6 Basic Principles
The idea that government is created by the people, majority rule. Repersented in the constitution with the phrase "We The People".
What is Popular Sovereignty?
First 10 Amednments to the consitution that guarantee our basic freedoms
What is Bill of Rights?
Changing the written words of the constitution
What is a Formal Amendment?
Constitutional change without changing the written words of the consitution.
What is Informal Amendments?
The father of the Constitution
James Madison
Governmental power restricted by law, usually in a written constitution
What is Limited Government?
Established in the frist three Articles of the Consitutition.
What are the three branches of government?
This person does not play a role in Formal Amendments
Who is the president?
President endtering into an diplomatic agreement with another head of state.
What is an Executive Agreement?
Collection of articles written to encourage the radification of the Constitution
The Federalist Papers
The division of government into three branches in order to restrict the accumulation of power by any one person or body.
Separation of Powers
Prosses established in Article V of the consitution.
Amendment
Two locations that Formal Amendments can be proposed.
What are Congress and National Conventions?
Congress passing laws that extend the ideas in the constitution. (EX Judiciary Act of 1789)
What is change through legislation?
a system that allows each branch of a government to put restrants on another branch to prevent too much power.
What are Checks and Balances?
The number of amendments in the constitution
What is 27?
Most common way Formal Amendments are added to the constitution
What is passed by 2/3rds of both houses in congress and 3/4ths of state legislatures?
Supreme Court ruiling on the constitutionality of a legislative act.
What is Judicial Review?
What is the 22nd amendment?
Divison of power amoung the Federal government and State and Local Governments
What is the Supreme Law of the land?
the Formal Amendment process is a repersentation of this basic principle
What is federalism?
The use of the electoral college as a "rubber stamp" for the popular vote is an example of this type of constitutional change
Change by party practices
1787
what is the year the constitution was writen.