Unit 3 Flashcards
Following the American Revolution, what did Congress fear about a strong central government?
rights for which people fought would be lost
One weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that Congress could not…
impose taxes
What was the long-term effect of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Territories eventually became states.
What land was affected by the Land Ordinance of 1785?
land bound by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes
Why is Shays’ Rebellion an important event in U.S. history
It led to the passage of a new Constitution.
What was the original purpose of the convention in May 1787
to revise the Articles of Confederation
Why is James Madison known as the “Father of the Constitution”?
He was well prepared to lead the discussion at the convention.
Which of these was the greatest challenge for the delegates at the Constitutional Convention?
how to balance the interests of large and small states
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention agreed to establish a republic. Which of these describes a republic?
a country led by elected representatives
Which of these did both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans include?
three branches of government
What did the Great Compromise decide?
representation in Congress
The number of members of which of these is affected by state population?
House of Representatives
What was the greatest concern of the opponents to the Constitution?
giving up state power to form a stronger Union
Which group casts votes to elect the president?
Electoral College
Which of these describes a federal system of government?
Power is shared by the national and state governments.
What was the position of the group known as the Federalists?
They supported the new constitution
How did the states in Graph 2 want each enslaved person to be counted in determining representation?
the same as any other person
How is the Constitution organized?
into parts called articles
Why did the delegates start the Preamble to the Constitution with the words “We, the people”?
to state that government power comes from the people
Why does each state have two senators?
to balance the rights of large and small states
What is the primary work of Congress?
to make laws for the country
What is the final step before a national bill becomes a law?
It is signed by the president.
All of these are duties of the executive branch except
proposing new taxes.
Which of these describes the responsibility of the judicial branch?
to resolve disputes under the law
What name is given to the Supreme Court’s power to declare a law unconstitutional?
judicial review
What is the purpose of the system of checks and balances?
to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful
An amendment to the Constitution can be ratified by three-fourths of the
state legislatures.
Which of these can propose an amendment to the Constitution?
Congress
Which of these powers should be in the middle section of this Venn Diagram?
raising taxes
Which of these refers to the sharing of power between national and state governments?
federalism
All of these are advantages to having states share a common market except that
trade outside of the country is prohibited.
Why does the Constitution establish the principle of majority rule?
so decisions represent what most of the people want
The U.S. population can directly participate in government in all of these ways except through
passing laws.
In 1788, why did several states refuse to approve the U.S. Constitution?
It did not list the rights of the people.
Which of these best describes James Madison’s role in the creation of the Bill of Rights?
author
Which of these is one purpose of the Bill of Rights?
to limit the power of the federal government
Which of these describes Thomas Jefferson’s belief about government and religion?
He believed in the separation of religion and government.
What is included in the First Amendment to the Constitution?
The basic freedoms of all people
Which of these is not included in the First Amendment?
freedom to vote
How does freedom of the press help maintain a democratic society?
It allows individuals to be informed.
Which of these would not be protected by the First Amendment?
damaging property in a protest march
Which of these is a responsibility of the right to freedom of the press?
to tell the truth
Which of these guarantees that a group has the right to gather to protest a tax they think is unfair?
the right to assemble
The Second Amendment is often at the center of debate in this country. Which of these rights does it protect?
the right to own guns
To which of these experiences did these three amendments respond?
British rule in colonial America
What is meant by the “due process of law” included in the Fifth Amendment?
The government must follow rules as it carries out the law.
The right to a speedy trial falls under the
Sixth Amendment
What does the Ninth Amendment say about rights not listed in the Constitution?
There are rights beyond those listed.
Why are these two amendments included in the Bill of Rights?
to keep a balance of power and rights
