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American Government > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is a constitution?

A

a statement of fundamental principles that governs a nation or an organization

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2
Q

what is an indentured servant?

A

a colonial American settler contracted to work for a fixed period in exchange for food, shelter, and transportation to the New World

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3
Q

was early America an equal society?

A

no

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4
Q

what is a compact?

A

a mutual agreement that provides for joint action to achieve defined goals

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5
Q

how do compacts and covenants relate to the formation of some early American colonies?

A

some formed through compacts or covenants between the settlers

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6
Q

what is a covenant?

A

a compact invoking religious or moral authority

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7
Q

how many features of colonial politics propelled the new nation toward its constitution?

A

6

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8
Q

what are the six features that led to the constitution?

A
  1. the colonies were hella far from England
  2. every colony elected its own legislature
  3. plentiful land created equal opportunities for ordinary people
  4. some colonies began with compacts or covenants
  5. many colonists came to the New World to practice their religion in peace
    6 border areas in early America were violent and insecure due to brutal wars with Native Americans
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9
Q

why did the colonists revolt after helping the British win victory over France?

A

England left ten thousand troops in America to protects the land they just won
England was super in debt after the war ad tried to use the Americans as a bank

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10
Q

what is delegate representation?

A

representatives follow the expressed wishes of thevoters

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11
Q

what is trustee representation?

A

representative do what they regard as in the nest interest of their constituents, even if those constituents don’t agree

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12
Q

what is mercantilism?

A

an economic theory in which the government restrains imports and promotes exports to maintain national power and wealth

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13
Q

was imposing a stamp tax on the colonies a good idea?

A

nope

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14
Q

how did colonists respond to the stamp tax?

A

THEY ORGANIZED SIS. they formed the Stamp Act Congress in October 1765 and sent a protest to the king

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15
Q

did the Stamp Act Congress work?

A

yes, for two years

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16
Q

what came after the Stamp Tax?

A

the Townshend Acts in 1767

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17
Q

what were the Townshend Acts?

A

new taxes, led to the Boston Massacre

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18
Q

Boston Tea Party?

A

colonists yeeted tea into the harbor in a big “fuck you” to the English

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19
Q

what was the first continental congress?

A

a convention of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies that met in 1774

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20
Q

what was the second continental congress?

A

a convention of delegates from the 13 colonies that became the acting national government for the duration of the Revolutionary War, drafted the Declaration of Independence

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21
Q

what are the five main ideals in the first part of the Declaration of Independence?

A
  1. all people are equal
  2. their creator endowed them rights that can’t be taken away
  3. these rights include: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
  4. people form governments to protect those rights
  5. governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed
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22
Q

what was the second part of the Declaration of Independence?

A

colonists’ grievance to King George

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23
Q

what were the three main grievances?

A
  1. violations of the right or representation
  2. a standing army not under civilian control
  3. loss of an independent court
24
Q

what is a confederation?

A

a group of independent states or nations that yield some of their powers to a national government, although each state retains a degree of sovereign authority

25
Q

what was the first constitution called?

A

the Article of Confederation

26
Q

did they work well? why or why not?

A

no, there was no strong central government bc of PTSD from King George

27
Q

what were the four problems highlighted by the Articles of Confederation?

A
  1. the new republic needed a strong central government if it were to survive
  2. a vigorous national government needs a stable source of revenue
  3. different sources of government power should balance one another
  4. a weak central government left the nation vulnerable
28
Q

what was the last straw for many national leaders concerning the Articles of Confederation?

A

Shays’s rebellion

29
Q

what did leaders do after Shays’s rebellion?

A

they convened the Constitutional Convention to make a new constitution

30
Q

what were the five central issues debated concerning the new constitution?

A
  1. should the people be involved directly in the government? led to indirect elections
  2. national vs. state power? Madison v. New Jersey plan
    compromised with House and Senate
  3. nature of the presidency? electoral college
  4. how best to separate powers? checks and balances
  5. slavery? no answer bc racism
31
Q

what the preamble do?

A

WE the people

32
Q

what did article 1 do?

A

describes Congress

33
Q

what did article 2 do?

A

describes the Presidency

34
Q

what did article 3 do?

A

describes the Courts

35
Q

what did article 4 do?

A

describes relations between the states

36
Q

what did article 5 do?

A

authorized amendments

37
Q

what did article 6 do?

A

made the constitution the law of the land

38
Q

what did article 7 do?

A

said that the constitution needed to be ratified by 9 states

39
Q

what is classical republicanism?

A

a democratic ideal that calls on citizens to participate in public affairs, seek the public interest, shun private gain, and defer to natural leaders, Anti-Federalists used this to argue against ratification

40
Q

what were anti-federalists 4 major complaints with the constitution?

A
  1. it stripped political control from citizens and placed it in a powerful national government
  2. president looked too much like a king
  3. standing armies and navies were a threat to peace and liberty, wanted citizen militias instead
  4. constitution had no bill of rights
41
Q

how did the federalists argue for ratification?

A

the Federalist papers

42
Q

what is the Bill of Rights?

A

the first ten amendments to the constitution, listing the rights guaranteed to every citizen

43
Q

1st amendment?

A

freedom of religion and speech

44
Q

2nd amendment?

A

right to bear arms

45
Q

3rd amendment?

A

soldiers can’t force you to let them stay in your home

46
Q

4th amendment?

A

no unreasonable search and seizures

47
Q

5th amendment?

A

rights for the accused

48
Q

6th amendment?

A

certain rights guaranteed in criminal trials

49
Q

7th amendment?

A

right to trial by jury

50
Q

8th amendment?

A

no excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishment

51
Q

9th amendment?

A

open to other rights

52
Q

10th amendment?

A

any powers not given to federal government are reserved for states and people

53
Q

what is incorporation?

A

the process by which the Supreme Court declares that a right in the Bill of Rights also applies to state governments

54
Q

what is originalism?

A

a principle of legal interpretation that relies on the original meaning of those who wrote the constitution

55
Q

what is pragmatism?

A

a principle of legal interpretation based of the idea that the constitution evolves and that interpretation of the constitution must be put in the context of contemporary realities

American Government (14 decks)

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