Matthew Haydon POLS206 Midterm

What were the articles of confederation and why were they proven weak?

The written documents that established the functions of the US government after its independence from Britain. They left too much power with the states, as the federal government could not levy/collect taxes, regulate trade, or enforce laws. They also didn't establish an executive branch or a national court system.

What was the main difference between the articles of confederation and the constitution?

The constitution increased the power of the federal government, and created the three branches, which strengthened the central government

What event proved that the articles of confederation were weak?

Shays rebellion

What happened in Shays rebellion, and how did it impact the structure of our government?

When the government under the articles was unable to stop shays rebellion, it was realized that the articles were weak, and eventually lead to the implementation of the constitution

What was held to revise the articles of confederation?

The 1787 constitutional convention revised the articles into the constitution

What is the Virginia plan?

James madison's outline of a strong central government with the three branches, and the house/senate being represented based off of population

What is the jersey plan?

William paterson's outline of a unicameral legislature with representation being equal representation

What is the Connecticut compromise?

Proposition that one houses representation is based on population while the other is equal representation

What was the effect of the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland on the powers of the Congress?

Established that congress had the power to make a national bank, and that states did not have the power to tax the federal government

What happened in the supreme court case marbury vs madison, and how did it affect the constitutional law?

Supreme court ruled an act of congress unconstitutional and established the principle of judicial review

What are the necessary and proper clauses?

Implied powers given to congress that allows the power to write laws beyond the constitution

What is the lemon test and why is it important?

Test for whether a government action violates the establishment clause for religious establishments

What happened in the supreme court case Miranda vs Arizona, and how did it affect law enforcement/testimonies?

Arrested individuals are entitled to rights against self-discrimination (right to remain silent) and to an attorney under the 5th and 6th amendments

What happened in the supreme court case Lemons vs Kurtzman, and how did it affect law enforcement/testimonies?

Established the lemon test, established that government action toward religion is allowed only for secular purposes

What happened in the supreme court case Gideon vs Wainwright, and what were its effects?

Established that states must appoint attorneys for defendants who could not afford counsel themselves

What happened in the supreme court case Gibbons vs Ogden and what were its effects?

Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce because of its power over the national economy

What happened in the supreme court case DC vs Heller, and what were its effects?

The second amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm for self defense

What happened in the supreme court case Griswold vs Connecticut and what were its effects?

Established that a states banning of the use of contraceptives (birth control) violated the right to marital privacy

What happened in the supreme court case McDonald vs Chicago and what were its effects?

Established that the 2nd amendment was applicable in the states

What happened in the supreme court case Lawrence vs Texas and what were its effects?

Established that state laws banning homosexual sodomy are unconstitutional and a violation of the right to privacy

What happened in the supreme court case Bowers vs hardwick and what were its effects?

There is no constituional right to privacy fpr consenual homosexual activity, later overturned by Lawrence vs Texas

What is the difference between de facto and de jury?

What is used in reality vs what is actually denoted in legal code

What is the definition of power?

The ability to get someone to do something

Which article of the constitution sets up congress?

article 1

What does the first article of the constitution establish?

Creates a congress consisting of a house and senate

What is a capitalist society?

Based on individual initiative and favors market mechanisms, where individuals and corporations own the means of production

What is a socialist society?

Based on government planning and limitations on private control of resources

What is a procedural guarantee?

Government assurance that rules will work smoothly and treat everyone equally with no promise of a particular outcome

What is a substantive guarantee?

Government assurance of a particular outcome

What is the difference between a democracy and an authoritarian government?

Economic, social, and political freedoms separate these types of government

What do founders think about political parties?

frick em

What is federalist 51 and what is its importance?

checks and balances

What is federalist 10 and what is its importance?

That the proposed government wouldn't be dominated by any faction, and that power would be equally spread

Who is John Locke and why was he important?

Pioneered the ideas of natural law, social contract, religion toleration, and the right to revolution

What is the difference between marble and layer cake federalism?

Marble cake is based on mixing authority among national, state, and local governments, while layer cake is based on clear delineation of authority between the levels of government

What is the 13th amendment?

Abolished slavery and indentured servitude, except as a punishment for crime

What is the 14th amendment?

Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US

What is the 15th amendment?

Gave african american men the right to vote

What is the difference between a citizen and a subject?

Subjects live under the power of authority, while citizens are free and self governing

What is Hashtag Activism?

This is a form of political engagement that occurs by organizing individuals online around a particular issue.

What is Politics?

who gets what, when, and how

What is political narrative?

opinion on who should have what and how it should be used

Is there an intersection between econ & politics?

Yes, it tends to be who has the money has the power or atleast is very influential in whats going on

What kind of economy does the US have?

market economy

Where did the idea capitalist come from and is US still one?

It is said that Adam Smith came up with the term for this, but capitalism originated back in the 16th century. Yes the US still has some capitalist remnants

Are there benefits to socialism?

Free Health Care & Free Education, however it comes at a cost

Can socialism work?

In a perfect situation, yes it can, because it takes full advantage of every able body citizen. However, in real application this system tends to be flawed

What is Democratic Socialism?

having a socialist economy in which the means of production are socially and collectively owned alongside a liberal democratic political system of government.

under which type of government are people subject?

authoritarian

under which type of government are people citizens?

democracy (non-authoritarian)

Why did settlers come to the new world?

They were escaping persecution, poverty, being outcasts or the 3rd son of a noble family that would get nothing.

Who had the power in the colonies?

wealthy land owners

Those who favor an expanded government role in the economy but a limited role in the social order are ______.

economic liberals

Which members of the political community have a potentially powerful position in democratic systems?

citizens

Which term refers to power to which we have implicitly consented?

authority

What principle of international law allows for citizenship to be given by "the right of soil"?

jus soli

______ is the process of analyzing and evaluating ideas and arguments based on reason and evidence.

Critical thinking

When citizens try to use the system to get the most they can for themselves, they are practicing ______.

self-interested citizenship

According to the authors of this textbook, what role do power and resources play in politics?

The authors maintain that politics can best be understood as a struggle for power and resources.

Which political group wants the government to strongly control the economy?

liberals

The most extreme form of non authoritarianism is

anarchy

What is guaranteed to every person born in one of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or one of America's territories?

american citizenship

______ are government assurances of a particular outcome.

Substantive guarantees

Mediated citizens are targets of ______ due to their unprecedented access to power.

attempts to shape their views

Sara is a political activist who wishes to change the political narrative that she feels is negatively impacting herself and her neighbors who are all struggling, low-income families. Which of the following is one of the ways in which she can go about altering that narrative?

She can work to change the rules that dictate the narrative.

Ethan's position as a supervisor requires him to assess how well his employees are performing based upon specific measurable criteria. In performing this function of his job, Ethan is engaging in which of the following?

evaluation

What is the primary vision for social conservatives when it comes to the moral tone of life?

emphasis on fundamentalist religious values

Which of the following norms supports the judicial branch of the U.S. government?

powerful through the application of judicial review

Why did James Madison believe that factions could be neutralized in larger territories?

There would be so many factions that none of them would become the majority.

What lesson from their colonial experience did the founders apply in the Articles of Confederation?

fair treatment of all states

For what purpose did Thomas Jefferson craft the Declaration of Independence?

to discredit the authority of King George III

Generally speaking, one major group of elites dominated the establishment of the United States of America.

false

Because it called for the number of congressional representatives to be determined by population, the Virginia Plan favored which of the following?

larger, populous states

The consent of the citizenry allows democratic societies to do which of the following?

maintain public order

What is the irony in James Madison advocating for the United States Constitution's federal system of government in the Federalist Papers?

He viewed the federal system as a solution to factions, but factions are empowered by the ability to influence different levels of government.

The principle of judicial review, the basis for the power of the Supreme Court, was not a part of the Constitution but was introduced after the fact by the Federalist Papers and the ruling in Marbury v. Madison.

True

In what ways were the majority of American women permitted to contribute to the war effort during the Revolution?

by boycotting British imports and producing homemade goods

Who created the Virginia Plan?

James Madison

Which powers were allowed for the Congress rather than the states by the Articles of Confederation?

commanding the armed forces

Which of the following were competing elites in the American colonies during and after the Revolution?

leaders of northern states and leaders of southern states

The authors of your textbook seek to understand American government in terms of which of the following?

winners and losers

which section of article 2 advises Congress and recommends legislature in the State of the Union address

section 3

which section of article 2 sets electoral requirements for the president

section 1

which section of article 2 sets impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors

section 4

which section of article 2 gives executive authority to command the military, make treaties, and appoint officials

section 2

Local governments worry more than the federal government about pleasing their constituents because ______.

people who can afford it are likely to relocate to another city or state

Which statement is true regarding the Republican and Democratic Parties and their approach to government power?

Both parties support central government power when their party controls the national government.

What is meant by the devolution of power in the United States?

the transfer of powers from federal to state governments

Which congressional strategy could be considered "coercive federalism"?

categorical grants

Which is an example of how federalism shares power between the federal and state governments?

Both the federal and state governments can raise and spend taxes.

Why has the distribution of power between state and federal governments in the United States changed over time?

The relationship between state and federal powers was kept vague by the founders to avoid disagreements.

What event halted the conservative trend toward devolution that began in the early 1990s?

the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

What is the most common form of federal aid that state and local governments get?

categorical grants

How has the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution been used to limit state powers?

The Supreme Court has interpreted its protection of rights for all citizens to extend to state rights as well.

What distinguishes the concept of dual federalism from that of cooperative federalism in the narrative of the United States government?

Dual federalism conceptualizes state and federal powers as distinct, while cooperative federalism conceptualizes them as shared.

Which president sought to return power to the states by giving them more control over how they spent federal money?

Ronald Reagan

Federalism means that there is no real power at local levels of government.

false

Which is an accurate statement describing the growth of the U.S. government?

Liberals have favored intervention by the federal government to fix problems that the states have not.

Which of these items cannot be searched in a car without a warrant, even with probable cause?

cellphone

What is the major concern with a lack of freedom of or trust in the press?

government control of flow of information