#4 Handout Test Flashcards
(91 cards)
1
Q
What does Preamble mean for the Constitution?
A
The introduction to the Constitution.
2
Q
Who is James Madison?
A
James Madison was the 4th President of the United States and is considered to be the father of the Constitution.
3
Q
Who wrote the Preamble and is thought to have written the document?
A
Gouverneur Morris of NY physically wrote the Preamble and is thought to have written the document.
4
Q
Is Gouverneur Morris actually a governor?
A
No he is not, that is just his first name.
5
Q
What is Gouverneur Morris often called?
A
The “Penman of the Constitution”.
6
Q
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A
Thomas Jefferson.
7
Q
Who else contributed to the Constitution and where were they from? But who was credited?
A
John Adams (Va.), Ben Franklin (Pa.), Alexander Hamilton (NY), Thomas Jefferson (Va.), John Jay (NY), and George Washington (Va) all contributed ideas, but in the end, credit is given to James Madison and Gouverneur Morris.
8
Q
What does “We the People” mean in the Preamble?
A
White men, writing in their power construct.
9
Q
“In order to form a more perfect Union”. What does more perfect union mean?
A
Article 5- there are rules to amend the Constitution.
10
Q
What does Justice mean?
A
Fairness
11
Q
What does insure (domestic Tranquility) mean?
A
Calmness within the country.
12
Q
What does (defence) mean?
A
Protect
13
Q
What does Welfare mean?
A
Safety
14
Q
What does Posterity mean?
A
To write for future generations. (Constitution was not just a one year thing)
15
Q
What does ordain mean?
A
To approve
16
Q
What did the framework establish for the Constitution? Where?
A
Checks and Balances & a Separation of Powers. (Preamble)
17
Q
What are the Seven Articles?
A
Article I: Legislative Branch
Article II: Executive Branch
Article III: Judicial Branch
Article IV: Relationships between the states/ The States
Article V: Adding of Amendments
Article VI: The Constitution the law of the land/ Supremacy
Article VII: Ratification
18
Q
What does bicameral mean?
A
Two houses (legislative)
19
Q
What are the two houses in Congress?
A
The Senate and the H.O.R.
20
Q
What is the Legislative Branches major responsibility?
A
To make the laws.
21
Q
WHY is the H.O.R known as the Lower House? What is the H.O.R term?
A
The H.O.R is closer to the people because their term is only 2 years and they are constantly asking the people what they need in order to get re-elected.
22
Q
How is the H.O.R elected by districts/counties in a state?
A
By areas of a state.
23
Q
How old do you have to be in order to run for the House?
A
25 years old.
24
Q
How long do you have to be a citizen in the U.S to run for the House?
A
7 years in the U.S.
25
How is the number of Representatives/ state determined by?
State Population
26
Census
Every ten years we take a count of the population of each state to see if the state has increased or decreased in population to see if the state will gain or lose a representative in the House.
27
What are the three reasons we need to take a census?
1. To find out the amount of representatives in the House for each state. (Based on population)
2. Effects the amount of people in the electoral college per state.
3. Effects how much money the federal government gives to the states. (Larger populated states= more money due to having to make more roads and bridges and more people)
28
What does impeachment mean? Who does it? Why would they impeach?
The H.O.R accuses the President. The H.O.R impeaches a President if they committed a really high crime that disrespects the Constitution.
29
Who is the Speaker of the H.O.R in 2023?
Kevin McCarthy (a republican)
30
What are the responsibilites of the Speaker of the House?
1. Majority leader of the party in the H.O.R.
2. Sets legislation- Powerful!
3. Breaks a tie- unique (never really happens)
31
Why it is powerful for the Speaker of the House to set legislation?
It is powerful because you can set what will be discussed. It is your opinion and can put your party over the good of the country.
32
Why is the Senate called the "Upper House" and who did this make happy?
The Senate is called the Upper House because they were more pretigist than the H.O.R. and the smaller populated states were happy.
33
What is the term for the Senate?
6 years, but there is no term limit.
34
How old do you have to be to become a member of the Senate?
30 years old.
35
How long do you have to be a citizen in the U.S to run for the Senate?
9 years of citizenship.
36
Is the Senate elected by the entire state?
Yes, the Senate is elected by the entire state.
37
What does the Senate have the power to do when the President is impeached? Which house goes first for impeachment?
To put the President on trial in the Senate. The H.O.R goes first when accusing the President.
38
What did the Founder's expect from the people in charge?
To put the country over their party.
39
If a president is on trial who does not preside, but who does preside?
If a president is on trial, the vice president does not preside, but the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court would preside.
40
What will the issue must reach in order for the President to be impeached?
High Crimes and Misdemeanors- Threshold. (Disrespects the Constitution)
41
What are the four potential outcomes of the President being impeached?
1. Not guilty- still in office
2. Guilty (found in Senate trial)- leaves office (home) Vice President becomes President and the President does a trial in a federal court- if found guilty goes to jail. Or if found not guilty- goes home and is not President.
3. Censure- nothing happens like an infraction. (Doesn't reach threshold)
4. The Senate refuses to hear the case. (Party over good of the country- not what Founders expected)
42
Who is the Senate Majority Leader 2023? Party?
Chuck Schumer- 2023 Senate Majority Leader (NY). The leader of the majority party in the Senate is Democrat.
43
What are the responsibilities of the Senate Majority Leader?
Sets what will be discussed, voted on, legislation- bills or laws (passed) (even if the H.O.R approved a piece of legislation, the Senate Majority Leader can refuse to discuss it- Powerful (have to hit the sweet spot)
44
Can Senators (who else) can be censured (infraction)? Who do they censure?
Senators and Congresspeople can be censured and they censure a President.
45
What position is the Vice President in the Senate?
The Vice President is the President of the Senate.
46
What is the Vice President's job in the Senate?
1. She/He cannot discuss any bill.
2. She/He votes only if there is a tie. 50/50- (very low chance)
47
Why can't the Vice President discuss any bill?
It is not their job, is the legislatives- Checks and Balances! OWN RESPONSIBILITIES
48
The Senate can approve or reject presidential appointments such as..? Why can they approve or reject?
Senate can approve or reject (checks and balances- to find best person for the job) presidential appointments, such as cabinet members and justices for the Supreme Court.
49
Who are the cabinet members and who chooses them?
The Cabinet Members are the Presidents advisors and are chosen by the President, but can be approved or rejected by the Senate. Also, the President does not have to listen to the cabinet.
50
The Senate can approve or reject treaties, such as...?
War, trade, environmental, pollution, etc.
51
When is the opening session of Congress?
Powers: January 3rd (2023: 119th)
52
Why must Congress be paid?
Congress must be paid, so average citizens can run for office, not just wealthy people.
53
What are the steps for passing bills? How long?
Bills must pass both houses (Senate and H.O.R.) and are then sent to the president. Could take a really long time- go back and forth.
54
The President can veto, but with what fraction can _____ override a veto.
The President can veto, but with a ⅔ majority Congress can override a veto.
55
Why can Congress declare war? But who asks to the Congress to declare war?
1. President is not a king.
2. The Legislative Branch does not live full time in Washington D.C, so they go back to there home states and ultimately the people are the ones fighting in the military, so they answer back depending if the people wanted to declare war.
Lastly, the President asks Congress to declare war.
56
Congress establishes and maintains...? Payed by what?
An army and a navy. Also, air force- didn't have at the time that is payed by taxes and all branches.
57
Congress can also establish..?
Post offices- to communicate due to phones not being invented, create courts- Shay's Rebellion that were consistent, regulate commerce/trade between the states, raises money (taxes).
58
Congress borrows..? Past? Now?
Money. Past- Spain, France, and England. Now- China, Mexico, Canada.
59
Why does Congress need to pay debts?
To keep trade going.
60
What is Congress' intellectual property?
Granting copyrights and patents. Patent= invention. Copyright- written word.
61
Congress has the authority to admit new states. How many people to make it become a state?
800,000 living in a state for it to become a state.
62
Why did Congress coin money?
Write to make money= Construct= Created that has high value now- Privileged.
63
Why did Congress want to regulate immigration? Where could immigrates come from legally, how about illegally?
At the beginning, the states wanted immigrants for population, but it is mostly based on how the economy is doing. If the economy increases the immigrates increase. They could come from Asia legally, but South America illegally.
64
Visa
To be in a country- government staying approval.
65
What is no law allowed to do?
Give preference to one state over another.
66
The Senate has to get the ____ permission to spend money. Why?
H.O.R. permission- tax issues always start in the House.
67
Tax issues must start where and why? Then go where?
Tax issues must start in the H.O.R because it is closer to the people and then go to the Senate.
68
What did the founders not mention in the Constitution?
Political Parties.
69
What is the trade war weapon? What is the case?
Tariffs- tax on imported goods- imposed by government. If you raise your tariffs then we will too.
70
What are the two reasons for a trade war? Explain
1. Stealing of Intellectual Property- Copyrights- words and Patents- inventions. (Has to happen more than once for them to investigate it).
2. Imbalance of Trade- for example, the U.S is buying more from China than China is buying from the U.S. - China citizens are no being paid enough to buy from the U.S., no minimum wage.
71
What is the Mid-Term election? Who gets elected in the Mid-Term Election? What does it determine? Practice the chart.
The Mid-Term election is the how am I doing election for the President. Say the President is Republican: Good- H=R 1/3 S=R. Ok H=D or R 1/3 S= D or R. Not good- H= D S= D. This will also determine if the President can get his laws passed or not. The people that are elected are all members of the H.O.R- 435 and ⅓ of the Senate, which is 33.
72
Who is the electoral college? Who are they chosen by?
A group of average citizens with jobs like a teacher or fireman that are politically active and are chosen by high political people.
73
Why is being chosen for the Electoral College symbolic?
It is cool to be chosen, but you aren't actually needed because the electoral college generally votes with the people and the group has never changed the vote in a state.
74
Who wanted to do away with the electoral college and why?
The larger populated states wanted to do away with the electoral college because if they just did popular or majority they would have an advantage.
75
Who wanted the electoral college?
The smaller populated states wanted the electoral college because they would not have an advantage.
76
When do the electoral college members get re-elected?
Every 4 years.
77
Why did the Founders put the electoral college together? Did it work?
The Founders were rich merchants and farmers who did not trust average citizens (farmers) to chose the right person for President, so they wanted to be able to change the vote in a state, but it never really happened only really really early on.
78
How is the electoral college decided? How many needed to win?
THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS DETERMINED BY # OF MEMBERS IN THE H.O.R + 2 SENATORS. 270 NEEDED TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY because it is a little more than half of the 538 members in Congress.
79
How many Presidential Elections in total? How many Presidents in total with how many electoral votes casted?
58 Presidential Elections in total and as of 2021, there have been 46 Presidents in total with 23,000 electoral votes casted.
80
Has a STATE ever overturned the popular vote? Since when and how many electors have casted ballots that don't reflect the popular vote? Where were they?
Of the 23,000 votes, no state has overturned the popular vote. Since 1789, only 90 electors have cast ballots that don’t reflect the popular vote of the state and those votes have not been all in one state.
81
Over the years the majority of states have passed laws saying that..?
The electors must vote the way of the state.
82
The Supreme Court has also ruled that it is unconstitutional for an elector to...?
To not vote with the will of the state.
83
Why are there 538 members of the Electoral College?
435 H.O.R members, 100 Senators, 3 Electors. 538- total members in Congress.
84
Who is not in the electoral college, but who is?
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MEMBERS ARE NOT THE CONGRESSPEOPLE AND SENATORS. THE PEOPLE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE ARE AVERAGE CITIZENS OF A STATE.
85
How many states is the fewest to get 270 electoral votes?
11 states, NY, FL, TX, CALI, PA, IL, OH, GA, MICHIGAN, VA, NC.
86
What are the purple states known as and an example of them?
Swing states or those who change their political parties. Ex, Ohio and Florida. The President will most likely have to convince the purple states instead of convincing their safe states.
87
If a president gets 270 electoral votes, can they not win the popular vote?
Yes, because that president probably got the smaller populated states.
88
If a president wins the popular vote, but not the 270 majority, why would they not win the presidency?
Because they probably got the larger populated states, but not enough to get 270. Did not win the majority of the state, so didn't get the electoral votes in that state.
89
What are the four steps for the electoral college that the Founders expected?
1. Everyone who is voting in each state votes.
2. The Majority of the party voted on wins that state.
3. Electors change the vote.
4. The Presidential Candidate that the Founders wanted becomes President.
90
What is the punishment for stealing of intellectual property without having a real war?
Raising your tariffs- tax on imported goods, Trade War.
91
If Mrs. Manzone wins the state, what does she win?
The electoral votes of that state.
