Final Exam Review Flashcards
What was the name given to those Americans who opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution?
Anti-federalists
When was the United States Constitution signed?
September 17th, 1787
When was the Constitution ratified?
June 21st, 1788
What two men wrote most of the Federalist Papers?
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
When was the Bill of Rights ratified?
December 15th, 1791
What are the two chambers of the law-making arm of our government?
House of Representatives and the Senate
Who serves as the president of the Senate?
The Vice President of the United States
How many members serve in the House of Representatives?
435
How many members serve in the Senate?
100
What political philosopher had an obvious influence on the Declaration of Independence?
John Locke
What is the name of document that governed the states before the U.S. Constitution?
The Articles of Confederation
Stamp Act
Congress formed to protest the newly passed Stamp Act. Sent letters of complaints to the king and parliament, and it showed signs of colonial unity and organized resistance
Intolerable Acts
disallowed elections and public meetings (result of Boston Tea Party); angered colonists because they had basically been able to run themselves for 100+ years
State of nature is a “war of all against all.”
Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short;
People create government because the Fundamental Truths (self-preservation; violent death) allow a system where everyone is their own judge.
People need one judge.
Hobbes
There are some things that are evident (reasonable).
Inalienable rights are life, liberty, property.
People also have a right to protect their rights, however, the common fundamental flaw: selfishness makes people act unreasonably.
Government created to rationally protect already existing rights.
Locke
Original sin was private property which created civil society that protected inequality.
Life in the state of nature was isolated (noble savage).
Rousseau
Father of classical liberalism
John Locke
Which philosopher championed separation of powers?
Montesquieu
(“the accumulation of two or more functions of government in the hands of one or a few is despotism.”)
Definition of republic given in class
the majority limited by a written constitution that safeguards the rights of the individuals and minorities
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
bicameral legislature; House of reps: population based (slaves 3/5ths a person); Senate: equal (2); House elected by people; Senate elected by state legislature;
single executive
Congress only has power to tax in proportion to representation in the House
What form of government do we have in the United States?
Democratic Republic
What system of government do we have in the United States?
Federal
What are our three branches of government and what are their primary functions?
Legislative: Lawmaking Function; Making the Laws
Executive: Chief Executive; Enforcing the Laws
Judicial: Interpreting the Laws
What are the two most important contributions to the United States Constitution made by James Madison?
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
