AP US GOV TEST -the american constitution

What is the Constitution?

The basic plan for how the US government works.

How many Articles are in the Constitution?

7 Articles.

why was checks and balances created?

People naturally pursue their own interests, so the Constitution uses competing interests to prevent one person/branch from becoming too powerful.

What is Article I about?

The legislative branch: Congress.

What is Article II about?

The executive branch: the president.

What is Article III about?

The judicial branch: federal courts.

What is Article 4 about?

Relations between the states.

What is Article 5 about?

The process for amending the Constitution.

What is Article 6 about?

General provisions, including federal supremacy

What is Article 7 about?

Ratification of the Constitution.

What is separation of powers?

Government power is divided among the 3 branches

Legislative (Congress) → makes laws

Executive (President) → enforces laws

Judicial (Courts) → interprets laws

What are checks and balances?

Each branch can limit and check the other branches.

What is federalism?

Power is divided between the national and state governments.

What are the 6 purposes in the Preamble?

Union, justice, peace, defense, welfare, and liberty.

What does “more perfect Union” mean?

Creating a stronger, more united country

Why was the Constitution written?

The Articles of Confederation created a weak national government.

When was the Constitution written?

1787

Where was the Constitutional Convention held?

Philadelphia

What were the Articles of Confederation?

America’s first national governing system.

What were a weakness of the Articles?

The national government had weak taxing power, no national executive, no national court system.

Who presided over the Constitutional Convention?

George Washington.

Who is called the “Father of the Constitution”?

James Madison

what are the 9 constitutional principles

Popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review, federalism, limited government, individual rights, rule of law, republicanism

1) what is popular sovereignty?

government by the people

2) what is separation of powers

Legislative, executive and judicial branches

3) what is checks and balances

understanding of mans nature, each branch can limit the power of the other branches

4) what is judicial review

Courts can determine whether laws or government actions violate the Constitution.

5) what is federalism?

Power is divided between the national and state governments.

6) what is limited government

Government officials must follow the Constitution and laws.

7) what is individual rights

The government must protect people’s basic rights and freedoms.

8) what is rule of law

Everyone, including government officials, must obey the law.

9) what is republicanism

People elect representatives to make laws and govern.

What is bicameralism

A legislature with two chambers: the House and Senate.

Why did the Constitution create two chambers of Congress?

To balance different interests of large and small states.

Which chamber impeaches federal officials?

The House of Representatives

Which chamber holds impeachment trials?

The Senate.

How can Congress override a presidential veto?

With a 2/3rds vote in both the House and Senate.

What is the Electoral College

The constitutional system through which states choose presidential electors.

What does republican government mean?

Government in which people exercise power through elected representatives.

What principle divides power among three branches?

Separation of powers.

What principle is shown by Congress overriding a veto?

Checks and balances

What is ratification in the constitution

The formal approval of the Constitution or an amendment.

what is legislative

congress

what is executive

president

what is judicial

the courts

Checks and Balances

to know who checks who

legislative/congress checks executive/president

Can override a veto

Can impeach/remove

Senate can reject appointments/treaties

executive/president checks legislative/congress

can veto legislation

executive/president checks judicial/courts

Nominates judges

judicial/courts check legislative/congress

can declare laws unconstitutional

judicial/courts checks executive/president

Can declare presidential actions unconstitutional/unauthorized

what is federalism?

Government authority is shared between the national government and state governments.

What is the great compromise?

It solved the conflict between large and small states by balancing the interests. By house and senate. house representation based on population and senate has 2 senators per state

The Virginia plan

Stronger national government

Bicameral legislature

Representation based on population

New Jersey Plan

Kept the Articles of Confederation structure more closely

Unicameral legislature

Equal representation for states

what is the amendment process?

Proposal:

2/3rds of the house AND senate agree

OR

2/3rds of the state legislatures request an amendment to the Constitution

Ratification:

38 states must approve it in one of two ways state legislatures or special state conventions

2/3 → propose
3/4 → ratify

what is proposal

formally suggesting an amendment to the Constitution

2/3rds of the house AND senate agree

OR

2/3rds of the state legislatures request an amendment to the Constitution

what is ratification?

38 states must approve it through state legislatures

OR

special state conventions