Midterm Review Guide
1. What are the three powers of government? Explain each of them.
2. What is outline in the preamble? What six purposes of American government are specifically stated in
the preamble?
3. What are the four characteristics of a state? Which one did not belong to the 13 original colonies?
4. Which Origin of the State best describes the establishment of the United States Government?
5. What is a democracy? What are the two types of democracy?
6. Which form of democracy does the United States have?
7. Who holds the power in a dictatorship?
8. Identify and explain the three forms of government based on geographic distribution of power.
9. Explain the law of supply and demand.
10. What are the principles of a free enterprise system?
11. What are the three basic concepts of American government?
12. What were the three Landmark English documents that helped shape American politics?
13. What key idea/reform does all three documents share?
14. Identify and EXPLAIN the three types of colonies.
15. What was the first colony established in the United States?
16. Define charter.
17. What were the Intolerable Acts?
18. Where and when was the Declaration of Independence written?
19. How is the Declaration of independence divided?
20. What does the majority of the Declaration of Independence consist of?
21. What are the natural rights?
22. Define unicameral –
23. Define Bicameral –
24. Define Federalists –
25. Define Anti-Federalists –
26. Who had the most governing power under the Articles of Confederation?
27. What was the agreement established under the Connecticut Compromise?
28. Summarize Shay’s Rebellion.
29. What branches of government were functioning under the Articles of Confederation? Which branch
was missing?
30. Who wrote the Virginia Plan?
31. What was needed in order for the Constitution to be ratified? Where is this information stated?
32. What did Anti-Federalist demand to be part of the Constitution?
33. Define popular sovereignty –
34. Define rule of law –
35. What is the purpose of checks and balances?
36. How does the legislative branch check on the judicial branch?
37. How is the Constitution amended?
38.
Once ratified, what is the only way an amendment can be changed?
39. The Presidential cabinet is an example of constitutional change by which means?
40. Define separation of powers –
41. Summarize judicial Review –
42. Federalism a solution to what problem?
43. Define expressed powers –
44. Define implied powers –
45. Define inherent powers –
46. Define reserved powers –
47. Define exclusive powers –
48. Define concurrent powers –
49. What is an enabling act in the process of admitting states?
50. Summarize categorical grants.
51. Summarize block grants.
52. What is an interstate compact?
53. What does the Full Faith and Credit Clause state?
54. Define extradition –
55. What does the Privileges and Immunities Clause protect US citizens from?