Constitution Principles of Governance Flashcards
7 cards from real US practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Constitution Principles of Governance flashcards as text
Which constitutional mechanism allows Congress to remove the President from office?
Answer: Impeachment and Senate trial
The House impeaches (charges) the President and the Senate holds a trial; a two-thirds Senate vote results in removal from office.
What principle does the Constitution establish by guaranteeing a 'republican form of government' to every state?
Answer: Each state must have representative, not direct democracy
The Guarantee Clause (Article IV, Section 4) ensures each state has a representative republican form of government rather than monarchy or direct democracy.
Under the principle of judicial review, the Supreme Court can invalidate a law if it determines that law is:
Answer: Contrary to the Constitution
Judicial review, established in Marbury v. Madison (1803), gives courts authority to strike down laws that conflict with the Constitution.
Which constitutional provision most directly protects individual states from being abolished by the federal government?
Answer: The guarantee that no state shall be deprived of equal Senate representation without its consent
Article V specifies that no state may be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate without its own consent, protecting state existence within the federal system.
The concept of 'concurrent powers' in the U.S. Constitution refers to powers that:
Answer: Both federal and state governments can exercise
Concurrent powers, like the power to tax and establish courts, may be exercised by both federal and state governments simultaneously.
How does the constitutional requirement for Senate confirmation of federal judges serve as a check on executive power?
Answer: It prevents the President from appointing judges without legislative approval
Senate confirmation (Article II, Section 2) ensures presidential judicial appointments face legislative scrutiny, preventing the executive from unilaterally controlling the judiciary.
What is the constitutional basis for the federal government's power to regulate interstate commerce?
Answer: The Commerce Clause in Article I, Section 8
The Commerce Clause grants Congress power to 'regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States,' which has been broadly interpreted over time.