Gov Chapter 1-4

Government

The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies, including laws, regulations, and decisions.

Anarchy

A state of society without government or authority, characterized by disorder and chaos.

6 Functions of Government

-ensure national security

-maintain order

-resolve conflicts

-provide public services

-make economic decisions

-protect individual liberties.

What are the four essential features of a State

-defined territory

-a permanent population

-a functioning government

-Sovereignty

Evolutionary Theory

The theory that governments evolved from early familial groups, where authority was established as societies grew.

Force theory

a belief that government arose out of force, where one person or group claimed control over an area and forced all within it to submit.

Divine Right Theory

The belief that monarchs are chosen by God to rule, and their authority is justified by divine will, often requiring subjects to obey them as they would obey God.

Social Contract Theory

The idea that people give up some of their absolute freedom to a government or authority in exchange for safety, order, and protection of right

What theory is the US based on?

Social Contract Theory

Confederate Government

Sovereign state or regions hold most of the power, and a weak central government handles only specific shared duties like defense or foreign affairs

Unitary Government

Ultimate supreme authority is concentrated in a single centralized national government

Federal Government

Power is divided between a central authority and smaller regional units (states)

Authoritarian

Power rests with a single leader or a small group, and citizens have little say or control over the state

Totalitarian

The state holds total power and tries to control every part of the public and private life

Dictatorship

One person or a small group holds absolute power without any constitutional limits

Oligarchy

Power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people

Monarchy

A single person usually called a king or queen, serves as the head of state for life

Direct Democracy

Citizens vote directly on laws and policies instead of electing representatives to make choices for them

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect official to make laws and vote on policies on their behalf

How British ideas of representation are reflected in the US government today

-House of representatives

-English Bill of rights

-Bicameralism

Role of social contact in the US

Serves as the foundational agreement between government and citizens

Role of natural rights in the US

The foundational moral and philosophical basis for the US government and laws

Natural Rights

Universal, unalienable rights that all people possess simply by being Human

Who were the 3 English Political Thinkers that influenced colonial government.

John Locke(natural rights), Thomas Hobbes (social Contract) , Montesquieu (separation of powers)

What was the role of religion in the colonial government?

Shaping law, defining civic duties, and enforcing public morality through official churches

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Central government was too weak to manage the new nations basic economic, legal, and defensive needs, no power to tax no national currency.

Virginia Plan

Strong national government with three branches and representation based on population

New Jersey Plan

Smaller states by giving each state one equal vote in a unicameral legislature

Connecticut Compromise

Set up two-house Congress -House of Representatives based on population - Senate Every state gets two senators

What did the federalist and anti-federalists disagree on

On the strength of the national government versus state autonomy and whether the Us Constitution needed a bill of rights

What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers

To convince the American Public to ratify the newly proposed US Constitution

Main topic of each Article

Article 1 - Legislative Branch

Article 2 - Executive Branch

Article 3 - Judicial branch

Article 4 - Relationship between states

Article 5 - Amendment process

Article 6 - Ratification Process

Preamble

Introduce the Constitution

Two parts of Congress

Senate and the House

Necessary and Proper Clause

Article 1 Section 8 Gives congress the power to pass all laws needed to execute its explicitly granted powers

Three requirements to become President

-Natural born citizen of the United state

-Be at least 35 years old

-Have been a resident of the United States for 14 years

What is the highest court named in the Constitution

The Supreme Court

1st Amendment

Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and right to petition

2nd amendment

Keep and bear arms

3rd amendment

Bans quartering of soldiers during peacetime without permission

4th amendment

Protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government

5th amendment

Protects people from government overreach and basic rights in legal cases

6th amendment

Guarantees essential right to people accused of criminal crimes

7th amendment

Guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases where the disputed money is more than 20 dollars

8th amendment

Prohibits the federal government and state governments from imposing excessive bail and fines and cruel or unusual punishments

9th amendment

Protects peoples rights that are not specifically listed in the constitution

10th amendment

Establishes the principle of federalism by reserving all powers not granted to the federal government to thee states or to the people

Why can’t a state Constitution overall the US constittuion

The Supremacy Clause establishing the federal law is the “supreme law of the land”

Reserved Powers (state)

Political power kept by state government

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by both the federal government and atre or regional governments in a federal system

Enabling act

Gives government agency, territory, or court specific new powers

Federal Grant

An award of financial assistance from the US government agency to recipient to carry out a public purpose (doesn’t have to be paid back)

Mandate

An official order, rule, or law that required by the federal government.

Restraint

Legal or constitutional limits placed on power, actions, or expression

Preemption

A legal principle where a higher level of government limits, overrides, or completely eliminates the authority of a lower level of government to regulate a specific issue

McCulloh v Maryland

Landmark supreme court decision that established Congress has implied powers under the necessary and Proper clause and the states cannot tax federal institutions

Extradite

Sends an accused or convicted person back to another state or country to face trial or punishment

Public Policy

Collection of laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions that governments adopt to solve public problems and improve society

Sunset law

A statute that automatically ends a government program, agency, or law on set date unless lawmakers vote to renew it

Sunshine law

Regulations that require government agencies and certain public bodies to make their meeting, records, and decision open to the public