Government Ch.3 test

There are two ways the Constitutional amendments can be proposed:

1. By Congress, with the approval of at least 2/3 of the House and 2/3 of the Senate. 2. By delegates at a national convention that is called by Congress at the request of at least 2/3 of the state legislatures.

Name 6 goals of the U.S Constitution:

1. Form a more perfect union 2. Establish Justice 3. Ensure domestic tranquility 4. Provide for the common defense 5. Promote the general welfare 6. Secure the blessings of liberty.

What are the five issues that constitutional amendments have addressed?

1. Guaranteeing basic personal freedoms and rights 2. State's rights 3. Status of African Americans 4. Social issues 5. Political issues

What are the four ways of amending the Constitution?

1. Proposed by congress and ratified by state legislatures. 2. Proposed by congress and ratified by state conventions 3. Proposed by national convention and ratified by Congress 4. Proposed by national convention and ratified by state conventions

There are two ways the Constitutional amendments can be ratified:

1. The proposed amendment is voted by state legislatures in at least 3/4 of the states must approve an amendment before it is added to the Constitution. 2. Citizens elect delegates to conventions called to each state to consider the amendment. Passage by this method requires approval by conventions of at least 3/4 of the state.

Presidents often make executive agreements:

Arrangements or compacts with foreign leaders or governments

Why do supporters of state's rights refer to the tenth amendment to strength their arguments?

Because the amendments guarantees that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.

How did Washington rely on language in Article II?

By creating a cabinet-a group of advisers consisting of the heads of the executive departments

How did the executive branch have a check in the legislative branch?

By the president's power to veto-or reject-legislation.

1st Amendment

Covers the right to practice religion freely, protects freedom of expression, and the right to ask the government to correct injustices.

Why was Madison opposed to frequent changes to the Constitution?

He felt that the Constitution would gain authority the longer it went unchanged and that changing it too often could the country into factions.

Winner-Take-All-System

In elections for U.S Congress, the candidate who receives the most votes is elected to the house or senate; candidate who comes in second or third goes home-even if he or she receives the most votes.

What makes U.S Constitution an enduring document?

It has lasted for more than 220 years with few changes.

How do political parties and traditions affect the functioning of government?

Political parties: by determining the choice of candidates, policies, and programs presented to the voters. Traditions: by influencing the way government behaves, such as the creation of the president's cabinet.

Each step in the process requires..

Supermajority: a majority that is larger than a simple majority.

The first 10 amendments are known as

The Bill of Rights

Electoral college

The body of 538 people elected from the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

How does the structure of the Constitution reflect the separation of powers?

The responsibilities of the three branches of government are listed in three separate articles

Populists and progressives

advanced social causes in the 1800s and 1900s

Political parties and entrenched customs and traditions...

affect how the Constitution is interpreted, applied and carried out.

Political party

an organized group that seeks to win elections in order to influence the activities of government; parties also shape the judicial branch, whose job is to decide what the law is by supporting or opposing nominees to federal judicial positions, such as the U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Marbury vs. Madison

established the Supreme Court's power to decide whether laws are constitutional. This power, called judicial review, is a basic principle of American government.

The Constitution

is an enduring document that has the ability to grow and change over time, and includes a formal process for adding amendments to the Construction; it has been amended two times.

Name 6 principles of government in the constitution:

1. Popular sovereignty-government gets its authority from the people and ultimate political powers remains with the people. 2. Limited government-principle that powers and functions of government are restricted by the Constitution. 3. Separation of powers-division of government powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branch. 4. Checks and balances-each branch of government has the power to change or cancel acts of another branch. 5. Judicial review-poet to determine whether actions of legislative and judicial branch are constitutional, but any law or government action (federal or state) found to violate a part of the Constitution that is is to be "unconstitutional". 6. Federalism-the powers of government that are distributed between the national government and state governments.