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Constructionism - and a person (usually a judge or other member of the judiciary) who follows and supports this line of thought is often called a 'constructionist', or a 'strict constructionist". A constructionist basically believes in the literal word of the Constitution, and believes it should not be molded or twisted to fit other thought patterns or beliefs. A constructionist is usually also labeled a 'conservative'. However, not all conservatives are constructionist. For example, many conservatives would support a constitutional amendment to ban burning of the American flag as a political statement - yet a strict constructionist would say, "Hey, look - the First Amendment says "congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" - it doesn't say " except for speech we don't like", or "except for saying dirty words on TV" - it says "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW". Many conservatives get uneasy about this, and thus, quickly change the subject to something equally trivial, such as same-sex marriage.
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Formal changes to the constitution are called?
AmendmentDefinition of amendment:A minor change in a document.A change or addition to a legal or statutory document.
What caused Jefferson to hesitate before agreeing to purchase the Louisiana territory?
He wasn't sure if it was contitutiional to purchase land if it wasnt in the constitution he wouldn't do it
What was the original U.S. Constitution called?
The original constitution was called ''Articles of Confideration''
How was John Marshall's interpretation of the Constitution different from Thomas Jefferson's?
John Marshall had a loose interpretation of the Constitution while Thomas Jefferson supposedly had a strict interpretation of it. John Marshall strongly believed in the elastic clause (the necessary and proper clause) which meant: "The Congress shall have Power - To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof". So he thought that if a law was needed, then it could be added and adjusted into the Constitution and one didn't have to stick to the exact words of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson supposedly had a strict construction of the Constitution, but his actions such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act showed loose interpretations because neither one of those were written in the Constitution. He very rarely showed a strict interpretation where he stuck directly to the Constitution, so they really weren't that different in views even though in titles they were.
What is approving an amendment to the constitution called?
Approving an amendment to the Constitution is called ratification (O.P.P 6.7.7)
