US Government and Constitution Quiz

Week 1: The Constitution and Federalism

• Federalism is the division of power between the national government and state governments, which are further divided into central and smaller units.
• Insurrection is a violent challenge to government authority. The January 6th insurrection is an example.
• The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave states significant power.
• There was no central government to oversee economic or political stability.
• The Articles of Confederation established a "firm league of friendship" among the 13 states, but states retained considerable power.

The Provisions of the Articles of Confederation

• States had the power to do what they wanted, with the central government administering collective business activities.
• The Articles of Confederation didn't cover individuals.
• Congress held powers to establish and direct armed forces, make decisions about war and peace, coin money, and enter into treaties.
• States had the power to print their own currencies, set their own tariffs, and create their own laws regarding finances and politics.

Some Winners, Some Losers

• The "Critical Period" saw poor business practices, domestic political issues, poor economic conditions, and high taxes in states.
• "Popular tyranny" refers to the unrestrained power of the people, exemplified by Shay's Rebellion.
• Delegates at the Constitutional Convention agreed on a federalist framework.
• The Virginia Plan established a two-house legislature with representation based on population, benefiting larger states.

Compromises

• New Jersey Plan emphasized representation for smaller states with an equal vote.
• The Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature, with population-based representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation for each state in the Senate.

North and South

• The Three-Fifths Compromise determined that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes.

The Legislative Branch

• This branch has the power to make laws.
• The branch consists of the House of Representatives, and the Senate.
• The House of Representatives representatives represent the people; have a two-year term, and must be at least 25 years old.
• The Senate has two representatives per state; serve six year terms, and must be 35 years of age or older.

The Executive Branch

• This branch "executes" (implements) the laws.
• The branch consists of the president, who can veto legislation, in addition to creating laws and policies.
• The President serves a four-year term and is elected by the Electoral College.
• The President is commander-in-chief and can be impeached.

The Judicial Branch

• This branch interprets the law and determines if laws have been broken.
• The Supreme Court can rule that acts of Congress or executive actions are unconstitutional (Judicial Review.)

Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances

• Branches of government are not run by the same person or group.
• The branches can police one another, to prevent any branch from having too much power.
• This system is known as Checks and Balances.

Amendability

• The constitution can be amended, allowing it to adapt over time.
• It has been amended 27 times to date.
• Proposals for amendments need a two-thirds vote in both houses.
• An alternative approach calls for a national convention convened by Congress or approval by legislatures of 3/4 of the states.

Ratification

• Ratification of the Constitution occurred when nine states agreed to it at conventions.
• The Federalist Papers were a series of 88 essays written in support of the Constitution.
• Factions are groups of people unified by a common interest.

Chapter 2 Takeaway

• Federalists wanted a strong central government, determined by population (Virginia Plan).
• Anti-federalists supported the New Jersey Plan, giving each state equal representation.
• The solution was a bicameral legislature.

Constitution Part 1

• The Continental Congress governed before the Constitution.
• The Articles of Confederation established the first independent government in America.
• State governments were dominant, as a 9/13 states' consent was needed for many actions.
• The national government lacked the power to raise funds, which resulted in issues like trade wars, inflation, and state money printing.
• Shay's Rebellion occurred in 1786 when farmers took control of courthouses to prevent states from taking their land.

The Constitutional Convention

• The 1787 Philadelphia delegates were educated individuals from the Enlightenment era.
• The weakness of the government, and a fear of tyranny, motivated the call for a stronger, new government system.
• James Madison designed a new plan for government, known as the Virginia Plan.
• Represented democracy, election of individuals to the government.
• National Supremacy will always overrule State ideas or decisions.
• Three Branches (Separation of Powers)
• Limited Gov. (Checks and Balances).

Areas of Conflict

• Virginia Plan favored large states with representation based on population.
• New Jersey Plan favored smaller states with equal votes/representation.
• The Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives, based on population, and the Senate, with two senators per state.
• The Three-Fifths Compromise resolved the debate over representation of enslaved people within the political system.
• The executive branch, the President, will be selected by the Electoral College, with electoral votes equal to representatives each state has in Washington, D.C.

Ratification Process

• Opposition among small farmers influenced the ratification process.
• The Federalist Papers played a role.
• The Federalist Papers #10 described factions, while #51 outlined the concepts of a republic and a representative democracy in addition to checks and balances, designed to prevent tyranny.
• Anti-federalist papers existed that outlined opposition to the Constitution.
• June 21, 1788, the Constitution went into effect.

Text of the Constitution

• The Constitution establishes the legislative branch of the government, outlining its powers.

The Bill of Rights

• The Bill of Rights limits the government through 10 amendments, with a grounding in logical thought.
• The Constitution has now been amended 27 times.

Chapter 3: Federalism

• Federalism divides authority between different levels of governments.
• Enumerated powers of Congress are examples of the strongest statements of national power.
• The Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution.
• The Supremacy Clause asserts the Constitution as the supreme law of the land.
• Concurrent powers are shared by both levels of government.
• Dual federalism likens the system of government to layers of a cake.

Cooperative Federalism

• In cooperative federalism, the interactions between different levels of government is similar to a swirled ice cream.
• Unitary Systems concentrate power within a central government.
• In a confederal system, power is held at local levels.
• Devolution shifts power to states at a national level.
• Categorical grants provide states with money to follow instructions from the national government in exchange.

Federalism Videos

• Three systems of government exist (federal, unitary, confederal.)
• In a federal system, power is divided between national and state governments.
• In a unitary system, the national government is supreme, granting powers to sub-governments.
• In a confederal system, states have ultimate authority.
• Dual federalism likens the system to layers of a cake. Article 1, Section 8, outlines congressional powers.
• The Necessary and Proper Clause justifies congressional powers not specifically listed in the Constitution.

10th Amendment (Goals)

• The 10th Amendment designates powers to states that aren't explicitly granted to the national government, creating equal status with the national government.
• Cooperative federalism is characterized by extensive cooperation between national and state governments.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Maryland imposed taxes on the U.S. bank, to which McCulloch refused to pay.
• John Marshall ruled the tax unconstitutional.
• Congress holds the power to establish a national bank via the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• The commerce clause was the subject of a Supreme Court case, concerning the extent of the federal government's power.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

• This Supreme Court case concluded that the federal government didn't hold the power to regulate slavery in the US.

New Federalism

• New federalism was proposed by Ronald Reagan, a key component of which was the devolution of federal government powers to state governments.