Chapter 2 Section 3 [United States Constitution (1787-1789)]

Question 1

Annapolis Convention

Answer 1

Met in September 1786, but only five states were represented.

Question 2

Constitutional Convention

Answer 2

A 1787 meeting in Philadelphia of representatives of states, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, John Dickinson, and Benjamin Franklin, and presided over by George Washington, whose purpose was to address the inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation.

Question 3

Great Compromise

Answer 3

A plan facilitated by Benjamin Franklin that provided for a presidency, a Senate with all states represented equally (by two senators each), and a House of Representatives with representation according to population.

Question 4

Three-Fifths Compromise

Answer 4

A plan that reconciled the North-South disagreement over the issue of slavery and by counting each slave as three-fifths of a person for purposes of apportioning representation and direct taxation on the states.

Question 5

Federalists

Answer 5

Those favoring the Constitution in the struggle of its ratification. After the formation of the U.S. government, federalists were members of one of two new political parties, led by Alexander Hamilton, who favored a strong central government and interpreted the Constitution as having vested extensive powers in the federal government.

Question 6

Federalist Papers

Answer 6

A series of eighty-five newspaper articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay that brilliantly expounded the Constitution and demonstrated how it was designed to prevent the abuse of power from any direction.

Question 7

Preamble of the Constitution

Answer 7

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and out posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Question 8

Articles of the Constitution

Answer 8

The Preamble, Article I-Legislature; Article II-Executive; Article III-Judiciary; Article IV-Interstate Relations; Article V-Amendment Process; Article VI-Supremacy Clause; and Article VII-Ratification

Question 9

Amendments to the Constitution

Answer 9

Statements that guarantee certain individual rights and amend original dictates of the Constitution; the first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.

Question 10

First Amendment

Answer 10

Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and government petition. (1791)

Question 11

Second Amendment

Answer 11

Rights to bear arms in a regulated militia. (1791)

Question 12

Third Amendment

Answer 12

Troops will not be quartered (housed) in private citizens’ homes. (1791)

Question 13

Fourth Amendment

Answer 13

Protects against unreasonable search and seizure (need for search warrant). (1791)

Question 14

Fifth Amendment

Answer 14

Protects the rights of the accused, including required indictments, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, due process, and just compensation. (1791)

Question 15

Sixth Amendment

Answer 15

Guarantees a speedy and public trial, the confrontation by witnesses, and the right to call one’s own witnesses on behalf. (1791)

Question 16

Seventh Amendment

Answer 16

Guarantees a jury trial. (1791)

Question 17

Eighth Amendment

Answer 17

Protects against excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment. (1791)

Question 18

Ninth Amendment

Answer 18

States that all rights not enumerated are nonetheless retained by the people. (1791)

Question 19

Tenth Amendment

Answer 19

States that all powers not specifically delegated to the federal government are retained by the states. (1791)

Question 20

Eleventh Amendment

Answer 20

States may not be sued by individuals. (1798)

Question 21

Twelfth Amendment

Answer 21

Dictates that electors will cast separate ballots for president and vice president; in the event of no clear winner, the House will select the president and the senate the vice president. (1804)

Question 22

Thirteenth Amendment

Answer 22

Abolished slavery. (1865)

Question 23

Fourteenth Amendment

Answer 23

Extended citizenship to all person; made Confederate debt void and Confederate leaders ineligible for public office; states which denied voting rights to qualified citizens (blacks) would have their representation in Congress reduced; conferred “dual” citizenship (both of the United States and of a specific state) on all citizens. (1868)

Question 24

Fifteenth Amendment

Answer 24

Extended voting rights to black. (1870)

Question 25

Sixteenth Amendment

Answer 25

Legalized the income tax. (1913)

Question 26

Seventeenth Amendment

Answer 26

Provided for the direct election of senators. (1913)

Question 27

Eighteenth Amendment

Answer 27

Prohibited the general manufacture, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages. (1919)

Question 28

Nineteenth Amendment

Answer 28

Extended voting rights to women. (1920)

Question 29

Twentieth Amendment

Answer 29

Changed inauguration date from March 4 to January 20; eliminated the “lame duck” session of Congress (after the November elections). (1933)

Question 30

Twenty-First Amendment

Answer 30

Repealed the Eighteenth Amendment. (1933)

Question 31

Twenty-Second Amendment

Answer 31

Limited presidents to two terms. (1951)

Question 32

Twenty-Third Amendment

Answer 32

Gave presidential electoral votes to the District of Columbia. (1961)

Question 33

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

Answer 33

Prohibited poll taxes. (1964)

Question 34

Twenty-Fifth Amendment

Answer 34

Changed the order of the presidential line of succession and provided guidelines for presidential disability. (1967)

Question 35

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Answer 35

Extended voting rights to 18-year-olds. (1971)

Question 36

Twenty-Seventh Amendment

Answer 36

Restricted the practice of congressional salary adjustment.

Question 37

Powers Reserved for the Federal Government Only

Answer 37

• Foreign commerce regulation
• Interstate commerce regulation
• Mint money
• Create and establish post offices
• Regulate naturalization and immigration
• Grant copyrights and patents
• Declare and wage war, declare peace
• Admit new states
• Fix standards for weights and measures
• Raise and maintain an army and navy
• Govern the federal city (Washington, D.C.)
• Conduct Relations with foreign powers
• Universalize bankruptcy laws

Question 38

Powers Reserved for the State Governments Only

Answer 38

• Conduct and monitor elections
• Establish voter qualifications
• Provide for local governments
• Ratify proposed amendments to the Constitution
• Regulate contracts and wills
• Regulate intrastate commerce
• Provide education for its citizens
• Levy direct taxes (the Sixteenth Amendment permits the federal government to levy direct taxes)
• Maintain police power over public health, safety and morals
• Maintain integrity of state borders.

Question 39

Powers Shared by Federal and State Governments

Answer 39

• Taxing, borrowing, and spending money
• Controlling the militia
• Acting directly on individuals

Question 40

Restrictions on the Federal Government

Answer 40

• No ex post facto laws
• No bills of attainder
• Two-year limit on appropriation for the military
• No suspension of habeus corpus (except in a crisis)
• One port may not be favored over another
• All guarantees as stated in the Bill of Rights

Question 41

Restrictions on State Governments

Answer 41

• May not enter into treaties, alliances, or confederations
• Letters of marque and reprisal may not be granted
• Contracts may not be impaired
• Money may not be printed or bills of credit emitted
• No import or export taxes
• May not wage war (unless invaded)