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The Constitution Unit Flashcards

1
Q

What were the problems with the Articles of Confederation?

A

The government was too weak to keep order

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2
Q

What event proved the Articles of Cenfederation were not working?

A

Shays Rebellion

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3
Q

How did Magna Carta influence the Constitution?

A

Limited kings power

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4
Q

How did Ancient Greece influence the Constitution?

A

Created the first Democracy

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5
Q

How did Ancient Rome influence the Constitution?

A

Created the first Republic

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6
Q

How did John Locke influence the Constitution?

A

Believed in natural rights (life, liberty, and property) (Contract Theory)

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7
Q

How did Jean Jacques Rousseau influence the Constitution?

A

People should be willing the give up some freedom for the needs of the greater good (Social Contract)

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8
Q

How did Baron De Montesquieu influence the Constitution?

A

Government powers should be limited (Checks and Balances)

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9
Q

What was the purpose of the Constitutional Convention?

A

To revise the Articles of Confederation

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10
Q

Who was the president of the Constitutional Convention?

A

George Washington

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11
Q

When was the Constitutional Convention held?

A

1787

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12
Q

Where was the Constitutional Convention held?

A

Philidelphia

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13
Q

Who is the “father of the Constitution”?

A

James Madison

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14
Q

What was the Virginia Plan?

A

of reps a state could send to Congress depended on its population

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15
Q

What was the New Jersey Plan?

A

Each state had an equal vote in Congress

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16
Q

What was the 3/5 Compromise?

A

Compromise saying a slave would count as 3/5 of a person

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17
Q

What is a Federalist?

A

A supporter of the Constitution

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18
Q

What is an Anti-Federalist?

A

An opponent of the Constitution

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19
Q

Why didn’t Anti-Federalists like the Constitution?

A

Believed it didn’t list any rights of the people

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20
Q

How many parts of the Constitution are there?

A

3 parts. The Preamble, The Articles (I, II, III) and The Bill of Rights

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21
Q

What are the 3 branches of the U.S. government and what is the main responsibility of each?

A

Legislative Branch - To make laws (Article I), Executive Branch - To enforce laws (Article II), Judicial Branch - Interprets the laws (Article III)

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22
Q

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

A

435

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23
Q

What are the qualifications for Representatives? (3 Qualifications)

A

U.S. citizen 7 years, Resident of District, 25 years old or older

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24
Q

How do you determine how many Representatives a state gets?

A

Population of a state

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25
How long does a Representative serve?
2 years
26
What are the specific powers of the House of Representatives? (2 powers)
Can choose a president if there is no majority in the electoral college, can impeach government officials
27
Who and what is the Speaker of the House?
The leader of the House of Representatives, John Boehner
28
How many members are in the Senate?
100
29
What are the qualifications for Senators? (3 Qualifications)
U.S. citizen 9 years, Resident of state representing, 30 years old
30
How many Senators does a state get?
2 Senators
31
How long a Senator server?
6 years
32
What are the specific powers of the Senate? (3 powers)
Can approve treaties by 2/3 vote, can approve major presidential appointments, can conduct the trial when the house impeaches an official
33
Who is the President of the Senate?
Joe Biden
34
Who and what is the President Pro Tempore?
Selected by the Senate - Patrick Leahy
35
What does it mean to impeach?
To accuse of wrong doing
36
How does the impeachment process work?
Starts in the House ? Simple majority ? Moves to the Senate ? 2/3 vote
37
What is the elastic clause?
Implied powers - powers that the Constitution gives to Congress that are not listed in detail
38
What are the qualifications for President/Vice President? (3 Qualifications)
Must be a natural born citizen, 35 years old or older, Resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years
39
What are the main responsibilities of the President?
To carry out/enforce the laws
40
How long does a president serve?
4 years (up to 8 years)
41
Who is the President and Vice President?
President - Barack Obama, Vice President - Joe Biden
42
What is the Electoral College?
The group of people chosen from each state and the District of Columbia to elect the president
43
Why did the writers of the Constitution create the electoral college?
They believed that the common people were not informed enough to make an educated decision
44
What is the order of succession for President? (Down to Secretary of State)
Vice President ? Speaker of the House ? President Pro Tem of the Senate ? Secretary of State
45
What is the Cabinet? How are those individuals selected?
The group of top advisors to the president that are selected to help advise him on decisions. Cabinet members are selected by the President
46
How are Supreme Court Justices chosen? (3 Steps)
The president selects a candidate ? Senate Judiciary Committee interviews nominee ? The Senate votes on a nominee
47
How long does a Justice server?
Life
48
How many Justices are there on the Supreme Court?
9
49
How do cases get the the Supreme Court?
From lower state or federal courts
50
Who is the current Chief Justice?
John Roberts
51
Who was the first woman Justice on the Supreme Court?
Sandra Day O'Connor
52
What are appellate and original jurisdiction?
Appellete - US Supreme Court hears a case that has already been heard in a lower court, Original - a case goes to a court that has never been heard before
53
What is judicial review?
The power of the courts to decide whether laws or acts of the government are unconstitutional
54
What are the two ways the Judicial Branch can "check" the other two branches?
Judicial ? Legislative: Can declare acts/laws of congress unconstitutional, Judicial ? Executive: Can declare executive actions unconstitutional
55
What are amendments and what are the 2 ways they get passed?
A change to the Constitution. They get passed by: 3/4 of state legislatures vote yes OR conventions held in 3/4 of states must approve
56
What kind of government structure do we have?
Democratic
57
Define: Constitution
Laws and principles
58
Define: Impeach
To accuse of wrong doing
59
Define: Bicameral
To have two houses or chambers
60
Define: Democracy
Government by the people
61
Define Republic
System of government in which people elect representatives to govern them
62
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and when was it?
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on June 11, 1776
63
Who is the Illinois Governor?
Pat Quinn
64
Who is the Illinois Attorney General?
Lisa Madigan
65
Who is the Illinois Treasurer?
Dan Rutherford
66
Who is the Illinois Secretary of State
Jesse White
67
When did Illinois become a state?
December 3, 1818
68
What number state was Illinois?
21st State
69
Where is our current state capital?
Springfield
70
Which state did not attend the Constitutional Convention?
Rhode Island
71
What was the Great Compromise? (In detail)
The plan of government adopted at the Constitutional Convention that established a two-house Congress. In the House of Representatives, representation from each state is based on state population. In the Senate, each state is represented by two senators
72
What is needed to override a presidential veto?
A 2/3 vote (super majority) in both houses
73
Who must approve a Justices appointment?
The Senate
74
Who were the important people at the Constitutional Convention? (6 People)
James Madison, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Roger Sherman, John Jay

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