Civics, Foundations of American Government, and the U.S. Constitution

Flashcards testing core vocabulary, historical documents, philosophical influences, and constitutional structures covered across all five source documents.

Preamble Goals

The six core purposes of the U.S. Constitution: to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution

Establishes the Legislative Branch of government through Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Article II of the U.S. Constitution

Establishes the Executive Branch headed by the Presidency, granting executive power, Commander in Chief authority, and requiring the State of the Union Address.

Article III of the U.S. Constitution

Establishes the Judicial Branch, creating the U.S. Supreme Court and empowering Congress to create lower courts.

Federalists

Group during the ratification debate who favored ratifying the Constitution, arguing that a stronger national government was needed.

Anti-Federalists

Group during the ratification debate who feared the Constitution would make the national government too strong and demanded a Bill of Rights.

Polis

A self-governing city-state in ancient Greece.

Athens Democracy

Recognized as the first democracy (rule of the people), governed by an Assembly of thousands of citizens who followed principles of civic participation, voting rights, and majority decisions.

Republicanism

The principle supported by ancient Romans of a republican government defined by rule by elected representatives without a king.

Twelve Tables

Publicly displayed laws in the Roman Forum demonstrating that all Romans were subject to the same rule of law.

Judeo-Christian Tradition

A foundational heritage emphasizing rule of law, ethical ideas of justice (rewarding good and punishing bad), individual worth, and personal responsibility for actions.

Articles of Confederation

The first national government structure of the U.S. where each state had one vote, and the national government could direct an army, maintain a navy, and declare war, but had no direct power to tax or enforce laws.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Key structural flaws including no power to tax or enforce laws, no national armed forces, no executive branch leadership, no national court system, no power to regulate interstate trade, and requiring unanimous consent to change.

Shays' Rebellion

An uprising under the Articles of Confederation that posed a security threat and created a strong desire for a stronger national government.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

A gathering of delegates who agreed to replace the Articles of Confederation and draft the U.S. Constitution with three separate national government branches.

Great Compromise Legislative Structure

Created a bicameral Congress consisting of the Senate (equal representation with $2$ Senators per state) and the House of Representatives (representation based on state population).

Magna Carta (1215)

English document in which the King granted subjects the right to a fair trial by jury, agreed not to impose new taxes without consent of the barons, and established a limited monarchy.

Mayflower Compact (1620)

An agreement by Pilgrim colonists to form and obey their own government, establishing the traditions of self-government and consent of the governed.

English Bill of Rights (1689)

Act asserting Parliament's supremacy over the King while guaranteeing rights such as life, liberty, property, fair and speedy trials, no excessive punishments, and no taxation without representation.

Natural Law

John Locke's principle guaranteeing basic natural rights of life, liberty, and property to each individual.

Social Contract

An Enlightenment concept where the community agrees to obey the ruler, and the ruler agrees to protect the community and individual rights.

Baron de Montesquieu

Enlightenment philosopher who advocated for the Separation of Powers into legislative (makes laws), executive (enforces laws), and judicial (interprets laws) branches.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense (1776)

A influential pamphlet arguing that the American colonies should declare independence from Britain and adopt representative self-government.

Taxation Without Representation

A central colonial concern that imposing taxes without colonial consent or representation in Parliament constituted tyranny.

Intolerable Acts

British punitive responses to colonial protests that included suspending the right to a trial by jury and dissolving colonial legislatures.

Declaration of Independence

Document approved by the Second Continental Congress stating that people possess unalienable rights, governments derive just powers from the consent of the governed, and citizens have a right to overturn tyrannical rule.

Unalienable Rights

God-given natural rights explicitly highlighted in the Declaration of Independence including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.