Constitution & Federalism Flashcards
declaration of independance
1776
articles of confederation
1781 - acted as the first us constitution
federalism
when power is divided between state and federal gov
Philadelphia Convention
1787 - states were fighting over commerce + currency so 55 delegates sat together and created federal constitution, bill of rights + checks and balances. but there were disagreements.
Connecticut compromise
formed bicameral legislature with house of reps (states repped on population size) + senate (states repped equally)
how many seats in house of reps
435
how many seats in senate
100 (2 per state)
legislature who and what
- congress (makes laws)
- house of reps + senate
executive who and what
- carries out laws
- prezzy + cabinet
judiciary who and what
- enforces + interprets laws
- SC + other federal courts
first 3 articles
- division of power + enumerated/delegated powers
- article 1 - congress can ‘coin money’ and ‘declare war’
- article 2 - executive power all in president
- article 3 - US supreme court estabished. and supremacy clause which says constitution ‘supreme law of the land’. federal law is supreme over state law.
supreme court elastic clause example
McCulloch v Maryland - congress has the power to create a national bank, despite creating a a bank not being an enumerated power of congress under the constitution.
judicial review implied power
supreme court can declare things unconstitutional meaning it can veto an Act of Congress executive order or state law.
reserved powers
powers left to states
concurrent powers
shared by federal and state