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CSS History of USA Expansion and the Constitutional Framework Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering Expansion and the Constitutional Framework as it is examined in CSS History of USA. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Expansion and the Constitutional Framework deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What does the principle of 'limited government' mean in the U.S. Constitution?
Government may exercise only the powers granted to it by the Constitution, and it is bound by the rule of law; individuals retain rights government cannot infringe.
What is judicial review and which case established it?
The power of courts to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional; it was established in Marbury v. Madison (1803) under Chief Justice John Marshall.
What is the Bill of Rights and when was it ratified?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, guaranteeing fundamental individual liberties and limits on federal power.
What rights does the First Amendment protect?
Freedom of religion (establishment and free exercise), speech, press, peaceable assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
What does the Second Amendment guarantee?
The right of the people to keep and bear arms, connected to the need for a well-regulated militia.
What protections does the Fifth Amendment provide?
Grand jury indictment for serious crimes, protection against double jeopardy and self-incrimination, due process of law, and just compensation for property taken (eminent domain).
What do the Ninth and Tenth Amendments establish?
The Ninth states that rights not listed in the Constitution are still retained by the people; the Tenth reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.
By what process can the Constitution be amended (Article V)?
Proposal by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress OR a national convention called by two-thirds of the states; ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions.
How many amendments has the U.S. Constitution had, and which abolished slavery?
27 amendments total; the 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery.
What did the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments (the Reconstruction Amendments) accomplish?
13th abolished slavery; 14th granted citizenship and equal protection/due process; 15th prohibited denying the vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.
Name the three branches of the U.S. government and the primary function of each.
Legislative (Congress) makes laws; Executive (President) enforces laws; Judicial (courts) interprets laws and resolves disputes.
Which constitutional articles establish the three branches of government?
Article I establishes the legislative branch, Article II the executive branch, and Article III the judicial branch.
What is the structure and composition of the U.S. Supreme Court?
It is the highest federal court, currently composed of nine justices (one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices) appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life tenure.
Give two examples of how Congress can check the executive branch.
Congress can override a presidential veto (two-thirds vote of both houses), impeach and remove the president, and control funding/appropriations; the Senate confirms appointments and ratifies treaties.
Give two examples of how the President checks the other branches.
The President can veto legislation passed by Congress and appoints federal judges (including the Supreme Court), and can grant pardons and issue executive orders.
How does the judiciary check the legislative and executive branches?
Through judicial review, courts can declare acts of Congress or actions of the President unconstitutional and thus void.
What is the basic two-chamber (bicameral) structure of the U.S. Congress?
Congress consists of the House of Representatives (435 voting members apportioned by state population) and the Senate (100 members, two per state).
What are the term lengths and minimum age requirements for Representatives and Senators?
Representatives serve 2-year terms (minimum age 25); Senators serve 6-year terms (minimum age 30), with one-third of the Senate elected every two years.
Who presides over the House of Representatives and over the Senate?
The Speaker of the House presides over the House; the Vice President of the United States is President of the Senate (with a tie-breaking vote).
What are the 'enumerated powers' of Congress and where are they listed?
The specific powers granted to Congress, listed mainly in Article I, Section 8 (e.g., taxation, coining money, regulating commerce, declaring war, raising armies).
What is the 'Necessary and Proper' (Elastic) Clause?
Article I, Section 8 clause allowing Congress to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers, the basis for implied powers.
How is the President elected, and what is the role of the Electoral College?
The President is chosen indirectly through the Electoral College; voters in each state select electors who cast the formal votes, and a candidate needs a majority of 270 of the 538 electoral votes to win.
How is the number of a state's electoral votes determined?
It equals the state's total number of members in Congress: its number of House Representatives (based on population) plus its two Senators; Washington D.C. gets 3 via the 23rd Amendment.
What are the main stages of a U.S. presidential campaign, and the qualifications to be President?
Stages: primaries/caucuses, party national conventions (nominee selection), general election campaign, and the November general election. The President must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a U.S. resident for 14 years.
What this deck covers
The Expansion and the Constitutional Framework deck follows the CSS History of USA Expansion and the Constitutional Framework syllabus — 5 chapters and 12 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 10.2 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 159 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Expansion and the Constitutional Framework flashcards FAQ
How many Expansion and the Constitutional Framework flashcards are in this CSS History of USA deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these CSS History of USA flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Expansion and the Constitutional Framework cards cover?
They follow the CSS History of USA Expansion and the Constitutional Framework syllabus — 5 chapters and 12 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.