American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

52 CHAPTER 2

9. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
   wrote a series of arguments in support of the Constitu-
   tion that outlined the political theory behind it. What
   are their assembled works called?
   a) Pickwick Papers
   b) Federalist Papers
   c) Antifederalist Papers
   d) Common Sense
   e) The Second Treatise of Government

S PRACTICE ONLINE

“Critical Thinking ” exercise: Politics Is Confl ictual—

The Bill of Rights

S PRACTICE ONLINE

“Critical Thinking ” exercise: Political Process

Matters—Impeachment

THE CONSTITUTION: A FRAMEWORK FOR GOVERNMENT

E Outline the major provisions of the Constitution. Pages 38–42

SUMMARY

The defi ning feature of the Constitution is its separation
of powers while still maintaining fl exibility for leadership
in times of crisis. The system of checks and balances gives
each branch of the federal government some explicit pow-
ers, some shared powers, and some ability to limit the power
of the other two branches of government.

KEY TERMS

necessary and proper clause (p. 40)

impeachment (p. 42)

power of the purse (p. 42)

judicial review (p. 42)

CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION

The president has clearly dominated the decision to go
to war in the past century, despite the founders’ view that
war powers are a shared power. How would a Tea Partier
respond to this change? What other areas of the Constitu-
tion as a framework for government have evolved?

PRACTICE QUIZ QUESTIONS

10. The “necessary and proper clause” gives fl exibility to
    which part of government?
    a) the president
    b) the Supreme Court

c) the bureaucracy

d) the Congress

e) interest groups

11. Which branch has the fewest explicit powers?
    a) the president
    b) the Supreme Court
    c) the bureaucracy
    d) the Congress


12. Which of the following negative powers does the
    president enjoy?
    a) the power to veto legislation
    b) the power to freeze judicial salaries
    c) the power to review the constitutionality of a law
    d) the power to impeach federal justices
    e) the power to dissolve Congress and call new
    elections

IS THE CONSTITUTION A “LIVING” DOCUMENT?

E Explore how the meaning of the Constitution has evolved. Pages 43–48

SUMMARY

The Constitution is more than 200 years old, yet it still
provides a blueprint for modern governance. It has main-
tained its relevance due to its ambiguity on several key

passages, its ability to be amended rather than entirely

rewritten, and the designation of multiple interpreters of

the Constitution.

|THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FOUNDING