Principles of Government
________ is the institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public policy, and enforces the law.
Government
What document governed the United States before the Constitution?
Articles of Confederation.
The introduction to the Constitution that states the purposes of our government, e.g., "to form a more perfect Union."
The Preamble
The total amount of voting members including both the House of Representatives and the Senate is?
535 - 435 House members and 100 Senators
How many total electors are in the Electoral College and how many are needed to win the presidency?
538 electors total; 270 needed to win
This court can review and interpret laws and is the highest court.
The U.S. Supreme Court
Population, Territory, Government, Sovereignty are all elements required for a _______.
Nation-State
The 55 delegates to the Philadelphia (Constitutional) Convention in Independence Hall, Philadelphia are referred to as the ___.
Framers
Popular Sovereignty; Federalism; Separation of Powers; Checks & Balances; Limited Government; Rule of Law are the 6 major _____________ of the Constitution
Principles
To qualify to run for this chamber you must be at least 25 years old; U.S. citizen for 7+ years; inhabitant of the state represented.
The House of Representatives
The _____ are advisors to the President. Some examples include departments the Department of Treasury (manages monetary resources, currency, public debt); Department of Defense (national security and U.S. Armed Forces).
The President's Cabinet
The amount of Justices that serve on the Supreme Court
9
In a _________form of government the central government holds all power and makes policy for local units.
Unitary
This compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention created a bicameral legislature with Senate (equal representation for states) and House (representation by population)
The Great Compromise
To add one of these it requires a proposal by 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures or state conventions.
An amendment
The ________ members serve for 2 years (all members up for election every 2 years). The ______ members serve 6 years with roughly 1/3 elected every 2 years; "continuous body" means not all Senate seats are up at once.
House / Senate
The _____ Amendment: addresses presidential succession and procedures for declaring a President unable to perform duties; allows Vice President to become Acting President and provides a process for the President to resume duties.
25th Amendment
The 3 tier structure of the court system includes these levels.
District Courts (trial courts)
Circuit Courts (appellate courts)
Supreme Court (final appellate court)
In a _______ form of government power divided between national and state governments with each having certain sovereignty.
Federal
This compromise allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 — Commerce Clause); included restrictions on taxing exports and limited interference with the slave trade for 20 years.
The Commerce Compromise
_____ Amendment protections include grand jury indictment, protection against double jeopardy, protection against self-incrimination, due process, and limits on eminent domain compensation.
5th amendment
Another term used for making laws. It is he main purpose of Congress.
Legislation
What determines the number of electors from each state in the Electoral College system?
Each state’s number of electors equals its Congressional delegation (house members + 2 Senators), giving states varying influence based on population and representation
Name the power the Supreme court has that allows it to declare laws/actions unconstitutional; established in Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Judicial Review
This form of government is ruled by a small, self-appointed group. A modern example is the Russian Federation
Oligarchy
In 1786–87 this Massachusetts uprising by indebted farmers; highlighted weaknesses of the Articles and increased calls for a stronger national government.
Shays' Rebellion
This amendment defines citizenship, applies Bill of Rights to states (incorporation), and the Equal Protection Clause prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law; expanded rights by making many federal protections enforceable against states
14th Amendment
This established direct election of Senators by the people instead of by state legislatures—significant because it increased democratic control and reduced legislative corruption/appointment issues
17th Amendment
True or False: A Presidential candidate can win popular vote but lose Electoral College
True
The amount of time a federal judge can serve. It is intended to preserve judicial independence so judges can make decisions free from political pressure
Lifetime appointments