Constitutional Democracy

Chapter Overview

Americans have long been skeptical of Americans have long been skeptical of politicians and politics. Yet politics is a politicians and politics. Yet politics is a necessary activity for a democracy. necessary activity for a democracy.

Politics and politicians are essential and Politics and politicians are essential and indispensable in making our system of indispensable in making our system of separated institutions and checks and separated institutions and checks and balances work.balances work.

Chapter Overview "Democracy" is an often misused term, and "Democracy" is an often misused term, and

it has many different meanings. Here it is it has many different meanings. Here it is used to refer to a system of interacting used to refer to a system of interacting values, interrelated political processes, and values, interrelated political processes, and interdependent political structures. interdependent political structures.

The vital principle of democracy is that a just The vital principle of democracy is that a just government must derive its powers from the government must derive its powers from the consent of the people, and that this consent consent of the people, and that this consent must be regularly renewed at free and fair must be regularly renewed at free and fair elections. elections.

Chapter Overview

Stable constitutional democracy is Stable constitutional democracy is encouraged by various conditions, encouraged by various conditions, an educated citizenryan educated citizenry a healthy economya healthy economy overlapping associations and overlapping associations and

groupings within a society in which groupings within a society in which major institutions interact to create a major institutions interact to create a certain degree of consensus. certain degree of consensus.

Chapter Overview There is some concern about a recent decline There is some concern about a recent decline

in social capital - the experiences people gain in social capital - the experiences people gain in working together in community groups. in working together in community groups.

Lessons about compromise, accommodation, Lessons about compromise, accommodation, and participation are important building blocks and participation are important building blocks for democracy. for democracy.

Some experts say there is a decline in civic Some experts say there is a decline in civic engagement while others see a healthy level of engagement while others see a healthy level of voluntary and charitable engagement that is voluntary and charitable engagement that is making our communities and nation better.making our communities and nation better.

Chapter Overview Despite a myriad of social ills, optimism breaks Despite a myriad of social ills, optimism breaks

through. through. Constitutionalism is a general label we apply to Constitutionalism is a general label we apply to

arrangements such as checks and balances, arrangements such as checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, due process, federalism, separation of powers, due process, and the Bill of Rights that force our leaders and and the Bill of Rights that force our leaders and representatives to listen, think, deliberate, bargain, representatives to listen, think, deliberate, bargain, and explain before they act and make laws. and explain before they act and make laws.

A constitutional government enforces recognized A constitutional government enforces recognized and regularly applied limits on the powers of those and regularly applied limits on the powers of those who govern. who govern.

Chapter Overview Constitutionalism is a general label applied Constitutionalism is a general label applied

to arrangements such as checks and to arrangements such as checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and the Bill of rule of law, due process, and the Bill of Rights that force our leaders and Rights that force our leaders and representatives to listen, think, bargain, and representatives to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act and make laws. explain before they act and make laws.

A constitutional government enforces A constitutional government enforces recognized and regularly applied limits on recognized and regularly applied limits on the powers of those who govern. the powers of those who govern.

Chapter Overview Constitutionalism is a general label applied Constitutionalism is a general label applied

to arrangements such as checks and to arrangements such as checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and the Bill of rule of law, due process, and the Bill of Rights that force our leaders and Rights that force our leaders and representatives to listen, think, bargain, and representatives to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act and make laws. explain before they act and make laws.

A constitutional government enforces A constitutional government enforces recognized and regularly applied limits on recognized and regularly applied limits on the powers of those who govern. the powers of those who govern.

Chapter Overview Democracy developed gradually. Democracy developed gradually. A revolution had to be fought before a A revolution had to be fought before a

system of representative democracy in the system of representative democracy in the United States could be tried and tested. United States could be tried and tested.

It took several years before a national It took several years before a national constitution could be written, and almost constitution could be written, and almost another year to be ratified. another year to be ratified.

It took still another two years before a Bill of It took still another two years before a Bill of Rights could be adopted and ratified.Rights could be adopted and ratified.

Chapter Overview It has taken more than two hundred It has taken more than two hundred

years for democratic institutions to be years for democratic institutions to be refined and for systems of competition refined and for systems of competition and choice to be hammered out. and choice to be hammered out.

Democratic institutions such as free and Democratic institutions such as free and fair elections and equal protection of the fair elections and equal protection of the laws in the United States are still a work laws in the United States are still a work in progress, still in the process of being in progress, still in the process of being refined and improved.refined and improved.

In a democracy, government drives its authority from its

a.a. residents.residents.

b.b. citizens.citizens.

c.c. political leaders.political leaders.

d.d. business leaders.business leaders.

True of false: The word Democracy is not used in the Declaration of Independence or in the Constitution.

a.a. TrueTrue

b.b. FalseFalse

Democracy as a theory of government is centered on

a.a. The individualThe individual

b.b. Political partiesPolitical parties

c.c. Interest groupsInterest groups

d.d. An independent judiciaryAn independent judiciary

Which of the following is not an essential condition for the establishment and maintenance of democracy? a.a. A relatively prosperous nation, with an equitable A relatively prosperous nation, with an equitable

distribution of wealth, provides the best context distribution of wealth, provides the best context for democracy.  for democracy. 

b.b. The exercise of voting privileges takes some The exercise of voting privileges takes some level of education on the part of the citizenry.  level of education on the part of the citizenry. 

c.c. A nation that embraces a highly centralized A nation that embraces a highly centralized government-run economy and little private government-run economy and little private ownership of property.ownership of property.

Framers of the Constitution favored the use of _____ rather than democracy.

a.a. League of NationsLeague of Nations

b.b. ConfederationConfederation

c.c. RepublicRepublic

d.d. MonarchyMonarchy

A representative democracy is commonly called a(n)

a.a. direct democracy.direct democracy.

b.b. aristocracy.aristocracy.

c.c. republic.republic.

d.d. oligarchy.oligarchy.

How many presidential and midterm elections have occurred in the United States?

a.a. 226226

b.b. 112112

c.c. 9292

d.d. 104104

Which of the following is not required of citizens living in a democratic political system?

a.a. Open-mindednessOpen-mindedness

b.b. SkepticismSkepticism

c.c. OptimismOptimism

d.d. Unanimous participationUnanimous participation

Power, in the American political system, is

a.a. Concentrated in CongressConcentrated in Congress

b.b. Concentrated in the state legislaturesConcentrated in the state legislatures

c.c. Concentrated in the federal judiciaryConcentrated in the federal judiciary

d.d. FragmentedFragmented

One of the following words is not at the heart of American beliefs.

a.a. CompetitionCompetitionb.b. FreedomFreedomc.c. LibertyLibertyd.d. equalityequality

What does a constitutional democracy require?

a. Active participation

b. Faith in common human enterprise

c. Skepticism of leaders

d. All of the above

The best characterization of the framers of the Constitution would be

a.a. Visionary idealistsVisionary idealists

b.b. Political philosophersPolitical philosophers

c.c. Experienced practical politiciansExperienced practical politicians

d.d. Spokesmen for the average personSpokesmen for the average person

The Founding Fathers favored all but one of the following ideas.

a.a. A unicameral legislatureA unicameral legislature

b.b. A strong executiveA strong executive

c.c. An independent judiciaryAn independent judiciary

d.d. A more powerful CongressA more powerful Congress

To secure ratification, supporters of the Constitution promised

a.a. Presidential veto powerPresidential veto power

b.b. A Bill of RightsA Bill of Rights

c.c. A federal income taxA federal income tax

d.d. A Homestead ActA Homestead Act

Adoption of the new Constitution required ratification by _____ states.

a.a. ninenine

b.b. thirteenthirteen

c.c. tenten

d.d. sevenseven

The biggest contribution of the Anti-federalists was ____.

a. The Federalist

b. The Bill of Rights

c. New York’s support

d. All of the above

Under the Virginia Plan, representation in both houses would be based on

a.a. equal representationequal representation

b.b. populationpopulation

c.c. the geographic size of a state the geographic size of a state

d.d. the electoral collegethe electoral college

The New Jersey Plan called for

a.a. equal representation equal representation b.b. legitimacy derived from citizens, based legitimacy derived from citizens, based

on popular representation. on popular representation. c.c. Congress to be given the right to tax Congress to be given the right to tax

and regulate commerceand regulate commerced.d. a bicameral legislaturea bicameral legislature

The Connecticut Compromise found middle ground on the issue of

a.a. representationrepresentation

b.b. slaveryslavery

c.c. the court systemthe court system

d.d. the electoral collegethe electoral college

Which compromise was between the North and South?

a. Virginia Plan

b. New Jersey Plan

c. Connecticut Compromise

d. Three-fifths Compromise

Which of the following was of least concern to Southern delegates at the Constitutional Convention? a.a. a desire to count slaves to enlarge its a desire to count slaves to enlarge its

representation in Congress  representation in Congress  b.b. abolition of slavery by a northern abolition of slavery by a northern

majority in Congress  majority in Congress  c.c. a northern majority in Congress might a northern majority in Congress might

discriminate against southern tradediscriminate against southern trade

To break the deadlock over representation, the Connecticut Compromise provided that one house of Congress be based on _____; and the other on ______.a.a. population, equalitypopulation, equality

b.b. seniority, strengthseniority, strength

c.c. popularity, loyaltypopularity, loyalty

d.d. autocracy, capitalautocracy, capital

The authors of “The Federalists,” a series of essays urging adoption of the Constitution included all but one of the following.a.a. Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

b.b. Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

c.c. James MadisonJames Madison

d.d. John JayJohn Jay

The Articles of Confederation was _______.

a. A strong national government

b. The way Britain ruled the colonies

c. A loose friendship between the original states

d. Made up of a strong president and legislature, but no judiciary