WGU C963 AMERICAN POLITICS AND US CONSTITUTION
Exam with 100% Correct Answers Latest Update 2025
Grade A+
The Power to Declare War (National Government) - ✔️✔️The national
government could declare war as it deemed appropriate with other nations. It
could also appoint military officials. However, this power was limited. The national
government could declare war, but there was no national military to draw soldiers
from. The soldiers came from the individual states.
The Power to Make Treaties and Alliances with Other Nations (National
Government) - ✔️✔️The national government could enter into treaties or
agreements with other nations as it deemed appropriate. Under this power, the
national government could also appoint foreign ambassadors.
The Power to Regulate Trade with the Native Americans (National Government): -
✔️✔️The national government was given power to negotiate and regulate trade
with the Native Americans. Native Americans were not considered citizens of the
United States and were treated as foreign nations by the both the national and
state governments.
The Power to Settle Disputes among Other States (National Government) -
✔️✔️the national government had the authority to settle any and all boundary
disputes that arose between the states, which were bound to happen in this
newly formed country.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Power to Raise an Army or Navy): -
✔️✔️Although the central government could declare war and agree to peace, it
had to depend upon the states to provide soldiers. If state governors chose not to
honor the national government's request, the country would lack an adequate
defense. The lack of a national army meant that the national government could
not draft any soldiers into the military.
,Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Taxation) - ✔️✔️Articles of
Confederation gave the national government no power to impose and collect
taxes. To avoid any perception of "taxation without representation," the Articles of
Confederation allowed only state governments to levy taxes. To pay for its
expenses, the national government had to request money from the states, which
were required to provide funds in proportion to the value of the land within their
borders. The states, however, were often negligent in this duty, and the national
government was underfunded as a result. The national government could not
impose taxes on citizens. It could only request money from the states.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Regulating Trade): - ✔️✔️The
national government did not possess the power to regulate trade among the
different states. This lack of authority not only affected the national government,
but the states as well. The national economy suffered as foreign countries began
to form trade agreements with individual states, agreements for which the
national government could not regulate or tax.
Problems with the articles of confederation National Government: - ✔️✔️· Each
state had only one vote in Congress regardless of its size.
· The national government could not impose taxes on citizens. It could only
request money from the states.
· The national government could not regulate foreign trade or interstate
commerce.
· The national government could not raise an army. It had to request the states to
send men.
· The Articles could not be changed without a unanimous vote to do so.
· There was no national judicial system.
New Jersey Plan (small state plan) - ✔️✔️A plan that called for a one-house
national legislature; each state would receive one vote. Each state would have one
,vote. Thus, smaller states would have the same power in the national legislature
as larger states.
· Unicameral legislature (one chamber)
· Representation: State based (each state equally represented)
· Role of National Government: provides defense but does not override state
authority
Virginia Plan (large state plan) - ✔️✔️The number of a state's representatives in
each chamber was to be based on the state's population. In each state,
representatives in the lower chamber would be elected by popular vote. These
representatives would then select their state's representatives in the upper
chamber from among candidates proposed by the state's legislature. Once a
representative's term in the legislature had ended, the representative could not
be reelected until an unspecified amount of time had passed.
· Legislature: bicameral (two separate chambers)
· Representation: population based (higher the population = more representation)
· Role of the National Government: can legislate for states and veto state law
Compromises at the Constitutional Convention (representation) - ✔️✔️Congress
would be a bicameral legislature and would consist of two chambers: The Senate
and the House of Representatives. Each state, regardless of size, would have two
senators, making for equal representation as in the New Jersey Plan.
Representation in the House would be based on population. Senators were to be
appointed by state legislatures, a variation on the Virginia Plan. Members of the
House of Representatives would be popularly elected by the voters in each state.
Elected members of the House would be limited to two years in office before
having to seek reelection, and those appointed to the Senate by each state's
political elite would serve a term of six years. Congress had the power to tax,
maintain an army and a navy, and regulate trade and commerce. It could also coin
and borrow money, grant patents and copyrights, declare war, and establish laws
regulating naturalization and bankruptcy.
, Three-Fifths Compromise - ✔️✔️a compromise between Northern and Southern
states that called for counting of all the states free population and 60% of its slave
population for both federal taxation and representation in congress. slave-holding
states could count all their free population, including free African Americans, plus
60% (three-fifths) of their enslaved population. To mollify the North, the
compromise also allowed counting 60% of a state's slave population for federal
taxation.
Checks and Balances - ✔️✔️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 - ✔️✔️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 - ✔️✔️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.
Exam with 100% Correct Answers Latest Update 2025
Grade A+
The Power to Declare War (National Government) - ✔️✔️The national
government could declare war as it deemed appropriate with other nations. It
could also appoint military officials. However, this power was limited. The national
government could declare war, but there was no national military to draw soldiers
from. The soldiers came from the individual states.
The Power to Make Treaties and Alliances with Other Nations (National
Government) - ✔️✔️The national government could enter into treaties or
agreements with other nations as it deemed appropriate. Under this power, the
national government could also appoint foreign ambassadors.
The Power to Regulate Trade with the Native Americans (National Government): -
✔️✔️The national government was given power to negotiate and regulate trade
with the Native Americans. Native Americans were not considered citizens of the
United States and were treated as foreign nations by the both the national and
state governments.
The Power to Settle Disputes among Other States (National Government) -
✔️✔️the national government had the authority to settle any and all boundary
disputes that arose between the states, which were bound to happen in this
newly formed country.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Power to Raise an Army or Navy): -
✔️✔️Although the central government could declare war and agree to peace, it
had to depend upon the states to provide soldiers. If state governors chose not to
honor the national government's request, the country would lack an adequate
defense. The lack of a national army meant that the national government could
not draft any soldiers into the military.
,Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Taxation) - ✔️✔️Articles of
Confederation gave the national government no power to impose and collect
taxes. To avoid any perception of "taxation without representation," the Articles of
Confederation allowed only state governments to levy taxes. To pay for its
expenses, the national government had to request money from the states, which
were required to provide funds in proportion to the value of the land within their
borders. The states, however, were often negligent in this duty, and the national
government was underfunded as a result. The national government could not
impose taxes on citizens. It could only request money from the states.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation (Regulating Trade): - ✔️✔️The
national government did not possess the power to regulate trade among the
different states. This lack of authority not only affected the national government,
but the states as well. The national economy suffered as foreign countries began
to form trade agreements with individual states, agreements for which the
national government could not regulate or tax.
Problems with the articles of confederation National Government: - ✔️✔️· Each
state had only one vote in Congress regardless of its size.
· The national government could not impose taxes on citizens. It could only
request money from the states.
· The national government could not regulate foreign trade or interstate
commerce.
· The national government could not raise an army. It had to request the states to
send men.
· The Articles could not be changed without a unanimous vote to do so.
· There was no national judicial system.
New Jersey Plan (small state plan) - ✔️✔️A plan that called for a one-house
national legislature; each state would receive one vote. Each state would have one
,vote. Thus, smaller states would have the same power in the national legislature
as larger states.
· Unicameral legislature (one chamber)
· Representation: State based (each state equally represented)
· Role of National Government: provides defense but does not override state
authority
Virginia Plan (large state plan) - ✔️✔️The number of a state's representatives in
each chamber was to be based on the state's population. In each state,
representatives in the lower chamber would be elected by popular vote. These
representatives would then select their state's representatives in the upper
chamber from among candidates proposed by the state's legislature. Once a
representative's term in the legislature had ended, the representative could not
be reelected until an unspecified amount of time had passed.
· Legislature: bicameral (two separate chambers)
· Representation: population based (higher the population = more representation)
· Role of the National Government: can legislate for states and veto state law
Compromises at the Constitutional Convention (representation) - ✔️✔️Congress
would be a bicameral legislature and would consist of two chambers: The Senate
and the House of Representatives. Each state, regardless of size, would have two
senators, making for equal representation as in the New Jersey Plan.
Representation in the House would be based on population. Senators were to be
appointed by state legislatures, a variation on the Virginia Plan. Members of the
House of Representatives would be popularly elected by the voters in each state.
Elected members of the House would be limited to two years in office before
having to seek reelection, and those appointed to the Senate by each state's
political elite would serve a term of six years. Congress had the power to tax,
maintain an army and a navy, and regulate trade and commerce. It could also coin
and borrow money, grant patents and copyrights, declare war, and establish laws
regulating naturalization and bankruptcy.
, Three-Fifths Compromise - ✔️✔️a compromise between Northern and Southern
states that called for counting of all the states free population and 60% of its slave
population for both federal taxation and representation in congress. slave-holding
states could count all their free population, including free African Americans, plus
60% (three-fifths) of their enslaved population. To mollify the North, the
compromise also allowed counting 60% of a state's slave population for federal
taxation.
Checks and Balances - ✔️✔️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 - ✔️✔️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 - ✔️✔️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.
