Flashcard 150 U.S History 8
(149 cards)
1
Q
Why does the U.S. Constitution start with “We the people..” (2 reasons)?
A
It symbolizes unity of the people, the that the power comes from the people
2
Q
What Enlightenment Thinker is famous for writing about the Social Contract?
A
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
3
Q
What is a “Social Contract”?
A
an implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits
4
Q
What Enlightenment Thinker is famous for writing about Separation of Powers?
A
Montesquieu
5
Q
Why did the founders want “to form a more perfect union”?
A
Because the Articles of Confederation had many problems and was not working.
6
Q
What are the six purposes for establishing the U.S. Constitution?
A
to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
7
Q
What is meant by “establishing justice”?
A
To have a court system and judges that are fair.
8
Q
Why did the Founders want to “establish justice”?
A
to have rules and laws based on certain fundamental principles and not the arbitrary whims of those holding government power at any moment
9
Q
What is meant by “insure domestic tranquility”?
A
To make sure there is peace inside the country.
10
Q
Why did the Founders want to “ensure domestic tranquility”?
A
So there would not be riots or rebellions in the country. Like Shay’s Rebellion.
11
Q
What is popular sovereignty?
A
the idea that political authority belongs to the people
12
Q
What is meant by Separation of Powers?
A
Power is shared among the 3 branches of government.
13
Q
What are the three branches of government?
A
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
14
Q
What is the role of the Legislative Branch?
A
create laws
15
Q
What is the role of the Executive Branch?
A
enforce laws
16
Q
What is the role of the Judicial Branch?
A
interpret laws
17
Q
What power was the Congress given to “provide for the common defense”?
A
The power to maintain an army and a navy.
18
Q
What is meant by “promote the general Welfare”?
A
To make sure the economy is good. Everyone has good working conditions.
19
Q
What is meant by “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”?
A
protect individual freedom
20
Q
Why did the Founders want to “provide for the common defense”?
A
it was important for the states to defend the nation together
21
Q
What was the Great Compromise?
A
Created a bicameral legislature (combined VA and NJ plans to create Congress) one house based on representation, one house has equal representation
22
Q
Which theory of the origin of the state is the United States Constitution based on?
A
Magna Carta
23
Q
What is limited government?
A
Government with limited powers strictly defined by law
24
Q
What are the six basic principles of the U.S. Constitution?
A
limited government, republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, and popular sovereignty.
25
What is federalism?
A sharing of power between states and the national government
26
What are the qualifications for becoming a Member of the House of Representatives?
a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents.
27
What are the qualifications for becoming a Senator?
age (at least thirty years of age); U.S. citizenship (at least nine years)
28
What are the qualifications for becoming President of the United States?
Be a natural-born citizen of the United States.
Be at least 35 years old.
Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.
29
What is the term of office for the House of Representatives?
two-year terms
30
What is the term of office for a Senator?
six-year terms
31
What is the term of office for the President of the United States?
eight years
32
How many members of the House of Representatives?
435 members
33
How many members of the Senate?
100 (2 per state)
34
How is the number of Members of the House for each state determined?
population
35
How is the number of Senators from each state determined?
2
36
How many Members of the House does CA have today?
52
37
What is a census?
the official count of a population
38
How often does the United States take the census?
every 10 years
39
Why does the United States take the census?
To determine the representation for each state
40
Why is the Senate called the "House that never dies"?
because only 1/3 of them are up for election in any given election year.
41
What is "the full faith and credit" clause?
addresses the duties that states within the United States have to respect the "public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state."
42
What are enumerated powers?
powers belonging only to the federal government
43
What are implied powers?
Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution
44
What are reserved powers?
Powers given to the state governments
45
What is "the necessary and proper" clause?
Constitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers
46
What is the "elastic" clause?
It allows Congress to Stretch its powers as needed.
47
Which power of Congress has been stretched the most?
Establish a military draft
48
What are the 3 types of government that describe where the power is in a government?
Unitary, Federal, Confederate
49
What are the 3 types of government that describe who has the power?
Unitary: one leader, Federal: both, Confederate: The people
50
What does impeachment mean?
To be formally accused of unconstitutional activity
51
Who has the power to impeach?
House of Representatives
52
Who acts as the jury in an impeachment trial?
The Senate with a 2/3 majority
53
Who is the presiding judge in an impeachment trial?
The Chief Justice of the United States
54
What were the Articles of Confederation?
United States' first Constitution after the American Revolution
55
Who has the power to declare war?
Congress
56
What are the titles of the officers of the Senate?
Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate) The Constitution names the vice president of the United States as the president of the Senate. ...
President Pro Tempore. ...
Secretary of the Senate. ...
Sergeant at Arms. ...
Party Secretaries. ...
Senate Chaplain. ...
Committee & Office Staff. ...
57
Who has the power to lay and collect taxes?
congress
58
Why must all tax laws originate in the House of Representatives?
To be more responsive to the people
59
Who has "reserved" powers?
states
60
Give two examples of reserved powers.
education, establish local government
61
What is the interstate commerce clause?
This clause says that Congress can regulate commerce with other nations and between the states. It describes an enumerated power of Congress.
62
List ten of the enumerated powers
to lay and collect taxes; pay debts and borrow money; regulate commerce; coin money; establish post offices; protect patents and copyrights; establish lower courts; declare war; and raise and support an Army and Navy.
63
Why is the U.S. government entitled to have an Air Force?
As a result of the important role air power had played in the war, a movement developed during the 1920s and 1930s to create an independent air force
64
What are the titles of the officers of the House of Representatives?
Chaplain, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Clerk of the House, and the Sergeant at Arms.
65
Who is the President of the Senate?
Vice president
66
What is a quorum?
A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present at a meeting for the legal transaction of business to occur.
67
How much is a member of the House of Representatives paid?
$174,000
68
How much is a United States Senator paid?
$174,000
69
How much is the President paid?
$400,000
70
Where do taxes bills start?
House of Representatives
71
What is a bill?
a proposed law
72
Who can propose a law?
Anyone, as long as a member of Congress sponsors it.
73
What is a veto?
to reject a bill
74
What is a filabuster?
a delaying tactic used by Senators who do not agree with a bill to stall by talking endlessly in order to delay a vote
75
How can the President check the Congress?
veto
76
How can the Congress balance the President's veto?
By overriding it with a ⅔ vote.
77
What is a pocket veto?
an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.
78
What powers does the Constitution grant Congress that were not granted in the Articles of Confederation?
There was no provision for national courts.
79
Who has the power to appoint ambassadors?
President
80
Who appoints members of the cabinet?
President
81
Who approves the ambassadors and cabinet?
Senate
82
Who appoints judges?
President
83
Who approves judges?
Senate
84
How long does a judge serve?
for life unless they retire or die
85
who breaks a tie in the senate?
Under Article I, Section 3, Clause 4 of the Constitution of the United States, the vice president of the United States is the ex officio president of the Senate but may only cast a vote in the Senate to break a tie.
86
what was the three-fifths compromise?
It determined that three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation.
87
What is a treaty?
A formal agreement between two or more sovereign states
88
Who signs and negotiates treaties?
President
89
Who approves treaties?
Senate
90
How can an amendment to the Constitution be proposed?
Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.
91
How can an amendment to the Constitution be ratified?
by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.
92
What is an amendment?
A change to the Constitution
93
What does ratified mean?
approved
94
who has the power to declare war?
congress
95
What is an ambassador?
an official representative of a country's government
96
What is a cabinet member?
Advisor to the president and head of a government department
97
How many states must ratify an amendment to the Constitution?
38
98
How is the President elected?
By the electoral college
99
How many electors are required to elect the President?
270
100
What does adjourn mean?
to stop meeting
101
How many electors does California have?
54
102
How many electors does each state have?
Population-based, and another 3 for the number of Senators and Representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation
103
What are the first ten amendments to the US Constitution called?
bill of rights
104
What five freedoms are listed in the first amendment?
Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition.
105
What does the Establishment Clause mean?
The government may not make an official religion of the USA.
106
What does the free exercise clause mean?
The government cannot keep you from doing something your religion requires.
107
Under what circumstances can the government use your house to quarter soldiers?
consent
108
What type of search and seizures does the Fourth Amendment protect you from?
unreasonable searches and seizures
109
What is needed to get a warrant?
probable cause
110
What is an indictment?
a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime
111
What does double jeopardy mean?
A person cannot be tried twice for the same crime in either state or federal court
112
What does the right to due process mean?
There must be fair procedures in place for arrest and trial and they must be followed for everyone
113
What type of trial are we entitled to have?
Speedy and public trial
114
Who decides guilty?
judge
115
What if you cannot afford an attorney?
An attorney will be provided by the government
116
When are you entitled to a jury trial?
In both criminal and civil court
117
What is bail?
money that a court orders an accused person to leave with the court in order to insure that they come back for trial - this is an alternative to leaving the accused in jail before trial
118
What is a fine?
a punishment that involves paying money
119
What types of bail and fines are prohibited?
excessive
120
What types of punishments are prohibited?
cruel and unusual
121
What is one right you have that is not specifically written in the Constitution?
the right to send one's children to private school
122
What is a natural-born citizen?
A person born in the United States
123
Who does the due process clause apply to?
national and state governments
124
What groups were given the right to vote in amendments?
African Americans, women, Native Americans, non-English speakers, and citizens between the ages of 18 and 21
125
What type of taxes are made legal by the 16th amendment?
income tax without having to determine it based on population.
126
How are U.S.Senators chosen?
directly by voters
127
What is the definition of repeal?
to undo a law
128
Two amendments counteracted each other, what is the subject?
Prohibition
129
How many times can a president be elected?
Twice
130
What is the longest time a person can be president?
eight years
131
What is the equal protection clause?
This clause in the 14th Amendment says that no state shall deny to anyone within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.
132
What must happen before Senators and Representatives get a raise?
next election of representatives has occurred.
133
What were the Federalist Papers?
A series of 85 articles written to convince people to ratify the Constitution. Explains how the Constitution is supposed to work.
134
Define republic
A government in which citizens rule through elected representatives
135
Define constitution
A written plan of government
136
What was the Enlightenment?
a new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems
137
What are checks and balances?
The system in which it is made sure that no branch has more power than the other.
138
What is separation of powers?
an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies.
139
What is judicial review?
The Supreme Court's authority to decide if a law violates the Constitution
140
what if federalism
Another basic concept embodied in the Constitution is federalism, which refers to the division and sharing of power between the national and state governments.
141
what is popular sovereignty?
in politics, popular sovereignty is the idea that government is authorized by citizens and influenced by what they want.
142
what is double jeopardy?
The Double Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits anyone from being prosecuted twice for substantially the same crime.
143
what is self-incrimination
Primary tabs. Self-incrimination is the intentional or unintentional act of providing information that will suggest your involvement in a crime, or expose you to criminal prosecution.
144
what is a warrant?
are a contract that gives the right, but not the duty, to buy or sell a security—most usually, equity—before expiry at a certain amount.
145
what is due process?
At a minimum, due process means that a citizen who will be affected by a government decision must be given advance notice of what the government plans to do and how the government's action may deprive them of life, liberty, or property.
146
What is the line of succession?
The order of people who take over if the President can no longer do his/her job.
147
Who is the president?
Who is the vice president
Who is the speaker of the house
Who is the President pro tempore of the Senate
Who is the The CA Senators
Who is Your Member of the House of Representatives
Who is the Governor of CA
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris
Mike Johnson
Patty Murray
Laphonza Butler, and Alex Padilla
Anna G. Eshoo, vary btw
Gavin Newsom
148
List the line of succession
Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President pro tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Homeland Security.
149
are you locked in.
no
