Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

How did Enlightenment Principles affect politics?

They challenged traditional politics

Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Seperation of Powers

dividing the powers of government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

What documents inspired the Declaration of Independence?

Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights

What are the three types of democracy?

participatory, pluralist, elite

Participatory Democracy

a theory of democracy that holds that citizens should actively and directly control all aspects of their lives

Pluralist Democracy

a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power

Elite Democracy

a theory of democracy that limits the citizens' role to choosing among competing leaders

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Single Legislative, No Executive or Judicial, couldn't tax, powerful states, weak federal gov, Shays' rebellion

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Article 1

Article of the Constitution that defines the Legislative Branch, it's powers, members, and workings.

Article 2

Article of the Constitution that defines the Executive Branch, it's powers, duties, and means of removal.

Article 3

Article of the Constitution that sets up the Judicial Branch and defines treason.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Federalist 51

Separation of powers & checks & balances protects against tyranny

Expressed Powers

powers directly stated in the constitution

Implied Powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Fiscal Federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Commerce Clause

The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.