AP Gov Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

Who were the Enlightenment Philosophers?

Hobbes, Locke, Rosseau, and Montesquieu

What is the foundation of government according to the Declaration of Independence?

one where people are the source of power

Popular Soverignty

government derive their power from the people, government is based on the consent of its people

Social Contract

People give up some of their freedom to have the government protect their natural rights (life, liberty, and property) ad if the government isn’t doing that they have the right to abolish it

What type of government is laid out in the constitution?

Representative Democracy

Participatory Democracy

citizens vote directly for laws that affect them

Examples of Participatory Democracy:

Town hall meetings and referendums

Pluralist Democracy

people create non-governmental groups to influence political decisions (laid out in Fed 10)

Example of Pluralist Democracy:

The electoral college system; states act as the interest groups where people vote within their interest groups and then has a majority of all states to limit overpowering

Elite Democracy

elected representatives make decisions for the good of the people who elected them

Example of Elite Democracy:

Congress & Central Government

Group that wanted a strong central government

Federalists

Group that wanted to have independent states and then a very weak central government

Anti-Federalists

Referendum

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision.

What did Hobbes believe?

• state of nature

• solution: give up some rights to be able to live in peace

• the president holds society together but still abides by the social contract

What did Locke believe?

• natural law - people are born free and equal and have to consent to be governed

• natural law obligates overthrowing a king’s rule when it doesn’t respect the consent of the governed

What did Rousseau believe?

• social contract - we abandon certain natural rights in exchange for protection & freedom for the common good

• popular sovreignty

What did Montesquieu believe?

• limited government and political liberty for citizens

• separation of powers between the three branches

Federalists support… (think Fed No. 10)

• strong national government

• diversity of a big population will protect the rights of all citizens and each state from the whole

• constitution would limit the influence of factions

Anti-Federalist believe… (think Brutus No.1)

• a single executive would model a king & limit the rights of states and individuals

• anything “proper”, federal tax, control of an army, etc, made them worry

• wanted to have a voice in government to check the power of the elite

Problems with the Articles of Confederation

• 9 states must agree to enact national law

• all states must agree to amend the system of government

• congress had no power to tax

• national government couldn’t raise or maintain an army

• no national court system or currency

• congress could encourage but couldn’t regulate commerce among states (created competition between states)

Shay’s Rebellion

• Daniel Shays & other poor farmers lost their farms to mortgage foreclosures

• Shays led a group to the federal arsenal to demand that their financial pressures would be eased

• local authorities struggled to form a militia and shut Shays down

• shows how weak the articles of confederation were and eventually led to the creation of the Constitution

Themes in Brutus No. 1

• won’t get power back once given away

• they will use the necessary and proper clause to take unlimited power

• congress will be able to pass any law

• states rights will be taken

• taxing is bad

• standing armies are dangerous

• (all a warning)

What was the Virginia plan?

3 branches of government, bicameral legislature, federal supremacy, and separate powers

What was the New Jersey plan?

State sovereignty and a limited national government

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

House representatives are calculated by population of the states and 2 senators for every state (between big and small states)

3/5 Compromise

• when counting populations, slaves counted for 3/5 of one person as a compromise between northern and southern states (south had more slaves)

• couldn’t stop slaves imports until 20 years post ratification of the constitution

Electoral College

states decide how their electors are chosen & they have the same number of electors as seats in congress (dc has 3) 538

Commerce Compromise

Government can impose tariffs on imports not exports

Articles of the Constitution

I : setup and operation of the legislative branch
II : executive’s role & requirements to assume office
III : the judiciary - supreme and inferior courts
IV : relations among the states
V : process for amendments
VI : national supremacy
VII : ratification process

Amendment Process - 2 Stages

• proposal passed from 2/3 of house and senate or 2/3 vote at national convention

• vote of 3/4 of all state legislatures or 3/4 of state ratifying conventions

What is the Bill of Rights

first 10 amendments of the constitution that were included to get the anti-federalists to ratify the constitution

Bill of Rights

I freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

II right to bear arms (guns)
III no quartering of troops
IV no unreasonable searches or seizures
V no indictment or double jeopardy, protection of self-incrimination and due process (miranda rights)
VI speedy and public trial, rights in criminal trials
VII lawsuits and juries
VIII no cruel or unusual punishments, no excessive fine or bail
IX rights will be protected whether they are listed or not
X delegated and reserved powers (state powers)

Bill

must pass both bodies with a simple majority

Veto

• president can reject any law

• if he signs or does nothing for 10 days it becomes law

Pocket Veto

refusal to sign a bill into law in the last 10 days of a congress so it never passes

Two-Thirds Override

super majority vote in each house to override a veto and pass a bill into law

Advice and Consent Power

senate can suggest appointees ad must formally approve most presidential appointments

Impeachment

• house can impeach president, judge, or another official

• senate holds a trial and requires a 2/3 vote to remove

Legislative Branch

• 435 house reps, 100 senators

• citizens can contact lawmakers to influence them

Executive Branch

a

Judicial Branch

a

Separation of Powers

a