AP Government: Ch. 2 Key ID QUIZ VERSION

A set of 85 essays that advocate ratification of the Constitution and provide insightful commentary on the nature of the new system of government.

Federalist Papers

Supporters of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.

Federalists

An essay written by Madison that argues for the creation of a large republic; large republics diffuse the power of political factions. The Constitution being a strong national government can keep control of factions.

Federalists #10

Discusses the importance of separation of powers/checks and balances.

Federalists #51

Hamilton; Need for a vigorous executive

Federalists #70

Discusses the power of judicial review. It argues that the federal courts have the duty to determine whether acts of Congress are constitutional and to follow the Constitution when there is inconsistency.

Federalists #78

Rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property. - The concept of natural rights was central to English philosopher John Locke's theories about government and was widely accepted among America's Founders.

Natural rights

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

New Jersey Plan

What did the British Parliament do to the colonies to raise revenue after the Seven Years' war? How did the colonies feel about that?

The British Parliament passed a series of taxes on official documents, publications like newspapers, and imported paper, glass, paint, and tea. They also began tightening enforcement of its trade regulations. The colonist lacked representation in Parliament and resented its imposing taxes on them.

The idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people. - people must agree who their rulers will be

consent of the governed

A feature of the Constitution that requires each of the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. Power is shared among these three institutions.

seperation of powers

A court order requiring authorities to explain to a judge what lawful reason they have for holding a prisoner in custody.

writ of habeas corpus

A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws

.Republic

What did Madison propose to deal with the possible tyranny of the majority?

1. Place as much of the government as possible beyond the direct control of the majority. 2. Separate the powers of different institutions 3. Construct a system of checks and balances

What were the failures of the articles of confederation that lead to the constitutional convention?

Congress lacked the power to regulate commerce, which inhibited foreign trade and the development of a strong national economy. The national government could take little independent action as most governmental power rested in the states. This weakness of the national government prevented it from dealing with major issues and it couldn't compel the states to do anything. A lot of commercial conflicts arose from the Articles of Confederation so delegates met at what is now known as the Constitutional Convention.

What powers did the framers give the new Congress in respect to economic powers?

Congress was to be the chief economic policy maker. It could obtain revenues through taxing and borrowing and had the power to appropriate funds.

The compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention that established two houses of Congress: the House of Representatives, in which representation is based on a state's share of the U.S. population, and the Senate, in which each state has two representatives.

Connecticut Compromise

The document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence. - primary author: thomas jefferson - adopted July 4

Declaration of Independence

Which state was the first to approve the US constitution?

Delaware, on December 7, 1787.

Groups such as parties or interest groups, which according to James Madison arose from the unequal distribution of property or wealth and had the potential to cause instability in government.

Factions

Features of the Constitution that require each branch of the federal government to obtain the consent of the others for its actions; they limit the power of each branch.

Checks and Balances

How would a hyper-pluralist view the new US constitution?

A hyperpluralist would view the new US Constitution negatively. They believe that the government is ineffective when it tries to appease too many interest groups. The US Constitution now allows everyone to have a voice/opinion.

Opponents of the U.S. Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.

Anti-Federalists

Why was the addition of the Bill of Rights critical to the ratification of the US constitution?

Anti-Federalists feared that the new government would try and impede on fundamental liberties. To appease these fears, the Federalists promised to add amendments to the document that specifically protected these individual liberties.

The first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. The Articles established a national legislature, the Continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state legislatures.

Articles of Confederation

Why do think the Constitution says little about individual rights? What are some protections the Constitution has with personal freedoms?

Because they were constructing a limited government that could not threaten personal freedoms. It prohibits the suspension of the writ of habeas, prohibits congress or the state from passing bills of attainder, from passing ex post facto laws, prohibits imposition of religious qualifications for holding office, defines and outlines strict rules of evidence for the conviction of treason.

First 10 amendments to the Constitution, drafted in response to some of the Anti-Federalists' concerns. These amendments define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech and predominantly and they guarantee defendants' rights.

Bill or Rights

How are informal changes made to the constitution?

Informal processes, by change an unwritten body of tradition, practice, and procedure related to the Constitution, may change the way the constitutional system functions.

How can the US Constitution be changed? In which Article is the process outlined?

It can be changed by either formal amendments or a number of informal processes. Formal amendments change the text of the constitution, informal processes change an unwritten body of tradition, practice, and procedure related to the Constitution. Article 5 outlines the process.

The power of the courts to determine whether acts of congress and those of the executive branch are in accord with the US constitution. Judicial review was established by Marbury v. Madison.

Judicial Review

The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens. - there must be clear restrictions on what rulers can and cannot so

Limited Government

Why were the limits on government especially important to John Locke?

Locke believed in natural rights (life, liberty, and property) and that people existed in a state of nature, in which they were governed not by formal laws but by the law of nature.

The 1803 case in which the Supreme Court asserted its power to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. The decision established the Court's power of judicial review over acts of Congress.

Marbury v. Madison

How did the framers of the constitution address the the issue of slavery?

The delegates agreed that the Congress could limit the importing of slaves in the future -- they allowed it to be outlawed after 1808 -- but they did not forbid slavery itself. The Constitution inclines towards recognizing slavery; referring to slaves it states that persons legally "held to service or labor" who escaped to free states had to be returned to their owners.

What has moved the American political system away from the elitist model of democracy toward the pluralist model?

The expansion of voting rights

How did the framers of the Constitution address the issue of equality in voting?

They let the states decide qualifications for voting

How were the founding fathers potentially elitist in the creation of the Constitution?

They stated the American government was to be a government by the "rich and well-born" and wished that "the people who own the country ought to govern it". They offered no guidelines to voter eligibility, leaving it to each state to decide.

The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation.

U.S. Constitution

The proposal at the constitutional convention that called for the representation of each state in Congress to be proportional to its population.

Virginia Plan