1. 1
AHSGE Chapter 3
The United States Government
• Magna Carta – document written in ____________that stated a
king’s power was not_______________.
• John Locke – English __________________who believed the
government should get its _______________ from the people.
• Jacques Rousseau – French philosopher who believed the right to
_______________should come from the people and not a________.
• Wrote the Social Contract Theory (there should be an
_______________between the people and the government that
limits the rights and duties of each.) Thomas Jefferson used this
philosophy in the __________________of Independence.
• Baron de Montesquieu – believed that government should possess
a______________, executive and _______________branch.
• Great Awakening – revival of ______________ in the American
Colonies. Contributed to a sense of American nationality before
the________________.
• House of Burgesses – first _______________assembly in the
American colonies.
• First and Second Continental Congresses – ___________ for
forming the United States_____________.
• Declaration of Independence – A formal ______________of colonial
independence. Established general ________________of human
rights.
Articles of Confederation
-First __________________ of the United States
Congress can:
-declare__________ and make peace
-coin and borrow _____________
-establish a __________office
-raise an ___________and navy
-make __________treaties and alliances
-pass laws by 9 of 13 states.
Congress cannot:
-levy __________
-regulate foreign or domestic ___________
-enforce any of its __________

2. 2
CHUNK # 1 Page 36. Read the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation. In the space provided below Explain why the
weaknesses of the Articles might cause problems within our
new nation.
_________________________________________________________
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Strengths – States retained rights, __________government established a
post office.
Weaknesses –_________bonds developed between independent states, one
vote per state, no __________or judicial power, and unanimous vote
required for_______________.
The Constitutional Convention
• Meeting held to _____________the Articles of Confederation
CHUNK #2 Page 37. Read the first three paragraphs. Fill in the chart below by
explaining the Virginia Plan, the New Jersey Plan and the Great Compromise
Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan
_______________________ ____________________________
_______________________ ____________________________
_______________________ ____________________________
The Great Compromise
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3. 3
• Virginia Plan – representation in Congress would be based
on________________.
• New Jersey Plan – representation in Congress would be based on
_______________representation
• Great Compromise – Congress would be ___________into two houses.
• Senate- _________house would have equal representation (two
senators).
• House of Representatives - Lower house would be based
on___________.
• 3/5 Compromise – decisions on how to count ___________in the
south. For every 5 slaves, 3 would count as a______________.
United States Government under the Constitution
• The Constitution - Supreme __________of the land.
• Federalism – the dividing of _________between the national and
______________governments.
• Constitutionalism – government where power is divided among various
____________ but all obey a system of__________.
Three Branches of Government
• Legislative – Congress __________the laws.
• Executive – the President ____________ out the laws.
• Judicial- Supreme Court ____________or explains the laws.
• Checks and Balances –_________to keep one branch of government
from becoming too_______________.
• Veto - __________or refuse.
The Constitution
• Preamble – states the _______________of establishing a new
government under the_________________.
• Article I – establishes the ________________Branch with a two
house Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
• Article II – Outlines the _______________Branch
• Article III – Explains the ______________Branch
Ratifying the Constitution
• Ratify – to_____________.
• Federalists –_____________of the Constitution. Believed the U.S.
needed to have a ______________national government.
•

4. 4
• Anti-Federalists –_____________of the Constitution. Believed the
new national government would be too powerful and that states should
retain more__________________.
Amending the Constitution
What must be done to amend the Constitution? Changes can only be made
through________________.
The Bill of Rights
• First _________amendments to the Constitution to insure basic
rights and freedoms for American_____________.
Other Important Amendments to the Constitution
• 13th – abolished _____________
• 14th – civil rights of all people born or naturalized in the United
States are ___________ (allowed citizenship of African Americans).
• 15th – All male citizens have the right to _______regardless of race
or color.
• 19th – Women are ____________the right to__________.
The First Government Under the Constitution
• Electoral College – a group of people ____________each state.
• George Washington – First______________.
• Alexander Hamilton – Secretary of_______________. Federalist
Politics and Policies in the New Government
• Elastic Clause – gives Congress the power to pass ___________
which is considers “necessary and__________”. It ______________
the power of the Constitution.
• Loose Interpretation – The belief by Alexander Hamilton that the
government had __________powers than were actuality
___________in the Constitution.
Strict Interpretation – The belief by Thomas Jefferson that the
government had only the powers ___________listed in the Constitution.

5. 5
Washington’s Farewell Address
• Washington said the U.S. should stay ____________and avoid
permanent alliances with other nations.
• He advised against forming political____________.
• He believed good government is based on religion and____________.
Formation of Parties
CHUNK #3 Turn to page 43. Read Opposing Views of Hamilton and Jefferson.
List the viewpoints of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson below.
Hamilton Jefferson
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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• Federalists – Alexander Hamilton favored a __________central
government and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Power
should be with well _______________people.
• Democratic-Republicans – Thomas Jefferson, favored states
retaining authority and a _____________interpretation of the
Constitution. Wanted power in the hands of the ___________people.
Important Cases
• John Marshall – Chief Justice of the ___________Court.
Established ______________of the national government over the
states.
• Marbury v Madison – established the right of __________review.
The Supreme Court could declare a law__________________.
• Gibbons v Ogden – Congress had the power to regular
_____________and foreign commerce.