Constitution

Question 1

Codified?

Answer 1

All the main sources of the constitution are in one document e.g US

Question 2

Sovereignty of the people / popular sovereignty

Answer 2

Power supposedly in the power of the people e.g US ‘we the people of the US’

Question 3

Republican?

Answer 3

Head of state is elected

Question 4

Federal?

Answer 4

Power in hands of central government and some differences in laws between states

Question 5

Presidential?

Answer 5

President has power separate from congress

Question 6

Un-codified?

Answer 6

Constitutional laws that aren’t set down in a single document. Rules found in convention and tradition.

Question 7

Monarchical?

Answer 7

Power in the hands of the monarch

Question 8

Entrenched?

Answer 8

Constitution becomes law, difficult to bring changes to it e.g US

Question 9

Flexible?

Answer 9

Can be altered by the law making process

Question 10

Fushion of powers?

Answer 10

No separation of powers as leader is accountable to legislature

Question 11

Unitary?

Answer 11

Power in the hands of central government where little regional differences e.g UK

Question 12

Sovereignty of parliament?

Answer 12

Parliament possesses supreme power. Can make or unmake any law is it’s choosing e.g UK

Question 13

Amendment 1

Answer 13

Protects the right of freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference

Question 14

Amendment 2

Answer 14

The protection of persons, livestock and property against fire caused by electrical equipment, against burns and against overheating

Question 15

Amendment 3

Answer 15

Prohibits the involuntary quartering of soldiers in private homes

Question 16

Amendment 4

Answer 16

protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government

Question 17

Amendment 5

Answer 17

Guarantees right to jury, forbids ‘double jeopardy’, protects self-incrimination

Question 18

Amendment 6

Answer 18

Gives citizens series of rights in criminal trials

Question 19

Amendment 7

Answer 19

Protects right for citizens to have a jury trail in federal courts with civil cases where the claim exceeds a certain dollar value

Question 20

Amendment 8

Answer 20

Excessive bail not required nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

Question 21

Amendment 9

Answer 21

The existence of a written constitution should not be treated as an excuse for ignoring nontextual rights

Question 22

Amendment 10

Answer 22

The Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution

Question 23

What 10 things make up the UK constitution?

Answer 23

Magna Carta, bill of rights, act of settlement, acts of Union (1707,1800,1921), civil war + restoration, parliament acts (1911,1949) and european communities act 1972

Question 24

What is a constitution?

Answer 24

A set of laws that determine the powers and responsibilities of a government.

Question 25

What are statute laws?

Answer 25

Laws passed down by parliament that overrule any other laws.

Question 26

Convention

Answer 26

A constitutional practice that isn’t written down

Question 27

Common law

Answer 27

The process of judicial rulings which create legal precedents

Question 28

Authoritative opinion

Answer 28

Expert writings that explain how the constitution works in practice

Question 29

Treaties

Answer 29

International agreements that impact on the way in which a country operates

Question 30

What rights did the Magna Carta (1215) develop?

Answer 30

The principle that the rule of law applied to everyone even the king

Question 31

What rights did the bill of rights (1689) develop?

Answer 31

The principle of parliamentary sovereignty

Question 32

What rights did parliament acts (1911 + 1949) develop?

Answer 32

Prevented the House of Lords from blocking legislation passed by the constitution

Question 33

What did the lords reform 1999 do?

Answer 33

Removed all but 92 hereditary peers and ensured no party had majority in the Lords

Question 34

What did the Human rights act 1998 do?

Answer 34

Made it easier for people to defend their rights + increased power of the judiciary