Ap Government Chapter 2 (Constitution)

Which of the following powers did Congress have under the Articles of Confederation?

Which of the following powers did Congress have under the Articles of Confederation?

To maintain an army and navy

One of the ways to change the Constitution is with "informal amendments" through judicial interpretation. Since such interpretation does not change the wording of the Constitution itself, a possible long-term result is that ________.

the interpretations may change from era to era

The anti-Federalists opposed ratification of the proposed Constitution because ________.

it did not include a bill of rights

Which of the following statements is true of the Constitution's separation of powers?

It was accomplished by splitting the government into three branches.

The power to informally amend the Constitution by judicial interpretation is held by ________.

the Supreme Court

How did the Federalists address fears about an all-powerful, centralized government to sway opinion toward ratifying the Constitution?

They promised to create a bill of rights.

Which part of the New Jersey Plan became part of the Connecticut Compromise?

The Senate would have two members from each state.

The major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was its ________.

lack of a strong national government

The plan that called for one house of the legislature in which each state would have an equal vote, and a second house in which representation would be based on population was called the ________.

Connecticut Compromise

Which of the following is an example of a power possessed by the president that acts as a check on Congress?

Vetoing bills passed by Congress

One of the freedoms that the new government wanted to protect against the intrusions of a tyrannical government was the right of the people to ________.

acquire and enjoy private property

In Madison's plan of the Constitution, which body could elect senators?

State legislatures

Which of the following is generally true about the effect of constitutional amendments on the American political system?

Amendments have made the country more democratic and expanded rights to excluded groups.

What was one objection the anti-Federalists made to the Constitution?

It did not list rights, thereby restricting personal freedoms.

Which provision concerning slavery appeared in the Constitution?

The Three-Fifths Compromise

When the Framers constructed a federal government in which each branch has specific powers that are checked by the other two branches, what was one advantage they intended?

It protected against government tyranny by one branch or by all three acting together.

In creating a national government with a system of checks and balances, the Framers sought to ________.

limit the ability of any branch of the national government to become too powerful

________ were supporters of the Constitution during the time it was up for adoption by the states.

Federalists

A law that defines right from wrong, which is higher than human law, is called ________.

natural law

The Framers were practical politicians. They knew that, to prevent tyranny in their young country, they would have to craft a Constitution that "checks power with power." What does this concept mean?

Power would need to be distributed to several branches of the government so that the power of one branch could be checked by the other branches.

Which of these is one of the rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence?

Human beings possess rights that cannot be legitimately given away or taken from them.

The Connecticut Compromise produced ________.

two houses in Congress

The Framers strengthened the economic power of the national government by making the ________ the main economic policymaker.

Congress

The first method for proposing amendments to the Constitution—and the only one used so far—is ________.

a two-thirds approval vote of Congress (proposal by Congress)

A common critique of the Constitution is that its wording is vague. But this also appears to be one of its strengths. What is the most likely reason that vague language is important for the Constitution to have lasted so long as a viable framework of government?

It allows the Constitution to adapt more easily to changing times.