US Gov Chapter 1

Government

 The institution through which a society makes & enforces its public policy. 

Public Policy

An institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, & actions to solve or address relevant & real-world problems. 

Constitution

The basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it.

Citizen

• one who holds both rights & responsibilities in a state. A good citizen has an abiding respect for each of the core beliefs on which a democracy is based in this country.

Duty

Required of every citizen 

Responsibility

Strongly encouraged of every citizen.

Duties of Citizenship 

• Serving on a jury 

• Serving as a witness when called 

• Attending school 

• Paying taxes 

• Registering for the draft ( men only ) 

• Obeying local, state, & national laws 

• Respecting the rights of others 

Responsibilities of Citizenship 

• Voting 

• Volunteering 

• participating in civic life 

• Understanding the workings of our government 
  

3 Basic Powers of Government 

Legislative Power, Executive Power, Judicial Power

Legislative Power

The power to make laws & to frame public policies. 

Executive Power

The power to execute, enforce, & administer laws. 

Judicial Power

The power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, & to settle disputes that arise within the society. 

4 characteristics of a state:

• Population 

• Territory 

• Sovereignty 

• Government

1st American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Recognition of fundamental worth & dignity of every person;

2nd American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Respect for the equality of all persons; 

3rd American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Faith in majority rule & an insistence upon minority rights;

4th American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Acceptance of the necessity of compromise; 

5th American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom. 

Unitary Government 

• Centralized 

• All powers belong to the central agency. 

• All powers held centrally (not dispersed to localities) 

• Not the same as dictatorship. 

• Great Britain 

Federal Government 

• Powers are divided between central and local governments. 

• Both sets of governments work directly on the people through their own sets of laws, officials and agencies. 

• The US, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, India. 

Confederate Government 

• An alliance of independent states. 

• The confederate government only handles those matters that member states assign to it. 

• They do not have power to make laws that directly affect people. 

• The European Union is the best example to date.

Social Contract Theory

The agreement of free and equal people to abandon certain natural rights in order to find freedom in a single body politic committed to the general good- give up certain “rights” to help protect those natural rights 

What did John Locke believe?

the most basic human law of nature is the preservation of mankind. To serve that purpose, he reasoned, individuals have both a right and a duty to preserve their own lives.

Natural Law

• People are born free & equal 

• Religion Freedom 

• Natural Rights: “Life liberty & property” 

• State should protect individual rights 

• Citizens should rebel against unjust governments

Natural Rights

(life, liberty, property) 

Jean-Jacques Rousseau 

Proposed the Social Contract - Give up certain “rights” to help protect those natural rights.

(Jean-Jacques Roousseau)Popular Sovereignty

The will of the people as the authority for making laws, & a government of officials to carry them out. 

What did Thomas Hobbes believe?

Concluded that people are incapable of ruling themselves, primarily because humans are naturally self centered and quarrelsome-therefore, they need the iron fist of a strong leader.

What did the Enlightenment thinkers believe?

They proposed that a democracy should rely on consent of the people; that there were natural rights that could not be taken away by the government (life, liberty, property) 

Factors that led to the colonist’ rebellion: 

• Taxation without representation

• Violations of free religion, speech, assembly, etc. 

Declaration of Independence Main sections: 

1. Preamble: Reason for writing the document. 

2. Statement of Beliefs/Philosophies 

3. Lists of Grievances/Complaints

4. Statement of Prior Attempts to Remedy Grievances 

5. Declaration of Independence 

Declaration of Independence Main Principles: 

• Natural Rights: Rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on government. 

• Consent of the Governed: People must agree on who their rulers will be. 

• Limited Government: Must be clear restrictions on what rulers can do. 

• If violated, people can revolt. 

How does the government affect your daily life?

Gives stability to society, as well as many crucial services such as free public education, police and fire services, and mail delivery.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

• Central government was too weak 

• No power to tax 

• No power to draft an army/navy 

• No uniform currency among the states 

• No Supreme Court 

• Very difficult to make laws - 9 out of 13 states had to agree 

• In order to amend the Articles, All 13 states had to agree

Shays’ Rebellion

An uprising of farmers/property owners in Massachusetts who lost their homes because of failure to pay taxes. 

Philadelphia Convention

• Also known as the “Constitutional Convention” 

• Initial Purpose: Amend the Articles 

• 55 Delegates present (all states represented except Rhode Island) 

• George Washington was elected president of Convention 

• Delegates quickly decided to: 

• Decide on a new form of government 

• The farmers were forced to make several compromises 

• Meeting was kept a secret

Virginia Plan 

• 3 Separate Branches 

• Bicameral Legislature (one chosen by the people) 

• Representation based on population 

• Congress would choose a National Executive and Judiciary 

• Proposed by Edmund Randolf (Virginia) 

• Largely written by James Madison 

• Weakness: Representation for smaller states 

New Jersey Plan

• Unicameral Congress 

• National Congress only had limited ability to tax & regulate interstate trade 

• Equal State Representation (Every state one vote) 

• Plural Executive by Congress 

• No National Courts 

The Connecticut Compromise 

• Also known as the “Great Compromise” 

• Connecticut delegates, Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, & William Samuel Johnson, presented their compromise to the Convention. 

• Took principles from both the New Jersey and Virginia Plans 

• Created a two house congress (bicameral) 

• Senate - Equal representation 

• House of Representatives - Based on population

3/5ths Compromise

• Counted slaves as 3/5th of a person in terms of representation and taxation 

• Fugitive slave clause that provided for slaves to be returned to their owners. 

Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise

• Southern delegates feared this new government would try to abolish slavery. 

• Congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any State and to act on the trade in enslaved people for a period of at least 20 years. 

• Solidified the position of slavery in the new nation. 

Federalists

• Supported strong national government to preserve order 

• James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay 

• Stressed the weaknesses of the Articles 

• Argued that the difficulties that faced the Republic could be solved by only a few government 

• Believed no Bill of Rights were needed 

Anti-Federalists 

• Supported a government like the one under the Articles 

• Feared a single executive and favored strong state governments; believed the government created by the Constitution was too strong and neglected individual freedoms 

• Feared the presidency could become a monarchy and Congress would become too powerful. 

• Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee 

• Desired a bill of rights for basic rights and liberties for citizens.