U.S. Government Structure and Principles

The Antifederalists argued for a strong state government and a Bill of Rights to limit the power of the national government.

Mendez v. Westminster challenged school segregation in California and set a precedent for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which outlawed segregation in public schools nationwide.

A 'living Constitution' recognizes that the interpretation of the Constitution evolves over time based on changing societal values and contemporary needs.

<p>The Full Faith and Credit Clause mandates that states recognize and respect the legal acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bicameralism, or the division of Congress into two chambers (the House of Representatives and the Senate), serves as a check on legislative power.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Supremacy Clause establishes the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties as the supreme law of the land, effectively giving the federal government power to supersede state laws when they conflict.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Anti-Federalists feared that the proposed Constitution gave too much power to the central government at the expense of state sovereignty. They believed this would lead to tyranny and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties and ensure limitations on federal authority.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Civil liberties are protections against government actions that restrict individual freedoms, while civil rights are protections against discriminatory treatment by individuals, organizations, or government entities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Totalitarian governments lack legal limits on their power, seeking to eliminate any opposition and control all aspects of life, including political, social, and economic spheres. The Nazi regime in Germany under Adolf Hitler is a classic example of a totalitarian state.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Federalism divides power between a central government and state governments. For example, education is a policy area where both states and the federal government have authority. States have primary responsibility for education, but the federal government also plays a role through funding and regulations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Direct democracy empowers citizens to directly vote on laws and policies, bypassing elected representatives. In contrast, representative democracy relies on elected officials to make decisions on behalf of the citizens they represent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>An autocracy is ruled by one individual with absolute power, such as a king or dictator; for example, the reign of Louis XIV of France. While an oligarchy is governed by a small group of individuals, often holding wealth or military power, such as the Roman Senate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, representing a significant milestone in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. It extended the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to recognize same-sex couples' marriage rights and affirmed their constitutional rights to equal dignity and respect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision ruled that African Americans were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court. This decision further angered abolitionists and intensified the conflict between the North and South over slavery.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Jim Crow laws were intended to enforce racial segregation in the Southern United States. They created a system of legal discrimination that impacted every aspect of life for African Americans, from education and employment to public spaces and transportation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The 'wall of separation' between church and state refers to the principle of separation of powers, meaning that the government should not favor any religion or establish a state religion. This principle is found in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Elastic Clause, also known as the Necessary and Proper Clause, gives Congress the authority to make any laws that are 'necessary and proper' to carry out its enumerated powers. It allows Congress to adapt to changing circumstances and expand its powers to address issues not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes. This meant that Southern states gained more political power in the House of Representatives based on their enslaved populations, while also contributing less to federal taxes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Plessy v. Ferguson established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, which allowed states to legally segregate public facilities for African Americans as long as those facilities were deemed 'equal' to those available to white citizens. This decision provided legal justification for racial segregation for many years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Political efficacy is the belief that citizens can influence government decisions and that their participation matters. It reflects the confidence of citizens in their ability to make a difference in the political process. A healthy democracy requires citizens to have a sense of political efficacy because it encourages engagement and active participation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Great Compromise, or the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the dispute between large and small states over representation in Congress. It gave each state an equal number of senators (two per state) while linking House representation to population. This compromise ensured that both large and small states had a voice in the federal government, allowing for ratification of the Constitution.</p> Signup and view all the answers