Constitution Test Flashcards
Explain and debate on the second amendment and if it should be legal or not. ( gun rights or gun control )
good job
What was the name of the old government and the first written constitution of the United States states before the current constitution which was created in the late 1780s
Articles of Confederation
How many branches, or “houses” as (John Green mentioned) did the old government have?
1
This old government was not very powerful. John Green mentioned three powers that it did have, which are…
1: To declare war, 2: Conduct foreign affairs, 3: make treaties
According to John green, what was the biggest accomplishment of the old government
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
What was the name of the farmer’s rebellion in Massachusetts that some say demonstrated a need for a new government ?
Shay’s Rebellion
In what city did the meeting (convention) take place to write the new constitution? ( this was one year after the meeting of Annapolis, and it occured in 1787 )
Philly
Many delegates at the convention in Philly wanted a stronger _______ government.
national
During the constitutional Convention, large states favored the ______ plan, while smaller states favored the ____________ plan.
(both plans are names of states)
Virginia and New Jersey
Instead of either of these plans, we got the ________________, which was a combination of the two plans
Great compromise
What are the details of the Great Compromise?
Virginia plan wanted power to larger states, New Jersey plan wanted equal power, and The outcome for the great compromise is based of the states population.
According to the Compromise (the constitution) House members (Congressmen) serve __ year terms and Senators serve __ years terms
2 and 6
The constitution also included the _____ Compromise, which was used to determine the number of representatives in slave states.
3/5ths
The constitution set up which three branches of government?
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Federalism means that the Constitution divides power between the _______ and the _______ governments.
national and state
The Constitution set up electoral college, which is how the president is elected. Who were the only presidents to win the election, but lose the popular vote?
John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W Bush, Donald Trump
The ________ supported the Constitution and the ______________ opposed the Constitution and a strong federal government. The first group won the argument and the Constitution was ratified.
Federalists and Anti-federalists
What does popular sovereignty mean?
People Power
What does it mean to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity”?
to bring freedom and liberty to the people now and in the future
What is the subject of the first three articles of the Constitution?
Article 1: Legislative Article 2: Executive Article 3: Judicial
Who is the president of the senate?
The vice president
When can the Senate/Vice president vote?
When there is a tie
Which house can impeach the president of the USA?
House of Representatives
Which house acts as a jury to remove a president when the president is impeached?
Senate/vice president
Now a days elections are held in each state to elect members of Congress. But what does the Constitution say about how members of Congress are to be elected in article one?
It should be up to the states to choose
Which amendment made the election of Senators a must?
17
How does the Congress override a presidential veto of bill ( a law that is yet to be passed )
They vote and if 2/3 and the Senate vote yes to it, then it becomes a law
Why do you think the clause #14 of section 8, article 1 is sometimes called the elastic clause?
Because the lawmakers need to stretch the laws rules so they can keep everything in control
Clause 5 of section 9, article one, was overturned useless by which amendment?
16
Which amendment limited the president to two terms in office?
22
Who was the only president to serve more than two terms?
Franklin Roosevelt
What is the process for amending the constitution?
2/3 of Congress have to approve, it must be ratified by 3/4 of the states in a reasonable amount of time
Which article deals with the fact your driver’s license must be honored in Indiana or any other state
4
The __ amendment was the only one to be repealed by another amendment, the ___ amendment. The subject of these amendments was _______
18, 21, 21 to drink
Which amendment has the most to do with the concept of federalism?
10
Which amendments make up the bill of rights?
the 1st 10
Which 3 amendments are considered the ‘Reconstruction Amendments” because they dealt directly with how former slaves would be treated?
13, 14, 15
Which amendment in the bill of rights guarantees us “due process of law’?
5
Which amendment gave women the right to vote? The _____ amendment in the year ______
19, 1920
The minimum voting age was lowered to ___ by the _____ amendment
18, 26
The voting age was lowered largely because many Americans were old enough to fight in the _________ war in the late 1960s, but still could not vote
Vietnam
When was the last amendment passed?
1992
what was the most recently passed amendment about?
Congress can pass a law about their salaries, but cant collect the money until they’ve been in federal election
Delegate
a representative from the states
Most of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention did not want slavery; however, the Constitution allowed slavery in the end. Why?
Because if the Delegates did not allow slavery, Georgia and South Carolina wouldn’t sign the Constitution, and the delegates thought slavery would end soon, so why fight with Georgia and South Carolina?
George Washington wanted secrecy at the Constitutional Convention, Thomas Jefferson did not. Why might Washington have wanted the proceedings to be a secret until they were complete?
G.W. wanted to work out compromises in private, then present the finished product to the states, rather than only giving small pieces bit by bit, where the states could try to add or change parts.
Patrick Henry spoke out to his fellow Virginians against accepting the Constitution. He said that he “ smelled a rat”. What do you call people who did not want to accept/ratify the Constitution? What was their biggest complaint about the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists wanted a weaker national government, and more power to the states and to the people.
The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th amendment all have to do with what subject? Why was this considered such an important subject?
It is absolutely essential to have fair trials in order to have a free country.
Jefferson said that to live under the new Constitution in a democracy depends on educated and informed citizens. How does Jefferson’s belief about informed citizens relate to why you need to study the Constitution?
You must know your rights, or else they’ll be taken from you.
Article 1
explains the powers and responsibilities of the Legislative branch
Article 2
explains the powers and responsibilities of the Executive Branch
Article 3
explains the powers and responsibilities of the Judicial branch
Article 4
clarifies the relationship between states and between the states and their national government
Article 5
explains how the Constitution can be amended
Article 6
states that the Constitution is the supreme law of the US
Article 7
established that nine states needed to ratify the Constitution
Amendment 1
guaranteed people freedom of Religion, Speech, the press, assembly, and petition
Amendment 2
gave people the right to bare arms
Amendment 3
banned forced housing to soldiers
Amendment 4
banned unreasonable and unlicensed search and arrest
Amendment 5
people cannot be put or held on trial without being charged with a crime
Amendment 6
Right to a speedy trial
Amendment 7
Suits at a common law, right of trial by jury
Amendment 8
no cruel or unusual punishments
Amendment 9
just because certain rights are not listed in the Constitution doesn’t mean the government can violate those rights
Amendment 10
federal governments cannot impose on states rights
Amendment 13
abolished slavery
Amendment 14
equal protection and due process for all
Amendment 15
the right to vote can be denied on race or color
Amendment 16
gives congress the power to collect income tax
Amendment 17
direct popular voting to elect senators
Amendment 18
prohibits drinking alcohol underage
Amendment 19
Womens right to vote
Amendment 21
Must be 21 to drink
Amendment 22
limits president to two terms
Amendment 25
addresses succession to the presidency
Amendment 26
allows anyone 18+ to vote
Amendment 27
laws affecting congresses pays dont go into effect until the next start of terms
Why is Article 1 most important?
It represents the people, its the longest, and its first
federlaism
the division of power between the national and state government
what national event caused the need for reconstruction
civil war
