Constitutional Convention
What government contract did the Constitution replace?
The Articles of Confederation
What is the Electoral College?
What are the three branches, and what is their basic function as it relates to the law?
-Executive carries out laws.
-Judicial interprets the law.
-Legislative makes laws.
What do we mean by "checks and balances?" Why was this important to the framers of the Constitution?
The three branches are able to "check" or limit each other's branches so no one branch becomes too powerful.
This was important to the framers because they wanted to avoid a powerful king, like they felt they had before their independence.
What are the three parts of the Constitution?
1. The preamble: states the Constitution's six goals.
2. The articles: establish the framework for our government
3. Amendments: changes to the Constitution
True or False: The Virginia Plan called for three branches of government and one House of Congress (with the number of representatives determined by states' populations).
False: It called for three branches and two Houses of Congress (with the number of representatives determined by states' populations).
How many electors are in the Electoral College? How is this number determined?
538: the number of Senators (2/state) + the number in the House of Representatives (435 total) + 3 for D.C.
What is the term for a Supreme Court Justice? For a Senator? For a U.S. Representative (in the House)?
Supreme Court justices serve for life, with good behavior.
Senators serve for 6-year terms.
Representatives in the House serve for 2-year terms.
If Congress passes a bill that is unconstitutional, who can limit their power, and how?
The president can veto the bill from becoming a law.
Why did the framers seek to divide power among the three branches?
To protect America's democratic principles.
What was the Great Compromise? How many branches of government and what House(s) of Congress did it establish?
-Three branches
-Two houses: the Senate (two representatives per state) and the House of Representatives (representatives decided by states' populations)
T/F: The authors of the Constitutions chose to have an Electoral College because they didn't want Congress to pick the president, but they also didn't want the people to directly vote for president.
True.
What is the difference between a bill and a law?
All laws start as proposals called bills.
To formally accuse with misconduct (a wrongdoing).
T/F: The Constitution can be changed.
True. It can be changed through amendments.
What did the New Jersey Plan consist of? How much representation did each state get in Congress?
-Three branches of government
-One House of Congress, and each state would get an equal vote
T/F and explain: A candidate can be elected president by winning the Electoral College but losing the popular vote.
What is the power of judicial review and what branch holds this power?
The judicial branch can declare whether acts by the president or laws passed by Congress are unconstitutional (not allowed by the Constitution).
If a Supreme Court Justice commits an act that is deemed unconstitutional, what branch can limit their power, and how? What branch can fill the position?
The Legislative branch can impeach federal judges.
The president nominates Supreme Court justices.
What is an amendment?
A change/revision to the Constitution.
What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
How does this concept connect to the word dehumanization?
What region benefited from it?
Each enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person when determining a state's population.
How does the president get elected if no candidate earns 270 electoral votes?
The House of Representatives elects the President from the three candidates who received the most electoral votes.
What groups are in each of the three branches?
Legislative: Congress (House + Senate)
Executive: President + Executive Office + Executive Cabinet Departments
Judicial: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, District Courts
If the president makes a treaty that is unconstitutional, what can another branch do to stop it?
The Senate must approve presidential treaties and nominations, so they can reject it.
T/F: Once amendments are proposed, they must be agreed upon or ratified by 3/4ths of the states' legislatures OR by 3/4ths of special state conventions. Amendments only become part of the law after they are ratified.
True.