Chapter 3

Question 1

a two-house legislature

Answer 1

bicameral

Question 2

a key aspect of the Constitution of the United States, protecting the balance of power among the 3 branches of government; concept was first suggested by James Madison in the Federalist Papers

Answer 2

checks and balances

Question 3

found in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution, it gives Congress the power to make “all laws necessary and proper” to carry out the other defined powers of Congress

Answer 3

elastic clause

Question 4

consists of presidential electors from each state; the number of electors is based on the state’s population; the states with the greatest population have the most electoral votes; when the voter casts a vote for president, in reality the vote goes to one of the presidential electors designated by the candidate in that state

Answer 4

electoral college

Question 5

delegated powers of Congress, including the power to collect taxes, pay debts, provide for the common defense and general welfare, regulate commerce among the states, coin money, and declare war

Answer 5

enumerated powers

Question 6

laws that take effect after the act takes place; Congress is prohibited from enacting this type of legislation

Answer 6

ex post facto laws

Question 7

the ability of the president to protect personal material

Answer 7

executive privilege

Question 8

the overall division of power between the federal government and state governments; as defined in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution; it specifically tells the states that they have reserved powers; power not delegated to the government by the Constitution are given to the respective states

Answer 8

Federalism

Question 9

phrase used to describe the mutual respect and legality of laws, public records, and judicial decisions made by states

Answer 9

full faith and credit

Question 10

derived from the Marbury v Madison decision, it gives the Supreme Court the power to interpret the Constitution and specifically acts of Congress, the president, and the states

Answer 10

judicial review

Question 11

the introduction to the Constitution, outlining the goals of the documents

Answer 11

preamble

Question 12

the guarantees that the rights of a citizen in one state will be respected by other states; also a clause in the 14th Amendment that protects citizens from abuses by a state

Answer 12

privileges and immunities

Question 13

found in the 10th Amendment, it gives states powers not delegated to the national government

Answer 13

Reserved Power Amendment

Question 14

originally developed by Montesquieu in the Spirit of Natural Laws written during the Enlightenment and James Madison in Federalist No 48, this important doctrine resulted in the establishment of 3 separate branches of government

Answer 14

separation of powers

Question 15

clause that states that “the Constitution, and the laws of the United States…shall be the supreme law of the land.”

Answer 15

supremacy clause

Question 16

traditions, precedent, and practice incorporated into our form of government that add to the Constitution’s elasticity and its viability; political parties, the president’s cabinet, political action committees, and federal bureaucracy are all examples

Answer 16

unwritten constitution