WGU C963 AMERICAN POLITICS TRAINING
STUDY SHEET UPDATED QUESTIONS
◉Checks and Balances. Answer: A system that allows one branch of
government to limit the exercise of power by another branch;
requires the different parts of government to work together. The
ability of Congress to limit the president's veto. Should the president
veto a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is returned to
Congress to be voted on again. If the bill passes both the House of
Representatives and the Senate with a two-thirds vote in its favor, it
becomes law even though the president has refused to sign it. The
president must also seek the advice and consent of the Senate before
appointing members of the Supreme Court and ambassadors, and
the Senate must approve the ratification of all treaties signed by the
president. Congress may even remove the president from office.
◉Separation of Powers. Answer: The sharing of powers among three
separate branches of government. Each branch of government has
its own function to perform, which prevents any one branch of
government from becoming too powerful. This is why the legislative
branch makes the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and
the judicial branch reviews the laws. Through separation of powers,
each branch has its own degree of independence.
,◉Federalists. Answer: supported the new Constitution. They tended
to be among the elite members of society—wealthy and well-
educated landowners, businessmen, and former military
commanders—who believed a strong government would be better
for both national defense and economic growth. A national currency,
which the federal government had the power to create, would ease
business transactions. The ability of the federal government to
regulate trade and place tariffs on imports would protect merchants
from foreign competition. Furthermore, the power to collect taxes
would allow the national government to fund internal improvements
like roads, which would also help businessmen. Agreed to add a bill
of rights to the constitution.
◉Anti-Federalists. Answer: Opponents of ratification. feared the
power of the national government and believed state legislatures
could better protect their freedoms. most distrusted the elite and
believed a strong federal government would favor the rich over
those of "the middling sort." fears that the strong central
government for which the Federalists advocated would levy taxes on
farmers and planters who lacked the hard currency needed to pay.
Many also believed Congress would impose tariffs on foreign
imports that would make American agricultural products less
welcome in Europe and in European colonies in the Western
Hemisphere. Argued, the diversity of religion tolerated by the
Constitution would prevent the formation of a political community
with shared values and interests.
,◉Federalist no. 10. Answer: The Federalists address the fear of
factions. James Madison argued that there was no need to fear the
power of factions because the diversity that existed in the country
was so large that it would not allow for the development of large
political interest groups. Madison argued that having a
representative government would be the best way to control against
the detrimental effects of factions.
◉Federalist, no. 51. Answer: Addresses constitutional mechanisms
of checks and balances and separation of powers. Madison provided
his arguments for why increasing the powers of the national
government would not lead to an automatic abuse of power due to
separation of powers and checks and balances.
◉The Legislative Branch. Answer: Article I, Congress composed of
the Senate and the House of Representatives, which served as the
principal lawmaking body. Laws would originate in the Congress, but
Congress would not have the power to carry out the laws for the
country. It also would not be able to assume the right of convicting
individuals of crimes.
· right to deal with international trade and commerce between the
states. The states were prohibited from interfering with
international and interstate trade.
· Only Congress would have the power to declare war on foreign
countries.
· The Senate was also required to approve treaties by a two-thirds
majority in order for the treaties to go into effect.
, · potential role in the selection of the president.
◉The Judicial Branch. Answer: Supreme Court to head the Judicial
Branch in Article III. While the president and Senate control the
nomination process, once appointed, justices and judges are
protected from political pressure. They serve during time of good
behavior, ensuring that it will be difficult to pressure judges to make
a particular decision. They can only be removed if a majority of the
House of Representatives votes to impeach them and two-thirds of
the Senate votes to remove them from power.
· The courts have the power of judicial review, which permits them
to overturn laws passed by Congress and actions of the president, or
others in the executive branch, that conflict with the Constitution.
· judicial review is important in upholding the Constitution as the
supreme law of the land.
◉The Executive Branch. Answer: Article II, consists of the president,
the vice president, and the bureaucracy (the agencies that carry out
the programs of the national government). The president was also to
serve as chief diplomat. He, or those reporting to him, are
responsible for the foreign affairs of the country. The president
nominates ambassadors and other officials that deal with foreign
policy subject to approval by the Senate, which is their constitutional
role related to the concept of "advise and consent." He oversees
negotiating treaties that must then be approved by the Senate.
· The president also serves as the official head of state, which often
involved ceremonial functions, although it did provide the president
STUDY SHEET UPDATED QUESTIONS
◉Checks and Balances. Answer: A system that allows one branch of
government to limit the exercise of power by another branch;
requires the different parts of government to work together. The
ability of Congress to limit the president's veto. Should the president
veto a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is returned to
Congress to be voted on again. If the bill passes both the House of
Representatives and the Senate with a two-thirds vote in its favor, it
becomes law even though the president has refused to sign it. The
president must also seek the advice and consent of the Senate before
appointing members of the Supreme Court and ambassadors, and
the Senate must approve the ratification of all treaties signed by the
president. Congress may even remove the president from office.
◉Separation of Powers. Answer: The sharing of powers among three
separate branches of government. Each branch of government has
its own function to perform, which prevents any one branch of
government from becoming too powerful. This is why the legislative
branch makes the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and
the judicial branch reviews the laws. Through separation of powers,
each branch has its own degree of independence.
,◉Federalists. Answer: supported the new Constitution. They tended
to be among the elite members of society—wealthy and well-
educated landowners, businessmen, and former military
commanders—who believed a strong government would be better
for both national defense and economic growth. A national currency,
which the federal government had the power to create, would ease
business transactions. The ability of the federal government to
regulate trade and place tariffs on imports would protect merchants
from foreign competition. Furthermore, the power to collect taxes
would allow the national government to fund internal improvements
like roads, which would also help businessmen. Agreed to add a bill
of rights to the constitution.
◉Anti-Federalists. Answer: Opponents of ratification. feared the
power of the national government and believed state legislatures
could better protect their freedoms. most distrusted the elite and
believed a strong federal government would favor the rich over
those of "the middling sort." fears that the strong central
government for which the Federalists advocated would levy taxes on
farmers and planters who lacked the hard currency needed to pay.
Many also believed Congress would impose tariffs on foreign
imports that would make American agricultural products less
welcome in Europe and in European colonies in the Western
Hemisphere. Argued, the diversity of religion tolerated by the
Constitution would prevent the formation of a political community
with shared values and interests.
,◉Federalist no. 10. Answer: The Federalists address the fear of
factions. James Madison argued that there was no need to fear the
power of factions because the diversity that existed in the country
was so large that it would not allow for the development of large
political interest groups. Madison argued that having a
representative government would be the best way to control against
the detrimental effects of factions.
◉Federalist, no. 51. Answer: Addresses constitutional mechanisms
of checks and balances and separation of powers. Madison provided
his arguments for why increasing the powers of the national
government would not lead to an automatic abuse of power due to
separation of powers and checks and balances.
◉The Legislative Branch. Answer: Article I, Congress composed of
the Senate and the House of Representatives, which served as the
principal lawmaking body. Laws would originate in the Congress, but
Congress would not have the power to carry out the laws for the
country. It also would not be able to assume the right of convicting
individuals of crimes.
· right to deal with international trade and commerce between the
states. The states were prohibited from interfering with
international and interstate trade.
· Only Congress would have the power to declare war on foreign
countries.
· The Senate was also required to approve treaties by a two-thirds
majority in order for the treaties to go into effect.
, · potential role in the selection of the president.
◉The Judicial Branch. Answer: Supreme Court to head the Judicial
Branch in Article III. While the president and Senate control the
nomination process, once appointed, justices and judges are
protected from political pressure. They serve during time of good
behavior, ensuring that it will be difficult to pressure judges to make
a particular decision. They can only be removed if a majority of the
House of Representatives votes to impeach them and two-thirds of
the Senate votes to remove them from power.
· The courts have the power of judicial review, which permits them
to overturn laws passed by Congress and actions of the president, or
others in the executive branch, that conflict with the Constitution.
· judicial review is important in upholding the Constitution as the
supreme law of the land.
◉The Executive Branch. Answer: Article II, consists of the president,
the vice president, and the bureaucracy (the agencies that carry out
the programs of the national government). The president was also to
serve as chief diplomat. He, or those reporting to him, are
responsible for the foreign affairs of the country. The president
nominates ambassadors and other officials that deal with foreign
policy subject to approval by the Senate, which is their constitutional
role related to the concept of "advise and consent." He oversees
negotiating treaties that must then be approved by the Senate.
· The president also serves as the official head of state, which often
involved ceremonial functions, although it did provide the president
