US GOVERNMENT & CIVICS
UNIT 1 – CH 2, 3, & 4 STUDY GUIDE
BOLD= more than one question about it
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The Framers of the Constitution were influenced in the development of it by the State Constitutions,
John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government, the writings of Rousseau, the governments of ancient
Greece and Rome, the and British Tradition.
Know the major features that the State Constitutions and the Articles of Confederation have in
common.
Know the significant, major problem, with the national government after the Revolutionary War.
Know how was the Articles of Confederation organized
Know what was the purpose of writing The Federalist Papers
The Articles of Confederation directly influenced the Framers in the development of the Constitution
Know how the President and Vice President were first elected to the United States Government.
Know the two plans of the Framers that centered on their proposals.
Know what event/plan led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Know what founding document, the idea that the people have the right to abolish an abusive and
unresponsive government was FIRST formally expressed by Americans.
Know the President’s Cabinet is an example of Constitutional change by unwritten custom.
Know that in most cases involving Judicial Review, the courts have found the governmental actions in
question to be constitutional.
Know the methods to make a formal amendment to the Constitution?
Know the examples of constitutional changes as a result of party practices?
KNOW the Bill of Rights. What are the Bill of Rights as a whole? What does it guarantee?
KNOW the Amendments to the Constitution
Know how can the Legislative branch check the power of judicial branch.
Know that the President’s power to veto and act of Congress is an example of what?
Know what Separation of Powers refers to.
Know how can Congress effect changes to the Constitution by: passing basic legislation, adding
meaning to the skeletal portions of the Constitution, and/or simply exercising many of its powers.
Know the differences between types of powers: expressed, implied, inherent, exclusive, and
concurrent powers.
o Study your examples from your worksheet
Know what the Full Faith and Credit Clause refers to.
Know where local governments derive (get) their power from
Know what extradition refers to and an example.
Know that the Constitution requires the National Government to guarantee a republican form of
government for every State.
Know which types of powers the National Government can legally exercise.
Know that the National Government is NOT obligated to recognize the State constitutions as the
supreme law of the land.
Know the advantages of revenue sharing over federal grants-in-aid programs?
Know what an interstate compact refers to.
Know what is the basic characteristic of federalism? Definition.
Know what was the significance of the court case of McCulloch v. Maryland. What was the Supreme
Court ruling based upon?
Know what categorical grants refer to.
Know what led to the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise during the Constitutional Convention.
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Know why were the Connecticut Comprise and the Three-Fifths Compromise were crucial to the small
States.
What were the objections of the Anti-Federalists? Why were the Anti-Federalists objecting the new
Constitution? Why was the Bill of Rights added?
Know that the government is held accountable for its actions under the principle of government: rule
of law.
Which of the six basic principles of the Constitution can be diluted when the President and a majority
of the members of Congress are of the same political party?
Know what the power of judicial review applies to actions of either federal, state, or both
governments.
Know that the Constitution requires proposed amendments to have greater state support for
ratification than proposal.
What is the only way a constitutional amendment may be changed, once it is ratified?
What is the avenue by which the Supreme Court can shape the Constitution?
Through what methods can the States be denied powers?
Know that by the actions of Congress after the Civil War, a “republican form of government” must
allow equal rights to all citizens.
The power of the Federal Government to make grants-in-aid can be traced back to which expressed
power of Congress?
States gain needed resources through grants-in-aid, while the National Government gains what?
Know the examples by which one State would not give Full Faith and Credit to the public acts of
another state.
Know that in certain situations, States can give preferential treatment residents over nonresidents.
Know that interstate compacts are subject to congressional consent, just as treaties made by the
President are subject to consent by the Senate.