MMS Civics: The Constitution

Title: __________?______________  
 Branch                          Power    
Legislative                  Makes laws
Executive                Carries out laws
Judicial                     Interprets laws  
         
Which of the following best completes the title of this table?

• The Federal System
•  Separation of Powers
• Checks and Balances
• Popular Sovereignty

What could be said about Montesquieu's ideas on separation of powers?

• they were based on traditional forms of government

• they presented common British thinking of the time

• they were based on ideas from the American colonies

• they presented a forward-thinking way of governing

The Founding Fathers divided the power to make, enforce, and interpret laws between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. What might have happened if they had given all of these powers to the executive branch?

• The balance of power among the different branches would make government more efficient.
• The president could have grown too powerful, leading to tyranny.
• Congress would have had more occasions to override presidential vetoes. 
• Supreme Court justices would have had to strike down more laws as unconstitutional.

The system of checks and balances was created to

• to ensure that no branch of the federal government becomes too powerful.
• to ensure that the state governments do not become too powerful.
• to manage the national treasury.
• to give more power to the individual citizen.

How did the Constitution deal with a weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• it created an executive branch to carry out the laws

• it provided for a legislature to make laws

• it allowed each state to have sovereignty over its laws

• it limited the powers of government through checks and balances

Which example illustrates the principle of checks and balances?

• The Supreme Court interprets a federal law.
•  The President vetoes legislation proposed by Congress
•  The President confers with the members of the Cabinet
•  A case between citizens from different states is tried in a federal court

Which principle implies that the people are the ones with the power over the government?

• Federalism

• Popular Sovereignty

• Limited Government

• Separation of powers

What is meant by “the rule of law”?

• the idea that people are the source of government power
• the idea that all people, including rulers and leaders, must obey the law
• the theory that power should be divided among three branches of government
• the power of the courts to interpret the Constitution and other laws

Which principle states that national government and state government share power?

• Separation of Powers

• Federalism

• Popular Sovereignty

• Checks and Balances

Which principle describes the national government only has the powers that are listed in the Constitution?

• Separation of powers

• Federalism

• Limited Government

• Checks and Balances