Foundations of American Government Systems

Questions and Answers

A _____ is a system of government in which member states retain almost all of their sovereign authority and delegate limited powers to a weak central body

confederation

The United States' first written constitution was called the

Articles of Confederation

Which of the following sectional interests was considered unimportant in the politics of the colonial period?

Slaves (correct)

Merchants

Slave owners

Farmers

What did the Three-Fifths Compromise determine?

Three out of every five slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. Signup and view all the answers

At the Philadelphia Convention, the proposed plan to create a Congress where representation was distributed according to population was called the _____ Plan

Virginia Signup and view all the answers

What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress?

Representation would be equal for each state. Signup and view all the answers

Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that means the division of

Congress into two chambers Signup and view all the answers

The president's power to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of

checks and balances Signup and view all the answers

What are the three branches of government created by the Constitution?

executive, legislative, and judicial Signup and view all the answers

The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the state governments, is called

federalism Signup and view all the answers

Federal judges are appointed by the _ and must be approved by the __

president: Senate Signup and view all the answers

The expressed powers of Congress are listed in _________ of the U.S. Constitution

Article I, Section 8 Signup and view all the answers

Judicial review is the power of

the courts to decide on the constitutionality of actions taken by the other branches of government. Signup and view all the answers

The power of judicial review was asserted by the court in the case of

Marbury v. Madison Signup and view all the answers

The framers employed the separation of powers and federalism in order to

prevent the new government from abusing its power Signup and view all the answers

What powers does the Constitution expressly grant to Congress?

to regulate interstate commerce Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about the U.S. Constitution?

The Constitution can be amended with a two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Congress and a ratification vote by three-fourths of the states. Signup and view all the answers

During the ratification debates, who were the Federalists?

those who supported the Constitution because it contained a strong national government Signup and view all the answers

Who were the authors of the Federalist Papers?

James Madison, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton Signup and view all the answers

Procedures for amending the Constitution are found in Article

V Signup and view all the answers

There are ____ amendments to the U.S. Constitution

27 Signup and view all the answers

The most common method of passing an amendment to the Constitution is passage

in both houses of Congress by a two-thirds vote, followed by a majority vote in three-fourths of the state legislature. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Government Systems

A confederation allows member states to maintain sovereign authority while delegating limited powers to a central authority.

Foundational Documents

The first written constitution of the United States was the Articles of Confederation.

Colonial Politics

In colonial politics, the issue of slavery was considered unimportant compared to other sectional interests.

Compromises in Representation

The Three-Fifths Compromise determined that three out of every five slaves would count towards state representation and taxation.

Congressional Representation Plans

The Virginia Plan proposed representation in Congress based on state population.
The New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for each state in Congress.

Legislative Structure

Bicameralism refers to the division of Congress into two chambers.

Checks and Balances

The president's veto power over Congressional bills exemplifies the system of checks and balances within the government.

Branches of Government

The Constitution established three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Federalism

Federalism describes the division of powers between a central government and state governments.

Judicial Appointments

Federal judges are appointed by the president and require Senate approval.

Congressional Powers

The expressed powers of Congress are outlined in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Judicial Review

Judicial review allows courts to determine the constitutionality of actions by other branches of government.
The power of judicial review was established in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison.

Preventing Government Abuse

The framers utilized the separation of powers and federalism to prevent government power abuse.

Key Congressional Powers

Congress has the expressly granted power to regulate interstate commerce.

Amending the Constitution

The U.S. Constitution can be amended with a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
Procedures for amending the Constitution are detailed in Article V.

Federalists and the Constitution

Federalists were proponents of the Constitution, advocating for a strong national government during the ratification debates.

Federalist Papers Authors

The Federalist Papers were authored by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton.

Constitutional Amendments

The U.S. Constitution currently comprises 27 amendments.
The most common method for passing an amendment is through a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress followed by a majority in three-fourths of state legislatures.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the foundational concepts of American government systems, including the Articles of Confederation, representation plans, and the system of checks and balances. This quiz covers critical elements that shaped the legislative framework of the United States.