The Constitution

Question 1

What was wrong with the Articles of Confederation

Answer 1

There was virtually no central government at all

Question 2

Give three examples of compromises in the constitution

Answer 2

A federal form of government
Two houses of congress
One with equal representaion for all the states
One with representation proportional to each states population (NOT proportional representation)
An indirectly elected president

Question 3

what are the 3 key features of the consistution

Answer 3

It is codified
Some of it is specific but some is vague
Its provisions are entrenched

Question 4

What is a codified constitution

Answer 4

A constitution that consists of a full and authoritative set of rules written down in a single document

Question 5

What do the first three articles of the constitution deal with

Answer 5

The legislature
The executive
The judiciary

Question 6

Give an example of the vagueness of the constitution

Answer 6

One of
the common defence and general welfare clause
The necessary and proper clause

Question 7

What is the difference between enumerated powers and implied powers

Answer 7

Enumerated powers are specifically granted by the constitution
Implied powers are merely inferred by the constitution

Question 8

What is the difference between reserved powers and concurrent powers

Answer 8

Reserved powers are those reserved to the states and to the people
Concurrent powers are granted to both the federal and state governments

Question 9

What does entrenchment mean

Answer 9

Powers safeguarded by making them difficult to amend or abolish

Question 10

How can constitutional amendments be proposed

Answer 10

Either by 2/3 majorities in both houses of congress or by the legislatures in 2/3 of the states calling for a national constitutional convention

Question 11

How can constitutional amendments be ratified

Answer 11

Either by
3/4 of the state legislatures or by
Ratifying conventions in 3/4 of the states

Question 12

Give three advantages of the amendment process

Answer 12

Advantages
Super majorities ensure against small majority being able to impose its will on majority
Lengthy and complicated process makes it less likely that the constitution will be amended on merely temporary issue
It ensures that both the federal and state governments must favour a proposal
It gives a magnified voice to the smaller population states (through senates role and the requirement for agreement of 3/4 of state legislatures
Provision for a constitutional convention called by the states ensures against a veto being operated by congress on the initiation of amendments

Question 13

Give 3 disadvantages of the amendment process

Answer 13

It makes it overly difficult for the constitution to be amended thereby perpetuating what some see as outdated provisions eg electoral college
It makes possible the thwarting of the will of the majority by a small and possibly unrepresentative minority
The lengthy and complicated process nonetheless allowed the prohibition amendment to be passed (1918)
The difficulty of formal amendment enhances power of the (unelected) supreme court to make interpretative amendments
The voice of small propulation states is overly represented

Question 14

What are the first ten amendments to the constitution called

Answer 14

The bill of rights

Question 15

Give 2 examples of subsequent consitutional amendments

Answer 15

Two of
Slavery prohibited (13th amendment 1865)
Federal government granted power to impose income tax (16th 1913)
Direct election of the senate (17th 1913)
Two term limit for the president (22nd 1951)
Presidential succession and disability procedures (25th 1967)
Voting age lowered to 18 (26th 1971)

Question 16

Give two reasons why the constitution has been amended so rarely

Answer 16

Two of
The founding fathers created a deliberately difficult process
The constitution is, in parts, deliberately vague and has therefore evolved without the need for formal amendment
The supreme court has the power of judicial review
Americans have become cautious about tampering with the constitution

Question 17

What are the three key principles of the constitution

Answer 17

Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Federalism

Question 18

Define the doctrine of the separation of powers

Answer 18

A theory of government whereby political power is dristributed among the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, each acting both independently and interdependently

Question 19

Complete this quotation

The constitution created a governmental system made up of separated ———sharing ———-

Answer 19

Institutions sharing powers

Question 20

How can the president check congress

Answer 20

Presidential veto of a bill

Question 21

How can a president check the federal courts

Answer 21

Nominate judges

Pardons

Question 22

How can congress check the president

Answer 22

Amend/delay/reject legislative proposals
Override veto
Impeachment / trial
Refuse to ratify treaties (Senate)
Refuse to confirm judges (senate)

Question 23

How can congress check federal courts

Answer 23

Propose constitutional amendments

Refuse to confirm appointments (senate)

Question 24

How can federal courts check congress

Answer 24

Declare a law unconstitutional

Question 25

How can federal courts check the president

Answer 25

Declare their actions unconstitutional

Question 26

Give a definition of federalism

Answer 26

A theory of governemnt by which political power is divided between a national government and state governemnts, each having their own areas of substantive juristiction

Question 27

How was federalism written into the constitution

Answer 27

By
The enumerated powers of the federal government
The implied powers of the federal government
The concurrent powers of the federalk and state governments
The 10th amendment

Question 28

Give 2 examples of the ways in which the size and scope of the federal government expanded under
A) george w bush
B) obama

Answer 28

A) eduction, medicaid, homeland security and defence, economy & jobs
B) economic stimulus package, expansion of S-chip, medicaid & obamacare

Question 29

Give 3 examples of the consequences of federalism

Answer 29

Any 3 of
Variation in state laws on such matters as age at which people can marry, drive a car or have to attend school, the death penalty
Federal and state courts
States can act as policy laboratories experimenting with new solutions to old problems
All elections are state based ad run under state law
Political parites in america are essentially decentralised, state based parties
Huge federal grants going to the states as well as the complexity of the tax system becasue eg income tax is levied by both federal and state governments (in florida there is no state income tax but there is in NY so daddy had to pay tax on earnings at state level but i don’t have to in florida but we both had to pay federal taxes
The regions of the south, the midwest, the northeast and the west have distinct cultures as well as racial, relgious an ideological differences

Question 30

Give 3 of the cultural factors that were important in the USA in the late 18th centrury that helped shape the US constitution

Answer 30

Liberty
Individualism
Equality
Representative government
Limited government
States rights
Gun ownership
A fear of state organised religion

Question 31

Give 3 of the cultural factors that helped shape the UK constitution

Answer 31

Any three of
An autocratic monarchy
The hereditary principle
The power of a landed aristocracy
An established church
A deferential working class
A lack of social mobility

Question 32

Give 3 parts of the US governemnt and politics not mentioned in the constitution

Answer 32

Any three of 
Primary elections
Congressional committees
The presidents cabinet
The executive office of the president
The supreme court’s power of judicial review

Question 33

Name 3 places where one can find written parts of the uk constitution

Answer 33

Acts of Parliament
Common law
The works of Erskine May and Walter Bagehot

Question 34

Name three important differences bewtween the nature of the us and uk constitutions

Answer 34

Any 3 of
The powers, requirements and rights in the US constitution are entrenched whereas those in the UK are not
The US constitution allows for much more popular and democratic participation than does the Uk constitution
The US constitution estabnlishes a separation of powers whereas the UK constitution establishes more in the way of fused powers especially between the exective and the legislature
Checks and balances are more significant in the US constitution than in the Uk constitution
The US constitution enshrines the principle of federalism whereas the UK constitution enshines the principle of devolution