Constitutional Handbook

Question 1

john locke

Answer 1

declared all individuals have natural rights to life, liberty and property.

Question 2

baron de montesquieu

Answer 2

french thinker who came up with the concept of separation of powers.

Question 3

republic

Answer 3

government in which citizens rule themselves through elected representatives.

Question 4

separation of powers

Answer 4

powers of government must be clearly defined and divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Question 5

private property

Answer 5

property owned by an individual.

Question 6

habeas corpus

Answer 6

no person may be held in prison without being charged with a specific crime.

Question 7

dictatorship

Answer 7

a government in which one person or a small group holds complete authority.

Question 8

preamble

Answer 8

describes the purpose of government set up by the constitution

Question 9

articles

Answer 9

the seven sections of the constitution

Question 10

checks and balances

Answer 10

each branch of the government has the power to check, or limit, the powers of the other two branches

Question 11

federalism

Answer 11

the principle of division of power between the federal government and the states

Question 12

bill

Answer 12

proposal for a new law

Question 13

veto

Answer 13

reject

Question 14

amendments

Answer 14

formal changes that have been made to the constitution

Question 15

override

Answer 15

pass a law despite a presidential veto

Question 16

repeal

Answer 16

cancel

Question 17

popular sovereignty

Answer 17

asserts that the people are the primary source of the governments authority

Question 18

limited government

Answer 18

the government has only the powers that constitution gives it

Question 19

appeal

Answer 19

ask that the decision of a lower court be reviewed by a higher court

Question 20

jurisdiction

Answer 20

the power to hear and decide cases