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John Adams
A political leader of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; one of the Founding Fathers. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and was the second president, from 1797 to 1801, after George Washington
Declaration of Independence
Document drafted in 1776 by American colonists to not only provide a moral nod legal justification for the rebellion but also uphold popular sovereignty
Benjamin Franklin
one of America's most famous Founding Fathers. He was a political leader, writer and printer, and a scientist who invented many things. He helped to write the Declaration of Independence, which he signed, and later the American Constitution
Grand Committee
A collection of sovereign states gathered for the national interest, national needs and national defense
Alexander Hamilton
American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first Secretary of Treasury from 1789 to 1795 during George Washington's presidency
Thomas Hobbes
English philosopher best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory
The Leviathan
Work written by Thomas Hobbes, defining the creature as a metaphor for his perfect government, “ an artificial person whose body is made up of all the bodies of its citizens, who are the literal members of the Leviathan's body”
Thomas Jefferson
American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809)
Limited government
theory of governance in which the government only has those powers delegated to it by law, often through a written constitution. Governmental authority is prescribed and restricted by the law, and individual's rights are protected against government intrusion
John Locke
English philosopher and physician widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the “father of liberalism”
Second treatise of civil government
offers an in-depth analysis on the origin of our right to liberty and the rights of governments. It shows how, by respecting the laws of nature, we can limit the power of government to best protect ourselves and our property from destruction or worse, tyranny
James Madison
American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights
Baron de Montesquieu
French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher. He is the principal source of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world
The Spirit of the Laws
treatise on political theory, as well as a pioneering work in comparative law by Montesquieu, published in 1748
Natural law
Law of god that’s acknowledged through human sense and reason; proposes that people are born free and equal, and must ensure that the government is following its own laws
popular sovereignty
Defines people s the ultimate ruling authority with a government of officials to carry out and enforce laws
Representative republic
System of government in which the governing have defined and limited power while granting political liberty to the people
republicanism
theory of government that emphasizes the participation of citizens for the common good of the community
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolution and the development of modern political, economic, and educational thought
The Social Contract
an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example by __sacrificing__some individual freedom for state protection. Theories of a social contract became popular in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries among theorists such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as a means of explaining the origin of government and the obligations of subjects
US Constitution
supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the national frame and constraints of government
George Washington
American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797
natural rights
people are born with certain rights that are given to them by their creator
john locke: rights of life, liberty, property
state of nature
comes before government where humans are free
thomas hobbs: government needed to keep things organized
john locke: people are born free before government
popular sovereignty
by nature, the power to govern is in the hands of the people
social contract
people give the power to govern the government (state is the servant of the people)
jean-jacques rousseau: people have duty to overthrow government if it violates them and switch or change it
ideas of the enlightenment
natural rights, state of nature, popular sovereignty, social contract, republicanism
republicanism
people give the power to govern the government (state is the servant of the people)
jean-jacques rousseau: people have duty to overthrow government if it violates them and switch or change it
Too often, we take our form of government for granted, not fully appreciating its unique and exceptional qualities. The framers of our Constitution, having revolted against tyranny, bequeathed to the nation, and to us as its citizens, a form of government with checks and balances intended to assure that we would never, as a nation, be subject to the abuses we experienced as a colony under a monarchy. . . .
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We should appreciate that the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution was modeled on the constitutions and declarations of the states, where the separation of powers was equally observed. Mirroring our U.S. Constitution, 40 state constitutions now specify that government is to be divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The separation of powers at the state level, with an independent executive, legislature, and judiciary, is also one of the fundamental tenets of our democracy.
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What often gets lost in translation is how dynamic the competition among the branches of government has been, and how much stronger we are as a country because of that ongoing debate. It has been said that the Constitution is not just a historic document, but a living participant in who we are as a nation. Out of the continuing effort to assure the separation of powers, we have built a system of government that functions remarkably well. Although the powers ascribed to each of the three branches may sometimes appear to swing like a pendulum, we have continuously reconsidered and recentered our understanding of the authority and limitation of each of these branches.
Linda Leali, “Reflecting on the Great Gift of the Separation of Powers,” Daily Business Review, 2018
Which of the following best explains how the view of the author of the passage compares with The Federalist 51 regarding separation of powers and checks and balances?
Both the author of the passage and The Federalist 51 assert that the structure of government helps control ambitions among the branches in such a way as to promote effective government.
The term “bicameralism” refers to the
establishment of two legislative chambers that have different structures and rules
Which of the following is the best example of results from political negotiation and compromise at the Constitutional Convention?
The creation of the the House of Representatives and the Senate
Unlike the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution does which of the following?
Emphasizes both national sovereignty and federalism.
Which of the following ideas would Brutus NOT support
Creating a strong national government vested by the US Constitution
"Rule of Law" is the principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that govern and are enforced by government, simply, No One is above the law. This principle often relates to or falls under the principle of:
Limited Government
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,..."
(Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence)
What enlightenment idea is most closely related to this excerpt?
The Social Contract
The debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were primarily about which of the following issues?
The scope of power of the central government
The next most palpable defect of the subsisting Confederation, is the total want of a SANCTION to its laws. The United States, as now composed, have no powers to exact obedience, or punish disobedience to their resolutions, either by pecuniary [fines], by a suspension or divestiture of privileges, or by any other constitutional mode. There is no express delegation of authority to them to use force against delinquent members; and if such a right should be ascribed to the federal head, as resulting from the nature of the social compact between the States, it must be by inference and construction... There is, doubtless, a striking absurdity in supposing that a right of this kind does not exist. . .
Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist 21
In the passage, Hamilton is concerned that under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government does not have sufficient constitutional powers to gain compliance from state governments. Which of the following is a way that the Constitution allows the federal government to address this problem?
The federal government can pass laws that allow it to fine or tax individuals directly.
Which of the following was the basis of one concern the Anti-Federalists had about the proposed form of government?
Suspicion of the "necessary and proper" clause and federal power
In the 1780s, proponents of the new Constitution cited Shays’ Rebellion as an example in support of which of the following criticisms of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
There was a lack of a national military power to address security concerns.
Which of the following is the best example of a constitutional concept that supports the vision of the United States as a union of states, rather than a union of individual citizens?
The electoral college
Which of the following is an example of checks and balances?
An unpopular Supreme Court ruling can be overturned by a majority vote of both houses of Congress.
Which is the most democratic institution of the government that represents the framers commitment to a limited republic?
US House of Representatives
Which of the following is a chief argument in James Madison's Federalist No. 10?
A large, diverse republic will tame the mischiefs of factions
In the early part of the twenty-first century, public opinion polls showed that a majority of Americans believed it should be illegal to burn the American flag. As a result, many members of Congress introduced amendments to make it illegal to burn or desecrate the American flag. However, these efforts have been unsuccessful. Which of the following statements best explains why these efforts have been unsuccessful?
The framers specifically wrote the amendment process to prevent using it to limit freedom of expression.
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