American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU Exam Questions and Answers 2024
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Module
C963 WGU
Institution
Western Governors University
natrual rights -Answer- Life, Liberty, and Property
John Locke -Answer- 17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
State of Nature -Answer- Hypothetical condition assumed to exist in ...
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963
WGU Exam Questions and Answers 2024
natrual rights -Answer- ✔Life, Liberty, and Property
John Locke -Answer- ✔17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right
of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
State of Nature -Answer- ✔Hypothetical condition assumed to exist in the absence of
government where human beings live in "complete" freedom and general equality.
Due Process -Answer- ✔involves the government's obligation to treat all citizens fairly.
Such a requirement lessens the extent to which government power can be exercised
over the individual, making the power differential between the two more fair, and
ensuring a general sense of political equality
Social Contract -Answer- ✔A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their
rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) -Answer- ✔One of the first individuals to contribute to the
idea of the social contract was a pre-Enlightenment English philosopher
Leviathan (1651): Thomas Hobbes -Answer- ✔Hobbes argues that society is not
something natural and immutable, but rather it is something created by us.
Labor Movement -Answer- ✔the formation of labor unions, during the 1880's, for the
workers to receive better treatment by
Constitution -Answer- ✔A document which spells out the principles by which a
government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society
Bill of Rights -Answer- ✔The first ten amendments to the Constitution
Declaration of Independence -Answer- ✔the document recording the proclamation of
the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the
colonies from Great Britain
Thomas Jefferson -Answer- ✔Wrote the Declaration of Independence
Shays's Rebellion (1786-1787) -Answer- ✔which almost resulted in potential mob rule,
suggested there might be too much democracy at play, and that maybe individual liberty
was going too far
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
,American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
Articles of Confederation -Answer- ✔A weak constitution that governed America during
the Revolutionary War.
Federalist no. 51 -Answer- ✔Argues that separation of powers within the national
government is the best way to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one
person or a single group.
First Amendment -Answer- ✔Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment -Answer- ✔Right to keep and bear arms
Third Amendment -Answer- ✔The government may not house soldiers in private homes
without consent of the owner
Forth Amendment -Answer- ✔It protects people against unfair searches of their homes;
search and seizure.
Fifth Amendment -Answer- ✔A constitutional amendment designed to protect the rights
of persons accused of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy, self-
incrimination, and punishment without due process of law.
Sixth Amendment -Answer- ✔Right to a speedy and public trial
Seventh Amendment -Answer- ✔Right to a trial by jury in civil cases
Eighth Amendment -Answer- ✔No cruel and unusual punishment
Nineth Amendment -Answer- ✔peoples rights are not just limited to those listed in the
Constitution and Bill of Rights
Tenth Amendment -Answer- ✔Amendment stating that the powers not delegated to the
federal gov. are reserved to the states
bicameral legislature -Answer- ✔A law making body made of two houses (bi means 2).
Example: Congress (our legislature) is made of two house - The House of
Representatives and The Senate.
House of Representatives -Answer- ✔the lower house of Congress, consisting of a
different number of representatives from each state, depending on population
New Jersey Plan -Answer- ✔Proposal to create a weak national government
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
,American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
Virginia Plan -Answer- ✔Proposal to create a strong national government
Constitutional Convention -Answer- ✔Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of
the thirteen original states to write the Constitution of the United States.
Three-Fifths Compromise -Answer- ✔Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths
of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation
purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)
Checks and Balances -Answer- ✔A system that allows each branch of government to
limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Separation of Powers -Answer- ✔Constitutional division of powers among the
legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the
executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
federal system -Answer- ✔A government that divides the powers of government
between the national government and state or provincial governments
enumerated powers -Answer- ✔The powers explicitly given to Congress in the
Constitution.
reserved powers -Answer- ✔Powers given to the state government alone
Federalists -Answer- ✔Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander
Hamilton and John Adams. They firmly believed the national government should be
strong. They didn't want the Bill of Rights because they felt citizens' rights were already
well protected by the Constitution.
Anti-Federalists -Answer- ✔Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when
the states were contemplating its adoption.
Ratification -Answer- ✔Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a
constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty
Republic -Answer- ✔A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by
voting
Habeas Corpus -Answer- ✔Constitutional protection against unlawful imprisonment
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
, American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
Federalist Papers -Answer- ✔A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton,
John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in
detail.
Federalist No. 10 -Answer- ✔An essay composed by James Madison which argues that
liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such
diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always
be unstable.
Legislative Branch (Congress) -Answer- ✔makes laws, imposes taxes, and declares
war
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) -Answer- ✔interprets the constitution and other laws,
reviews lower-court decisions
Executive Branch (President) -Answer- ✔has the power to enforce the law
Executive Orders -Answer- ✔Formal orders issued by the president to direct action by
the federal bureaucracy.
checks on the executive branch -Answer- ✔By Congress
Can override a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote in both chambers
Must approve treaties by a two-thirds vote in the Senate
Control of funding activities of the executive branch
Presidential nominees must be approved by the Senate
Only Congress can declare war
House can impeach the president or vice president and the Senate can remove them by
a two-thirds vote
By Judiciary
Can overturn actions of the president with judicial review if the actions violate the
Constitution
Serve during good behavior to maintain independence of judiciary
Checks on Congress -Answer- ✔By President
Can veto legislation
Can use executive agreements
Can use executive orders
Negotiates treaties (not Congress)
By Judiciary
Can overturn acts of Congress as unconstitutional if they violate the law
Can influence laws by interpretation
American Politics and the US Constitution - C963 WGU
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