Constitution Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Constitution?
The Constitution is a document that serves as the highest law of the United States of America. It outlines the basic structure of the government and its powers, as well as defining individual rights and responsibilities. It was ratified in 1788 and has since served as a cornerstone for many aspects of American society. The Constitution was created by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. After much debate, these delegates finally agreed on seven principles that would be enshrined within the document: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, popular sovereignty, limited government, representation, and judicial review. These seven principles are still reflected in our current political system today. Federalism is one of the most important aspects of the Constitution because it allows power to be shared between state governments and the national government. This ensures that no one branch or level of government has too much power while allowing states to have a strong voice in policymaking decisions at both levels. Separation of powers divides governmental authority into three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (the president) ,and judicial (the Supreme Court). Each branch has different duties but they are all accountable to each other through checks-and-balances which allow them to keep each other from becoming too powerful or overreaching their authority. Popular sovereignty holds that citizens possess power over their own government rather than having absolute rule from above them this is also known as democracy or rule by majority. This principle requires elected officials to be accountable for their actions while protecting minority opinion from being overpowered by those who hold majority opinion. Limited government is designed so there are certain limits placed on how far a government can go when making laws or exerting its power over citizens this prevents oppression or tyranny which could arise if there were no limits set on what it can do. This includes prohibiting certain activities like infringing upon an individual’s right to freedom speech belief ,or practice any religion they choose without fear of punishment. Representation ensures that all citizens have an equal say in how their country is governed regardless if they live close enough physically to participate directly in politics or not this includes voting rights ,electoral colleges ,and district lines drawn up fairly among population size. Finally judicial review gives courts authority over interpreting laws passed by Congress this allows them to determine whether something violates Constitutional rights before it becomes law while upholding justice throughout society.