Mr. McCormack

American Government

CentralDauphinHigh School

Chapter Eleven – Powers of Congress

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Study Guide

Section One: The Scope of Congressional Powers (p 290-292)

Recall that the information in this section was previously covered in Unit I.

The government of the United States is ______government. (p 290)

The American system of government is ______in form. (p 290)

All powers granted to the government can be split into three categories: (p 290)

Category of Power / Explanation
Expressed
Implied
Inherent

Our Founding Fathers disagreed over how broadly to interpret the Constitution’s powers: (p 291)

Group / Leader / Perspective on the Constitution
Strict Constructionist
Liberal Constructionist

Echoes of this debate continue to this day, but most Americans today favor the ______approach. (p 292)

Mr. McCormack

American Government

CentralDauphinHigh School

Chapter Eleven – Congress

Big Idea Worksheet

Study Guide

Section Two: The Expressed Powers of Money and Commerce (p 294-300)

The Power to Tax
Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 1 / Purposes / Limitations / Kinds of Taxes
1.
2.
3. / 1.
2.
3.
4. / 1.
2.
The Borrowing Power
Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 2 / Purpose / Limitation / Difference Between a
Deficit and Debt
The Commerce Power
Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 3 / Types of Trade Subject to Federal Regulation / Limitations
1.
2. / 1.
2.
3.
4.

This power demonstrates how the Constitution was a major improvement over the ______. Under it, high trade barriers between the states created ______in much of the country. (p 297)

There have been many disputes about the meaning of “commerce.” The first major case on this point to reach the Supreme Court was ______v. ______. In it, the court declared that “commerce” should be interpreted broadly. (p 297-298)

Over the decades, the Court’s sweeping definition of commerce has brought ______into many areas of American life. (p 298) One most prominent example:

  1. ______

The Court did try to impose a limit on the commerce clause’s reach in the 1995 case of ______v. ______. This case struck down the ______Act for invading the reserved powers of the states. (p 298)

The Currency Power
Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 5 / Definition:
Court Cases:
May states issue currency?
The Bankruptcy Power
Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 4 / Definition:
Recent Trend:

Mr. McCormack

American Government

CentralDauphinHigh School

Chapter Eleven – Congress

Big Idea Worksheet

Study Guide

Section Three: Other Expressed Powers (p 301-304)

Foreign Relations Powers

Although Congress has some control over foreign relations, the ______is primarily responsible for our relations with other countries. (p 301)

War Powers

There are eight expressed powers given to Congress dealing with war and national defense: (p 301)

  1. Only Congress may ______war.
  2. It has the power to raise and support ______.
  3. It has the power to raise and support a ______.
  4. It may make laws for the ______of land and naval forces.
  5. It can call forth the ______.
  6. It can provide for the ______, ______, and ______of it.
  7. It can grant letters of ______and ______.
  8. It may make rules concerning ______on land and water.

Naturalization is ______. (p 302)

The ______allows Congress to establish offices and roads, and punish people for abusing either. (p 302)

The Constitution gives Congress the power to grant exclusive right to intellectual property in order to ______the progress of science and art. (p 302) It gives us an incentive to be creative.

Copyright: ______

Patent: ______

Congress has the power to fix ______of measurement. Today, the ______is the agency that keeps our standards accurate. (p 303)

Congress has the power to ______, ______, and ______of various federal areas. This includes the power of ______(the inherent power to take private property for public use). In that case, the 5th Amendment guarantees that the private owners will receive______. (p 304)

Congress has the power to create all of the ______beneath the Supreme Court. It may also define ______and set ______for violators of federal law. (p 304)

Mr. McCormack

American Government

CentralDauphinHigh School

Chapter Eleven – Congress

Big Idea Worksheet

Study Guide

Section Four: The Implied Powers (p 305-308)

Implied powers arise from Article I, Section 8, Clause 18. This clause is known as the ______& ______Clause or the ______Clause. (p 305)

Recall the two different perspectives on implied powers referenced in Section One.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

This case concerned the establishment of the Second ______of the United States. (p 307)

Chief Justice ______delivered the opinion of the Court. (p 307)

Arguments for McCulloch / Arguments for Maryland
Decision of the Court

Today, the words “necessary and proper” really read “______and ______.” (p 308)
Mr. McCormack

American Government

CentralDauphinHigh School

Chapter Eleven – Congress

Big Idea Worksheet

Study Guide

Section Five: The Nonlegislative Powers (p 310-314)

Constitutional Amendments

Congress may propose amendments by a ______vote in each house. It has done so ______times, though only 27 of them were ratified by the states. (p 310)

Congress may also call a ______to propose amendments if requested by at least ______of the state legislatures, though it has never done so. (p 310)

Electoral Duties

According to the ______Amendment, Congress may pick the President and Vice President if no candidate wins a majority in the Electoral College. (p 310)

The President is picked by the ______, while the Vice President is picked by the ______. Presidents ______and ______were picked in this way, as was Vice President ______. (p 311)

Impeachment

The ______may impeach any civil officer of the United States with a ______vote. (p 311)

Impeachment must be for ______, ______, or ______. The definition of this last offense is somewhat vague. (p 311)

The ______must convict anyone who has been impeached by a ______vote before they are punished. (p 311)

Only two Presidents have ever been impeached: ______and ______. ______was convicted and removed from office. (p 311)

The ______will preside over trials of impeached presidents. (p 311)

Executive Powers

All major ______made by the President must be confirmed by the ______by a ______vote. (p 313)

The Senate may approve ______with foreign nations by a ______vote. (p 314)

Congress may conduct investigations for several reasons:

1. ______

2.______

3.______

4.______

5.______