US Gov Chapter 1

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Government

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43 Terms

1

Government

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

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2

Public Policy

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

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3

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.

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4

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.

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5

Duty

Required of every citizen 

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6

Responsibility

Strongly encouraged of every citizen.

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7

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 

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8

Responsibilities of Citizenship 

  • Voting 

  • Volunteering 

  • participating in civic life 

  • Understanding the workings of our government 

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9

3 Basic Powers of Government 

Legislative Power, Executive Power, Judicial Power

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10

Legislative Power

The power to make laws & to frame public policies. 

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11

Executive Power

The power to execute, enforce, & administer laws. 

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12

Judicial Power

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

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13

4 characteristics of a state:

  • Population 

  • Territory 

  • Sovereignty 

  • Government

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14

1st American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Recognition of fundamental worth & dignity of every person;

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15

2nd American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Respect for the equality of all persons; 

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16

3rd American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Faith in majority rule & an insistence upon minority rights;

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17

4th American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Acceptance of the necessity of compromise; 

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18

5th American Basic Concepts of Democracy 

Insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom. 

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19

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 


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20

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. 

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21

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.

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22

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 


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23

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.

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24

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

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25

Natural Rights

(life, liberty, property) 

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26

Jean-Jacques Rousseau 

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

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27

(Jean-Jacques Roousseau)Popular Sovereignty

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

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28

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.

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29

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) 

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30

Factors that led to the colonist’ rebellion: 

  • Taxation without representation

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

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31

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 

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32

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. 

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33

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.

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34

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

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35

Shays’ Rebellion

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

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36

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


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37

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 


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38

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 

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39

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


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40

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. 

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41

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. 

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42

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 


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43

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. 


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