Earlier Documents
What was the first document that was written and signed that declared us as the country of the United States of America?
The Declaration of Independence
Who was the main author of The Constitution?
James Madison
What is the special name given to the introduction of the Constitution?
The Preamble
Though referred to in The Bill of Rights as "Articles", what do we call each numbered right?
Amendments
What are the three branches of our government?
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
What document did the Continental Congress write in order to fix several of the issues/problems with what the D.O.I. was missing
The Articles of Confederation
What were the names of the two groups that debated and argued about The Constitution?
The Federalists and the Anti-federalists
A veto
How many Amendments are there in The Bill of Rights?
Ten (10)
Which branch of government contains the House of Representatives and the Senate?
The Legislative Branch
In what city AND state were both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation both written
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What were the names of the TWO plans that focused on how representation would work in Congress?
The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan
What is the name of the system/feature of The Constitution that separates powers so one branch of government doesn't get too powerful
Checks and balances
Which Amendment contains "freedom of speech," "freedom of the press," and "freedom of worship?"
The First (1st) Amendment
What three persons/groups are in the Executive Branch?
The President, Vice President, and the Cabinet
What are three of the parts/systems that one usually needs for establishing and running a government that the Declaration of Independence is missing?
Who is leading the country
How the government collects taxes (gets money)
How the military is organized and who’s leading it
What the national and state governments specifically do
If there are any courts or judges
If there are any representatives for the government
What was the first vote agreed on at the Constitutional Convention AND why did agree on it?
1) That all their proceedings, ideas, and discussions would be kept secret
2) So no one would be afraid to share their ideas or be worried they would get in trouble or be hurt by members of the public
According to the Constitution, how are enslaved people counted in relation to figuring out representation in the House of Representatives?
Three out of every five enslaved people counted, OR, each enslaved person was counted at three-fifths (3/5) of a person.
Which two Amendments say that there are more rights than what are listed, and that powers not specifically given to the federal government go instead to the states and the people?
The ninth and tenth (9th and 10th) Amendments
What are three responsibilities of the Legislative Branch
Makes and passes laws
Controls the government’s money
Can vote to declare war
Can impeach (put on trial) the President
Approves or rejects treaties and the President’s Cabinet picks
What are three of the features of the Articles of Confederation?
It established Congress
It said that each state would get 1 vote in Congress (population didn’t matter)
The central government could not collect taxes, it could only ask states to give it money
Both The Great Compromise and The Three-Fifths Compromise (3/5) focused on . . .
How representation would be determined in Congress/The Legislative Branch
Name the two Houses/Parts of Congress AND how their number of representatives are determined
House of Representatives and the Senate
House of Representatives is determined based on population of each state
In the Senate, each state gets 2 senators (population and size doesn't matter)
Considered the least remembered Amendment, what is the focus of the Third (3rd) Amendment?
It prevents the government from forcing homeowners to allow it to use their homes to house soldiers.
2) What is the responsibility of the Judicial Branch?
3) How to the other two branches check and balance the Judicial Branch
1) The Supreme Court
2) Interpret laws (review and reject laws it says are unconstitutional)
3) Congress can impeach the justices, and the President has to pick one, and he or she has to be approved by Congress