Unit 1 flashcards

What are the democratic ideals the US government is based on?

natural rights, social contract, popular sovereignty, limited government

What are the 3 models of representative democracy?

Pluralist, participatory, elite. US democracy has characteristics of all of them

characteristics of the federalists

• led by Hamilton, Jay, Madison

• supported the Constitution

• represented by upper class (bankers and rich property owners)

• strong national government, solve economic problems, loose interpretation of the Constitution

• federalist papers

characteristics of anti-federalists

• led by George Mason and Richard Henry Lee

• represented middle class, farmers, common people

• believed the Constitution would make economic elite and potential for abusive federal government

• insisted on Bill of Rights

• opposed ratification of the Constitution

• limited government and strict constructionist

New Jersey Plan

each state should have equal representation

Virginia Plan

representation based on population

Connecticut Plan (Great Compromise)

bicameral legislature, Senate each state has 2 reps, HOR reps based on population

compromise regarding slaves

3/5ths compromise, for every 5 slaves 3 would count for representation

Key issues in the AOC

• lack of centralized military power to address Shays’ Rebellion

• Lack of an executive branch to enforce laws (taxation)

• Lack of a national court system

• Lack of power to regulate interstate commerce

• Lack of exclusive power to coin money

Compromises for ratifying the Constitution

• Great Compromise

• Electoral Colelge

• 3/5ths Compromise

• wait until 1808 to decide whter to ban importation of slaves

• add Bill of Rights (for anti-federalists)

amendment process

2/3rds vote in both houses or proposal from 2/3rds of state legislatures, final ratification 3/4ths states

electoral college

electors based on states’ populations, voters vote for the electors, total 538 electors, candidate with majoirty electoral vote becomes president (270+), if tie president detrmined by HOR

why is checks and balances important

so no one branch becomes too powerful

HOR qualifications

25 years old, citizen for 7 years, inhabitant of state representing

Senate qualifications

30years old, citizen for 9 year, resident of state representing

what does the HOR do

more representative to the people, initiates impeachment, works with Senate to pass legislation

what does Senate do

joins with HOR to pass laws, holds trial for impeachment, approves/reject presidential appointees or nominees

powers denied to Congress

denial of writ of habeas corpus, bills of attainder laws, ex post facto laws

enumerated powers

powers directly stated in the Constitution

implied powers

powers not explicilty stated in the Constitution but granted based on Necessary and Proper Clause

inherent powers

powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are essential to running the government, especially the executive branch

reserved powers

powers not granted to national government nor prohibited to states is reserved by states/people

concurrent powers

powers shared by federal and state governments

exclusive powers

powers solely reserved to federal or state government

distribution of power between national and state government is demonstrated by…

revenue sharing, block grants, categorical grants, mandates

president qualifications

natural born citizen, 25+ years old, resident for 14+ years

role of the VP

preside over the Senate and be the deciding vote in the case of a tie, next in succession if the president dies, take over the presidency if the president is disable

line of succession

VP —> Speaker of the House —> Senate pro-tempore

executive actions

policy directives that are ordered by the president without any Congressional authorization

executive orders

policy directives aimed at federal agencies (can be reversed by Congress & courts)

How can the president get around Senate opposition of appointments?

temporary or recess appointment, lasts for 1 year

dual federalism

aka layer-cake federalism, power clearly divided between federal and state governments

cooperative federalism

aka marble-cake federalism, federal and state government have overlapping shared power

fiscal federalism

aka creative and competitive federlism, how to divide governmental functions and finances among different levels of government

priveleges and immunities clause

ensures that citizens of one state are treated the same as citizens of another state when traveling or residing there

full faith and credit clause

mandates that each state must give "full faith and credit" to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state