what were Madison's three requirements for each branch?
1. each branch is chosen in a different fashion 2. none is dependent on each other for its power 3. they have separate terms in office
Who was most likely to reject the Constitution?
people who were fearful of a new government that could potentially overpower the people
what was the goal of the Philadelphia Convention?
to discuss how the people were going to be governed & to create a new document
what is popular sovereignty? what does popular represent? what does sovereignty represent?
when the people have the ultimate say. popular represents the people while sovereignty represents doing what you choose to do.
what is federalism? what are the characteristics of federalism, and which one is the most important?
1. 2 levels of government (state gov & national gov) 2. each level has a specific responsibility 3. each level has a right to exist, this is the most important
What are the 3 central principles? Explain them all.
Divided Power, Popular Sovereignty, Limited Government
what were the articles like?
states were sovereign, legislation required 9/13 to vote, amendments required unanimity, taxation power was lacking, enforcement power was virtually nonexistent
why does each branch have differing terms?
1. continuity 2. slower change
what are the three branches of government & what are their functions?
1. legislative, makes the laws 2. executive, enforces the laws 3. judicial, judges the laws
which branch is the most dangerous and why?
the legislative branch is the most dangerous because it makes the laws, therefore it was divided into two parts: the house of representatives and the senate.
why is popular sovereignty important in government?
it is important because the people, besides the constitution, give the government power. it is important to have the consent of the governed.
what branch of government did the people have direct sovereignty over?
the legislative branch with the house of representatives. the people directly elected house members.
What is divided powers also known as, and why?
it is known as separation of powers because government power is divided into 3 branches.
what were the four objectives of the framers?
strengthen the central gov against foreign challenges & domestic insurrection, establish & protect human rights, restrain factions, compromise between
why was there a need to divide government functions?
one person couldn't be trusted to make laws, enforce them, and judge them fairly because that would be giving them too much power. the framers decided to divide
where do the powers originate for each branch?
in the Constitution where it lists their specific powers.
what was the doctrine of reserved powers?
it states that everything not given to the national government is reserved for the states & the people.
the framers had two options: give the national gov a broad grant of power and trust they'd use it wisely or give the national gov a narrow grant of power and assume danger otherwise. which option did they choose and why?
they chose option 2 because it was the wiser choice since people were afraid of unlimited government power.
what were key points about the framers?
1. there were 55 reps 2. they held private meetings 3. they were from 12 states 4. they were politically experienced 5. they were financially well off
what was the purpose of enumerated powers in Article I Section 8?
the purpose was to specifically list everything that government had power over and to specifically grant government power over certain areas.
why did each branch have features where they were chosen in a different fashion?
1. it gave the people some public ownership of the process 2. it gave the states a sense of protection
what were four problems with enforcement power?
1. competing land claims & no one to settle them 2. human rights inconsistencies 3. trade & currency conflicts 4. state security & the sanctity of contracts
why is the bill of rights important?
it is important because it limits government power further, t lists the rights of the people, and declares that Congress shall make no law against those rights.
the framers had two options to write in the preamble: "we the people.... or we the states", which did they choose and what difference could the language of the preamble have made?
they chose to go with "we the people" because the government was created for the people. the people have the ultimate say, the people use their voice.