American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU, Questions with accurate answers, rated A
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American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU, Questions with accurate answers, rated A+
natrual rights - -Life, Liberty, and Property
John Locke - -17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liber...
american politics and the us constitution c963 wgu
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American Politics and the US
Constitution - C963 WGU, Questions
with accurate answers, rated A+
natrual rights - ✔✔-Life, Liberty, and Property
John Locke - ✔✔-17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who
asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
State of Nature - ✔✔-Hypothetical condition assumed to exist in the absence of government where
human beings live in "complete" freedom and general equality.
Due Process - ✔✔-involves the government's obligation to treat all citizens fairly. Such a requirement
lessens the extent to which government power can be exercised over the individual, making the power
differential between the two more fair, and ensuring a general sense of political equality
Social Contract - ✔✔-A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by
creating a government and abiding by its rules.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) - ✔✔-One of the first individuals to contribute to the idea of the social
contract was a pre-Enlightenment English philosopher
Leviathan (1651): Thomas Hobbes - ✔✔-Hobbes argues that society is not something natural and
immutable, but rather it is something created by us.
Labor Movement - ✔✔-the formation of labor unions, during the 1880's, for the workers to receive
better treatment by
Constitution - ✔✔-A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the
fundamental laws that govern a society
Bill of Rights - ✔✔-The first ten amendments to the Constitution
,Declaration of Independence - ✔✔-the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental
Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain
Thomas Jefferson - ✔✔-Wrote the Declaration of Independence
Shays's Rebellion (1786-1787) - ✔✔-which almost resulted in potential mob rule, suggested there might
be too much democracy at play, and that maybe individual liberty was going too far
Articles of Confederation - ✔✔-A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary
War.
Federalist no. 51 - ✔✔-Argues that separation of powers within the national government is the best way
to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person or a single group.
First Amendment - ✔✔-Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment - ✔✔-Right to keep and bear arms
Third Amendment - ✔✔-The government may not house soldiers in private homes without consent of
the owner
Forth Amendment - ✔✔-It protects people against unfair searches of their homes; search and seizure.
Fifth Amendment - ✔✔-A constitutional amendment designed to protect the rights of persons accused
of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and punishment without due
process of law.
Sixth Amendment - ✔✔-Right to a speedy and public trial
Seventh Amendment - ✔✔-Right to a trial by jury in civil cases
Eighth Amendment - ✔✔-No cruel and unusual punishment
,Nineth Amendment - ✔✔-peoples rights are not just limited to those listed in the Constitution and Bill of
Rights
Tenth Amendment - ✔✔-Amendment stating that the powers not delegated to the federal gov. are
reserved to the states
bicameral legislature - ✔✔-A law making body made of two houses (bi means 2). Example: Congress
(our legislature) is made of two house - The House of Representatives and The Senate.
House of Representatives - ✔✔-the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of
representatives from each state, depending on population
New Jersey Plan - ✔✔-Proposal to create a weak national government
Virginia Plan - ✔✔-Proposal to create a strong national government
Constitutional Convention - ✔✔-Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of the thirteen original
states to write the Constitution of the United States.
unicameral legislature - ✔✔-One-house legislature
Three-Fifths Compromise - ✔✔-Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in
determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th
amendment)
Checks and Balances - ✔✔-A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the
other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Separation of Powers - ✔✔-Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and
judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law,
and the judiciary interpreting the law
federal system - ✔✔-A government that divides the powers of government between the national
government and state or provincial governments
enumerated powers - ✔✔-The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
, reserved powers - ✔✔-Powers given to the state government alone
Federalists - ✔✔-Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams.
They firmly believed the national government should be strong. They didn't want the Bill of Rights
because they felt citizens' rights were already well protected by the Constitution.
Anti-Federalists - ✔✔-Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were
contemplating its adoption.
Ratification - ✔✔-Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional
amendment, or treaty
Republic - ✔✔-A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
Habeas Corpus - ✔✔-Constitutional protection against unlawful imprisonment
Federalist Papers - ✔✔-A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James
Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.
Federalist No. 10 - ✔✔-An essay composed by James Madison which 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.
Legislative Branch (Congress) - ✔✔-makes laws, imposes taxes, and declares war
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) - ✔✔-interprets the constitution and other laws, reviews lower-court
decisions
Executive Branch (President) - ✔✔-has the power to enforce the law
Executive Orders - ✔✔-Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the federal
bureaucracy.
checks on the executive branch - ✔✔-By Congress
Can override a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in both chambers
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