REVIEWING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

After studying the chapter, write the answers to each of the following questions:

1. What are the differences between the U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?

Firstly, the U.S. Constitution is the first governing document in the world history that creates
representative democracy, limits the powers of the government, and grants specific rights to people
whereas the Articles of Confederation is the first foundational governing document in American history
that loosely governed the colonies, and then the states from 1777 to 1789. Secondly, the Articles of
Confederation lacked some elements that were later put into the Constitution, including an executive
branch, a judicial branch, a national army, and the power to tax.

2. How was the federal government given separation of powers by the constitution?
The federal government would have separation of powers by independent authority given to each of the
three branches of government, including legislative branch, executive branch, and judicial branch.
3. What are the differences between articles and amendments?

Articles are the separate original parts of the constitution while amendments modify or invalidate earlier
parts of the constitution. The constitution consists of 7 articles and 27 amendments.

4. What is federalism?

Federalism is the system that allows state governments to retain their individual governing powers, even
though the federal government is given broader powers.

5. What does bicameral means?

Bicameral means that there are two chambers, or houses of representation.

6. How many members of the House of Representatives are there, and what term length do they serve?

The House of Representatives, whose number is based on each state’s population, has 435 members
serving 2-year terms.

7. How many members of the Senate are there, and what term length do they serve?

The Senate has 100 members serving 6-year terms.

8. What are some powers in Article I of the U.S. Constitution that congress has the power to
exercise?

Those powers include the power to declare war and the power to regulate interstate commerce.

9. What do the executive branch powers include in Article II of the U.S. Constitution?

The executive branch is headed by the U.S president, whose powers/ responsibilities include carrying out
the law passed by the Congress, directing all federal military forces, appointing all federal judges,
appointing the cabinet, and making treaties.

10. Describe some of the powers of the U.S. Supreme Court listed in Article III of the constitution.
 The U.S. Supreme Court’s jurisdiction is primarily appellate, but it is also given original jurisdiction over
certain legal matters, such as the case that would rise if a state were to sue another state.

11. What does the Supremacy Clause say?

It says that federal law is preeminent when federal and state law conflict, which indicates that the Supreme
Court is the highest and most powerful court in the country.

12. What does the doctrine of judicial review express?

It expresses the Supreme Court has the power to declare acts of Congress and acts of the executive branch
unconstitutional.

13. What are checks and balances and how each branch of government exercise them?
Checks and balances are a system created by the constitution to prevent one branch of government from
becoming too dominant, thereby allowing each branch to counteract the powers of other branches.
Accordingly, the president can veto a bill rather than signing it into law. The Congress can override the
veto with a two-thirds majority vote and can refuse to vote for the president’s judicial or cabinet
appointees. The Supreme Court can declare federal legislation unconstitutional.

14. What does the Bill of Rights do? What are some of the purposes of amendments?
The Bill of Rights provide specific freedoms to Americans, such as the First Amendment’s guarantee of
freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of press clauses. The Bill of rights also puts certain
restrictions on the federal government such as The Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on warrantless
searches, or the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Later amendments
have made slavery illegal, granted women the right to vote, and reduced the voting age to 18