Chapter 9 Flashcards
What limits the power of the gov’t and protects the rights of the individual?
Bill of Rights
What amendments make up the Bill of Rights?
First 10
What is the difference between a law and an amendment?
A law is a bill that gets passed
An amendment is a change to an existing law
How does an amendment get proposed?
2/3 of congress or state
How does an amendment then get ratified?
3/4 of the state legislatures must ratify it
What five civil liberties does the 1st Amendment protect?
Freedom of…
Speech
Religion
Assembly
Press
And petition the government
What does the 2nd Amendment give you the right to own?
Firearms
What does the 4th Amendment protect you from? (Placed as a result of the Sugar Act)
House troops against their will
What Amendment is important for people accused of committing crimes?
5th
According to the 5th Amendment, natural rights cannot be taken away without what?
Due process of law
What amendment gives you the right to a speedy, public trial by an impartial jury?
6th
What does the 9th Amendment keep the government from doing?
Claiming the Bill of Rights are the only Rights Americans have
What was given power in the 10th Amendment for protection?
States could be used as protection against the powers of the national government
Who were the first President and Vice President in American history?
President: George Washington
VP: John Adams
What did each department of the Executive Branch deal with?
State Department
Treasury Department
War Department
State: handles relations with other countries
Treasury: deals with financial matters
War: deals with the nation’s defense
Who makes up the cabinet of the President?
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
Henry Knox
Who was the first Secretary of State and Secretary of Treasury?
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton
What job title did Alexander Hamilton hold?
Secretary of treasury
What act established a federal court system
Judiciary Act of 1779
What could federal courts do to state laws if deemed necessary?
Overturn them
Who was John Jay?
1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
What is a national debt?
The amount of money the government owes
What did Alexander Hamilton want to do with state debts after the war?
Combine the debt and divide evenly throughout the states
What area in America was against his plan and why did they feel this way
Southern states owed less than Northern states
Why did the South agree to accept Hamilton’s plan to lessen the national debt?
The capital would be moved to the south
Why did Hamilton feel that it was ok for him to create a national bank?
He felt it fell within the intent of the constitution
What is a tariff?
A tax on imported goods
What was the Whiskey Rebellion?
A civil uprising against the taxing power of the federal government
Why did Washington not want to run for a third term to the Presidency?
He didn’t want to be president in the first place and he didn’t like the political parties
What are 3 aspects of the Federalist Party?
Favored a strong federal government
Ruled by wealthy
Loose interpretation of the constitution
What are 4 aspects of the Democratic-Republican Party?
State banks
State governments
Ruled by the people
Strict interpretation of the constitution
How did Washington feel about political parties?
He believed they divided people and kept the government from working together
What is favoring one side in a political decision?
Partisan
Before the Election of 1796, what was held for the first time to determine Presidential candidates?
Caucuses
What was the crisis with France involving three agents that tried to get money from America?
XYZ Affair
Why were three acts created after the XYZ Affair?
To protect the security of the nation and slow immigration
What was the Naturalization Act?
Requires aliens to live in the US for 14 years before being able to apply for citizenship
What were the Alien Acts?
Allowed president to deport aliens
What was the Sedition Act?
A crime to speak or write false criticisms to try and weaken the government
What Amendment did the Sedition Act contradict?
1st
