Midterm Review 2 Key

Name Civics and Economics, Honors Midterm Review, Part Two I. Date Principles of the Constitution: Identify the principle involved in each of the following statements. (a) popular sovereignty (b) federalism (c) checks and balances (d) limited government (e) separation of powers (f) judicial review a 1. In this country, the people choose the President by voting every four years. c 2. Congress can approve or reject the President’s appointment of a Supreme Court justice. e 3. Congress makes laws for the nation. b 4. Massachusetts must respect the laws of both neighboring Connecticut and distant Alaska. d 5. The President and all other government officials must obey the laws of the United States. a 6. Voters in Illinois elected the first African-American woman to the Senate in 1992. b 7. New York State cannot sign a treaty with a foreign country. f 8. Marbury v. Madison established this principle as a precedent. d 9. Congress cannot pass a law that violates freedom of speech. e 10. The powers of the national government are distributed among three branches. d 11. The government cannot arrest a person unless there is good reason to believe that he or she has violated a law. b 12. State and local governments control public school systems. c 13. The Senate may vote against any treaty that the President has negotiated. c 14. The President can veto a bill that has been approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate. f 15. The Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of laws. e 16. The President is commander-in-chief of the military. c 17. At the President’s request, Congress declares war. 1 II. 1215 The Roots of American Democracy: Write the underlined portion of the appropriate statement beside the corresponding date on the historical timeline. ⇨ Magna Carta ________________________ 1600s ⇨ est. colonies in America ________________________ 1619 ⇨ VA House of Burgesses ________________________ 1688 ⇨ Glorious Revolution ________________________ 1689 ⇨ English Bill of Rights ________________________ 1733 ⇨ gov’t in 13 colonies ________________________ 1760s ⇨ mercantilism ________________________ 1773 ⇨ Boston Tea Party; Coercive Acts 1774 ⇨ First Cont. Congress ________________________ 1775 ⇨ first battles of Rev. War ________________________ 1776 ⇨ Second Cont. Congress, Declaration of Indep. 1783 ⇨ Treaty of Paris ________________________ 1786/1787 ⇨ Shay’s Rebellion ________________________ o Shay’s Rebellion sends message of the need for a stronger national government. o The Revolutionary War’s first battles occur. o The Magna Carta is signed, limiting the power of the monarch and giving equal rights to English nobles. o The Virginia House of Burgesses is formed, marking the start of colonial self-government. o England establishes colonies in America. o British adopt policy of mercantilism. o Colonists protest British policies with the Boston Tea Party. Britain responds by passing the Coercive Acts. o By this year, all thirteen colonies have created their own governments. o Parliament removed James II from the British throne, establishing the power of English legislature; this is known as the Glorious Revolution. o The First Continental Congress meets and demands the restoration of rights to the colonists. o The English Bill of Rights is signed. o Members of the Second Continental Congress sign the Declaration of Independence. o The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Revolutionary War. ● Contrast the following: Bacon’s Rebellion and Shay’s Rebellion. Bacon: rebellion vs. colonial gov’t that refused to protect interests of frontiersmen 2 Shay: rebellion vs. gov’t under Articles prompted by heavy state taxes III. Identifying the Source: Identify the author or speaker – as well as the source, when appropriate – of each of the following excerpts. “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having the direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.” Declaration of Independence; Thomas Jefferson “In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense…I have never met with a man, either in England or America, who hath not confessed his opinion, that a separation between the countries, would take place one time or other.” Common Sense; Thomas Paine IV. The Road to Independence: Organize each group of events in chronological order (using the numbers 1-3), then describe the significance of each event. Group A Description of significance 3 Townshend Acts tax on common goods 2 Declaratory Act G.B. declared sovereignty and right to tax 1 Stamp Act tax on printed materials; repealed after boycott Group B Description of significance 2 Intolerable/Coercive Acts response: closing of ports, restriction of rights 3 First Continental Congress organized to represent interests of colonies 1 Boston Tea Party protest against G.B. econ. policy (tea mono.) Group C Description of significance 1 Second Continental Congress org. to weigh reconciliation, independence 2 Olive Branch Petition sent to king as plea to reconcile 3 Declaration of Independence formal declaration of independence Group D Description of significance 2 Constitutional Convention met to revise Articles, decided to write Const. 1 Articles of Confederation first constitution of United States 3 3 Constitution of the U.S. V. new plan of government for United States Factors Contributing to Independence: Both the French and Indian War and the British tendency toward salutary neglect influenced the growing rift between England and her colonies; use the sentence stems below describe the significance of each. [ +[ The French and Indian War…fought to defend colonial frontier; Britain seeks to lay taxes on colonies to pay for war debt ] Salutary Neglect…Britain’s policy of noninterference with colonial politics and economy as long as such neglect served British interests ] Colonial resistance to British control VI. The Declaration of Independence: Complete the following excerpt. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government become destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness...” The Declaration of Independence is comprised of four sections. What are they? o Preamble o List of Grievances o Declaration of Natural Rights o Resolution of Independence 4 VII. From the Articles to a Constitution: List the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, then correlate them to the provisions of the US Constitution that address the weaknesses. Additionally, locate the constitutional provisions within the Constitution itself (Article; section and clause where appropriate). Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Lack of Power and Money Provisions of the US Constitution Where in the Constitution? ● Cong. cannot tax Congress given power to tax Art. I, sec. 8, c.1 ● cannot enforce laws executive branch created Article II ● cannot reg. trade Congress given power to reg. trade Art. I, sec. 8, c.3 ● no executive leader executive branch created (Pres.) Article II ● no judiciary judicial branch created Article III ● 9 of 13 for new laws laws made by Congress Article I, sec. 7 ● 13 of 13 to amend amend w/ 2/3 Congress, ¾ states Article V Lack of Central Power Rules Too Rigid VIII. Constitutional Compromises. The Constitution embodies a spirit of compromise – the middle ground between two disparate opinions. Describe the differences of opinion that were resolved by the following compromises. IX. English Legacy in American Government: Identify the principle of government borrowed from each of the following elements of British or colonial government. 5 Magna Carta British Parliament common law town meetings limited government, constitutional government representative government precedent direct democracy Mayflower Compact constitutional government, direct democracy English Bill of Rights limited government, rule of law 6