Name: 

The first constitution of the United States of America was the

Who is called the Father of the Constitution?

The Constitution created a federal system of government, in which

Under the Constitution, concurrent powers are

What part of the Constitution protects people’s basic rights and freedoms?

The judicial branch checks the power of the legislative branch by

By declaring acts of the president unconstitutional, the Supreme Court

How can Congress check the power of the Supreme Court?

The Great Compromise resolved the problem of

The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the problem of

Who wrote the final draft of the Constitution?

Which of the following is an enumerated power guaranteed by the Constitution?

In order to prevent any single group in government from gaining too much power, the Framers of the Constitution

My own opinion has always been in favor of a bill of rights. . . . At the same time . . . I have not viewed it in an important light—
Wherever the real power lies in a government, there is the danger of oppression. In our governments, the real power lies in the majority of the community, and the invasion of private rights is to be feared chiefly, not from acts of government contrary to the sense of its constituents [voters], but from acts in which the government is the mere instrument of the majority of the constituents. . . .
. . . Let me add that a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth. . . .
I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries. . . . Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a proper degree of liberty.

What was Thomas Jefferson’s opinion about the importance of a Bill of Rights?

What was James Madison’s point of view about the importance of a Bill of Rights?

On what point did Madison and Jefferson agree?

Why did Gouverneur Morris begin the Preamble of the Constitution with the phrase “We the People”?

The Constitution includes

The Constitution specifically addresses

Congress has used the “commerce clause” to

In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court

Congress has primary responsibility for

The executive branch of the U.S. government has primary responsibility for

Who can declare war?

The idea that the government must follow certain procedures established by law is known as

What is one duty of American citizens?

What happens directly after a bill is introduced in the House and the Senate?

How might a bill NOT become a law?

How do the House and Senate come to a compromise on different versions of a bill?

The additional securities to republican government, to liberty and to property, to be derived from the adoption of the [Constitution], consist chiefly in the restraints which the preservation of the Union will impose on local factions and insurrections, and on the ambition of powerful individuals in single States . . . ; in the diminution [lessening] of the opportunities to foreign intrigue . . . ; in the prevention of extensive military establishments, which could not fail to grow out of wars between the States in a disunited situation; in the express guarantee of a republican form of government to each. . . .

What rights does the author think the Constitution will protect?

What does the author think will happen if the Constitution is NOT ratified?

How did the adoption of the Constitution change the provisions for the nation’s defense?

The Preamble of the Constitution

The Framers of the Constitution wanted to

The Framers of the Constitution hoped to solve problems faced under the Articles of Confederation by

How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention limit the powers of government?

Amendments to the Constitution

The executive branch has primary responsibility for

What court is at the top of the American legal system?

The Constitution is most vague about the responsibilities of which branch of government?

A person can become an American citizen by being

The idea that all Americans have the right to be treated the same under the law is known as

National and state governments share the power to

Under federalism, states

What happens under the federal system if a state passes a law that conflicts with federal law?

While some on rights, and some on wrongs,
Prefer their own reflections,
The people’s right demands our songs—
The right of free elections.

For government and order’s sake,
And law’s important sections,
We should support, and pleasure take
In frequent free elections....

To thwart the schemes of factious bands,
Who for us plan subjections,
The cause of liberty demands
Our votes at all elections....

We’ll never from our duty swerve,
Let who will make objections;
But while we live, unchanged preserve
The freedom of elections.

What does this song say voting will do for the people?

The song celebrates the right of people to

This song emphasizes that American citizens have a responsibility to

This statement about freedom of religion was made in 1779 as part of the _____.

Which branch of government has ultimate control over the other two?

Which branch(s) of government is responsible for making the nation’s laws?

Which of the following is a department of the executive branch of government?

Study the chart. Which major principle of the constitution addresses the issue of free speech?

Major Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty	People are the source of the government’s power.
Republicanism	People elect their political representatives.
Limited Government	The Constitution limits the actions of government by specifically listing powers it does and does not have.
Federalism	In this government system, power is divided between national and state governments.
Separation of Powers	Each of the three branches of government has its own responsibilities.
Checks and Balances	Each branch of government holds some control over the other two branches.
Individual Rights	Basic liberties and rights of all citizens are guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Which major principle of the Constitution prevents any single group or institution from gaining too much authority?

Major Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty	People are the source of the government’s power.
Republicanism	People elect their political representatives.
Limited Government	The Constitution limits the actions of government by specifically listing powers it does and does not have.
Federalism	In this government system, power is divided between national and state governments.
Separation of Powers	Each of the three branches of government has its own responsibilities.
Checks and Balances	Each branch of government holds some control over the other two branches.
Individual Rights	Basic liberties and rights of all citizens are guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Study the chart. Tax collection is the responsibility of which level of government.

Use the graphic organizer to answer the question. Which step in the process of a bill becoming a law is not a “floor action.”

Based on the information in the flowchart, which branch of federal government may declare acts of Congress to be unconstitutional?

This excerpt from the Preamble reflects the basic principle of the new American government in 1787, which is the right of the people to ____________ themselves.

The Preamble describes _______ goals for the United States government.

How was Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom related to the First Amendment?

Which proposed plan of government during the Constitutional Convention favored the large states?

What were the Federalist Papers?

How did the Magna Carta influence the Framers of the Constitution?     

Why did the Antifederalists oppose ratification of the Constitution?     

What two powers did the states refuse to give Congress under the Articles of Confederation?

Which proposed plan of government during the Constitutional Convention favored the smaller states?

What English document provided a model for the Framers of the Constitution regarding a bill of rights?

How can an amendment to the Constitution be ratified?

What is the role of the Supreme Court regarding judicial review?

What do these words from the Declaration of Independence mean?           

  The above statement was made by President Bush after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. What do you think he was reminding citizens about in his speech?

Many foreign-born people who were living and working in American during the time of the attacks were not citizens, but felt compelled to become U.S. citizens once the horrifying ordeal was over. How does one gain American citizenship if they are not born within the borders of the U.S.?

Identify two weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the effects of the weaknesses on the new government.

Explain how the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances safeguard against any single group from gaining too much authority.

Describe the basic freedoms that the First Amendment guarantees citizens of the United States.

What is the process through which a bill becomes a law?