american
American Government and Politics
Final Exam Review Guide
Directions: Answer the following questions in the space provided below.
UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
1. What are the three major powers of any government?
- Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
2. Define: Dictatorship
- All government authority and power is controlled by one man
3. Define: Democracy
- Government ran by the people
4. What are the theories on the origins of government?
- Force, evolution, divine right, and social contract
5. What are the purposes of the US government? Where can we find them?
- Establish order, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for common defense,
secure the blessings of liberty; found in the preamble of the U.S.
Constitution
6. Define: Confederation
- An alliance of independent states working together towards a common
goal
7. List the key foundations of American government?
- Worth of the Individual, equality of all persons, necessity of freedom,
majority rule with minority rights
8. Define: Limited Government
- Government must act within the framework of the U.S. Constitution
9. What important documents did the founding fathers use to help them create the
American government?
- Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Petition of Right, Declaration of
Independence
10. What type of parliamentary government was reflected in the American colonies?
- Two chamber legislature, and upper house and a lower house
, 11. Explain the concept of Popular Sovereignty:
- Citizens of a territory or state having the right to decide their own laws
12. List the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
- Inability to enforce and apply federal laws
- Inability to tax and regulate trade
- Unequal representation amongst the states
13. Describe the Framers of the Constitution: (professions, school, race, religious
background):
- White, educated, wealthy merchants, lawyers, and plantation owners
14. Describe the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan:
- Virginia Plan was the large state plan that called for a 2-chamber
legislature and representation based on population while the New Jersey
Plan called for a 1-chamber legislature with representation being equal
amongst the states.
15. Describe the “Great” / Connecticut Compromise:
- Created Congress with a 2-chamber legislature made up of the Senate
(upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower chamber). Upper
house would be based on equal representation while the lower chamber
was based on population. They share the legislative power of government.
16. List the basic principles of the Constitution:
- Limited and ordered government, judicial review, separation of powers,
checks and balances
17. Explain the difference between Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers:
- Checks and balances allows for each branch to play a role in the power of
the other two while separation of powers splits the powers of government
into separate working branches independent of each other.
18. List the four methods to add an Amendment to the Constitution, and which is used most
often:
- Proposed by Congress (2/3 vote in both chambers) and ratified by ¾ of
state’s legislatures or conventions
19. Define: Federalism
- Government existing on multiple levels, national and state.
American Government and Politics
Final Exam Review Guide
Directions: Answer the following questions in the space provided below.
UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
1. What are the three major powers of any government?
- Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
2. Define: Dictatorship
- All government authority and power is controlled by one man
3. Define: Democracy
- Government ran by the people
4. What are the theories on the origins of government?
- Force, evolution, divine right, and social contract
5. What are the purposes of the US government? Where can we find them?
- Establish order, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for common defense,
secure the blessings of liberty; found in the preamble of the U.S.
Constitution
6. Define: Confederation
- An alliance of independent states working together towards a common
goal
7. List the key foundations of American government?
- Worth of the Individual, equality of all persons, necessity of freedom,
majority rule with minority rights
8. Define: Limited Government
- Government must act within the framework of the U.S. Constitution
9. What important documents did the founding fathers use to help them create the
American government?
- Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Petition of Right, Declaration of
Independence
10. What type of parliamentary government was reflected in the American colonies?
- Two chamber legislature, and upper house and a lower house
, 11. Explain the concept of Popular Sovereignty:
- Citizens of a territory or state having the right to decide their own laws
12. List the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
- Inability to enforce and apply federal laws
- Inability to tax and regulate trade
- Unequal representation amongst the states
13. Describe the Framers of the Constitution: (professions, school, race, religious
background):
- White, educated, wealthy merchants, lawyers, and plantation owners
14. Describe the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan:
- Virginia Plan was the large state plan that called for a 2-chamber
legislature and representation based on population while the New Jersey
Plan called for a 1-chamber legislature with representation being equal
amongst the states.
15. Describe the “Great” / Connecticut Compromise:
- Created Congress with a 2-chamber legislature made up of the Senate
(upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower chamber). Upper
house would be based on equal representation while the lower chamber
was based on population. They share the legislative power of government.
16. List the basic principles of the Constitution:
- Limited and ordered government, judicial review, separation of powers,
checks and balances
17. Explain the difference between Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers:
- Checks and balances allows for each branch to play a role in the power of
the other two while separation of powers splits the powers of government
into separate working branches independent of each other.
18. List the four methods to add an Amendment to the Constitution, and which is used most
often:
- Proposed by Congress (2/3 vote in both chambers) and ratified by ¾ of
state’s legislatures or conventions
19. Define: Federalism
- Government existing on multiple levels, national and state.
