Unit 2: Speedy Review

Question 1

What was the purpose of the articles of confederation?

Answer 1

The purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to establish a national government for the newly independent United States after the Revolutionary War, acting as the first constitution of the country, while still preserving the sovereignty of each individual state by creating a loose confederation where most power remained with the states; essentially, it aimed to unite the thirteen colonies as a nation while allowing them to maintain a high degree of autonomy.

Question 2

What were some flaws of the articles of confederation?

Answer 2

Made for a weak national government, states had difficulty trading with each other, state’s had too much power.

Question 3

What was the purpose of the constitutional convention?

Answer 3

address the weaknesses of the articles of confederation and create a new US government

Question 4

Who was at the constitutional convention?

Answer 4

George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Oliver Ellsworth, Roger Sherman, William Patterson, Edmund Randolph, Abraham Baldwin

Question 5

What are the powers of the legislative branch?

Answer 5

Pass laws, declare war, confirm or reject presidential nominations for federal judges, heads of federal agencies, and the Supreme Court, investigate abuses of power and misuse of federal, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, control taxing and spending policies, establish courts, coin money, punish counterfeiters, establish post offices, regulate intellectual property (songs, movies, inventions, etc.), and punish maritime crimes (terrorism, drugs, insurance fraud, piracy, documentation fraud, etc.).

Question 6

Where is the legislative branch discussed in the Constitution?

Answer 6

Article I of the Constitution

Question 7

What are the powers of the executive branch?

Answer 7

Conducts diplomacy with other nations, negotiate and sign treaties, appoint federal judges, enforces and administers the federal law, and the President is the Commander in Chief over the US military (deploy forces, appoint military officials, issue executive orders).

Question 8

Where is the executive branch discussed in the Constitution?

Answer 8

Article II

Question 9

What is the electoral college?

Answer 9

(in the US) a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president

Question 10

Where is the electoral college first introduced?

Answer 10

Article II

Question 11

What are the powers of the judicial branch?

Answer 11

Interpreting the constitution, declare laws or actions unconstitutional, ensures that popular majorities cannot pass laws that harm unpopular minorities.

Question 12

Where is the judicial branch discussed in the constitution?

Answer 12

Article III

Question 13

What is Federalist #10 about, and why is it so important?

Answer 13

Madison states that a large and diverse population will make it difficult for any single faction to gain too much power and oppress others; it is important because it addresses a key concern of the dangers of democracy and how the Constitution will mitigate them. “Factions aren’t inherently a bad thing!”

Question 14

What is Federalist #51 about, and why is it so important?

Answer 14

Written by James Madison, is a crucial essay that explains and defends the system of checks and balances within the U.S. Constitution, arguing that by dividing power among the three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), no single branch can become too powerful, effectively safeguarding individual liberties by preventing tyranny from any one faction; this is considered a cornerstone principle of American democracy. “Separate institutions”=Separate branches of government.

Question 15

What is Federalist #78 about, and why is it so important?

Answer 15

Alexander Hamilton noted in The Federalist # 78 that the federal courts “were designed to be an intermediate body between the people and their legislature”. Basically, it talks about judicial review.

Question 16

What are the bill of rights and why did they come to be?

Answer 16

The Bill of Rights refers to the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution, which were added to explicitly guarantee certain fundamental individual rights and freedoms like freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to a fair trial, primarily to address concerns from Anti-Federalists who feared a too-powerful central government might infringe on citizens’ liberties during the ratification debates of the Constitution; essentially, they were added to reassure the public and encourage states to ratify the Constitution.

Question 17

Who were some famous federalists (pro-constitution)?

Answer 17

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, George Washington, John Adams, Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph, and Charles Pinckney

Question 18

Who were some famous anti-federalists (anti-constitution)?

Answer 18

Patrick Henry, George Mason (known as the father of the bill of rights because he rejected the constitution due to its lack of explicit rights), Samuel Adams (though he supported the Constitution after the Bill of Rights, Richard Henry Lee, James Monroe, Thomas Paine, Robert Yates (likely to have authored the Brutus essays)

Question 19

Define federalism.

Answer 19

the division of sharing powers with the national and state government

Question 20

Describe Marbury V. Madison and what the court ruling was.

Answer 20

One of the most significant cases in American constitutional history because it established the principle of judicial review, which allows the courts to strike down laws that they determine to be unconstitutional.
While the ruling confirmed Marbury’s right to the commission, it denied him the remedy he sought, as the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to enforce it.

Question 21

Describe McCulloch V. Maryland and what the court ruling was.

Answer 21

In 1816, Congress chartered the Second Bank of the United States to regulate the economy and stabilize the currency. The state of Maryland, opposed to the federal bank, passed a law imposing a tax on all banks not chartered by the state, effectively targeting the federal bank. James McCulloch, a cashier at the Baltimore branch of the federal bank, refused to pay the tax. Maryland sued, and the case made its way to the Supreme Court. A landmark Supreme Court case that clarified the scope of federal power and the relationship between federal and state governments. It established two key principles: the implied powers of Congress and the supremacy of federal laws over state laws. Maryland could not tax the federal bank due to the necessary and proper clause. “The power to tax involves the power to destroy.” - Judge Marshall

Question 22

What was the Jacksonian Era?

Answer 22

Andrew Jackson gave the “common man” more power and took power away from the “elite control” of the national government. Much like Ronald Reagan. Many states abolished property requirements for voting, extending the franchise to nearly all white men. Elections became more inclusive and participatory, with rallies, parades, and slogans replacing older, elite-driven political processes. War on the Bank: Jackson opposed the Second Bank of the United States, which he believed wielded too much power and favored the wealthy. He vetoed its recharter and removed federal deposits, placing them in state “pet banks.” Jackson led the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which is so sad!

Question 23

What is concurrent majority, and who proposed the idea of concurrent majority?

Answer 23

Concurrent majority is where all key groups’ majorities agree not just a numerical majority ; John C. Calhoun (think purple ties!)

Question 24

Describe Dred Scott V. Sandford and what the court ruling was.

Answer 24

One of the most infamous decisions in U.S. Supreme Court history, as it heightened tensions over slavery and played a significant role in the events leading up to the Civil War. The case revolved around the question of whether an enslaved person could gain freedom by residing in a free state or territory.
Dred Scott was an enslaved man owned by John Emerson, a U.S. Army surgeon. Emerson took Scott from Missouri (a slave state) to Illinois (a free state) and then to the Wisconsin Territory (a free territory under the Missouri Compromise). After returning to Missouri, Scott sued for his freedom, arguing that living in free regions had made him a free man
The Court held that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not and could not become citizens of the United States under the Constitution. Therefore, Scott lacked the legal standing to sue in federal court.
By invalidating the Missouri Compromise, the ruling effectively opened all U.S. territories to slavery, overturning efforts to limit its spread.

Question 25

What were some constitutional failures?

Answer 25

Ambiguity of states’ rights
Failed to address slave and women rights

Question 26

What is “The Second Founding”?

Answer 26

“The Second Founding” refers to the period during and after the Civil War, particularly during Reconstruction (1865–1877), when three transformative amendments to the U.S. Constitution—known as the Reconstruction Amendments—were adopted. These amendments fundamentally reshaped the Constitution by addressing slavery, citizenship, and civil rights, laying the foundation for a more inclusive democracy
13th: Abolished slavery
14th: Established birthright citizenship, guaranteeing that citizens had individual rights that the state nor federal government could mess with without due process of the law
15th: Prohibited states from denying the power to vote to others based on color/ race

Question 27

What is the 13th amendment?

Answer 27

Abolished slavery

Question 28

What is the 14th amendment?

Answer 28

All US citizens have rights and those rights protect you from state laws that are unjust.

Question 29

What is the 15th amendment?

Answer 29

Made it easier for slaves to vote. The US cannot deny a citizen the right to vote based on their color.