2-3.5 AP Gov flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from Chapter 2: The Constitution, including the ratification debates, Federalists vs. Antifederalists, the Bill of Rights, and constitutional compromises on slavery.

According to the Chapter 2 text, what is the definition of a coalition?

An alliance of groups.

Where did Montesquieu and many 18th-century Americans believe liberty was safest?

In small societies governed either by direct democracy or by large legislatures with small districts and frequent turnover among members.

What was James Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10 and No. 51 regarding the ideal size of a republic for preserving liberty?

Madison argued that liberty is safest in large ("extended") republics because a wide variety of opinions and interests makes it hard for a tyrannical majority to form or organize.

Why did James Madison contend in Federalist No. 51 that coalitions in a large republic would be more moderate?

Because the larger the republic, the greater the variety of interests, requiring majority coalitions to accommodate diverse interests and opinions to succeed.

What specific limitations on national government power were proposed by the Antifederalists?

Narrowing Supreme Court jurisdiction, creating a council to review presidential actions, placing military power in state militias, increasing the size of the House of Representatives, reducing or eliminating congressional tax powers, and adding a bill of rights.

What is the legal definition of a writ of habeas corpus?

An order to produce an arrested person before a judge.

What is a bill of attainder?

A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime.

What is an ex post facto law?

A law that makes an act criminal even though the act was legal when it was committed.

What individual liberty protections were included in the original Constitution before the Bill of Rights was added?

Guarantees that habeas corpus cannot be suspended (except during invasion or rebellion), prohibitions on bills of attainder and ex post facto laws, right of trial by jury in criminal cases, equal privileges and immunities for citizens across states, no religious test for federal office, and state prohibitions on impairing contract obligations.

What reason did Roger Sherman give when Elbridge Gerry proposed drafting a federal bill of rights?

Sherman observed that a federal bill of rights was unnecessary because existing state bills of rights were sufficient.

Why did the Framers believe that a federal bill of rights was unnecessary based on the structure of the national government?

They believed they were creating a government with specific, limited powers that could only do what the Constitution explicitly allowed, which did not include authority to infringe on freedoms of speech or press.

How did Federalists in Pennsylvania secure a quorum to call a ratifying convention?

Federalist supporters dragged boycotting Antifederalists to the legislature to force a quorum.

What was the final vote margin in Virginia for ratification of the Constitution, and who led the opposition?

The Federalists won by 10 votes against the opposition led by Patrick Henry.

What local threat in New York state helped Alexander Hamilton carry the ratification vote by three votes?

New York City threatened to secede from the state if New York did not ratify the Constitution.

On what date and with which state's ratification did the U.S. Constitution officially become law?

June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify.

What 1776 document served as the primary basis for James Madison's proposed amendments for the Bill of Rights?

The Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason and James Madison.

How many proposed amendments were approved by Congress during its first session, and how many were ratified by the states in 1791?

Congress approved 12 proposals, 10 of which were ratified by the states and went into effect in 1791.

How did the Fourteenth Amendment expand the scope of the Bill of Rights?

As interpreted by the Supreme Court, it extended many guarantees of the Bill of Rights to restrict state governmental action, whereas originally they restricted only the federal government.

Which constitutional amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures?

Amendment 4.

What specific protections are granted under Amendment 5 of the Constitution?

Grand jury indictment required for serious crimes, prohibition of double jeopardy, prohibition against forced self-incrimination, and protection against loss of life, liberty, or property without due process.

Which constitutional amendment guarantees jury trials in civil suits where the value in controversy exceeds $20?

Amendment 7.

What rule is established by Amendment 10 of the U.S. Constitution?

Powers not delegated to the United States or denied to the states are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

What proportion of the population in the five Southern states was comprised of enslaved people at the time of the Constitutional Convention?

One-third of the population.

What term did political scientist Theodore Lowi use to describe the constitutional compromises regarding slavery?

The Framers' "Greatest Compromise."

How did the Three-fifths Compromise affect Southern state representation in the House of Representatives?

It granted Southern states 47 House seats instead of the 33 seats they would have received based on free population alone.

Until what year did the Constitution protect the slave trade from being prohibited by federal law or amendment?

1808.

What prophetic warning regarding slavery was voiced by Virginia delegate George Mason?

George Mason warned that "by an inevitable chain of causes and effects, providence punishes national sins [slavery] by national calamities."

Which three nations without a written constitution are cited as having well-established personal freedom?

Israel, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Which three nations with a written constitution are cited as places where personal freedom is rare?

Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

What historical process is illustrated in Figure 2.6 across the original American states from 1787 to 1790?

The ratification of the Federal Constitution by state conventions, detailing states that were strongly in favor and ratified early, those initially opposed but later ratified, and those that ratified after a close struggle.