Civics Literacy Exam

Sovereignty

Supreme power or authority

Jurisdiction

The power to make legal decisions and judgements.

Social Contract Theory

Government exists because people entered into a contract with a government for a better society.

Divine Right Theory

Government authority comes from God and to disobey authority is to disobey God.

Government

The institution through which a society establishes order, rules, and norms.

Nation

A group of people that share a common culture, background, and history. It is possible for them not to have sovereignty.

Republicanism

The only way to achieve limited government, popular sovereignty, and rule of law is through representative democracy

Mayflower Compact

Written in 1620. It was the first real example of a social contract. It was a way to structure government, the role of government, and the powers of government.

Common Sense- Thomas Payne

Written in 1776. It was a pamphlet distributed on the street for colonists to declare independence. It was an argument for social contract theory instead of divine right theory.

Magna Carta

The Great Charter. Written in 1215. The idea of justice and free trial came from this. This was written because King John abused his power.

Habeas Corpus

You have to know why you are being imprisoned. You can't just get accused and get thrown into prison.

Rule of Law

No one is above the law.

Country/State

Its boundaries determine its jurisdiction. It has sovereignty. It contains a nation/citizens.

Limited Government

The government has delegated powers. It can't do whatever it wants. It is limited

Declaration of Independence

Written July 4, 1776. This was for the US to declare independence to the world.

John Locke

A philosopher in the Enlightenment period who believed that there are rights that are god given and can never be taken away.

Natural Law

There is a way we are meant to behave. God or nature given law. To follow this law is to live morally and good.

State of Nature

What it was like to be human before societies and government.

Popular Sovereignty

The people are sovereign, and the leaders are the representations of that sovereignty.

English Bill of Rights

Reaffirmed the rights in the Magna Carta. It stated that the government must rule by consent which established the Parliament and no standing armies.

Articles of Confederation

The written constitution of the United States for the first 14 colonies to create a national government. This government was weak because the states held most of the power.

Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments to the constitution. Spells out people's rights and guarantees civil rights and liberties.

US Constitution

Supreme law of the land

Massachusetts Constitution

Protects life, liberty, and property. Written by John Adams.

Article VII

The constitution will become the official law of the ratifying states when 9 states ratify the document.

Ratify

For a bill to become a law.

Federalists

Pro-Constitution. They believed that the constitution gave a strong central government which would better secure liberty and it would protect against minority dissent like Shay’s Rebellion and defend against attacks. They also believed it would facilitate a better economy. They opposed the Bill of Rights.

Anti Federalist

Anti-Constitution. They believed that the constitution would give a strong central government which didn’t give enough protection for state sovereignty. They thought that the constitution was too distant from “individuals” and they favored state militias. They supported the Bill of Rights.

Unitary Government

Most common. Centralized power. All of the powers in the government is in the capital which makes all of the decisions and the rest of the country follows. A government with centralized sovereignty in the capital city. A single government over an entire country.

Confederate Government

A firm league of friendships. Every province in the country has its own power. A union of sovereign states cooperating under a central government.

Federal Government

Sovereignty is divided between central and and state government.

Montesquieu

He said that if you want to have a limited government, the powers of judgement will be separate in 3 separate entities (separation of powers). He suggested that republics were the best form of republic and that the bigger the government is, the harder it is to reflect the will of the people.

Checks and Balances

Makes sure the boundaries are kept.

Separation of Powers

Separates the powers.

3/5 Compromise

Slavery compromise. It was an argument of power. 3/5 of slave population would count towards House seats and taxes.

Great Compromise

A combination of Virginia and New Jersey plan. Bicameral legislature. Both senate and house must approve all laws.

Electoral College

States given authority over how a national executive would be elected. States legislators choose how non-government representatives (electors) would be chose. Minimum 3 in each state and each state gets a number of electors equal to their representation in congress.

Winner Takes All Voting

If you win the election, you win all the electoral votes. It gives state government more power than the federal government.

23rd Amendment

It allows the citizens of the District of Columbia to vote in national elections for president and vice president.

Swing State

A state where it’s unclear which candidate it will choose. It can be either democratic or republican.

Safe State/ Flyover State

States that consistently vote for the same political party.

Bicameral

Two chambers. House of Representatives (reflects population) and Senate (2 per state, elected by individual states).

17th Amendment

Senators need to be elected by the people. Changed senatorial selections to popular vote.

Supremacy Clause

Article 6 of the constitution states that whenever a state law and a federal law conflict then the federal law always win. Federal laws are more powerful than state laws. Including Supreme Court decisions.

Necessary and Proper Clause/Elastic Clause

Found in Article 1 Section 8 Clause 8, stretches power of congress.

Implied Powers

Powers that aren’t explicitly stated.

9th Amendment

Your rights are not limited to what’s in the constitution.

Preamble

Beginning of the constitution. It is a statement of intent for the constitution. It outlines the role of our central government and the source of its authority (consent of the governed, “We the People”).

Expressed/Delegated/Enumerated Powers

Powers of the federal government. Powers that belong only to the federal government (coin money, declare war) article 1.

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared between the state and federal government.

Reserved Powers

Powers that are reserved to the states (regulate licenses, public education, running election).

10th Amendment

The powers not given to the federal government are reserved for the states or to the people.

Commerce Clause

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3. Gives the federal government the power to regulate trade between states and other countries.

Police Powers

The capacity of states to regulate behavior and enforce order within their territory for public good.

Civil Law

Including libel, slander, property damage and breach of contract ,beefing with another person.

Federalist Papers

A series of 81 newspaper articles submitted anonymously under 3 people with the same name to persuade people that the constitution was a good idea. The author was officially Pubulis (the actual authors were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay. Published in New York.

9th Amendment

Your rights are not limited to what is in the constitution.

Shays' Rebellion

A farmer’s revolt in Massachusetts. States struggled to pay war debts and citizens struggled because of weak Confederate economy. Massachusetts government seized farms and imprisoned debtors. Daniel Shays stormed courts and went to raid the armory.

Article 7

Federal government. Balanced central government. Ratification

Article 1

Legislative Branch: House of Rep and Senate= Congress

Article 2

Executive Branch: President, Cabinet and Departments

Article 3

Judicial Branch: Supreme Court and inferior courts

Interstate Commerce

Between states, from one state to another. Delegated

Intrastate Commerce

Within states. Reserved

Veto

The power of the President to refuse to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevent its enactment into law

Veto Override

Two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate to pass a bill or law that the president vetoed.

Federalism

The idea of a federal organization of more or less self-governing units. A system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government. Federal and State government

Speaker of the House

The most powerful person in congress.

Who is the Speaker of the House?

Nancy Pelosi

Who is my representative?

Carlos Gimenez

Standing Committee

Proposes and adjusts bills. Semi-permanent

Appropriations

How the government spends money.

Redistricting

Every 10 years districts are redrawn and added to reflect the changing population of a state.

Gerrymandering

When you draw district lines in a way that gives your party advantage

Shaw v. Reno

14th Amendment, Equal protection clause. The constitution is color blind. Made racial gerrymandering illegal. When you draw district lines to benefit different races it is illegal.

22nd Amendment

Sets presidential terms to 2 and maximum 10 years.

What is the succession in US Government?

President, VP, Speaker of the house

Executive Order

The president makes a law without congress. They can be removed by the next president. They can be overturned by congress. And they can be overturned by the supreme court.

Civil Rights

You have equal protection under the law.

Civil Liberties

Deals with the bill of rights, legal protections you have against the government in the constitution.

14th Amendment

The process by which the supreme court applies the bill of rights to the states by the due process clause

Due process clause

Any state shouldn’t deprive any person of life, liberty, or properity without due process of law.

Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

Cannot deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

1st Amendment

Free speech, Free press, Establishment, Free exercise, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom to petition

15th Amendment

Black men's suffrage

19th Amendment

Women's suffrage

26th Amendment

18 year olds have the right ti vote

24th Amendment

Prohibits poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clause

Exclusionary rule

Illegally obtained evidence is not admissible in court.

Filibuster

A senator gets up and debates for a long time to stall a bill to get passed.

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

We elect a US Representative for how many years?

2 years

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

4th Amendment

No unreasonable search or arrest.

5th Amendment

No double jeopardy or no witness against
yourself.

6th Amendment

The right to a speedy and public trial

8th Amendment

No excessive bail or cruel punishment.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery

16th Amendment

Income tax