Historical Documents
This document was signed in 1776 and asserts that all men are created equal, outlining the colonies' grievances against King George III.
What is the Declaration of Independence?
This constitutional mechanism allows the president to reject legislation passed by Congress.
What is the presidential veto?
This amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and provided equal protection under the law.
What is the 14th Amendment?
This clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution allows Congress to create laws that are necessary and proper for executing its powers.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
This term refers to the collective set of amendments known for protecting individual liberties against government infringement.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This 1781 document created a loose alliance of independent states and proved inadequate due to its lack of federal power.
What is the Articles of Confederation?
This constitutional process allows Congress to remove a president from office for "high crimes and misdemeanors.”
What is impeachment?
This Supreme Court case in 1966 established the requirement that individuals taken into police custody must be informed of their rights, including the right to remain silent.
What is Miranda v. Arizona?
This Supreme Court case clarified the scope of federal power over interstate commerce, reinforcing federal authority.
What is Gibbons v. Ogden?
This term denotes the distribution of power between national and state governments, often debated in political contexts.
What is federalism?
This influential pamphlet by Thomas Paine called for independence and challenged the legitimacy of monarchy, arguing for republican governance.
What is Common Sense?
This judicial power allows the Supreme Court to assess the constitutionality of laws and executive actions.
What is judicial review?
This 1957 law aimed to protect the voting rights of African Americans, following the Civil Rights Movement's activism.
What is the Voting Rights Act?
This 1832 doctrine, developed by John C. Calhoun, posited that states could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional.
What is the Doctrine of Nullification?
This term describes the process by which a proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution after approval by Congress and the states.
What is the amendment process?
This 1215 English document established the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law and influenced American constitutional thought.
What is the Magna Carta?
This term describes the ability of the executive branch to refuse to enforce a law passed by Congress.
What is executive discretion?
This amendment, ratified in 1964, prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
What is the 15th Amendment?
This landmark Supreme Court case established that federal law takes precedence over state law when they conflict.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
This principle asserts that government powers are limited to those granted by the Constitution, ensuring individual freedoms.
What is limited government?
This 1787 document, known for its preamble, outlines the framework for a federal government, including separation of powers and checks and balances.
This constitutional framework ensures cooperation and accountability among the branches of government, preventing one from dominating the others.
What are checks and balances?
This landmark Supreme Court case upheld the principle of "affirmative action" in higher education admissions.
What is Regents of the University of California v. Bakke?
This early 19th-century confrontation involved South Carolina's attempt to nullify federal tariffs, highlighting tensions over state sovereignty.
What is the Nullification Crisis?
This legal doctrine, established in Marbury v. Madison, allows the judiciary to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution.
What is judicial review?