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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
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
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?
Which of the following sectional interests was considered unimportant in the politics of the colonial period?
What did the Three-Fifths Compromise determine?
What did the Three-Fifths Compromise determine?
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At the Philadelphia Convention, the proposed plan to create a Congress where representation was distributed according to population was called the _____ Plan
At the Philadelphia Convention, the proposed plan to create a Congress where representation was distributed according to population was called the _____ Plan
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What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress?
What did the New Jersey Plan propose for Congress?
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Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that means the division of
Bicameralism is a constitutional principle that means the division of
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The president's power to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of
The president's power to veto a bill passed by Congress is a good example of
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What are the three branches of government created by the Constitution?
What are the three branches of government created by the Constitution?
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The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the state governments, is called
The system of shared powers, divided between a central government and the state governments, is called
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Federal judges are appointed by the _______ and must be approved by the ________
Federal judges are appointed by the _______ and must be approved by the ________
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The expressed powers of Congress are listed in _________ of the U.S. Constitution
The expressed powers of Congress are listed in _________ of the U.S. Constitution
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Judicial review is the power of
Judicial review is the power of
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The power of judicial review was asserted by the court in the case of
The power of judicial review was asserted by the court in the case of
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The framers employed the separation of powers and federalism in order to
The framers employed the separation of powers and federalism in order to
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What powers does the Constitution expressly grant to Congress?
What powers does the Constitution expressly grant to Congress?
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Which of the following is true about the U.S. Constitution?
Which of the following is true about the U.S. Constitution?
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During the ratification debates, who were the Federalists?
During the ratification debates, who were the Federalists?
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Who were the authors of the Federalist Papers?
Who were the authors of the Federalist Papers?
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Procedures for amending the Constitution are found in Article
Procedures for amending the Constitution are found in Article
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There are ____ amendments to the U.S. Constitution
There are ____ amendments to the U.S. Constitution
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The most common method of passing an amendment to the Constitution is passage
The most common method of passing an amendment to the Constitution is passage
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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.
