American Founding
This slogan expressed colonial opposition to British taxation.
What is "no taxation without representation"?
Anti-Federalists were especially concerned that this level of government would lose power under the Constitution.
What are the states?
This is the process of redrawing congressional district boundaries after each census to reflect population shifts, and a type of redistricting describing the practice of drawing oddly shaped districts to maximize political advantage. (NAME BOTH TERMS)
What is redistricting and gerrymandering?
These are the Constitutional requirements for the President.
Minimum age: 35
Residence: minimum 14 years
Citizenship: natural-born citizen
These are the three layers of the federal judicial system.
What are US District Courts, US Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress had these major weaknesses (list 2-3).
What is the inability: to tax, raise an army, regulate interstate commerce, coin money. 9/13 states required to legislate, unanimous approval to amend, no executive or judicial branches.
In Federalist 10, Madison argues that, even though factions are a threat to democracy, their causes cannot be removed because doing so would require destroying this essential democratic value.
What is liberty?
These are the Constitutional qualifications for the Senate and House of Representatives.
House of Representatives: minimum age of 25, citizenship at least 7 years
These are the two powers the Executive shares with just the Senate, and the one power they share with all of Congress.
What is appointment power, treaty-making power, and war-making power?
The first plan favored large states and proportional representation, the second favored small states and equal representation.
What is the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?
In Federalist 51, Madison called these two arrangements "double security" for the rights of the people.
What is federalism and separation of powers?
In Federalist 63, Madison argues that senators' longer terms allow them to strengthen this area of the nation's reputation and prevent against this democratic risk.
What is foreign policy and corruption/instability?
This is the President's strongest check on the Congress, and how Congress can override this check.
What is Veto Power, which can be overridden by a 2/3 votes in both chambers?
This is the judicial instrument that orders a lower court to deliver its record in a case so that the higher court may review it. This number of justices must agree to this for the case to be heard at the Supreme Court. (name the instrument and # of justices)
What is writ of certiorari and 4?
These punitive British laws closed Boston's port and restricted Massachusetts self-government.
What are the Intolerable Acts?
What are the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause?
These are the differences between the delegate, trustee, and politico models of representation.
In the delegate model, representatives reflect the views and preferences of their constituents. In the trustee model, representatives use their own judgement, knowledge, and expertise to make decisions. In the politico model, representatives act as delegates when public opinion is clear and strong, but as trustees when it is divided or uncertain.
This is why the 25th Amendment is even more difficult to execute than impeachment (name both steps).
This provides a second way to remove an unfit president from office, where 8/15 cabinet members must declare the President unfit. If the President formally resists, 2/3 of both chambers of Congress must agree with the Cabinet. If not, the President is restored to office.
This is one argument in favor of judicial review, and one argument against judicial review
For: prevents concentration of power in the legislative and executive branches (a check!) and protects constitutional supremacy
Against: lack of accountability, overreach by the judiciary, and potential for judicial activism
John Locke contributed these three major principles to the American Founders.
What are natural rights, government based on consent, and the right to overthrow unjust rulers?
Anti-Federalists preferred small republics because they believed they would have more civic virtue by fostering this type of citizenry.
Federalists preferred large republics because they believed it would reduce the danger of this.
What is a homogenous citizenry (i.e., citizens with similar "manners, sentiments, and interests")?
What is majority tyranny/majority factions?
These are the three ways in which the House and Senate differ in the legislative process.
What are the filibuster (Senate), the Rules Committee (House), and the germaneness of amendments (House must only make relevant amendments)?
This theory argued by John Yoo is based on this constitutional clause. (explain both the theory and the clause)
The Unitary Executive Theory: Strong presidency theory holding that the president holds total control over the executive branch and can use military force without prior congressional approval. This is a narrow interpretation of the Vesting Clause in Article II.
Context: Yoo used this to argue Congressional authorization to go to war with Al Qaeda was unnecessary, stating “the power to initiate military hostilities, particulary in response to the threat of an armed attack, rests exclusively with the president”
Federal: District Court -> Court of Appeals -> Supreme Court
State: State Trial Court -> Intermediate Court of Appeals -> State Supreme Court -> Supreme Court