Unit 5: Constitution

Question 1

articles

Answer 1

the main body of the Constitution, divided into 7 sections, which establishes the framework for the US government

Question 2

ratification

Answer 2

approving a treaty, contract, or agreement and making it official

Question 3

compromise

Answer 3

an agreement reached by changing the opposing claims

Question 4

constitution

Answer 4

Document that sets out the laws, principles, organization, and processes of a government

Question 5

Preamble

Answer 5

introduction to a declaration, constitution, or other official document; usually states the purpose

Question 6

domestic tranquility

Answer 6

Peace and order at home; one of the six goals defined in the Preamble of the US Constitution

Question 7

popular sovereignty

Answer 7

term that means people have the right to create, alter, or abolish their government

Question 8

limited government

Answer 8

A principle of the US Constitution that states that government has only the powers that the Constitution gives it

Question 9

checks and balances

Answer 9

A principle of the US Constitution that protects against abuse of power by giving each branch of government the power to check the other branches

Question 10

federalism

Answer 10

Establishes the division of power between the federal government and the states

Question 11

House of Representatives

Answer 11

The larger of the two bodies that make up the legislative branch; representation based on population

Question 12

Senate

Answer 12

Smaller of the two bodies that make up the legislative branch; based on equal representation, with two senators for each state

Question 13

bill

Answer 13

proposed law

Question 14

electoral college

Answer 14

Group of electors from each state who meet every four years to vote for the President and Vice President of the United States

Question 15

Supreme Court

Answer 15

the highest court in the US

Question 16

unconstitutional

Answer 16

not allowed in the constitution

Question 17

veto

Answer 17

to reject, as when a President rejects a law passed by Congress

Question 18

override

Answer 18

To overrule, as when Congress overrules a presidential veto

Question 19

impeach

Answer 19

to bring charges of serious wrongdoing against a public official

Question 20

First Amendment

Answer 20

Protects basic individual liberties including freedom of religion, speech, and the press

Question 21

Second Amendment

Answer 21

right to bear arms

Question 22

Thirteenth Amendment

Answer 22

bans slavery throughout the US

Question 23

Fourteenth Amendment

Answer 23

Gives citizenship to all persons born in the US and guarantees equal protection of the laws

Question 24

Fifteenth Amendment

Answer 24

Forbids any state to deny African Americans the right to vote because of the race

Question 25

Nineteenth Amendment

Answer 25

guarantees women’s right to vote

Question 26

Twenty-sixth Amendment

Answer 26

lowers the minimum voting age from 21 to 18

Question 27

Articles of Confederation

Answer 27

First American constitution, passed in 1777, which created a loose alliance of 13 independent states

Question 28

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 28

Revolt in Massachusetts led by farmers in reaction to high taxes

Question 29

legislative branch

Answer 29

branch of government that passes laws

Question 30

executive branch

Answer 30

branch of government that carries out the laws

Question 31

judicial branch

Answer 31

branch of government that interprets the laws

Question 32

The Great Compromise

Answer 32

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

Question 33

New Jersey Plan

Answer 33

Plan that was favored by the smaller states that called for three branches of government with a single-chamber legislature

Question 34

Three-fifths Compromise

Answer 34

Agreement at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slaves in any state be counted in its population

Question 35

Federalists

Answer 35

Supporters of the Constitution, who favored a strong federal, or national, government

Question 36

Anti-Federalists

Answer 36

People who opposed the Constitution and a strong national government

Question 37

The Federalist Papers

Answer 37

Series of essays by Federalists James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in support of ratifying the Constitution

Question 38

amend

Answer 38

to change

Question 39

Bill of Rights

Answer 39

first 10 amendments to the US Constitution