Constitutional Influence of Founding Documents
What document limited the power of the king and influenced the U.S. Constitution?**
The Magna Carta
What was the main argument of the Anti-Federalists?
The Anti-Federalists did not agree with the Constitution unless a Bill of Rights was added to protect individual rights and freedoms.
What are unalienable rights?**
Unalienable rights are the rights that are given to you simply by being human.
What is popular sovereignty?
Popular sovereignty is the belief that the government is controlled by the people.
What type of government does the United States have?
A representative democracy.
Which document established a social contract/self-government for the Pilgrims?**
The Mayflower Compact
Why do we have the option to amend the Constitution?
We can amend the Constitution in order to make changes to address what the citizens of America want or need.
The 4th amendment protects you from cops wanting to search your property or take your property without a proper warrant. (Unreasonable search and seizure)
Describe the principle of separation of powers.
In Separation of Powers, the powers of the government are split into 3 branches. This is done to make sure that not one area of government has too much power.
How was the Constitution able to last for centuries and continue to be a strong document, when the Articles of Confederation couldn't?
The Constitution is able to be amended and changed to suit the needs of the American people.
The King of England took all his people's rights away and controlled them. This angered the American colonists. What did this inspire them to add into the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.
What was one reason Federalists wanted a stronger central government?
The Federalists thought the Articles of Confederation were too weak and that a stronger central government would be better for the United States.
Why is the Sixth Amendment significant to American citizens?
This amendment protects American citizens by letting them have a trial by jury, which should make their sentence/punishment fairer than if a sole judge was deciding the outcome.
How do checks and balances work in the U.S. government?
In checks and balances, each branch of government has the opportunity to "check" another branch and in doing this it keeps all the power between them balanced.
For example, the Supreme Court contains judges that are nominated by the President (Executive) and approved by Congress (Legislative). This prevents the Judicial Branch from having too much power.
What role do elections play in a republican government?
Elections allow the common people to elect someone to represent their wants and needs in the government. This is called representative democracy.
Which document helped American colonists break away from England and King George III to create their own country?
The Texas Constitution creates 3 branches of government with different responsibilities. Which principle of government in our national Constitution does this reflect?
Separation of Powers.
Which amendment is also known as the Federalism amendment?
The 10th amendment.
Explain the concept of federalism.
In federalism, the national and state governments have the ability to share certain powers and keep others to themselves.
For example, declaring war is a national power that the states cannot control. On the other hand, marriage laws are controlled by the states and not the national government (each state can make its own marriage laws based on what that state wants.)
Describe how the government ensures individual rights.
Bonus: What are the first 10 amendments called?
Before the Constitution, there was another document that ruled the United States, but it was very weak. What is that document?
The Articles of Confederation.
How did the Bill of Rights address the concerns of the Anti-Federalists?
Summarize the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
The rights in the Bill of Rights protect individual American citizens and make sure they have freedoms and are not controlled by a single power.
Why is the principle of limited government important?
Limited government is important because it keeps all members of this country equal and prevents abuse of power. Even the President has to obey the laws of the country, just like normal citizens do.
Explain the impact of the First Amendment on American life.**
The First Amendment impacts American life everyday by protecting the citizens rights to express themselves in a number of ways, including in their religion, their writing, and their speech.