The U.S. Constitution: Rules of the game Flashcards
What are the 4 major Constitutional principles?
Checks and Balances, Federalism, Limited Government, and Judicial Review.
What is Checks and Balances?
Separation of powers.
What is Federalism?
The division of power between the national and state governments.
What is a Limited Government?
A government that is subjected to strict legal limits on its uses of power.
What is Judicial Review?
Gives the court system the power to declare a law unconstitutional.
Describe Modern Federalism?
Constitution still limits central government, however, the Federal government is far larger and more powerful than framers could have anticipated.
What are the 3 Government powers?
Delegate, Expressed, and Implied.
What is Delegate power?
Power given to the government by the Constitution.
What is Expressed (enumerated) power?
Power granted as spelled out in the Constitution.
What is Implied power?
Powers not expressly states in the Constitution but are “suggested” by the expressed powers.
There are 4 major ways to change the Constitution, name them?
Formal amendment, Judicial Interpretation, Legislation, and Custom.
What is the Formal Amendment?
2/3rds vote to pass, it is the least common.
What is Judicial Interpretation?
Has ruled on nearly all parts of the Constitution, it is the most common.
What is Legislation?
Measure of Congress.
What is Custom?
Accounts for growth (economy, population) and changing times (value of dollar/excessive bail).
