Foundations and the Constitution Review

These flashcards cover key concepts from the Foundations and Constitution sections of the notes.

What is the principle of limited government?

The idea that a government's authority and power is restricted by sets of checks and balances to ensure it cannot infringe upon the individual rights of the people.

According to John Locke, what should governments do?

Governments should exist to protect the natural rights of its people, specifically their unalienable rights to life, liberty, and property.

What is a Republic?

A government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy where people elect representatives to make decisions for them.

Define popular sovereignty.

The principle that a government's authority comes from and is subject to the will of the people.

What is direct democracy?

A form of government in which individuals directly participate in decision making rather than through elected representatives.

What guarantees individual rights?

Freedoms guaranteed to individuals under the Bill of Rights and the Constitution which cannot be encroached on by the government.

What does the rule of law entail?

Every person and institution is treated equally under fairly applied and enforced laws; no one is above the law.

What is the Declaration of Independence?

A document largely drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1776 declaring the reasons for the separation of the colonies from Great Britain, listing grievances against the British Crown.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first governing document of the United States, which established a weak central government and a loose alliance between the states.

What was Shay’s Rebellion?

A rebellion where an army of 1500 disgruntled farmers, led by Daniel Shays, marched to Springfield, Massachusetts, to forcibly restrain state courts from foreclosing on their farms.

What was the Virginia Plan?

A proposed framework for the Constitution favoring large states, calling for a bicameral legislature.

What characterized the Great Compromise?

It created a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives, with representation based on population, and the Senate, with equal representation for each state.

What are Federalist Papers?

A series of essays advocating for the ratification of the Constitution, with Federalist No. 10 addressing concerns about factions.

What is the difference between Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Federalists favored a stronger national government and supported the Constitution's ratification; Anti-Federalists preferred strong state governments and opposed the Constitution.

Define Federalism.

A system of government in which power is divided between the national and state governments.

What is the Supremacy Clause?

Establishes that the Constitution and federal laws are the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over conflicting state laws.

What is an implied power?

Powers that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are suggested by its provisions.

What does the Tenth Amendment state?

Any powers not specifically granted to the national government are reserved to the states.

What are block grants?

Large grants given to states by the federal government for general purposes, allowing for flexibility in spending.

What was the outcome of McCulloch v. Maryland?

The Supreme Court ruled that the national bank was an implied power under the Constitution and that Maryland's tax on it was unconstitutional.

What is the main argument in Federalist No. 51?

Madison defends the checks and balances system, emphasizing the need for independence among the branches of government to prevent any one from becoming too powerful.