POS 2041 Midterm Study Guide | Actual
study | Questions and verified Answers
Articles of Confederation - ANSW-Americas first written constitution; served as the basis for America's
national government until 1789
Three-fifths Compromise - ANSW-the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that
stipulated that for purposes of the apportionment of congressional seats, every slave would be counted
as three-fifths of a person
Virginia Plan - ANSW-a framework for the Constitution, introduce by Edmund Randolph, that called for
representation in the national legislature based on population of each state
New Jersey Plan - ANSW-a framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, that called
for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population
Shays Rebellion - ANSW-In the winter of 1787, Daniel Shays led a makeshift army against the federal
arsenal at Springfield to protest heavy taxes levied by the Massachusetts legislature. The rebellion
proved the Articles of Confederation too weak to protect the fledging nation
Executive Branch - ANSW-President
Legislative Branch - ANSW-Senate and HOR
Judicial Branch - ANSW-Supreme Court
Federalism - ANSW-a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between the
central (national) government and regional (state) governments
Supremacy Clause - ANSW-Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national
government and all treaties "shall be the supreme law of the land" and superior to all laws adopted by
any state or any subdivision
Expressed powers - ANSW-specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article 1, Section 8)
and to the president (Article II)
Implied Powers - ANSW-powers that are not specifically expressed in the Constitution but are seen as
necessary to allow presidents to exercise their expressed powers
Full Faith and credit clause - ANSW-provision fxomfrom Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution requiring
that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state
10th Amendment - ANSW-The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Civil liberties vs civil rights - ANSW-CL- areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected form
government interference
CR- obligation imposed on government to take positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action
of government agencies and of other private citizens
Ex post facto laws - ANSW-laws that declare an action to be illegal after it has been committed
14th Amendment - ANSW-one of the three Civil War amendments; it guaranteed equal protection and
due process
Selective Incorporation - ANSW-the process by which different protections in the Bill of Rights were
incorporated into the 14th Amendment, thus guaranteeing citizens protection from state as well as
national governments
study | Questions and verified Answers
Articles of Confederation - ANSW-Americas first written constitution; served as the basis for America's
national government until 1789
Three-fifths Compromise - ANSW-the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that
stipulated that for purposes of the apportionment of congressional seats, every slave would be counted
as three-fifths of a person
Virginia Plan - ANSW-a framework for the Constitution, introduce by Edmund Randolph, that called for
representation in the national legislature based on population of each state
New Jersey Plan - ANSW-a framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, that called
for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population
Shays Rebellion - ANSW-In the winter of 1787, Daniel Shays led a makeshift army against the federal
arsenal at Springfield to protest heavy taxes levied by the Massachusetts legislature. The rebellion
proved the Articles of Confederation too weak to protect the fledging nation
Executive Branch - ANSW-President
Legislative Branch - ANSW-Senate and HOR
Judicial Branch - ANSW-Supreme Court
Federalism - ANSW-a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between the
central (national) government and regional (state) governments
Supremacy Clause - ANSW-Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national
government and all treaties "shall be the supreme law of the land" and superior to all laws adopted by
any state or any subdivision
Expressed powers - ANSW-specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article 1, Section 8)
and to the president (Article II)
Implied Powers - ANSW-powers that are not specifically expressed in the Constitution but are seen as
necessary to allow presidents to exercise their expressed powers
Full Faith and credit clause - ANSW-provision fxomfrom Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution requiring
that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state
10th Amendment - ANSW-The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Civil liberties vs civil rights - ANSW-CL- areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected form
government interference
CR- obligation imposed on government to take positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action
of government agencies and of other private citizens
Ex post facto laws - ANSW-laws that declare an action to be illegal after it has been committed
14th Amendment - ANSW-one of the three Civil War amendments; it guaranteed equal protection and
due process
Selective Incorporation - ANSW-the process by which different protections in the Bill of Rights were
incorporated into the 14th Amendment, thus guaranteeing citizens protection from state as well as
national governments
