Friday, September 6, 2013

Ch3 Sec4 Questions


1)   Why has the Constitution been able to informally change?  Give some examples.
a.     Child labor laws created
b.     Standards for radio and television advertising
c.      Applied complex tax laws
d.     Created judiciary system by adding both courts and rules for their practice
2)   How has Congress expanded the executive branch? 
a.     They have added the cabinet depts., agencies, boards, and commisions
3)   What is the impeachment process?  What crimes can a President be impeached for? 
a.     The House accuses federal official, then the Senate decides the guilt.
b.     Any action that violates constitutional responsibility, bribery, or treason
4)   Discuss John Tyler's Presidency.  How did he interpret the Constitution?  What is the other view of this interpretation?
a.     He assumed the full powers of president and becomes the president rather than just a stand in
b.     Certain Congress members opposed this and thought it wrong interpretation, but the Constitution was very amibuous
5)   What is an executive agreement?  How has it expanded the powers of the President?
a.     Exec. Agreement is an agreement made by the president and the head of another state directly
b.     It gives the President power to directly deal with a different country without Senate approval, weakening the Senate
6)   Discuss the two views of Judicial Review.
a.     Judicial Restraint – courts should avoid taking on social and political questions, ie leave big societal questionion to others (Congress)
b.     Judicial Activism – should apply the Constitution to pressing social and political questions ie take a stand on societal questions
7)   Give an example of how the Supreme Court has ruled the Constitution meaning one thing and then later changing its mind.
a.     They rule in the 1800s African American’s and white people should have separate facilities. In the 1950s they retracted the decision and decided it was unconstitutional to have separated facilities
8)   State the four sources of informal constitutional change.
a.     Court Decisions
b.     Congressional Actions
c.      Presidential practices
d.     Unofficial customs of the time period
9)   How could judicial activism infringe on powers given Congress in the Constitution.
a.     It can rule that Congress is wrong (unconstitutional) and therefore make their decisions wrong or reverse them

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