Chapter 2-The Constitution

Question 1

unalienable rights

Answer 1

a human right based on nature or God

Question 2

articles of confederation

Answer 2

a weak constitution that governed america during the revolutionary war

Question 3

constitutional convention

Answer 3

a meeting in philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

Question 4

shay’s rebellion

Answer 4

a 1787 rebellion in which ex-revolutionary war soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes

Question 5

virginia plan

Answer 5

proposal to create a strong national government

Question 6

new jersey plan

Answer 6

proposal to create a weak national government

Question 7

great compromise

Answer 7

plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected senate, with two members for each state

Question 8

republic

Answer 8

a government in which elected representatives make the decisions

Question 9

judicial review

Answer 9

the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional

Question 10

federalism

Answer 10

government authority shared by national and local governments

Question 11

enumerated powers

Answer 11

powers given to the national government alone

Question 12

reserved powers

Answer 12

powers given to the state government alone

Question 13

checks and balances

Answer 13

authority shared by three branches of government

Question 14

separation of powers

Answer 14

constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government

Question 15

faction

Answer 15

a group with a distinct political interest

Question 16

federalists

Answer 16

those who favor a stronger national government

Question 17

antifederalists

Answer 17

those who favor a weaker national government

Question 18

coalition

Answer 18

an alliance of groups

Question 19

bill of rights

Answer 19

first ten amendments to the constitution

Question 20

habeas corpus

Answer 20

an order to produce an arrested person before a judge

Question 21

bill of attainder

Answer 21

a law that declares a person, without trial, to be guilty of a crime

Question 22

ex post facto law

Answer 22

a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed

Question 23

amdendments

Answer 23

a new provision in the consitution that has been ratified by the states

Question 24

line-item veto

Answer 24

an executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature