Unit 1--The Basics of Our Government

Question 1

Government

Answer 1

A group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken.

Question 2

Political Scientists

Answer 2

those who study the principles and organization of government

Question 3

Central Government

Answer 3

The national government

Question 4

Unitary Government

Answer 4

a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single central agency

Question 5

Confederacy

Answer 5

A loose union of independent states

Question 6

Federalism

Answer 6

A system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central, or national, government and several regional governments

Question 7

Policy

Answer 7

A proposed or adopted course or principle of action

Question 8

Articles of Confederation

Answer 8

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Question 9

13 Original States

Answer 9

Mass, Conneticut, Vermont, NH, RI, Delaware, New Jersey, VA, Maryland, NC, SC, Georgia, Penn

Question 10

Sovereignty

Answer 10

Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.

Question 11

Shays Rebellion

Answer 11

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Question 12

Constitutional Convention

Answer 12

1787. A convention in the Pennsylvania State House where the Articles on Confederation were supposed to be revised. Instead they were thrown out and a new constitution was drafted

Question 13

John Locke

Answer 13

17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.

Question 14

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 14

-1651 wrote the leviathan which argued people were naturally wicked and could not be trusted to govern themselves, thus a strong absolute monarchy was needed.

Question 15

Voltaire

Answer 15

(1694-1778) French philosopher. He believed that freedom of speech was the best weapon against bad government. He also spoke out against the corruption of the French government, and the intolerance of the Catholic Church.

Question 16

Montesquieu

Answer 16

Spirit of the Laws Believed BRITISH had the best government and the best political system depended on various FACTORS about the country. (Size, culture etc). Believed in DIVISION OF POWER in gov’t…judicial/executive/legislative.

Question 17

Rousseau

Answer 17

(1712-1778) Author Social Contract, More radical political philosopher, people have to surrender liberties for common good, owning property need laws, people make own laws

Question 18

Beccaria

Answer 18

…, – a person accused of a crime should receive a speedy trial. Torture should never be used because it will make people confess to things that they have not done. (Italian, 1700

Question 19

United States Constitution

Answer 19

1787, Continental Congress made a constitution after Articles of Confederation failed; It was based on Enlightenment ideas and It included a central government divided into three branches (president, Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court) and controlled by checks and balances. The Bill of Rights were ten amendments to the new constitution that guaranteed rights of freedom to citizens; made a national gov’t that controlled taxes, army, trade, and currency.

Question 20

Separation of Powers

Answer 20

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

Question 21

Interstate Commerce

Answer 21

Approved on February 4, 1887 the Interstate Commerce Act created an Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee the conduct of the railroad industry. With this act the railroads became the first industry subject to Federal regulation. Example of Supremacy Clause

Question 22

Legislative Branch

Answer 22

Branch of Gov’t charged with creation of new laws.

Question 23

House of Representatives

Answer 23

1. house of Congress where the size of the state determines the number of representative

Question 24

Senate

Answer 24

100 members, 2 members for each state. Members are elected every 6 years. The Vice President is the head of this body.

Question 25

Executive Branch

Answer 25

Carries out the laws

Question 26

Judicial Branch

Answer 26

A branch of the system of checks and balances that interprets Congressional laws

Question 27

Supreme Court

Answer 27

Consists of nine justices, each appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Appointment is for life. Supreme Court exercises the power to determine constitutionality of statutes

Question 28

Lower Federal Courts

Answer 28

13 courts of appeals, 89 district courts (within the 50 states) and several special courts. These courts hear cases related to federal law.

Question 29

Checks and Balances

Answer 29

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Question 30

Justices

Answer 30

Members of the Supreme Court

Question 31

Nullify

Answer 31

To make null; declare invalid

Question 32

Unconstitutional

Answer 32

A law that is not agreeable with the constitution and is no longer valid

Question 33

Alexander Hamilton

Answer 33

founding father, and author of the Federalist Papers, the first Secretary of the Treasury, and the architect of the first fiscal plan for the United States after ratification of the Constitution. He is most popular for losing a duel with Aaron Burr that eventually cost him his life.

Question 34

James Madison

Answer 34

Father of the Constitution, Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.

Question 35

Bill of Rights

Answer 35

Although the Anti-Federalists failed to block the ratification of the Constitution, they did ensure that the Bill of Rights would be created to protect individuals from government interference and possible tyranny. The Bill of Rights, drafted by a group led by James Madison, consisted of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed the civil rights of American citizens.

Question 36

Federalists

Answer 36

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Question 37

Anti-Federalists

Answer 37

Anti-Federalists rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed the Constitution’s powerful centralized government, arguing that the Constitution gave too much political, economic, and military control. They instead advocated a decentralized governmental structure that granted most power to the states