II - Constitution & its Origins

Question 1

Anti-Federalists

Answer 1

Those who did not support ratification of the Constitution

Question 2

Articles of Confederation

Answer 2

First basis for new nation’s gov’t
Adopted in 1781
Created an alliance of sovereign states held together by weak central gov’t

Question 3

Bicameral legislature

Answer 3

A legislature with two houses such as US Congress

Question 4

Bill of Rights

Answer 4

First ten amendments to the US Constitutions

Most were designed to protect fundamental rights & liberties

Question 5

Checks & balances

Answer 5

A system that allows one branch of gov’t to limit the exercise of power by another branch
Requires the different parts of gov’t to work together

Question 6

Confederation

Answer 6

A highly decentralized form of gov’t

Sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

Question 7

Declaration of Independence

Answer 7

A document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain & listed their grievances against the British king

Question 8

Enumerated powers

Answer 8

Powers given explicitly to federal gov’t by Constitution (Article I, Section 8)
Power to regulate interstate & foreign commerce, raise & support armies, declare war, coin money, & conduct foreign affairs

Question 9

Federal system

Answer 9

Form of gov’t in which power is divided between state gov’ts and a national gov’t

Question 10

Federalists

Answer 10

Those who supported ratification of Constitution

Question 11

Great Compromise

Answer 11

A compromise b’t Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress
Representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

Question 12

Natural rights

Answer 12

Right to life, liberty, and property
Believed to be given by God
No gov’t may take away

Question 13

New Jersey Plan

Answer 13

Plan that called for a one-house national legislature

Each state would receive one vote

Question 14

Republic

Answer 14

Form of gov’t in which political power rests in the hands of people, not a monarch, and is exercise by elected representatives

Question 15

Reserved powers

Answer 15

Any powers not prohibited by Constitution or delegated to national gov’t
Powers reserved to states & denied to fed. gov’t

Question 16

Separation of powers

Answer 16

Sharing of powers among three separate branches of gov’t

Question 17

Social contract

Answer 17

An agreement b/t people & gov’t in which citizens consent to be governed so long as gov’t protects their natural rights

Question 18

Supremacy clause

Answer 18

Statement in Article VI of Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

Question 19

Federalist Papers

Answer 19

Collection of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of Constitution

Question 20

3/5 Compromise

Answer 20

A compromise b.t northern & southern states that called for counting of all a state’s free population and 60 percent of its slave population for both federal taxation & representation in Congress

Question 21

Unicameral legislature

Answer 21

Legislature with only one house, like Confederation Congress or legislature proposed by New Jersey Plan

Question 22

Veto

Answer 22

Power of president to reject a law proposed by Congress

Question 23

Virginia Plan

Answer 23

A plan for two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to lower house based on each state’s population
Representatives for upper house would be chosen by lower house