Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

POLS 1120-501 American National Government > Chapter 2: The Constitution and its Origins > Flashcards

Chapter 2: The Constitution and its Origins Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® U.S. Government flashcards U.S. Government Basics flashcards American Government 101 flashcards
1
Q

Those who did not support the ratification of the constitution

A

Anti-Federalists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

The basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

A

Articles of Confederation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

A legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

A

Bicameral legislature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties

A

Bill of Rights

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

A system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch

A

Checks and Balances

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

A highly decentralized form of government: sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

A

Confederation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

A document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king

A

Declaration of Independence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

The powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

A

Enumerated powers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

A form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

A

Federal government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Those who supported ratification of the Constitution

A

Federalists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

A compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

A

Great Compromise

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

The right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by a god; no government may take away

A

Natural rights

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

A plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

A

New Jersey Plan

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

A form of national government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch and is exercised by elected representatives

A

Republic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reversed to the states and denied to the federal government

A

Reserved powers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

T

The sharing of powers among three separate branches of government

A

Separation of powers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

An agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long the government protects their natural rights

A

Social contract

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

The statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

A

Supremacy clause

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

A collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution

A

The Federalist Papers

20
Q

A compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all state’s free population and 60 percent of its slave population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress

A

Three-Fifths Compromise

21
Q

A legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan

A

Unicameral legislature

22
Q

The power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress

A

Veto

23
Q

A plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper-house would be chosen by the lower house

A

Virginia Plan

24
Q

CC

Representation in the Article of Confederation was based on:

A

Equality among states

25
Q

CC

Under the Articles of Confederation, the government could do all of the follow except:

A

Tax

26
Q

CC

Representative in the House serve terms of how many years?

A

2

27
Q

CC

Senators serve terms of how many years?

A

6

28
Q

CC

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

A

9

29
Q

CC

The USA has only had one Constitution.

A

False

30
Q

CC

The delegates at the Constitutional convention were basically like the average American at the time.

A

False

31
Q

CC

Alexander Hamilton was in favor of a strong central government.

A

False

32
Q

CC

  1. Some of the negatives of the Articles of Confederation were (choose all that apply)
A

There was no executive brach
All decisions were collective
The government had no power to levy taxes

33
Q

CC

From where did our bicameral legislature originate?

A

The Great Compromise

34
Q

CC

The ______ were against the Constitution. One of the reasons for this was _________.

A

Anti-Federalists, The government would be too large and would trample on individual liberties.

35
Q

CC

Which Constitutional plan advocated for legislative representation solely based on population?

A

Virginia Plan

36
Q

CC

Which Constitutional plan advocated for legislative representation to be equal for all states.

A

New Jersey Plan

37
Q

CC

The 3/5ths Compromise had to do with:

A

Representation in the House of Representatives

38
Q

CC

  1. The legislative branch is listed _____ in the constitution, because it is ________.
A

First, most important

39
Q

CC

One of the Vice President’s powers is to

A

Cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate

40
Q

CC

Which branch of government has the job of making laws?

A

Legislative

41
Q

CC

Which branch of government is responsible for carrying out the laws?

A

Executive

42
Q

CC

Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting the law?

A

Judicial

43
Q

CC

The ability of each branch of government to limit the actions of the other two is known as:

A

Checks and Balances

44
Q

CC

he dividing of powers between the three branches of government is known as:

A

Separation of powers

45
Q

T

British Colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of_______.

A

John Locke

POLS 1120-501 American National Government (14 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions