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Civics 1st Semester > 1st Quarter Exam > Flashcards

1st Quarter Exam Flashcards

0
Q

Power is shared by a powerful central government and states.

A

Federal government

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1
Q

A weak or loose organization of states that are separate, but have a common purpose.

A

Confederation (A confederal form of government)

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2
Q

States give power to the central government

A

Confederal government

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3
Q

The Central government and the states give each other power

A

Federal government

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4
Q

The articles of Confederation was a _____________ form of government.

A

Confederal

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5
Q

The 7 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation is…

A

Unicameral Congress
no executive branch
Few powers given to national government
All 13 states had to agree in order to make changes
Congress had no power to regulate trade
Congress had no power to coin money
Congress had no power to establish Armed Forces

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6
Q

The 7 strengths of the Federal Constitution is…

A

Bicameral Congress
President given powers to enforce laws
Congress elected by the people (Senate after Amendment 17)
Simple majority needed to pass laws
Congress given power to collect taxes
Congress given power to coin money
Congress given power to form Army and Navy for national defense

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7
Q

The central government is in charge and holds most of the power

A

Unitary government

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8
Q

What does the Constitution describe?

A

It describes the structure of the government and the rights of the American people.
No one may be passed that contradicts its principles.
No person, state, or the government, is exempt from following it. This is why it is commonly called the “supreme law of the land”

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9
Q

What are the three parts of the Constitution?

A
  1. Preamble
  2. Articles
  3. Amendments
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10
Q

Describes the purpose of the document and government.

A

Preamble

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11
Q

Establishes how the government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. There are ___ __________.

A

Articles; 7 Articles

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12
Q

Changes to the constitution; the first 10 are called the ____________.

A

Amendments; Bill of Rights

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13
Q

Why was the Constitutional Convention held?

A

The Articles of Confederation were not working

a stronger central government was needed as demonstrated by Shays’ Rebellion.

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14
Q

The farmer’s uprising because of high taxes.

A

Shays’ Rebellion

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15
Q

A written plan for the structure of the U.S. Government.

A

The U.S. Constitution

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16
Q

What are the five major principles of government?

A

Separation of powers, checks and balances, limited government and rule of law, popular sovereignty, and federalism

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17
Q

Divides the government into three branches

A

Separation of powers

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18
Q

A system created so that no branch was too powerful

A

Checks and balances

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19
Q

Guarantees equality under the law with majority rule and the rights of the minority protected

A

Limited government and rule of law

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20
Q

The idea that the government can do only what the people allow it to do

A

Limited government

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21
Q

The law applies to everyone

A

Rule of law

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22
Q

Establishes that power of the government comes from the people –”people POWER!”

A

Popular sovereignty

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23
Q

Limits the power of the government. Power is divided among the national government and the states

A

Federalism

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24
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union” means…

A

1st; To create a better government than that provided by the Articles of Confederation

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25
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “Establish justice” means…

A

2nd; to make laws and establish a fair court system

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26
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “insure domestic tranquility” means…

A

3rd; To maintain law and order at home

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27
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “provide for the common defense” means…

A

4th; To protect the nation against its enemies

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28
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “Promote the general welfare” means…

A

5th; to ensure the well-being of the entire population

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29
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity” means…

A

6th; to safeguard people’s personal freedom

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30
Q

The ______ goal of the Preamble, “do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America” means…

A

7th; Create this form of government for the country

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31
Q

“By creating a policy making executive branch and by giving Congress the power to tax, the new Constitution avoided the worst difficulties of the Articles of Confederation” is represented by what goal of the Preamble?

A

“We the people of United States, in order to form a more perfect union”

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32
Q

“The Constitution created the U.S. Supreme Court and the judiciary act of 1789 created the rest of the federal court system” Is represented by what goal of the Preamble?

A

“Establish justice”

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33
Q

“The federal government shares with state governments the task of maintaining law and order at home. Together they are responsible for enforcing laws.” Is represented by what goal of the Preamble?

A

“Ensure domestic tranquility”

34
Q

“the Constitution authorized Congress to create an army and a navy.” Is what goal of the Preamble?

A

“provide for the common defense”

35
Q

“Over time, the U.S. government has given all citizens the right to vote.” Is represented by what goal of the Preamble?

A

“Promote the general welfare”

36
Q

The Bill of Rights is represented by what goal of the Preamble?

A

“and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity”

37
Q

A written thesis – why the Constitution was written.

A

Preamble

38
Q

Describes the duties of the legislative branch

A

Article 1. Legislative

39
Q

Describes the duties of the president

A

Article 2. Executive

40
Q

Describes the duties of the Supreme Court

A

Article 3. Judicial

41
Q

Describes the relationship of the states to the national government

A

Article 4. States

42
Q

Describes how amendments can be added to the Constitution

A

Article 5. Amendment process

43
Q

States that the Constitution is the law of the land

A

Article 6. Supremacy Clause

44
Q

Describes how the Constitution was to be ratified (voted on)

A

Article 7. Ratification process

45
Q

Congress is the lawmaking branch

A

Legislative branch

46
Q

Executes the country’s laws

A

Executive branch

47
Q

Interprets laws

A

Judicial branch

48
Q

Made up of two houses: the state and the House of Representatives

A

Legislative branch

49
Q

Headed by the president

A

Executive branch

50
Q

Supreme Court is the head of the ________ ________.

A

Judicial branch

51
Q 
Makes the laws, 
confirms presidential appointments, 
approves treaties, 
grants money, 
declares war,
Is powers of the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ branch.
A

Legislative

52
Q 
Proposes laws, 
Approves or vetoes laws,
Administers and executes the laws, commands the Armed Forces, appoints ambassadors, federal judges and others, 
conducts foreign policy, 
makes treaties, 
Is the powers of the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ branch.
A

Executive

53
Q

Interprets the Constitution and other laws, reviews lower court decisions, is the powers of the ____________ branch

A

Judicial

54
Q

Each branch has powers that no other branch can have.
Each branch has powers that limit the powers of the other two branches.
Ensures that no branch becomes too powerful.
These are examples of the principal __________.

A

Checks and balances

55
Q

The chop the snake represented the colonies that wanted to_____________.

A

Declare independence from Great Britain

56
Q

Which example from the Declaration of Independence is evident today?

A

Equal employment opportunities

57
Q

How long the president is in power.

A

Term limits

58
Q

Which is the best summary of the natural rights?

A

People have rights that can’t be denied

59
Q

The people in the country get to make the laws. What is this an example of?

A

Self government

60
Q

Which one is a unitary government?

A

A central government

61
Q

This pamphlet is about independence.

A

Common sense

62
Q

In this country, the people choose the president by voting every four years.

A

Popular sovereignty

63
Q

New York State cannot sign a treaty with a foreign country.

A

Federalism

64
Q

Congress cannot pass a law that violates freedom of speech.

A

Limited government

65
Q

The government cannot arrest a person unless there is good reason to believe that he or she has violated a law.

A

Limited government

66
Q

The Senate may vote against a treaty that the president has negotiated.

A

Checks and balances

67
Q

The Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of laws.

A

Judicial review

68
Q

Massachusetts must respect the laws of both neighboring Connecticut and distant Alaska

A

Federalism

69
Q

The president and all other government officials must obey the laws of the United States.

A

Limited government

70
Q

The Result of the Magna Carta was

A

Self-government

71
Q

“You shall make no laws but what I please.” Which complaint against the king from the Declaration of Independence would Thomas Paine agree?

A

Taking away political rights

72
Q

Who wrote common sense?

A

Thomas Paine

73
Q

Which of the following played an important role in the new England economy?

A

Shipbuilding

74
Q

Which of the following groups wrote the Declaration of Independence?

A

The Second Continental Congress

75
Q

Why did the students protest in Tiananmen Square? What was the result? Which of the four ideals is the focus of this document?

A

They wanted liberty; it resulted in the death of 3,000 people; consent of the governed

76
Q

This enlightenment thinker believed that people have rights to life, liberty, and property that the government must protect for the common good.

A

John Locke

77
Q

Limited the Kings power. It forbade him from placing certain taxes on the Nobles without their consent. It gave rights to free man. This included the rights to equal treatment under the law and to trial by one’s peers. It gave nobles the right to rebel if the king broke his part of the agreement.

A

Magna Carta

78
Q

Ended the struggle between Parliament and the monarch. The result was Parliament being the leading force in English government.

A

The English Bill of Rights

79
Q

A document written to explain to the world why the colonists should be free.

A

The Declaration of Independence

80
Q

A document that started with the preamble, declaration of natural rights, list of grievances, and resolution of independence.

A

Declaration of Independence

81
Q

What was the original purpose of the Constitutional convention?

A

To revise the articles of Confederation. However they felt that the current government was too weak to deal with the nation’s many problems so they created an entirely new plan of government and created the U.S. Constitution.

82
Q

Which branch of government is bicameral?

A

The legislative branch

Civics 1st Semester (11 decks)

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