US Constitution Study Guide
1. What is the significance of the Declaration of
Independence in relationship to the US
Constitution?
2. What is the significance of the Articles of
Confederation in relationship to the US
Constitution?
3. What are the weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation? How did the US Constitution
address these weaknesses?
4. List and explain the purposes of the US
government as outlined in the Preamble.
5. What is the significance of the Magna Carta?
6. What is the significance of the writings of
Hobbe, Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, and
Social Contract Theory?
7. Explain the following principles fundamental
to American constitutional democracy.
- Limited Government
- Separation of Powers
- Checks and Balances
8. What is rule of Law? How did the Magna
Carta establish this?
9. What is federalism?
10. Explain the following principles of American
political culture.
- Liberty
- Equality
- Individualism
- Majority Rule /Minority Rights
- Necessity of Compromise
- Diversity
11. List and Explain the Bill of Rights.
12. Explain the formal amendment process.
13. What is the Supremacy Clause?
14. Describe and explain the significance of the
following Supreme Court Cases.
- Marbury v. Madison
- McCulloch v. Maryland
- Miranda v. Arizona
- Plessy v. Ferguson
- Brown v. Board of Education
- New Jersey v. TLO
15. What is the 19th Amendment?
16. What is the 15th Amendment?
17. What is the Civil Rights Act?
18. What is the Voting Rights Act?
19. What are reserved powers? Give Examples.
20. What are concurrent powers? Give
Examples.
21. What are exclusive powers? Give Examples.
22. What are expressed powers? Give
Examples.
23. What are implied powers? Give Examples.
24. What are inherent powers? Give Examples.
Executive Branch
25. What are the qualifications to be President?
26. What is the order of succession to the
President?
27. What is the 22nd Amendment?
28. Who can the President appoint? Explain the
process for presidential appointments.
29. What are the powers granted to the
President?
30. Executive Branch – Foreign Policy
- Treaties
- Executive Agreements
- Commander in Chief
- How power is shared with Congress
(treaties, foreign aid, war powers,
approval of ambassadors)
31. What are the President’s Judicial Powers?
32. What are the President’s Legislative
Powers?
Legislative Branch
33. What is the basis for representation in the
House of Representatives?
34. What is the basis for representation in the
Senate.
35. Define apportioned.
36. Explain the process of how a bill becomes a
law.
37. What is the role of committees in the law
making process?
38. List and explain the legislative leadership
positions in the House of Representatives.
39. List and explain the legislative leadership
positions in the Senate.
40. Explain and give examples for the system of
checks and balances.
41. What powers are specific to the Senate?
Judicial Branch
42. Define jurisdiction.
43. Explain due process.
44. Explain the process of judicial selection.
US Constitution Study Guide
45. Explain and state the significance of the
Marbury v. Madison case.
MISC
46. Explain the electoral system of electing the
President.
47. List and explain the flaws of the electoral
system of electing the President.
48. Explain the war powers of the President and
Congress (including the War Powers Resolution)
49. What is the source of government income?
50. What is the role of Congress in US fiscal
policy?
51. Explain how individual rights may conflict
with the common good.
52. Explain eminent domain.