays's Rebellion made it clear that the central government did not have the ability to keep order in the new nation. This causes Alexander Hamilton to organize a meeting. What happened at the Constitutional Convention? - ANSWER- At the Constitutional Convention, the Articles of Confederation were thrown out and the Constitution was written.