01 Constitutional Foundations and the Founding Era Free Online FlashCards

What is constitutionalism?

Constitutionalism holds that government operates under a fundamental law that creates institutions, assigns powers, and imposes enforceable limits on officials.

What is separation of powers?

Separation of powers assigns primary governmental functions to different branches: Congress makes laws, the president enforces them, and courts decide cases and apply law.

What political principles did the Declaration of Independence articulate?

The Declaration of Independence argued that governments exist to secure rights and that legitimate authority comes from the consent of the governed.

What was a central weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles created a league of friendship among sovereign states, with Congress dependent on state contributions and lacking dependable direct taxation power.

What did the Great Compromise establish?

The Great Compromise created a bicameral Congress: House representation depended on population, while every state received equal representation in the Senate.

Why is the United States system called a federal republic?

The Constitution created a federal republic: citizens govern through representatives, while authority is divided between the national government and the states.

What is federalism?

Federalism divides governing authority between national and state governments, with each level retaining some independent powers over the same population and territory.

Which chambers perform the two stages of congressional impeachment?

The House may impeach federal officers, while the Senate conducts impeachment trials.

What does Article V provide?

Article V establishes a formal amendment process, preventing ordinary officials from rewriting the constitutional order through routine lawmaking.

What divided Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Federalists supported a stronger national government to address national problems; Anti-Federalists feared concentrated power and demanded stronger protections for individual rights.

How many states had to ratify the Constitution under Article VII?

Article VII required ratification by conventions in nine states before the Constitution could take effect.

What central tension marked the founding republic?

The founding republic proclaimed rule by the people but restricted political participation, excluding many women, enslaved people, free Black people, Native Americans, and others.