US politics 5 Flashcards
Where does it say that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion’?
First Amendment
What does the Second Amendment allow?
‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms’
Give one reason why the US and UK constitutions are structurally different.
Codified and uncodified
How many words are there in the US Constitution?
7000
What convention was set by George Washington?
Two-term limit to presidency
Who broke that convention and when?
FDR in 1940
Which amendment formalises that convention and when did it occur?
22 Amendment, 1951
Define the term entrenchment.
The process by which a constitution is made difficult to amend
What is the key difference in terms of entrenchment between the US and UK constitutions?
The US Constitution is entrenched and difficult to amend but the UK one can be changed by a simple act of parliament
Which country is more democratic?
Second chambers, monarchy, less opportunities for political participation/less elections, UK PM not subject to an election, parliament is sovereign not the people as in US
Why is the UK described as having a fusion of powers?
Because government ministers can be in both the executive and the legislature
What act of parliament brought the UK more in line with the US frequency of elections?
Fixed term parliament act 2011
Why does the US Constitution protect the rights of citizens but the UK constitution protects the powers of the government?
Because it was devised (Bill of Rights) with this in mind – to limit the power of government but in UK due to the fusion of powers the government has almost unlimited power to do what it wants in Parliament
What is the difference between federalism and devolution?
In US federal system some powers granted, some kept and some shared. In UK system parliament remains sovereign even though it has devolved some powers to the regions.
Why might some argue that there is no difference between the UK and US in terms of federalism/devolution?
Because they serve the same purpose – to give voice to local communities in the nation
