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.
How did the British relationship with the colonies change following the French and Indian War?
- The British demanded greater colonial obedience through higher taxes.
- The colonies felt less need for British protection after the defeat of the French and sought greater freedom.
What supported the movement for independence in America?
A doctrine of natural rights and law that had been popular in America since the early 18th century.
What made the American Revolution distinct?
Its appeal to natural rights, and that it was prosecuted in the name of universal principles for all human beings, regardless of time or place.
What is the most famous expression of natural rights and natural law?
The Declaration of Independence.
The idea of natural rights arises from the principle of equality. What is the principle of equality?
Because “all men are born free and equal,” human beings have a natural right to liberty from which all other rights are derived.
What two ways can the principle of equality be understood?
- It provides the foundation for the natural rights and obligations humans owe to each other
- It establishes no man has a right to rule over another without consent.
What is the social compact?
A group of people agree to form a government and accept its rules.
How is consent of the governed maintained in the social compact?
Regular elections.
According to the Declaration of Independence, why are governments established?
To secure the rights of its citizens.
How did state constitutions express the security of rights before the Declaration of Independence?
They stated it was the government’s duty to protect the people from harm to their lives, liberty, and property.
In what two ways can rights be secured?
- Protection from foreign threats through foreign policy, strong borders, and armed forces.
- Protection from other citizens through the creation and enforcement of criminal law.
What two phrases summarize the founders’ conception of law enforcement?
Equal justice of the laws and due process of law.
True or False: The federal government in early America was mostly responsible for domestic policy.
False
John Jay argued America was well suited to form a union because we shared:
- A common language
- The same political principles
- Similar manners and customs
True or False: The Founders believed that, because natural rights are universal, the United States ought to protect rights all over the world.
False
The _____ Amendment was meant to apply the Founders’ basic conception of law enforcement to the states.
14th
What were the dominant governing bodies under the Articles of Confederation?
State governments
How were state governments structured under the Articles of Confederation?
Weak executives and strong legislatures.
What was the result of the poor structure of state governments under the Articles of Confederation?
The states practiced an extreme form of majority rule and legislative supremacy. This often failed to secure the rights of the citizens.
In “Vices of the Political System of the United States,” James Madison lists seven vices common to state governments under the Articles of Confederation. What did the last three vices have to do with?
The states passing laws that were too unjust, impractical, and too numerous to understand.
What did Jefferson say about majority rule in “Notes on the State of Virginia”?
Pure majority rule could be as despotic as the rule of a single individual (The threat of legislative supremacy).
What failures of the Articles of Confederation did George Washington detail in his letter to John Jay?
The Articles had too good of an opinion on human nature.
How is the mix of good and evil in human nature reflected in government?
The good is shown in consent of the governed, while the evil is reflected in the need for limited government and the rule of the majority.
What was the government like under the Articles of Confederation?
It was like a diplomatic alliance between the states.
What three arguments did the authors of the Federalist Papers make against the Articles of Confederation?
- It could not protect the rights of the people from foreign threats.
- It failed to secure the conditions necessary for commerce and prosperity.
- It could not protect the rights of the people from internal threats.
Why did the states need an improved federal government from the Articles of Confederation?
The problem of faction.
Men are by nature “_________, _________, and ________.”
Ambitious, vindictive, and rapacious.
What was wrong with paper money laws enacted in the states?
They violated the property rights of the creditors.
True or False: The Framers of the Constitution believed that consent is the only requirement for just government, because the people and their representatives are incapable of passing unjust laws.
False
The Framers of the Constitution believed human nature was ___________________.
A mixture of good and bad.
True or False: In Federalist 6, Hamilton argues that commercial republics are unlikely to fight with each other.
False
There is often tension between _______ and _________.
Consent and preservation of natural rights.
The tension in democratic governments like ____ and _______ proved unsafe for individual liberty.
Rome and Greece.
What are the improvements in the science of politics as described by Hamilton?
- Separation of powers
- Checks and balances
- An independent judiciary
- Representation
- Extended territory
What is the purpose of the improvements in the science of politics?
To secure a government that operates on the consent of the governed and protects the natural rights of individuals.
What does Madison analyze in “Federalist 10”?
The ways that a republic can confront the problem of faction.
How does Madison view minority vs. majority faction?
- Minority faction is not a problem because it is outvoted by the majority
- Majority faction is a problem
What are the two ways to deal with majority faction?
- Eliminate its causes (Destroy liberty or give all citizens the same opinions, passions, and interests. Not possible or desirable)
- Control its effects (By way of constitutional government)
What is a direct democracy?
All citizens gather to administer the government in person.
What is a republic?
A form of government that delegates operation to representatives, opening the possibility for a greater number of citizens and expanded territory.
How do republics control the effects of faction?
- Representatives filter people’s passions and allow reason to rule
- Extended territory means citizens will have greater diversity of interests and opinions, reducing the chance of factions emerging.
What did Madison write about the government in “Federalist 51”?
It is “the greatest of all reflections on human nature.”
What did Madison write about a republican form of government in “Federalist 55”?
It presupposes the existence of virtue in the people.
What is the main check on the government?
The people
What does the Constitution only work with?
A people who exhibit the virtues necessary for self-government.
True or False: In The Federalist Papers, Publius points to the achievements of Greek democracies as a reason to support free government.
False
Who was Publius?
The pseudonym used by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay when writing The Federalist Papers.
In “Federalist 10,” what does Madison write about representation?
It serves to “refine and enlarge the public views.”
In “Federalist 51,” what does Madison argue about check and balances and separation of powers?
They assume people in government will be ambitious.
Publius argues the mechanisms of the Constitution function simply as “_______________.”
Auxiliary precautions
True or False: According to Madison, the structure of the Constitution eliminated the need for the American people to possesses good character.
True
In addition to protecting natural rights, what must the government also do?
- Protect the right to possess and acquire land
- Promote morality
- Support religious freedom
Acquiring property can be a source of _____ with other natural rights.
Conflict
All of the founders’ economic policies had the twofold end to_______ and ______________.
- Protect existing property
- Establish the conditions necessary to acquire property
What three sets of policies were necessary to protect the right to possess and acquire property?
- Clear and distinct laws defining property ownership (Deeds)
- Domestic free markets (The right to buy and sell, equal access to transportation)
- A system of stable and sound currency (Government was not allowed to print money)
How did the founders feel about the impoverished?
A safety net of welfare programs should be established for them. These programs provided minimal support to protect life and often came with work requirements.
In what two senses did the founders understand morality?
- The rules that ought to govern the relationship between citizens and government
- The moral character or virtues of citizenry, including courage, vigilance against government oppression, and prudence.
The founders believed the government had a role in promoting morality through:
- Formal and informal education
- Laws punishing immorality, especially regarding marriage and family
- Supporting religion
What was religious liberty not an absolute right?
- It did not allow a citizen to violate the rules of society
- It didn’t allow for exceptions to the law if they were not compatible with the continued order and protection of a free society (Quakers were not excused from the draft)