DGS 2015 Constitution Test

Where does the US government get its power from?

the people

In the Declaration of Independence, what is the role of government?

to protect the people

if a government does not protect its people, what are the people allowed to do?

change it or get rid of it

This idea states that the government agrees to protect the people's rights and the people agree to obey the government.

Social Contract Theory

What were the Articles of Confederation?

the FIRST document that described and set rules for the government in the new United States during the Revolution

Who is known as "the father of the Constitution"?

James Madison

This decision created a two-part legislature with representation based both on population and equality.

The Great Compromise

This decision only counted 3/5 of the slaves as part of the population.

3/5 Compromise

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

9 of 13

This rebellion showed that the Articles of Confederation were weak and that they needed a new government.

Shays Rebellion

The purpose of the Constitution is found in what part of the document?

preamble

What is a government in which people rule through the elected representatives?

Democratic Republic

What is majority rule?

When more than half of the people agree to something it gets passed

What does minority rights mean?

The constitution protects the rights of individuals and small groups against the majority.

What do we call the allocation of authority between the 3 branches of government?

seperation of powers

What are the 3 branches of government?

legislative, judicial, executive

What is the main job of the legislative branch?

to make laws

What are the 2 parts of Congress called?

House of Representatives and Senate

How many years does a Representative serve?

2 years

How many senators does each state have?

2

How many years does a senator serve?

6 years

Who has the power to declare war?

Congress

Who writes a bill, or an idea for a law?

Congress

Who must sign a bill in order for it to become a law?

President

How many representatives does a state have?

depends on the population of a state

What is the main job of the Executive Branch?

to enforce laws

Who is the head of the Eecutive Branch?

the President

What are the requirements to become President?

35 years old, resident for 14 years, natural-born US citizen

What group elects the President?

the Electoral College

How many electoral votes does one need to become President?

270

How do they determine how many electoral votes a state gets?

it is based on the population of the state ( number of senators + number of representatives)

How long is a Presidents term?

4 years

How many times can a person be elected President?

Twice, but they can also finish a term for a President who died or was impeached and removed from office

What is the main job of the Judicial Branch?

to interpret laws

How many members are there on the Supreme Court?

9 Supreme Court Justices

How long does a Supreme Court Justice serve for?

life

Who appoints a Supreme Court Justice?

the President

Who approves the appointment of Supreme Court of Supreme Court Justices?

Senate

What is the term used when the Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional?

Judicial Review

What is the system where one branch of government can block another branch?

checks and balances

Why do we have the system of checks and balances?

so that one branch does not get too powerful.

What is the process where a President or judge can be removed from office?

impeachment

What branch is a veto a check on?

Legislative

What is it called when the President rejects a law passed by Congress?

veto

The override of a veto is a check on which branch?

Executive

The Senate's approval of all treaties is a check on which branch?

Executive

The Supreme Courts power to declare a law unconstitutional is a check in what branches?

Executive and Legislative

The impeachment process is a check on which branches?

Judicial and Executive

What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution called?

the Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights was added to protect citizens from abuse of power by who?

the government

What amendment protects your freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion?

1st amendment

What amendment protects your right to bear arms?

2nd amendment

What amendment protects you from illegal searches and seizures?

4th amendment

What amendment guarantees you due process rights including protection from double jeopardy and self-incrimination?

5th amendment

What is due process?

The procedures the government must follow when they arrest someone.

What are your miranda rights?

Rights that are given to you upon being arrested including right to an attorney, right to not speak (or self-incriminate).

What amendment guarantees you the right to a fair, speedy, public trial, and a lawyer?

Amendment 6

What amendment guarantees you a jury trial in civil cases?

Amendment 7

What amendment protects you from excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishment?

Amendment 8

What amendment protects the reserved powers of the states?

10th amendment

What amendment ended slavery?

13th amendment

What amendment made former slaves citizens?

14th amendment

What amendment gave former slaves the right to vote?

15th amendment

What amendment gave women the right to vote?

19th amendment

What amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote?

26th amendment

Who can propose an amendment to the Constitution?

2/3 of Congress

Who can ratify an amendment to the Constitution?

3/4 of the states

What is the word that means you can't be held without a charge and you have the right to know the charge against you?

Habeus corpus

What is the division of powers of government between the state and national government?

Federalism

What are the powers given to the national government in the Constitution?

Delegated powers

What are the powers that belong to both the state and national government?

Concurrent powers

What are the powers that belong only to states?

Reserved powers

What are powers denied to both the states and the national government?

Prohibited powers

Who is the Chief Executive of the state of Illinois?

Governor

What are the 3 branches of the Illinois government?

Executive Legislative Judicial

Where is the capital of Illinois?

Springfield

Are judges in Illinois appointed or elected?

Elected

Who is the current governor of Illinois?

JB Pritzker

What is a confederation?

an alliance of small units of governments, like the American states, in which the central government has very little power and each state keeps its authority to rule itself

Why did the Articles of Confederation not survive more than six years?

the central government that it created had very little power to control order and keep the country organized

What were the Federalist Papers?

Articles written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay to encourage voters in the states to ratify the new Constitution

How many branches did the Articles of Confederation have?

one, a legislative branch

What are four weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

1. No president/executive; 2. No national courts; 3. No power to tax; 4. It was very hard to amend - all thirteen states had to agree; 5. The national government could not force states to pay taxes, contribute soldiers, or cooperate on foreign policy

Which group believed the Constitution was a good solution to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Federalists

Which group believed the Constitution gave the federal government too much power and did not protect the rights of the people?

Anti-federalists

What is the "federal government?"

The same as the national government: it is located today in Washington D.C. and it is made up of three branches

Who was the "Father of the Constitution," a man who proposed the Virginia Plan, which included three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial?

James Madison

What is a democracy?

A government in which the people directly rule by making the laws

Against what country did the United States declare independence in 1776?

Great Britain (part of which is England)

How is the Constitution flexible?

1. it can be amended by a vote of Congress and the states; 2. its words are broad and general [such as the protection against cruel and unusual punishment], and they can be interpreted differently by judges of various eras

What is the "elastic clause?"

It is the most flexible of the powers of Congress, which allows that body to do anything "necessary and proper" to carry out its other powers; this clause gives Congress the flexibility to write laws about new situations that did not exist when the Constitution was written

What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

to protect the people from mistreatment by the federal government - it originally did not protect the people from state government, but the 14th Amendment applied the Bill of Rights to the states in order to protect former slaves after the Civil War

Who are the U.S. Senators from Illinois?

Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin

How is the governor's veto different from the president's veto?

the governor can veto part of a bill, and that veto can be overridden by the General Assembly with a 3/5th vote of both houses, whereas the U.S. Congress needs 2/3 vote to override the president

What is the job title of the chief of the Illinois executive branch?

the governor

Who is the current governor of Illinois?

JB Pritzker

What is the relationship of Illinois laws and the U.S. Constitution?

the Illinois law cannot conflict with the U.S. Constitution because the Constitution is the supreme law of the land

According to the West Virginia v. Barnett court decision, do Jehovah's Witnesses have to pledge allegiance to the flag, even though their religion says that they should not do it?

No - the 1st amendment guarantees free exercise of religion

What are the requirements to be able to vote?

Be 18 years old and a resident of the area where you register and vote

What does the elastic clause do?

it allows Congress to pass laws that are "necessary and proper," expanding its power beyond what is specifically granted in the Constitution