Midterm Amendments

The people who created our constitution designed the amending process so that:

• the constitution could be changed quickly to meet emergency situations.
• amendments would meet the needs of a strong executive branch to execute the law.
• careful consideration would be given to any changes to the constitution to ensure that it maintained relevance over time.
• only the state legislatures can initiate amendments and present them to the National Government.

In order to ratify an amendment to the constitution it is necessary to:

• receive approving votes in 3/4 of state legislatures.
• debate the merits of the amendment for 10 years.
• convince 2/3 of the House of Representative to approve.
• request consent from the president and the majority of the Supreme Court.

Citizens have a right to be informed of charges, provided a competent attorney, receive a speedy trial by a jury of their peers. These are examples of:

• Due Process
• Popular sovereignty
• Habeas Corpus
• Judicial Review

Rights and freedoms included within the Bill of Rights include all of the following except

• Freedom of speech
• Right to a speedy trial
• Right to vote beginning at age 18
• Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment

Using the principle of judicial review the Supreme Court determined that due to the protections of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th Amendments, Americans have an implied constitutional right to:

• conscientiously object to military service
• Limited Government
• equal protection under the law
• equality in the workplace

The Bill of Rights states that a “well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” This passage is found in the:

• 4th Amendment
• 6th Amendment
• 2nd Amendment
• 3rd Amendment

Which of the following is the best reason why the 12th Amendment was added to the constitution?

• In order to balance the effects of a multi-party system
• To ensure that small states were treated fairly in the electoral process
• To ensure there would never be a tie in the electoral college by creating two separate electoral college votes, one for the president and one for the vice president
• That if there is no majority in the electoral college then the popular vote will determine who is elected president

The right to assemble may be limited by the government in the following way:

• requiring organizations include prayer in their speeches
• requiring the organization to provide private security
• requiring that all local citizens may participate in the event
• requiring a permit to be filed with the local government

Under the 5th Amendment citizens have the right to just compensation when the government seizes their property to build a highway. The process of government seizure of private property for public use is known as:

• Self​ incrimination
• Asset seizure
• Eminent domain
• Governmental repossession

The 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "The powers not delegated to the United Stats by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." What was the goal of those who supported the passage of this amendment?

• to increase the power of the presidency
• to limit the power of the federal government
• to provide a complete list of specifically protected rights
• to expand the ability of the government branches to check each other