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American Government Chapter 3

Terms in this set (48)

Preamble
A short introduction explaining the constitutions purpose
Articles
Numbered sections of the Constitution
Veto
Reject
Judicial review
The power of a court to determine the constitutionality, or if the Constitution allows or doesn't allow the government to perform an action through a law
Unconstitutional
To declare a law illegal, null and void, of no force and effect
Amendment / Amending
Changing or adding to the written words in the Constitution
Formal amendment
Changes or additions that become part of the written language of the constitution itself
Bill of rights
The first 10 amendments of the Constitution
Executive agreement
A "treaty like" agreement made by the president directly with the leader of another foreign state
Treaty
Formal agreement between two or more sovereign states
Electoral college
The group that makes the formal selection of the nation's president
Cabinet
An advisory body that the president appoints to executive positions in government
Senatorial courtesy
A long established custom that the Senate will approve only those presidential appointees who are acceptable to the senators or the senators of the president's party from the state involved
Basic principles of the Constitution
-Popular sovereignty
-limited government
-separation of powers
-checks and balances
-judicial review
-federalism
First article
The legislative branch and Congress
Second article
Executive branch and president
Third article
Judicial branch and Supreme Court
Fourth article
Relationship between states and the federal government
Fifth article
Explaining the process of amending the constitution
Six article
Explaining the idea of
Federal government supremacy dealing with laws
Seventh article
Ratification process of Constitution
Popular sovereignty
All political power resides in the people. The government can only exist with the consent of the governed
Limited government
Government is limited with specific powers that they can't violate
Separation of powers
By dividing the powers of the government among the three branches, no one can control all of the government's power at one time
Checks and balances
Each branch is not all-powerful and each has influences or checks the power of the other branches
Federalism
The powers of government are split between the national government and state government's each with certain things that they can do
Examples of popular sovereignty
"we the people"
Voting
picking representatives
Example of separation of powers
Legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Example of Checks and balances
-President can veto any act of Congress
-Congress can override a presidential veto by two thirds vote in each house
-president can name judges
-Congress must approve or reject judges
-courts can determine the constitutionality of acts from both Congress and the president
Marbury vs Madison
First case that established precedent for judicial review
How many methods are there to amend the constitution?
Four methods
First method to amend
Proposed by 2/3 Congress and ratified by 3/4 the state legislatures
-most important
-26/27 amendments were added from this method
Second method to amend
Proposed by 2/3 vote in Congress and ratified with 3/4 of state conventions
-most important
-the 21st amendment was added from this method
Informal amendment process
-Basic legislation
-executive action
-court decisions
-party practices
-custom
Basic legislation
Congress passing laws instead of going through amendment process
-example: creating smaller courts
Executive action
How the president used his powers
-example: executive agreement, emancipation proclamation, desegregation of the military
Court decisions
Supreme Court interprets the constitution
-examples: Roe versus Wade, Plessey vs Ferguson, Brown vs. Board of Edu.
Party practices
Not mentioned in the Constitution
- Control Congress / Control election process/Nomination process / Primaries and Caucuses
Tradition / Custom
Unwritten rules that are followed over years and years
-example: 22nd amendment and 25th amendment senatorial courtesy and State of the Union
Amount needed to Propose an amendment
2/3 Both houses of Congress- Senate/House of Reps
Amount needed to Ratify an amendment
3/4 of State Legislatures_Conventions
20th Amendment
Presidential and Congressional start dates - Jan 3/ Jan 20
17th Amendment
Voters elect their senators directly
16th Amendment
Collect income tax
15th Amendment (1870)
African American men can vote
14th Amendment
Citizenship / Equal Right under the law
11th Amendment
One State cannot be sued by another state
12th Amendment
The electoral college
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