Founding
This meeting organized the Continental Army and adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
What is the Second Continental Congress?
Review: Lecture 3, slide 17; Lecture 4, slide 5 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This governmental system concentrates supreme governing authority in a single central national authority.
What is a unitary system (unitary government)?
Review: Lecture 6, slide 22 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Redrawing congressional district boundaries after a census to account for population shifts is called this.
What is redistricting?
Review: Lecture 10, slide 7 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This chamber confirms presidential nominations of federal judges and Cabinet members by a simple majority.
What is the Senate?
Review: Lecture 11, slide 9 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This interpretation views constitutional meaning as capable of adapting to new circumstances even without a formal amendment.
What is living constitutionalism?
Review: Lecture 14, slide 23 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This agreement counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for House representation and direct taxation.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
Review: Lecture 4, slide 16 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Congress’s powers specifically listed in Article I, Section 8 are called these.
What are enumerated powers?
Review: Lecture 6, slide 24 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Drawing electoral districts to maximize a political party’s advantage is called this.
What is gerrymandering?
Review: Lecture 10, slide 8 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This fraction of senators present must agree before a presidential treaty can receive the Senate’s advice and consent.
What is two-thirds?
Review: Lecture 11, slide 10 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
These intermediate federal courts review legal and procedural issues from district courts, usually using three judges and no jury.
What are U.S. courts of appeals?
Review: Lecture 13, slides 18 and 20 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This Constitutional Convention proposal favored a bicameral legislature with population-based representation in both chambers.
What is the Virginia Plan?
Review: Lecture 4, slides 12–13 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Powers not expressly listed, but reasonably necessary to carry out Congress’s listed powers, belong to this category.
What are implied powers?
Review: Lecture 6, slide 25 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This 1913 amendment replaced selection of senators by state legislatures with direct election by state voters.
What is the Seventeenth Amendment?
Review: Lecture 10, slide 24 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
These are the voting thresholds in the House and Senate needed to override a president’s veto.
What are two-thirds in each chamber?
Review: Lecture 11, slide 7; Lecture 9, slide 19 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
When the Supreme Court hears a dispute between states directly, rather than reviewing a lower court decision, it exercises this type of jurisdiction.
What is original jurisdiction?
Review: Lecture 13, slide 22; Lecture 14, slide 4 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Madison used this term for citizens united by a passion or interest opposed to others’ rights or the community’s lasting interests.
What is a faction?
Review: Lecture 5, slide 11; Federalist 10 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This Article IV clause requires states to treat other states’ citizens fairly in matters such as work and access to courts.
What is the Privileges and Immunities Clause?
Review: Lecture 7, slide 11 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
A representative listens to constituents but relies on personal expertise and judgment to decide public issues under this model.
What is the trustee model?
Review: Lecture 8, slide 16 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
In the lecture’s account of the Bush administration, this theory emphasizes total presidential control of the executive branch and authority to initiate military force without prior congressional approval.
What is the unitary executive theory?
Review: Lecture 12, slides 5 and 8 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
This constitutional tenure standard lets federal judges remain in office for life unless removed through impeachment and conviction.
What is tenure during good behavior?
Review: Lecture 14, slide 13 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
In Storing’s account, small republics cultivate this quality: deeply instilled devotion to fellow citizens and country that helps sustain republican government.
What is civic virtue?
Review: Lecture 6, slide 17; Storing, Chapter 3 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
A suspect flees from one state to another. This clause requires the suspect’s return upon the demanding state’s executive request.
What is the Extradition Clause?
Review: Lecture 7, slide 12 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
These are the minimum age and years of U.S. citizenship required for a senator, who must also live in the represented state.
What are age 30 and at least nine years of citizenship?
Review: Lecture 8, slide 5 (slide numbers = PDF pages).
In his letter to Hodges, Lincoln said otherwise unconstitutional measures could become lawful when indispensable to preserving these two connected things.
What are the nation and the Constitution?
Review: Lecture 12, slide 15; Lincoln to Hodges (slide numbers = PDF pages).
Jefferson wanted federal judges subject to potential reappointment at this interval, arguing that impeachment alone did not adequately restrain them.
What is every six years?
Review: Lecture 14, slide 17 (slide numbers = PDF pages).