Government & Democracy
A country has a national government and state governments, and both levels have their own powers.
What is federalism/federal government?
This document declared that the American colonies were separating from Great Britain.
What is the Declaration of Independence?
These are the first three words of the Preamble.
What is "We the People"?
This principle divides power between the national government and state governments.
What is federalism?
The Declaration of Independence says government gets its legitimate power from the "consent of the governed."
What does this mean?
Government gets its authority from the people.
Citizens elect representatives to make laws and decisions on their behalf.
What is a republic?
This was America's first national government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
Name two purposes of government found in the Preamble.
Any two:
The federal government and state governments both have the power to collect taxes.
What type of power is this?
What is concurrent power?
Which Enlightenment thinker most strongly influenced the idea that governments exist to protect people's natural rights?
Who is John Locke?
What is the difference between a democracy and a republic?
Democracy is government in which people exercise political power; a republic is a representative system in which citizens elect people to govern on their behalf.
Name one strength of the Articles of Confederation.
Answers may include:
The Constitution divides the national government into three branches. What is this principle called?
What is separation of powers?
A power specifically given to Congress by the Constitution, such as declaring war, is called what?
What is an expressed power?
Federalist No. 51 says, "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition."
What constitutional principle does this describe?
What are checks and balances/separation of powers?
In this system, the national government holds most political power and gives authority to regional governments.
What is a unitary government?
Name one weakness of the Articles of Confederation.
Answers may include:
Congress passes a bill. The president vetoes it. Congress overrides the veto.
What constitutional principle is demonstrated?
What are checks and balances?
A state passes a law that directly conflicts with a valid federal law. Which constitutional principle says federal law takes priority?
What is the Supremacy Clause?
Alexis de Tocqueville observed that Americans participated in local communities and associations.
Why is this important to democracy?
Citizen participation and local organizations help people practice self-government and contribute to their communities.
A group of states gives most political power to individual states while creating a weak central government.
What is a confederation?
Why did the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation contribute to the Constitutional Convention?
The national government was too weak to effectively solve national problems, leading many Americans to believe a stronger system of government was needed.
Explain the difference between separation of powers and checks and balances.
Separation of powers divides government responsibilities among branches. Checks and balances allow those branches to limit one another's power.
The Tenth Amendment says powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people.
How does this demonstrate federalism?
It establishes that not all governmental power belongs to the federal government; some powers remain with the states or the people.
You disagree with a proposed government policy. Name two actions you could take to try to influence the government.
Any two: