Which article of the Constitution establishes the relationship between the states and federal government, and says states are equal to each other and must respect each other's laws?

Which article of the Constitution describes the structure, powers, requirements, and term length of the Executive Branch?

Which article of the Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the federal government and describes its most important function?

Section of Article IV of the Constitution that ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state.

Which article of the Constitution describes the structure, powers, requirements, and term length of the Legislative Branch?

Which article of the Constitution establishes the Constitution and the Federal government as having supremacy over the states?

Which article of the Constitution outlines the process for amending or changing the Constitution?

Determined that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for the purpose of apportioning taxes and representation in the House of Representatives, it granted disproportionate political power to Southern slave states.

A group of people who opposed the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, were wary of strong national government, wanted to maintain state sovereignty, and protection of individual rights.

1776 statement, issued by the Second Continental Congress, explaining why the colonies wanted independence from Britain. Included a list of grievances as well as citing infringement upon natural rights of the colonists.

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788, weaknesses included no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade, states were sovereign.

A group of people in the ratification debate who favored the establishment of a strong national government and who worked for ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Agreement made by Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature in which states would have equal representation in one house and representation based on population in the other house; also known as the Connecticut Compromise.

Under the Constitution this body holds the actual power to elect the president, electors are chosen by state legislatures, and electoral votes based on a states total number of members of Congress.

What type of legislature was created under the U.S. Constitution?

Found in Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

A clause in Article I, section 8, of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do whatever it deems necessary and constitutional to meet its enumerated obligations; the basis for the implied powers, allows for a broad interpretation of Federal power.

Powers granted directly to the national government by the Constitution.

Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people, outlined in the 10th Amendment.

Powers given to the Federal government under the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution.

A principle of government in which the government's powers are defined and limited by a constitution or other source of authority.

Idea that the government's authority is created by and subject to the will of the people.

Principle of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches.

Constitutional principle that includes division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive carrying out/enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

System in which power is divided between the national and local governments.

View of representative democracy which emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society, most broad view.

View of representative democracy which recognizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making, large number of groups participate and compete.

View of representative democracy which emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society, government control is limited to a select group, most narrow view.

Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate, sometimes referred to as layer cake federalism.

Idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas, sometimes referred to as marble cake federalism.

The transfer of certain powers from the United States federal government back to the state and local governments, began under Reagan.

Supreme Court case that strengthened federal authority and upheld the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States under the "Necessary and Proper Clause" and established the supremacy of the Federal government over the states by affirming they did not have the authority to tax the bank.

Supreme Court case that ruled that the Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce, more clearly defined the power of Congress under the "Commerce Clause" and limited Federal Power over the state.

Supreme Court case in which a farmer produced more wheat than Federal quotas allowed, court ruled that Congress can regulate trivial local, intrastate activities that have an aggregate effect (if every farmer did this, it would impact the supply & demand) by many others on interstate commerce via the commerce power, even if the effect is indirect.

Grants-in-aid awarded for general purposes, allowing the states broad discretion in spending the grant money.

Grants-in-aid that can be used only for specific purposes or categories of state and local spending.

Idea that different states can implement different policies, and the successful ones will spread.

The idea that all humans are born with certain unalienable rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property.

An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed.

An essay composed by James Madison in support of the Constitution in which he argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.

Essay composed by Madison in support of the Constitution that addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government.

Anti-federalist argument making the case against ratification of the Constitution, argued country was too large to be governed by one govt and would lead to tyranny, Congress would have too much power, ratification would lead to sacrificing liberties, wanted a bill of rights, favored state sovereignty.

Which of the following is the best example of checks & balances as it functions today?

The Bill of Rights includes