Constitution 101 Flashcards
The founders intended for the Declaration and the Constitution to express what?
The same political philosophy.
What is the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
Express the purpose of the nation.
What is the first part of the Declaration of Independence?
A statement of universal and timeless principles.
What is the second part of the Declaration of Independence?
A list of wrongs committed by King George III.
What is the third part of the Declaration of Independence?
The conclusion, that justifies the overthrowing of the old government and creating a new one.
What is the purpose of the Constitution?
Expresses how the government is supposed to look and operate in pursuit of the purpose expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
How does the government look like the Constitution?
The first three articles of the Constitution establish the three branches of government.
Why is government necessary?
The founders believed men are moral beings who are called to do right but often fail, and that the government is necessary to restrain and correct men’s moral failings.
How did the founders also view men in government?
The people in the government are also human, and the government needs to be controlled by the governed to prevent those who rule from becoming tyrants.
Why is America unique?
- The story of America makes it the greatest of modern nations
- It begins with settlers bringing the learning of Western civilization to the New World
- The settlers wanted to establish a society dedicated to civil and religious liberty, a purpose that reached its perfection in the Declaration of Independence.
What is an aristocracy?
A form of society where an established elites governs everyone.
What kind of government is established in the Constitution?
- Divides the government into three branches.
- Sets up a government limited to few delegated powers.
- Establishes a limited government, but strong enough to successfully function.
- Establishes the first fully representative government in history.
- Establishes a government where authority is extended across time and space.
- Provides a government where people are intended to rule through persuasion and deliberation.
The Declaration of Independence opens with a __________________.
Declaration of universal principles.
What are some of the powers given to Congress in Article 1, Section 8?
- Coin money
- Collect taxes
- Declare war
- Regulate foreign and interstate commerce
- Provide for national defense
- Declare war
The Declaration of Independence should be understood as a __________ document, and the Constitution as a ___________ document.
Revolutionary, conservative
God appears four times in the Declaration of Independence as a:
- Executive
- Legislator
- Judge
- Creator
Aristotle explains human beings make laws because of their ability to ______.
Speak
In “Federalist 51,” James Madison writes, “If men were ______, no government would be necessary.”
Angels
The Declaration of Independence argues that King George III violated the principle of _____, which became a key feature of the Constitution.
- Separation of powers
- Representation
- An independent judiciary
What is the primary purpose of the Constitution?
To empower, not limit, the government.
In “Federalist 63,” Madison argues the US is the first purely _________ government in history.
Representative
The Declaration of Independence establishes all legitimate power stems from the _______.
People
Until 1763, how did Great Britain treat the American colonies?
They mostly left them alone.
What war changed the British relationship with the colonies?
The French and Indian War.