Miscellaneous
Bill of Rights
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
The Constitution
100
Your history teacher makes you do 3 hours of homework every night, makes you sit silently for 80 minutes every class, and sometimes hits you with his car in the parking lot because he knows he can get away with it. This is an example of what vocabulary term we have used?
tyranny (unfair use of power or authority)
100
What are the five freedoms of the 1st Amendment?
speech, press, religion, assembly, petition
100
Which branch controls the military?
Executive (President is commander-in-chief)
100
Which branch can veto laws?
Executive (the President)
100
How long has the Constitution been used in the US (within 10 years)?
222 years (since 1789)
200
What is the social contract?
an agreement where individuals give up certain freedoms in exchange for some protection of their natural rights such as life, liberty, and property
200
The 4th amendment says the police cannot search my property without _____________ or _______________ (they must have one or the other).
a warrant or probable cause
200
Which branch can impeach members of other branches, and on what grounds?
Legislative, if they commit a crime or violate the Constitution
200
What is the main check that the judicial branch has on both the legislative and executive branches?
Declares laws and actions "unconstitutional"
200
What 4 groups of people were not represented at the Constitutional Convention?
Women, African-Americans, Native Americans, white men without land
300
What has to happen to add an amendment to the Constitution?
2/3 of both Houses of Congress vote to approve it, then 3/4 of all the states approve it
300
Under the 6th Amendment, what rights does a person have when facing trial? (at least 3)
1. to hear charges against 2. to call witnesses in defense and hear opposing witnesses 3. to a defense attorney 4. to a "speedy" public trial
300
Which branch of government has the power to declare war?
Legislative (Congress)
300
Which branch nominates judges, and which branch votes to confirm or reject them?
Executive nominates judges, Legislature (usually just the Senate) votes to confirm or reject the,.
300
What were the two key compromises the Founders made at the Constitutional Convention in 1787
Connecticut (Great) Compromise and 3/5 Compromise
400
How and when were women given the right to vote (within 5 years)?
An amendment was added to the Constitution (the 19th) in 1920
400
The policy of "waterboarding" suspected terrorists became very controversial a few years ago because many people considered it torture. How would this violate the Constitution?
The 8th Amendment prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment."
400
What is the purpose of the separation of powers between the three branches of government.
To prevent one branch from taking too much power (fear of tyranny)
400
Which branch writes and signs treaties with other nations, and which branch votes to ratify or reject that treaty?
Executives signs treaties, Legislative votes to confirm
400
How were the issues of slavery and representation in Congress resolved during the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
Representation- Congress has two houses- Senate has equal representation (2 per state), House of Reps is proportional to population Slavery- slaves were counted as 3/5 of a person for representation in Congress
500
I am a poor farmer in Western Massachusetts in 1787. I am against this new Constitution. Why? (4 reasons)
He is an Antifederalist because: 1. fear of a central government becoming tyranny 2. does not want states to give up power 3. a large republic will not work as a nation 4. the Constitution does not contain a Bill of Rights as first
500
What part of the Constitution is the Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments (located at the end of the document)
500
Which branch can pardon (or free) someone convicted of a crime?
Executive (the president)
500
This Friday, the government may be shut down due to a crisis over the budget. Which branch writes the budget, and which branch approves of it?
Executive writes and proposes the budget, the legislative approves of it (or sends it back for changes to be made)
500
Name four weaknesses within the Articles of Confederation that led Americans to create a stronger national government under the Constitution?
1. No executive (president) 2. Congress couldn't tax 3. Required unanimous vote to amend Articles 4. Congress could not pay for an army 5. Congress could not regulate trade between states
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