GOVT2305 - U.S. Government - Chapter 2

Anti-Federalists

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

Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and the press, and guarantee defendants' rights.

Articles of Confederation

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.

How did the Framers ease the path of ratification of the Constitution? -by allowing state legislatures to vote on ratification -by creating a 10-year deadline for ratification -by requiring a simple majority of states to approve the document -by requiring nine out of 13 states to approve the document

by requiring nine out of 13 states to approve the document

What aspect of democratic government did the authors of the Constitution oppose? -individual liberty -free election -consent of the governed -majority rule

majority rule

The delegates at the constitutional Convention believed the new constitutional would control factions by ___________. -setting power against power -limiting voting rights to wealthy elites -creating a strong executive -delegating most power to the states

setting power against power

What term used today is closest to the Framers' notion of a faction? -legislative branch -agency -interest group -adversary

interest group

Federalists

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

According to Gouverneur Morris and many other delegates at the Constitutional Convention, the main purpose of government was to __________. -protect private property -provide security from foreign invasion -promote public health and welfare -ensure domestic peace

protect private property

constitution

A nation's basic law. It creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens. Constitutions can be either written or unwritten.

Shays's Rebellion

A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings.

Why was James Madison more concerned about majority factions than minority factions? -Majority factions were more common. -Majority factions were more difficult to control. -Majority factions were more likely to pursue their self-interest. -Majority factions were the main opponents of the new Constitution.

Majority factions were more difficult to control.

What did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention have in common? -Most had practical political experience. -Most were from rural areas. -Most were middle-class. -Most had been educated in Europe.

Most had practical political experience

A(n) __________ requires authorities to explain to a judge their lawful reasons for holding a prisoner in custody. -treatise -writ of mandamus -ex post facto law -writ of habeas corpus

writ of habeas corpus

natural rights

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.

At the time it was written, the Declaration of Independence served mainly as __________. -an intellectual exercise -a statement of philosophy -a new constitution -a political argument

a political argument

Under the Articles of Confederation, how did Congress raise revenue to maintain an army and navy? -by requesting money from the states -by imposing tariffs on imported goods -by borrowing money from foreign governments -by creating an income tax

by requesting money from the states

The development of the two-party system in the United States was the result of what type of constitutional change? -the formal amendment process -changing political practice -increased demands for new policies -judicial interpretation

changing political process

How were votes allocated in the national legislature under the Articles of Confederation? -each state had one vote -each state had a number of votes proportional to its land area -each state had five votes -each state had a number of votes proportional to its population.

each state had one vote

Which of the following is a characteristic of a republic? -direct citizen involvement in government decision-making -elections in which people select representatives -division of power between a national government and state government -division of power among three branches of government

elections in which people select representatives

The Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison is significant because it __________. -was the first case heard by the Court -limited the powers of the judicial branch -expanded the president's military powers -established the Court's power of judicial review

established the Court's power of judicial review

Which action by the federal government would most likely be unconstitutional? -a takeover of the oil industry -a takeover of the nation's airlines -the ending of Social Security payments to the elderly -establishment of a state-supported church

establishment of a state-supported church

A __________ system of government divides power between the national and state governments. -confederal -democratic -representative -federal

federal

What issue was resolved through the Connecticut Compromise? -how to count slaves for the purposes of representation and taxation -how to balance the interests of small and large states in Congress -how to authorize amendments to the new Constitution -how to balance the interests of the national government and the states

how to balance the interests of small and large states in Congress

Which of the following developments illustrates the gradual democratization of the Constitution? -passage of the Equal Rights Amendment -passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, providing for the direct election of senators -repeal of the prohibition amendment -abolition of the Electoral College

passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, providing for the direct election of senators

English philosopher John Locke believed that the main purpose of government was to __________. -facilitate the pursuit of happiness -preserve property rights -ensure public safety -preserve the monarchy

preserve property rights

As described in Article V of the Constitution, the two stages of the amendment process are __________. -amendment and ratification -proposal and ratification -ratification and formal amendment -informal amendment and formal amendment

proposal and ratification

What has been the most common path of amending the Constitution? -proposal by state legislature and ratification by Congress -proposal and ratification by Congress -proposal by Congress and ratification by state legislatures -Proposal by Congress and ratification by state conventions

proposal by Congress and ratification by state conventions.

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress had the power to __________. -regulate trade -raise and maintain an army and navy -control currency -tax

raise and maintain an army and navy

An Anti-Federalist would likely support which of the following proposals? -reducing the term of office for senators from six to two years -granting state legislatures the power to appoint House members -lengthening the term of office for House members from two to six years -delegating the protection of individual rights and liberties to state governments

reducing the term of office for senators from six to two years

The three-fifths compromise dealt with how slaves would be counted for what two purposes? -representation in the House and property rights -representation in the House and taxation -voting and property rights -voting and taxation

representation in the House and taxation

The primary goal of the American Revolution was to __________. -expand rights and liberties to all people -create a new world power that could challenge Europe -restore rights colonists felt were theirs as British subjects -transfer resources and power from the wealthy to the working class

restore rights colonists felt were their as British subjects

According to the English philosopher John Locke, natural rights consist of __________. -rights created by governments and given to kings -rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments -rights created by governments and given to all people at birth -divinely given rights possessed by kings

rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention assumed that people were generally __________. -generous -self-interested -irrational -trustworthy

self-interested

limited government

The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens.

What was the most significant change in the states under the Articles of Confederation? -the adoption of a single currency for all states -the adoption of bills of rights and laws reducing barriers to political participation -the formation of militias to control violent rebellions -the passage of laws favoring creditors in economic disputes

the adoption of bills of rights and laws reducing barriers to political participation

What has been the most important effect of constitutional amendments? -the expansion of individual rights and liberties -the expansion of states' rights -the concentration of power in the hands of economic elites -the diminished importance of the original document

the expansion of individual rights and liberties

What was a major factor leading to passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18? -the women's suffrage movement -the civil rights movement of the 1960s -the development of political parties -the sacrifices of young soldiers in Vietnam

the sacrifices of young soldiers in Vietnam

According to the Framers, what is the main source of factions? -laws that restrict citizens' liberties -governments that concentrate power in the hands of a few -the unequal distribution of property and wealth -homogenous societies

the unequal distribution of property and wealth

What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers? -to outline proposed amendments to the new Constitution -to convince people to vote for Federalist party candidates -to document the deliberations at the Constitutional Convention -to convince people to support the new Constitution

to convince people to support the new Constitution

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

A constitutional amendment passed by Congress in 1972 stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." The amendment failed to acquire the necessary support from three-fourths of the state legislatures.

writ of habeas corpus

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

separation of powers

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

republic

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

Why did the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) fail? -Due to opposition from Southern states, it failed to get the support of three-fourths of state legislatures. -After the ERA passed the proposal stage, proponents could not agree on whether to ratify it through state legislatures or special state conventions. -Due to a general lack of public support, it did not pass the proposal stage in Congress. -Due to a general lack of public support, it did not pass the proposal stage in Congress

Due to opposition from Southern states, it failed to get the support of three-fourths of state legislatures.

checks and balances

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.

What was a key difference between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the type of government they preferred? -Federalists preferred stronger state governments, while Anti-Federalists preferred weaker state governments. -Federalists preferred direct election of officials, while Anti-Federalists preferred indirect election. -Federalists preferred strengthened protections for individual liberties, while Anti-Federalists preferred shorter terms.

Federalists preferred strengthened protections for individual liberties, while Anti-Federalists preferred shorter terms.

factions

Groups such as interest groups that, according to James Madison, arise from the unequal distribution of property or wealth and have the potential to cause instability in government.

What is a drawback of the system of separation of powers and checks and balances? -It can lead to concentration of power in one branch of government. -It creates few opportunities for citizen participation. -It can lead to extreme policy changes. -It can cause gridlock or inadequate policies.

It can cause gridlock or inadequate policies.

Marbury v. Madison

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.

Federalist Papers, The

The Federalist Papers are a set of 85 essays that advocate ratification of the Constitution and provide insightful commentary on the nature of the new system of government.

Why did the Constitution drafted at the Constitutional Convention say little about personal freedoms? -The Framers could not agree on how to address personal freedoms. -The Framers did not believe that protection of personal freedoms was important. -The Framers believed that the Constitution would protect freedoms through limited government. -The Framers believed that the newly created judiciary would protect personal freedoms

The Framers believed that the Constitution would protect freedoms through limited government.

Connecticut Compromise

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 population; and the Senate, in which each state has two representatives.

Declaration of Independence

The document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence.

U.S. Constitution

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

consent of the governed

The idea that government derives its authority from the people.

Which statement best describes the power of the national government relative to the states under the Articles of Confederation? -The national government controlled the presidency, while states controlled the legislative branch. -The national government was weak and ineffective in relation to the states. -The national government could overrule states on most matters. -The national government was powerful in foreign policy, while states controlled domestic policy.

The national government was weak and ineffective in relation to the states.

Anti-Federalists used which argument to oppose the Constitution? -The new government's economic powers would lead to inflation. -The new Constitution would be too easy to amend. -The new government would be controlled by economic elites. -The new government would give too much power to states.

The new government would be controlled by economic elites.

judicial review

The power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and those of the executive branch are in accord with the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court established judicial review in Marbury v. Madison.

Which of the following is an example of checks and balances? -The people vote for the president, but special electors have final say in selecting the president. -The president nominates judges, and the Senate confirms them. -Congress regulates interstate commerce, and states regulate commerce within states. -The people elect state legislators, and state legislators elect U.S. senators.

The president nominates judges, and the Senate confirms them.

New Jersey Plan

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

Virginia Plan

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

Which of the following is a consequence of the system of checks and balances and the separation of powers? -There is a bias toward the status quo -The United States is among the most powerful nations -The national government is more powerful than the states -Citizens are politically active

There is a bias toward the status quo

What major concession did the Federalist make to the Anti-Federalists? -They agreed to select George Washington as the first president. -They agreed to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. -They agreed to the direct election of U.S. senators. -They agreed to ratification by state conventions.

They agreed to add a bill of rights to the Constitution.

Why was Shays's Rebellion so concerning to economic and political elites? -They believed Congress was too aggressive in putting down the rebelion. -They believed it might make the nation vulnerable to foreign attack. -They believed it might lead to a fell-fledged revolution. -They believed Massachusetts was too aggressive in putting down the rebellion.

They believed it might lead to a fell-fledged revolution.

How did the delegates at the Constitutional Convention decide on who should be eligible to vote? -They restricted voting in national elections to male property owners, but allowed states to determine rules for state elections. -They restricted voting to male property owners. -They gave states the authority to determine voter eligibility. -They eliminated property requirements, allowing all free adult males to vote.

They gave states the authority to determine eligibility.

In spelling out economic powers, the Constitution prohibited states from ___________. -taxing imports from other states -regulating commerce -entering into contracts -borrowing money

taxing imports form other states

What purpose is most clearly reflected in the Framers' use of special electors to choose the president? -to give the national government greater power over the states -to ensure the stability of the national government -to place government beyond the direct control of the majority -to ensure that the president would not be too powerful

to place government beyond the direct control of the majority

Why did the British Parliament impose new taxes on colonists following the French and Indian War? -to pay off debts incurred during the war -to raise revenue for British colonization of other parts of the world -to raise revenue for the defense of newly acquired territory -to demonstrate Britain's power over the colonists

to raise revenue for the defense of newly acquired territory

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson primarily emphasized the __________. -ways in which George III had abused the colonies -daily challenges the colonists faced while building a new life in America -ways in which the British Parliament had abused the colonies -potential benefits of forming a new democratic government

ways in which George III had abused the colonies