Constitution Review – Flashcards

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question
Many Americans distrusted a strong central government in which document is that reflected in?
answer
The Articles of Confederation
question
The basic ideas in the Declaration of Independence came from where?
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The European Enlightenment Thinkers
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The elastic clause, the amending process, and judicial review are all methods of what?
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Flexibility or ways to change the Constitution
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What are some examples of checks and balances?
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The executive branch can veto bills from the legislative branch, and the legislative branch can override an executive veto
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What is one difference between the U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?
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The Articles of Confederation does not have a strong central government; instead the states have all the power. There is also only one branch of government under the Articles of Confederation
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How were small states made happy at the Constitutional Convention?
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In the Senate all states were represented equally, 2 Senators per state. They created a bicameral legislature
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Why is the U.S. Government considered a federal system?
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Power is shared between the state and federal government
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What are the powers reserved for the federal government called?
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Delegated powers
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What the powers shared by the federal and state governments called?
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Concurrent Powers
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What are the powers reserved for the state governments called?
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Reserved powers
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Members of the Cabinet are directly responsible to whom?
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The current President
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What is judicial review?
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The Supreme Court checks that a bill/law/amendment does not violate the Constitution. Makes sure stuff is not unconstitutional
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Which action could eliminate the Electoral College?
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An amendment
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What idea did small states support at the Constitutional Convention?
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Each state should have equal representation in Congress
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Why was the Bill of Rights added to the U.S. Constitution?
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Because the anti-feds felt that the Constitution needed to specifically list our rights, the gov't could not be trusted
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What are the criticisms of the Electoral College?
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Takes away power from the people. People do not directly choose the President
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What is one similarity between the U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?
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They both set up a government for the United States
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Why were checks and balances added to the Constitution?
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To make sure no one branch has more power
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What was the one accomplishment of the Articles of Confederation?
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The Northwest Ordinance, how territories would become states
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What were the Federalist Papers?
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A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton that argued for the ratification of the US Constitution
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What powers does the President have as Commander in Chief?
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Makes all decisions regarding the US Armed Forces
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Who ratifies treaties with foreign countries?
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Secretary of State
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Who licenses teachers? State of Federal Government?
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State Government
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Why is the Northwest Ordinance important?
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It set up the process in which territories become states
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The 5th and 6th Amendment protects whom?
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The accused
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What is the job of the Supreme Court?
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Cases involving Congress and the Constitution. To interpret the law
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What is a similarity between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights?
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They protected the rights of the people
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Who can impeach the President?
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Congress
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How is the number of electoral votes for each state determined?
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Representatives + Senators = Electoral Votes
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Why was the Electoral College added to the Constitution?
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The American people cannot be trusted to choose an appropriate candidate
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What is the elastic clause? Give one example
answer
The ability to stretch the meaning of the US Constitution to allow the creation of certain institutions. For example the creation of the US Air Force
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