In Class: Final Review.
Review Questions: Below the questions are the answers I am looking for.
1. Identify and describe the six goals of
American government stated in the Constitution.
2. Describe how the separation of powers allows
the branches of government to check and balance each other.
3. Describe how the system of federalism
operates in the United States.
4. The U.S. government has been described as
"a government of laws and not of people." Analyze this statement.
Restate it in your own words, state whether or not you agree with it, and
explain your position.
5. The Constitution is "the supreme law of
the land." But our Constitution can also be described as "a general
guide for laws." Explain why both of these are accurate descriptions of
the Constitution.
6. Outline the qualifications for membership in
the Senate and House of Representatives. Note similarities and differences.
7. Discuss the ways in which congressional
powers are limited.
8. Describe the functions and structures of
congressional committees.
9. Where do ideas for bills come from, and how
does a bill become a law?
10. Imagine that the majority of the people
represented by a senator favors a bill, but the senator opposes it. Should the
senator vote for or against the bill? Explain your decision.
1. ANS:
The first goal of the
government is "to form a more perfect union." This means that the
government should be a better organization of states than what the people had
under the Articles of Confederation. The second goal is "to establish justice,"
which means that the government should make fair laws and establish a system of
courts that is fair to all. "To insure domestic tranquility" is the
third goal. This means that the government is responsible for maintaining peace
within the country. This is closely related to the fourth goal, "to
provide for the common defense," which means that the government should
defend the country from its enemies. The fifth goal, "to promote the
general welfare," means that the government should help ensure the
well-being of all people. The final goal, "to secure the blessings of
liberty," means that the freedom of the people should always be protected.
2. ANS:
In the system of separation
of powers, the government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative,
and judicial. Each of these branches has certain powers that the other branches
do not have. In addition, each of these branches has the power to
"check" the power of the other two branches. The powers of the
government are equally divided, or "balanced," among the three
branches. For example, the president has the power to veto legislation passed
by Congress. Congress, on the other hand, has the power to override a
presidential veto. The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the meaning of laws.
It can prevent laws from being enforced by ruling that the laws are in conflict
with the Constitution.
3. ANS:
Under the system of
federalism, powers are divided between the federal government, which governs
the whole nation, and the states, which govern the people in each state. Powers
that are not given to the federal government remain with the states or with the
people—these are called reserved powers. Powers shared by both the federal and
state governments are called concurrent powers. Concurrent powers include
taxation, the power to borrow money, the power to establish courts and to
enforce the law, and providing for the well-being of all citizens. Powers held
exclusively by the federal government are called delegated powers.
4. ANS:
Answers will vary. Students
should realize that the phrase means that no one is above the law, that all
Americans are bound by the Constitution and the laws based on it, and that
citizens are not subject to arbitrary rules of conduct set by individuals. Most
students will agree that the phrase accurately describes the government set up
by the Constitution. Students may support the statement by referring to the
checks and balances established by the Constitution or by citing historical
examples. Ensure that students support their positions with sound reasoning.
5. ANS:
Answers will vary. Students
should explain the supremacy of the Constitution in the U.S. government.
Students should also be able to infer that not every law in the nation is
listed in the Constitution, but that every law in the nation must conform to
the principles of the Constitution.
6. ANS:
Senators and representatives
must be legal residents of the states they represent. A representative must be
at least 25 years old and have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years. A
senator must be at least 30 years old and have been a U.S. citizen for at least
nine years. Most members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have
attended college. Many are lawyers, businesspeople, or bankers.
7. ANS:
There are several limits on
the powers of Congress. Some of these limitations protect the individual rights
of citizens. Congress cannot pass ex post facto laws, which apply to actions
that occurred before a law was passed. Nor can it pass bills of attainder,
which sentence people to jail without first giving them a trial. Congress
cannot suspend the writ of habeas corpus, which guarantees that a person accused
of a crime will be brought to court to determine if there is enough evidence to
proceed with a trial. Congress cannot grant titles of nobility or pass any law
that violates the Bill of Rights. Economic limitations on congressional powers
include forbidding the taxing of exports, passing laws that favor the trade of
one state over another state, and withdrawing Treasury funds without first
passing a law that accounts for the funds.
8. ANS:
So many bills are considered
each year that Congress divides its work into smaller groups, or committees.
Both the House and the Senate have standing committees that are permanently
established and that deal with bills that pertain only to certain areas. The
standing committees then divide their work into smaller groups, or
subcommittees. Each house of Congress may appoint select committees to deal
with other areas not covered by the standing committees. The select committees
are temporary and are disbanded on completion of their work. Two kinds of
committees have members from both the House and Senate: Joint committees are
set up to address issues that can best be resolved through cooperation between
the houses; and conference committees are temporary committees that are formed
to work out compromises when both houses pass similar versions of the same
bill. ( may also mention committee on committees, Committee of the Whole, and
the seniority system.)
9. ANS:
A bill may be introduced in
either the House or the Senate by a citizen, special-interest group,
congressional committee, member of Congress, or the president. After it is
introduced, a bill is sent to a committee, is researched and discussed in
hearings, and possibly amended. Next, the bill goes before the full house of
Congress in which it was introduced, where it is put on the calendar, debated,
and voted on. If it passes, the bill goes on to the other house of Congress,
where it is again put on the calendar, debated, and voted on. If the bill
passes the second house, it is sent to the president, who may sign it into law.
If a bill does not pass both houses in exactly the same form, a conference
committee may try to work out a compromise bill that is acceptable to both
houses. Finally, the compromise bill is sent to the president, who may sign it
into law, veto the bill, or not allow the bill to become a law by using a
pocket veto.
10. ANS:
Answers will vary. This
question requires students to think about whether elected representatives should
act solely as delegates or more as trustees. Students in favor of the
representative approach should allude to the democratic nature of such a
position. Students who support the trustee approach might argue that the
senator has access to information that his or her constituents do not have or
that it would be unworkable to refer every issue to the constituency. They
might also point out that the overall position of the constituency may be
difficult to determine. Students should support their position with logical
arguments.
Mr. Moore
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