Political Science Ch. 2

Question 0

How did the British attempt to raise revenue in the North American colonies?

Answer 0

Taxes on commerce

Question 1

In their fight against British taxes such as the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act of 1764, New England merchants allied with which of the following groups?

Answer 1

Artisans, sound her planters, and laborers

Question 2

The first governing document in the United States was

Answer 2

The Articles of Confederation

Question 3

Where was the execution of laws conducted under the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 3

The states

Question 4

Which event led directly to the Constitutional Convention by providing evidence that the government created under the Articles of Confederation was unable to act decisively in times of national crisis?

Answer 4

Shay’s Rebellion

Question 5

Which state’s proposal embodied a principle of representing state in the Congress according to their size and wealth?

Answer 5

Virginia

Question 6

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that determined that every five slaves would be counted as three free persons for the purpose of taxation and representation in the House of Representatives was called the

Answer 6

Three-fifths Compromise

Question 7

What mechanism was instituted in the Congress to guard against excessive democracy?

Answer 7

A) bicamerlism
B) staggered terms in office
C) appointment of senators for long terms
D) indirection election of the president
E) ALL OF THE ABOVE

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the Supreme Court as understood by the Founders?

Answer 8

A Supreme Court of the nation and its states

Question 9

Theorists such as Montesquieu referred to the principle of giving each branch of government a distinctly different constituency as

Answer 9

Mixed regime

Question 10

Which of the following were the Antifederalists most concerned with?

Answer 10

The potential for tyranny in the central government

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the process of amending the Constitution?

Answer 11

It is difficult and has rarely been used successfully to address specific public problems.

Question 12

Amendment

Answer 12

A change added to a bill, law or constitution

Question 13

Antifederalists

Answer 13

Those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and were opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Question 14

Articles of Confederation

Answer 14

America’s first written constitution; served as the basis for America’s national government until 1789

Question 15

Bicameral

Answer 15

Having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses; distinguished from unicameral.

Question 16

Bill of Rights

Answer 16

The first 10 amendments to the Constitutions, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

Question 17

Checks and balances

Answer 17

Mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches. Major examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments and judicial review of congressional enactments.

Question 18

Confederation

Answer 18

A system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government.

Question 19

Elastic clause

Answer 19

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution (also known as the necessary and proper clause), which enumerates the powers of Congress and provides Congress with the authority to make all a laws “necessary and proper” to carry them out

Question 20

Electoral college

Answer 20

The electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for President and Vice President.

Question 21

Expressed powers

Answer 21

Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article I, Section 8) and to the president (Article II)

Question 22

Federalism

Answer 22

A system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution between the central (national) government and regional (state) governments

Question 23

Federalist Papers

Answer 23

A series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution

Question 24

Federalist so

Answer 24

Those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Question 25

Great Compromise

Answer 25

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population, but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population

Question 26

Judicial review

Answer 26

The power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional. The Supreme Court asserted this power in Marbury v. Madison

Question 27

Limited government

Answer 27

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

Question 28

New Jersey Plan

Answer 28

A framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson that called for equal state representation in the national legislature of population

Question 29

Separation of powers

Answer 29

The division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making

Question 30

Supremacy clause

Answer 30

Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties "shall be the supreme law of the land" and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision

Question 31

Three-Fifths Compromise

Answer 31

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulated that for purpose of the apportionment of congressional seats, every slave would be counted as three fifths of a person

Question 32

Tyranny

Answer 32

Oppressive and unjust government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority

Question 33

Virginia Plan

Answer 33

A framework for the Constitution, introduced by Edmund Randolph, that called for representations in the national legislature based on the population of each state

Question 34

BOOK NOTES

Answer 34

BOOK NOTES

Question 35

The purpose of government

Answer 35

- Promote (Justice) - Maintain (Peace) at home - (Defend) the nation from foreign foes - To provide for the (Welfare) of citizenry - To secure the ("Blessings of Liberty")* for Americans

Question 36

Framers believed that a good constitution not only created a government with the capacity to act forcefully but also promoted

Answer 36

Compromise and deliberation

Question 37

America's long-standing values

Answer 37

Liberty, equality, and democracy.

Question 38

The Constitution was a product of

Answer 38

Political bargaining and compromise. The same way political decisions are made today.

Question 39

The government created by the country's Founders was the product of

Answer 39

- British legal and political traditions - Colonial experience and - New ideas about governance

Question 40

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 40

British philosopher that believed in limits on government power and "contract theory" that the people of a country voluntarily give up some freedom in exchange for an ordered society.

Question 41

John Locke

Answer 41

British political thinker believed in republican government of the monarch not have absolute power but limited. He believed that people retain rights despite the social contact they made with the monarch.

Question 42

Five sectors of society had interests that were important in colonial politics:

Answer 42

- The New England merchants - The southern planters - The royalists- holders of royal lands, offices, and patents (licenses to engage in a profession or business activity) - Shopkeepers, artisans and laborers - Small farmers

Question 43

Narrow Interests and Political Conflicts Shaped the Fires Founding Throughout the eighteenth century these groups were in conflict over issues of

Answer 43

Taxation Trade and Commerce

Question 44

British Taxes Hurt Colonial Economic Interests The Stamp Act - Tax that all written material had to have a stamp The Sugar Act of 1764 - Taxed molasses, sugar, and other commodities.

Answer 44

Heavily affected two groups - The New England merchants - Southern planters

Question 45

The New England merchants and southern planters were united under the famous slogan:

Answer 45

"No taxation without representation"

Question 46

Political Strife Radicalized the Colonists

Answer 46

- The Boston Tea Party - The British government granted the politically powerful but ailing East India Company a monopoly on the export of tea from Britain, eliminating a lucrative form of trade for colonial merchants.

Question 47

Samuel Adams and other radicals hoped to provoke the British government to take actions that would alienate its colonial supporters and pave the way for a rebellion

Answer 47

The Boston Tea Party

Question 48

Boston Tea Party

Answer 48

The radicals dumped the East India Company's tea into the Boston Harbor

Question 49

The British retaliated and helped radicalize Americans.

Answer 49

True

Question 50

This led to the First Continental Congress - an assembly of delegates from all parts of the colonies that called for a total boycott of British goods.

Answer 50

True

Question 51

Under the prodding of the radicals, Americans began to consider the possibility of independence from British rule. The eventual result was the

Answer 51

Declaration of Independence

Question 52

The Declaration of Independence explained why the colonists wanted to break with Great Britain

Answer 52

True for "unalienable rights" -- including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Question 53

Philosopher John Locke one of England's foremost liberal theorist believe that

Answer 53

All individuals were equal and possessed a natural right to defend their lives, liberties, and possessions.

Question 54

The Declaration of Independence was an attempt to identify and articulate a history and set of principles that might help to forge

Answer 54

National unity.

Question 55

The Declaration of Independence explained to the rest of the world why American colonists were attempting to break away for Great Britain.

Answer 55

True

Question 56

Articles of confederation

Answer 56

The first written constitution

Question 57

The articles of confederation were concerned primarily with limiting the powers of the central government.

Answer 57

True

Question 58

The central government was based entirely in a

Answer 58

Congress. No executive branch.

Question 59

The Congress was given the power to

Answer 59

- Declare war and make peace - Make treaties and alliances - To coin or borrow money and to - Regulate trade with the Native Americans

Question 60

The Congress could not

Answer 60

- Levy taxes - regulate commerce among the states - prevent one state from discriminating against other states in the quest for foreign commerce

Question 61

It was a confederation

Answer 61

A system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government.

Question 62

There was no executive, there was no judicial authority, and no means of enforcing the Congress will. Any enforcement would have to be doe by the states.

Answer 62

True.

Question 63

The failure of the Articles, made the Second Founding necessary

Answer 63

True

Question 64

Competition among the state for foreign commerce, allowed the European powers to play the states agains one another, which made America seem weak and vulnerable.

Answer 64

True

Question 65

At the same time well-to-do Americans -- in particular the _______ and the _______ -- were troubled by the influence that "radical" forces excursus end in the Continental Congress and in the governments of several of the states.

Answer 65

The New England merchants | Southern planters