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POLS 301: Chapter 2 Quiz Study Guide

Terms in this set (58)

What were the 2 main aspects of the beginnings of American government?
- The first English settlements
- Colonial legislatures
What was the Mayflower Compact?
A document drawn up by Pilgrim leaders in 1620 that set up a provisional government
What is the Bill of Rights?
The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution
What were the 3 main steps of the rebellion of the colonists against the British?
1. "No taxation without representation"
2. The continental congresses
3. Independence
What was the First Continental Congress?
A gathering of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies, held in 1774 to protest the Coercive Acts
What was the Second Continental Congress?
The congress of the colonies that met in 1775 to assume the powers of a central government and to establish an army
What is a unicameral legislature?
A legislature with only ONE chamber
What are the 2 main things that make the Declaration of Independence significant?
- It made the colonies states
- Republicanism
What is a confederation?
A league of independent states that are united only for the purpose of achieving common goals
What were the Articles of Confederation?
The nation's first constitution, which established a national form of government following the American Revolution
What were the 2 main events of the 1780's?
- Shay's Rebellion
- The Annapolis Meeting
What was Shay's Rebellion?
A rebellion of angry farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786, led by former Revolutionary War captain Daniel Shays
What was the Constitutional Convention?
The convention of delegates from the states that was held in Philadelphia in 1787 for the purpose of amending the Articles of Confederation
What is a bicameral legislature?
A legislature made up of TWO chambers
What was the Great Compromise?
A plan for a bicameral legislature in which one chamber would be based on POP
What were the elements of drafting + ratifying the Constitution?
- The Virginia Plan
- The New Jersey Plan
- The Compromises
- Defining the executive + the judiciary
What were the 3 main elements of the Virginia Plan?
- A bicameral legislature
- A national executive branch
- A national court system
What were the 5 main elements of the New Jersey Plan?
- Congress would be able to regulate trade + impose taxes
- Each state would have only ONE vote
- Acts of Congress would be the supreme law of the land
- An executive office or more than one person would be elected by Congress
- The executive office would appoint a national supreme court
What were the 2 elements of the Great Compromise?
- A lower chamber (House of Rep.)
- An upper chamber (the senate)
What were the 4 main compromises?
- The Great Compromise
- The 3/5 Compromise
- Slave importation
- Banning export taxes
What was the 3/5 Compromise?
A compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention by which 3/5 of all slaves were to be counted for the purposes of representation in the House of Rep.
What is interstate commerce?
Trade that involves MORE than one state
Who were the federalists?
A political group led by Alexander Hamilton + John Adams that supported the adoption of the Constitution + the creation of a federal form of government
Who were the anti-federalists?
A political group that OPPOSED the adoption of the Constitution
What is a faction?
A group of individuals forming a cohesive minority
What is tyranny?
The arbitrary or unrestricted exercise of power by an oppressive individual or government
What are the Constitution/s major principles of government?
- Limited government + popular sovereignty + the rule of law
- Federalism
- Separation of powers
- Checks + balances
- The Bill of Rights
What is rule of law?
A basic principle of government that requires those who govern to act in accordance with established law
What is a federal system?
A form of government that provides for a division of powers between a central government and several regional governments
What is the Commerce Clause?
The clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce
What is the Madisonian model?
The model of government devised by James Madison in which the powers of the government are separated into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
What is separation of powers?
The principle of dividing governmental powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
What are checks and balances?
A major principle of American government in which each of the 3 branches is given the means to check the actions of the others
What are the two main aspects of federalism?
- National powers
- State powers
What is veto power?
A Constitutional power that enables the chief executive to reject legislation and return it to the legislature with reasons for the rejection
What are the 2 main ways in which an amendment can be proposed?
- 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress
- A vote at a national constitutional convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of state legislatures
What are the 2 main ways in which an amendment can be ratified?
- 3/4 of state legislatures
- 3/4 of states at special conventions
What were the 2 main characteristics of the states under the Articles of Confederation?
- Retained their independent political authority
- Held every power not EXPRESSLY delegated to Congress
What were the 2 main characteristics of the President of the Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
- Appointed by Congress to preside over meetings
- Had no executive authority
What was the main characteristic of the civil committees and civil officers under the Articles of Confederation?
Appointed by Congress to manage general affairs under the direction of Congress
What were the 3 main characteristics of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
- One-chamber assembly of state reps, in which each state possessed ONE vote
- Needed the approval of at least 9 states to exercise most powers
- Needed the consent of ALL states to amend the articles (so basically the articles couldn't get amended)
What were the 2 main characteristics of the committee of states under the Articles of Confederation?
- Consisted of ONE delegate from each state, appointed by Congress
- Authorized to act according to the wishes of Congress while Congress was in recess
Under the AOC, could Congress Establish and control the armed forces, declare war, and make peace
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress enter into treaties + alliances?
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress settle disputes under certain cirumstances?
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress regulate coinage + set standards for weights + measures?
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress borrow $ from the people?
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress create a postal system, courts to address issues related to ships at sea, and government departments?
Yes
Under the AOC, could Congress force the states to meet military quotas?
No
Under the AOC, could Congress regulate commerce between states or with other nations?
No
Under the AOC, could Congress enforce treaties?
No
Under the AOC, could Congress directly tax the people?
No
Under the AOC, did Congress have the power to enforce its laws?
No
Under the AOC, could Congress amend the Articles?
No
Under the AOC , was there any judicial system or executive branch?
No
What is the function of the legislative branch?
Makes the law
What is the function of the executive branch?
Enforces the law
What is the function of the judicial branch?
Interpret the law
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