Creating the Constitution (pp. 175–182) a. The weak and divided American government was at the mercy of foreign powers, especially its previous mother country, ____________. A debtor uprising in western _____________ in 17___ called _________ Rebellion exemplified the potential for anarchy at home in the absence of a strong central government. Ostensibly to strengthen the Articles, the states sent delegates to a convention in ______________ in May 17___. The method of selection (by state legislatures) assured that delegates would be “a select group of propertied men.” *** Is it your sense that the main interest of these delegates was stability and order or democracy and popular freedom? Why?
b. George _____________ was elected chairman of the convention, but the real “Father of the Constitution,” who seized the initiative early, was James __________ of Virginia. When the convention decided to scrap the Articles and start anew, the bargaining began. What was the
(1) “Great Compromise”:
(2) “Three-fifths Compromise”:
(3) Electoral College:
(4) Principle of “Checks and Balances”:
c. Look at the chart on p. 181. *** What two changes under the new Constitution do you think did most to strengthen the federal government relative to the states?
(1)
(2)
6. Ratification (pp. 182–187) a. *** From your perspective, what were the two best arguments against the new Constitution advanced by the mostly backcountry Antifederalists?
(1)
(2)
b. Ratification was helped by publication of The ____________, an eloquent theoretical defense written by Alexander __________, James ________, and John _______. What do the authors mean when they say on p. 186 that “the minority had triumphed—twice?”
(1) First:
(2) Second:
