U.S. Constitution Post Test Review

Flashcards for review of the U.S. Constitution, including the branches of government, principles, articles, amendments, and key concepts.

Executive Branch

The branch of government responsible for implementing, supporting, and enforcing the laws made by the Legislative Branch.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government responsible for making laws.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government responsible for interpreting the laws and administering justice.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms to individuals.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives, who are the source of all political power.

Limited Government

Government power is restricted by laws and government officials cannot act on their own free will. There are rules and laws that limit the power of government.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a national (federal) government and various state and local governments.

Article 1 of the Constitution

Sets up the Legislative Branch of government. It creates the U.S. congress.

Article 2 of the Constitution

Sets up the Executive Branch of Government to provide leadership for the country.

Article 3 of the Constitution

Sets up the Judicial Branch of Government. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land.

Article 4 of the Constitution

Tells how the states relate to each other and to the federal government.

Article 5 of the Constitution

Tells how the constitution may be amended(change).

Article 6 of the Constitution

The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Requires public officials to take an oath to support the constitution. Authorizes Congress to borrow money (the national debt).

Article 7 of the Constitution

Says the Constitution will be the law if nine states ratify(accept) it.

Amendment 1

Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, Petition; Guarantees fundamental rights related to expression and association.

Amendment 2

Right to Bear Arms; Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms, often interpreted in relation to a well-regulated militia.

Amendment 3

Quartering of Soldiers; Prohibits the government from forcing private citizens to house soldiers in their homes without consent, especially in peacetime.

Amendment 4

Search and Seizure; Protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants to be based on probable cause.

Amendment 5

Due Process, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Eminent Domain; Establishes several protections for those accused of crimes.

Amendment 6

Right to a Speedy Trial, Public Trial, Counsel, Witnesses; Guarantees additional rights for criminal defendants.

Amendment 7

Jury Trial in Civil Cases; Preserves the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the value in controversy exceeds a certain amount.

Amendment 8

Excessive Bail, Cruel and Unusual Punishment; Prohibits excessive bail and fines, as well as cruel and unusual punishments.

Amendment 9

Unenumerated Rights; States that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean that other rights not listed are not also retained by the people.

Amendment 10

Reserved Powers; Reinforces federalism by stating that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states.

Amendment 11

Protects states from being sued in federal court by individuals without their consent.

Amendment 12

Revised the election process for the President and Vice President.

Amendment 13

Abolition of Slavery (Reconstruction); Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime.

Amendment 14

Citizenship, Due Process, Equal Protection (Reconstruction); Grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and guarantees equal protection of the laws and due process to all citizens.

Amendment 15

Voting Rights (Reconstruction); Prohibits the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Amendment 16

Grants Congress the power to levy and collect income taxes.

Amendment 17

Direct Election of Senators; Provides for the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote, rather than by state legislatures.

Amendment 18

Prohibition of Alcohol; Prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages. (Later repealed by the 21st Amendment).

Amendment 19

Women's Suffrage; Grants women the right to vote.

Amendment 20

Changed the dates for presidential and congressional terms.

Amendment 21

Repeal of Prohibition; Repealed the 18th Amendment, ending the nationwide prohibition of alcohol.

Amendment 22

Presidential Term Limits; Limits the President to two terms in office.

Amendment 23

Gives residents of Washington D.C the right to vote in presidential elections.

Amendment 24

Abolition of Poll Taxes; Prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

Amendment 25

Addresses presidential succession, vice presidential vacancies, and presidential disability.

Amendment 26

18-Year-Old Voting Age; Lowers the national voting age to 18.

Amendment 27

Congressional Pay Raises; Stipulates that any law changing the compensation for members of Congress cannot take effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for Representatives.

Fraction of Congress needed to propose an amendment

Two-thirds (2/3) of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Number of states needed to ratify an amendment

Three-fourths (3/4) of the states.

Divine Right

The belief that a monarch's right to rule comes directly from God, and therefore, they are not accountable to their subjects or any earthly authority.

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that ensures a person cannot be imprisoned indefinitely without being brought before a court to determine if their detention is lawful.

Purposes for States to Organize into Confederation - Article III

1. Their common defense 2. The security of their liberties 3. Their mutual and general welfare

Number of Supreme Court Justices

There are 9 Supreme Court Justices currently on the Court.

The Reconstruction Amendments

Amendment 13, Amendment 14, Amendment 15

Bill of Rights

The Amendments known as the "Bill of Rights" are the first Ten (10) Amendments to the Constitution.