Foundations and Democracy
This is the system through which a society organizes itself, allocates authority, and works toward collective goals.
What is government?
This philosopher argued that people possess natural rights, including life, liberty, and property.
Who is John Locke?
These three branches make laws, enforce laws, and interpret laws.
What are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches?
This system divides authority between a national government and regional governments such as states.
What is federalism?
These limit government power to protect individual freedoms, while civil rights focus more on equal treatment.
What are civil liberties?
This political organization has a defined territory, population, government, and sovereignty, while a nation is based primarily on a shared identity.
What is a state?
This first U.S. governing framework intentionally created a weak national government and strong states.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The president vetoes a bill, but Congress can override that veto. This is an example of this constitutional principle.
What are checks and balances?
Powers specifically granted to the national government are called this, while powers left to the states are called this.
What are enumerated powers and reserved powers?
The Equal Protection Clause is found in this amendment.
What is the Fourteenth Amendment?
In this type of democracy, citizens elect officials to make government decisions rather than making most decisions themselves.
What is representative democracy?
One plan wanted representation based on population; the other wanted equal representation for each state. Name both.
What are the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan?
This power allows courts to determine whether government actions violate the Constitution.
What is judicial review?
In this system the central government holds most authority.
What is a unitary system?
This Supreme Court decision allowed state-sanctioned racial segregation.
What is Plessy v. Ferguson?
This theory says a small group of elites holds most political power.
What is elitism?
This agreement created a House based on population and a Senate with equal representation for every state.
What is the Great Compromise?
Supporters of ratification were known by this name, while opponents concerned about federal power and individual liberties were known by this other name.
Who are Federalists and Anti-Federalists?
This constitutional provision allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers and is sometimes called the Elastic Clause.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
The Constitution recognizes a right and the Supreme Court protects it, but governments continue violating it. According to our class discussion, what additional step may be necessary before the right becomes meaningful in practice?
What is government enforcement?
Environmental groups, businesses, teachers, and police organizations all pressure a city council. No group gets everything it wants, and the final policy is a compromise. What theory of political power does this best illustrate?
What is pluralism?
The Articles created a national government too weak to respond effectively to economic and political problems. What major action did delegates ultimately take at the Philadelphia Convention rather than simply revising the Articles?
What is replacing the Articles with a new Constitution?
To amend the Constitution through the most commonly used method, what fraction of both houses of Congress must propose the amendment?
What are two-thirds of both houses?
North Carolina permits an activity, but Congress constitutionally prohibits that same activity nationwide. What constitutional principle generally makes the federal law controlling?
What is the Supremacy Clause?
Government-required racial separation is called this type of segregation.
What is de jure segregation?