Unit 1: Chapter 2 (1.4–1.6)

Question 1

What is a bicameral? Is it in the Virginia or New Jersey Plan? Where does it show up in government now?

Answer 1

A two-house legislature; Virginia Plan; Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)

Question 2

Who wrote the Bill of Rights? When was it ratified?

Answer 2

James Madison; 1791

Question 3

What was the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 3

The gathering of many knowledgeable politicians, initially to fix the Articles of Confederation, but eventually to create a new blueprint for government: the Constitution

Question 4

What is an Electoral College? Where is it found in government?

Answer 4

States decide how electors are chosen and have the same number of electors as representatives in Congress; presidential elections

Question 5

What was the Great Compromise?

Answer 5

A compromise made between the Virginia and New Jersey Plan, where a House of Representatives was decided by population and a Senate had two representatives from each state

Question 6

What was the New Jersey Plan? Who made it?

Answer 6

Plan for government that assured sovereignty of states, and limited and defined powers of national legislature; New Jersey Governor William Patterson

Question 7

What was the Virginia Plan? Who made it?

Answer 7

Plan for government that had three branches of government, a bicameral legislature, supremacy of national government, and separation of powers; Virginia Governor Edmund Randolph

Question 8

What was a key distinction between the Virginia and New Jersey Plan?

Answer 8

Virginia favored a strong national government, and New Jersey encouraged more power among the states than the national government

Question 9

What is ratification?

Answer 9

Formal consent by the states for the Constitution and any amendments or laws following

Question 10

What was the 3/5ths Compromise?

Answer 10

North and South Compromise that only counts three of every five enslaved people to determine representation in the House for states with slaves

Question 11

What is in Article V of the Constitution?

Answer 11

The amendment process

Question 12

What is the 2-step amendment process set up in the Constitution?

Answer 12

Stage one: proposal from either 2/3 of the House and Senate, or with 2/3 vote at a convention initiated by the states and called by Congress; Stage two: ratification

Question 13

What is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (2015)?

Answer 13

Education law that states are free to determine their own standards for educational achievement, while still upholding protections for disadvantaged students, with federal Department of Education approving each plan

Question 14

What were the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 14

Document that laid out the first form of government for the new nation; failed, but gave a basis for improvement

Question 15

What was Shays’ Rebellion?

Answer 15

A farmers’ rebellion against losing their farms to mortgage foreclosures and failure to pay the high state taxes

Question 16

Why was Shays’ Rebellion significant?

Answer 16

It proved an executive was necessary so there was an ability to raise a militia to shut down such rebellions, where there was none before

Question 17

What was No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (2002)?

Answer 17

Educational law that called for improvements in teaching methods, testing to measure progress, and sanctions for underperforming schools; failed due to unrealistic standards and received widespread criticism

Question 18

What was Race to the Top?

Answer 18

Educational law that offered incentives, rather than sanctions of NCLB, for states to adopt new national standards or develop their own that require students to be college and career ready at graduation

Question 19

What is the USA PATRIOT Act (2001)?

Answer 19

Law that covered intelligence gathering and sharing by executive branch agencies, points of criminal procedure, and border protection; allowed government agencies to share information about suspects and to tap into phones

Question 20

Why was the USA PATRIOT Act significant?

Answer 20

It overextended the powers of government and encroached on civil liberties given in the Fourth Amendment; Americans lost some privacy

Question 21

What are checks and balances?

Answer 21

Each branch can limit others

Question 22

Why are checks and balances important?

Answer 22

Keeps branches of government from taking too much power

Question 23

What was Federalist No. 51? Who wrote it?

Answer 23

Federalist paper that upholds separation of powers; written by James Madison

Question 24

What is separation of powers?

Answer 24

Dilution of power among the three branches by assigning the legislative, executive, and judicial branches distinct responsibilities

Question 25

Why is separation of powers important?

Answer 25

It prevents any one branch from gaining too much power

Question 26

What are stakeholders?

Answer 26

People or groups who will be affected by the policies established in legislation

Question 27

What is advice and consent?

Answer 27

Provides that the Senate can suggest appointees and must formally approve most presidential appointments

Question 28

Why is advice and consent important?

Answer 28

It is a check on the president (executive branch) by Congress (legislative branch)

Question 29

What is impeachment? Who can be impeached?

Answer 29

A formal accusation of wrongdoing by the House of Representatives; the president, a federal judge, or another official of wrongdoing

Question 30

Why is impeachment important?

Answer 30

It is a check by Congress (legislative branch) on the other branches of government

Question 31

What is a pocket veto? What is its significance?

Answer 31

A bill received by the president at the end of a legislative session that the president refuses to sign, and thus effectively kills the bill; it is a check by the executive branch on the legislative branch

Question 32

What is the two-thirds override? What does it pertain to? Why is it important?

Answer 32

If a president vetoes a bill, Congress, each house acting separately, can overcome the veto with 2/3 (supermajority) of each house in agreement; check by legislative branch on executive branch

Question 33

What is a veto? Why is it important?

Answer 33

Rejection of a bill; check by the president (executive branch) on the Congress (legislative branch)

Question 34

Where did the Virginia and New Jersey Plans originate?

Answer 34

The Constitutional Convension

Question 35

Which plan at the Constitutional Convention included a three-branch system? What are the three branches?

Answer 35

Virginia Plan; legislative, executive, and judicial.

Question 36

What did the New Jersey Plan assert about the powers of the national legislature?

Answer 36

Defined and limited powers, aiming to give the national legislature only specific powers, as opposed to broader authority

Question 37

Fill in the blank: The ratification of the Constitution took place between _______ and _______.

Answer 37

1787; 1790 Footnote: This period marks the time frame in which states voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Question 38

What was Article VII of the Constitution?

Answer 38

It required nine states to ratify for it to become effective.

Question 39

What were the 3 major failings of the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 39

Unity (not all the states could agree on things, have national currency or court system, or regulate interstate commerce), taxation (Congress could not tax people directly), and militia (national government could not raise or maintain an army)

Question 40

Which is the best example of political negotiation at the Constitutional Convention?

Answer 40

The creation of the House and Senate (The Great Compromise led to the establishment of a bicameral legislature)

Question 41

What does Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution define?

Answer 41

The presidential selection process (how electors are appointed and the process for electing the president)

Question 42

What is the greatest distinction between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?

Answer 42

A strong (and existent) executive branch is outlined in the Constitution

Question 43

True or False: The Virginia Plan allowed for the importation of slaves for 20 years after ratification.

Answer 43

False It was the Constitution that allowed the importation of slaves for a limited time, not specifically the Virginia Plan.

Question 44

What is the most common reason to impeach a president?

Answer 44

Abuse of power/breaking the law