American Political System Exam 1 Study Guide

Introduction to the American Political System

When a democratic regime has become an authoritative regime, how has that typically occured?

Through a slow, step-by-step process often involving the erosion of civil liberties, manipulation of electoral process, and the consolidation of power by the ruling part to leader, undermining check and balances

Why are governments created, according to the Declaration of Independence?

To secure and protect the natural, unalienable rights of the people, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

What roles did principles, policies, and compromise play in the writing and ratification of the Constitution?

Principles like federalism and separation of powers guided its framework, while policies involved various compromises, such as the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise, which were essential for gaining consensus among states.

Is President Trump becoming an authoritarian leader? Should he be? How would Kevin Roberts answer these questions?

- Disregard for due process and other individual rights

• Use of Justice Department and law enforcement

• Disregard for Congressional and judicial authority

• Control over administrative state

• Control over information

• Use of military

Kevin Roberts would say that he is doing what is necessary to bring back the government to focus on building up American families.

Why is the United States government federal, rather than unitary, in structure?

The framers needed a practical compromise to unite 13 independent states that were fiercely protective of their own local autonomy. A unitary system concentrates all power in a single central government, a confederation places all power in the individual states, leaving the central government too weak to function. Federalism served as a middle ground

How has the authority of the national and state governments changed since 1777, when the Articles of Confederation were adopted?

Power moved away from independent state governments and toward a much stronger national (federal) government under the U.S. Constitution, and later expanded through federal laws and court rulings

What tools can the national government use to influence state governments today?

1. Fiscal Federalism: Grants-in-aid; categorical grants, block grants, condition-of-aid

2. Federal Mandates: federal laws or regulations that force state governments to perform certain actions or meet national minimum standards

3. Federal preemption: Supremacy Clause, national laws outweigh states laws

4. Commerce Clause: Laws touching on labor, civil rights, and environmental protection indirectly or indirectly govern states

5. Spending Power: Article 1, Section 8: Congress can spend for “general welfare”

How does federalism affect policymaking? What are some advantages of setting policy at the national level? What are some advantages of setting policy at the state level?

Division lets the government address both nationwide and local concerns. National level policy creates uniformity, efficiency, equality and resource distribution. State level policy creates laboratories of democracy, local responsiveness, managing disagreement, and citizen participation.

How do civil liberties and civil rights differ?

Civil liberties are individual freedoms conferred by nature that are constitutionally protected by the government. Civil rights are the benefits of citizenship and civil society that are constitutionally guaranteed by the government.

Why, after more than 230 years, do the federal courts still have to hear and decide lawsuits involving civil liberties?

Because the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are intentionally written in broad, general terms that must be interpreted as society changes.

Even though the language of the First Amendment makes the right to freedom of speech and religion sound absolute, in practice those rights sometimes can be legally limited by government. Why?

Because no right is absolute when it directly harms others, disrupts public order, or infringes upon another person's rights

What role did the national government play in guaranteeing equal rights for women and African Americans? What role did the state governments play?

The national government used constitutional amendments, federal legislation, and Supreme Court rulings to establish baseline legal equality across the country. State governments held primary authority over voting qualifications, local policing, and civil laws under the Tenth Amendment, leading to deeply contrasting approaches.

How do de jure and de facto segregation differ?

_______ is in law and can be remedied by repealing laws. _______ (in fact) is tradition habit or practice and remedy requires new substantive policies.

Why is the decade after the Civil War known as “Reconstruction”? Why did Reconstruction end?

Because the nation faced the massive task of rebuilding a shattered country, reintegrating seceded Southern states back into the Union, and defining the legal and social status of 4 million newly freed Black Americans.
Ended in 1877due to a mix of political fatigue, violent resistance in the South, and a compromise over a disputed presidential election (Compromise of 1877)