(The Constitution 1.2)

Question 1

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution

Answer 1

(Charles Beard) argues that the structure of the Constitution of the United States was motivated primarily by the economic interests of the Founding Fathers

Question 2

Amendment process

Answer 2

two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and then bill must get three-fourths of the states

Question 3

Anti-federalism

Answer 3

oppose the ratification (passage) of the new federal Constitution

Question 4

Articles of Confederation (strengths/weaknesses)

Answer 4

NO control
NO executive
NO federal judiciary
NO control over tax
Was system of GOV

Question 5

Bicameral legislature

Answer 5

legislators are divided into two separate assemblies

Question 6

Bill of Attainder

Answer 6

an item of legislation (prohibited by the US Constitution) that inflicts attainder without judicial process

Question 7

Bill of Rights

Answer 7

first ten amendments to the US Constitution guaranteeing rights

Question 8

Checks and balances

Answer 8

counterbalancing influences by which an organization or system is regulated

Question 9

Coalition

Answer 9

an alliance for combined action

Question 10

Confederate system

Answer 10

loose relationship among a number of smaller political units (majority of political power rests with local governments)

Question 11

Constitutional Convention

Answer 11

gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution

Question 12

Declaration of Independence

Answer 12

formal statement declaring the freedom of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain

Question 13

Electoral college

Answer 13

body of people representing the states who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president

Question 14

Ex Post Facto law

Answer 14

a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions that were committed before the enactment of the law

Question 15

Executive agreement

Answer 15

an international agreement made by the executive branch of the US government without ratification by the Senate

Question 16

Faction

Answer 16

group in legislature or political party acting together in pursuit of a special interest

Question 17

Federal system

Answer 17

system where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units

Question 18

Federalist #10

Answer 18

Madison defended the Constitution by saying one faction won’t take all the power (fear of most)

Question 19

Federalist #51

Answer 19

Madison writes The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments

Question 20

Federalist #78

Answer 20

Hamilton says the Judicial branch of government is given the least amount of power

Question 21

Great Compromise

Answer 21

(Connecticut Compromise or Sherman’s Compromise) defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have

Question 22

Habeas Corpus

Answer 22

a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court and to secure the person’s release unless lawful grounds are shown

Question 23

Judicial review

Answer 23

court can review an administrative action by a public body

Question 24

Madisonian model

Answer 24

distributing the powers of the federal government, creating a system of checks and balances, and limiting the control the majority factions held over the government

Question 25

New Jersey Plan

Answer 25

favored small states (equal # of reps for each state)

Question 26

Ratification

Answer 26

official way to confirm something

Question 27

Republic

Answer 27

state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives

Question 28

Separation of powers

Answer 28

an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies

Question 29

Shays’ Rebellion

Answer 29

Farmers in western Massachusetts rebelled against tax they could not afford

Question 30

Unalienable

Answer 30

impossible to take away or give up

Question 31

Unitary system

Answer 31

central government is supreme and governed as a single entity

Question 32

Unicameral legislature

Answer 32

one legislative or parliamentary chamber

Question 33

Virginia Plan

Answer 33

plan of representation based on population

Question 34

3/5 Compromise

Answer 34

slave would count as 3/5 of a person in terms of both taxation and representation

Question 35

Writ of Mandamus

Answer 35

order from a court to an inferior government official ordering the government official to properly fulfill their official duties or correct an abuse of discretion

Question 36

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 36

a certain law passed by Congress should not be enforced, because the law was opposed to the Constitution