College Gov Midterm

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The Constitution

Outlines the U.S. government

Natural Rights (5)

Rights that everyone is born with including the right to life, liberty, and property. These rights are important to the American republican democracy because the government should protect these rights and not infringe them. People have these rights naturally, and the gov. is supposed to make sure our rights are protected.

The primary power of the supreme court is to…

interpret the meaning of law, and how rule should be applied

Article 1

outlines congress

Article 2

outlines executive

Article 3

outlines judicial

Article 4

outlines relationship with states

Article 5

outlines amendments

Article 6

establishes constitution as “supreme”

Article 7

outlines ratification

What guarantees states reserved rights?

10th amendment

Federalism (3)

Is a system between the federal and state governments. I think the federal gov should have more power over national issues, like defense and trade, while states handle local issues like education. This helps keep the country united while allowing states to manage their own needs.

How do checks and balances & separation of powers work to limit size of gov? (3)

Provide each branch of gov. with individual powers to check the other branches and prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

What specific ways does the Bill of Rights reflect colonists experience with Great Britian? (3)

They wanted to prevent the gov from abusing its power. It protects freedom that British violated like freedom of speech and protection from unreasonable searches. It helped the colonists with individual freedom.

1st amendment

freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, & petition

4th amendment

protects unreasonable searches & seizures

5th amendment

protects due process, prevents double jeopardy & self incrimination

7th amendment

right to a jury trial in certain civil cases

10th amendment

powers not given to the fed gov or prohibited to states are reserved for studies/people

13th amendment

abolish slavery, except as crime punishment

14th amendment

defines citizenship & guarantees due process and equal protection

15th amendment

cannot deny the right to vote because of race

17th amendment

allows voters to directly elect U.S. senators

19th amendment

cannot deny right to vote because of gender

24th amendment

bans poll taxes in federal elections

25th amendment

presidential succession; what happens if pres cannot perform duties

Social Contract theory implies…

people live together within a society in accordance with an agreement that establishes moral & political rules of behavior

3/5ths compromise

enslaved counted as 3/5 of a person when determining states representative

Great Compromise

created 2 house congress: the house of representatives based on state population. Senate with 2 senators per state.

United States form of gov.

Representative Democracy

Rule of law:

the political philosophy that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers & leaders

All of the following except were options the framers put into place to ensure limited gov

huge federal budget

What 3 functions do all governments exercise?

Judicial, Legislative, Executive

To prevent gov from being too powerful framers decided to…

divide power through branches

What statement from the Declaration of Independence summarizes the idea of self-government?

“American colonists, as a people, had the same rights to self-government as other nations.”

What specifically about British taxation led to American rebellion

The Stamp Act passed

Bicameral

2 houses; 1. house of reps population 2. senate equal

Liberty

To do what we ought to do

Statement from Declaration of Independence summarizes due process

“No person shall be deprived from life liberty or property without due process of law.”

Statement from Declaration of Independence summarizes natural rights

“Natural and from God; Certain acts people believe they should do without restrictions; only be taken away with due process.”

Popular sovereignty

“That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends it is right to abolish it and institute a new government”

Can we predict what policy will come out of Washington based on demographics?

No, you still cannot explain many important policies like civil rights for minority or women's rights to vote.

Basic tenet of representative democracy:

Individuals should acquire power through competition for people to vote

Pluralist view of American society:

Money, expertise, prestige, … Are widely scattered throughout our society in the hands of a variety of groups

Policy and intentions:

Good intentions doesn't always mean good policies

Authority

The right to use said power

Democracy

The rule of the many

Legitimacy

Political authority conferred by law/state/national constitution

Power

Ability of one person to get another to act in accordance with the first person's intentions

The goal of American Revolution

Liberty

The colonists fought to protect liberties that they believed were

Based on a “higher law”, discoverable in nature and history, ordained by God, and essential to human progress

All of the following were true of the government under the articles except

Amendments were easy to obtain

Selection before great compromise satisfied big and small states by…

Bicameral Congress

Founders sought to defuse national government power by…

Separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism

Government branches and self-interest?

Allowing people to operate in their self-interest allows for equal separation in branches

Dred Scott V. Stanford

Congress had no authority to ban slavery in its territory. A slave was considered property

Brown V. Board of Education

Separate public schools are inherently unequal, starting racial desegregation

Roe V. Wade

State laws against abortion unconstitutional

Plessy v. Ferguson

Upheld separate but equal facilities for white and blacks on railroad cars

What increases political socialization

High influence in media; starts with family and school

Explain the ideas of Political socialization

Political socialization is how people develop political beliefs. Progressives believe college, white collar, cities, live by Whole Foods. Conservatives Believe Blue Collar, High income, rural, live by Bass Pro Shop.

Do you think the federal government should give more grants with less strains attached to them or more? Should they have to go explicit purposes, or should it be left up to the states? (3)

I think the federal government should give some grants with specific requirements and some with few strings attached. Grants with requirements make sure money is used for important purposes, while grants with few restrictions allow states to decide what the community needs. This gives states flexibility while allowing federal government to make sure money is used responsible.

How can the federal government supersede state rights?

Persuade the states by giving them more money if they do what they want and give them less if they don't

Equal opportunity

The condition in which people, not guaranteed equal rewards, expect to have comparable chance to compete for those awards

Moderate (social)

Ideology category, designates a rejection of extreme views. Moderate is someone occupying any mainstream position avoiding extreme views

Progressive (social)

People believe that moral rules are derived in part from an individual's beliefs and circumstances of modern life

Equality

Everyone has equal vote, equal chance to participate and succeed

Liberty!

Condition of being free from Gov Ferment restraints

Orthodox (social)

Moral rules derived from God, more important than the individual choice

Equal outcome

Citizens should have roughly equal economic circumstances

Which of the following is not among the important elements in the American view of the political system

Equality of condition

Role of religion in civic engagement

People who are active in religious congregations tend to be happier and civically engaged than either religiously unaffiliated adults or inactive members of religious groups

The culture war is a conflict between…

Private and public morality

cynicism toward our government

Is directed at politicians themselves

Probable cause

Reasonable cause for issuing search warrant or arrest

Freedom of expression

Right of people to seek, publish, assemble

Wall of Separation principle

Court ruling government cannot be involved in religion

Clear and present danger

law should not punish speech unless there was a clear and present danger of producing harmful actions

Limits to free speech

Do not produce libel, slander, words that initiate others to crime, incitement, defamation

At the heart of civil rights movements for an African Americans was the interpretation of what amendment?

14th

Methods of civil rights movement

Nonviolent directed action protest, passive resistance

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 make it illegal to discriminate

Gender, creed Religion, race, color

14th Amendment

Citizen born/naturalized have full citizenship and equal protection

Why was the government not intended to do what the people want

Because people do not know what they want all of the time

Why is it difficult to measure political ideology

There are so many factors and opinion that can affect someone's choices and how they may view society/gov

For Independents, the most important thing they consider before voting is…

The economy

Types of political participation

Obeying laws, following military orders, paying taxes, citizens may play a more active part in the process, voting, work for political candidates, attend rallies, contribute money, join political parties

Is the two-party system good or bad for the United States (2)

Good, Makes election simple and stable. Make easier for government to organize and pass policies. But it creates division between the citizens.

Campaigns have to be careful not to be too liberal or conservative or they risk

Split ticket, the moderates/independents

Do elections make a real difference in what law gets passed

Not necessarily, because a law has to be voted for amongst the people

Why is it difficult to explain disparate impact based on discrimination alone? How does this make it difficult to legislate for “civil rights?” (3)

Because unequal outcomes can be caused by many social and economic factors. This makes civil rights laws harder to create because lawmakers must decide whether to focus on discriminatory intent, unequal results, or both.

Compare and contrast the four ways of feminism and how they relate to civil rights and civil liberties (3)

1. Suffrage, 19th Amendment, legal rights vote

2. Economic, political, sexual, equal pay

3. Workplace harassment, challenge traditional ideas, recognizing diversity

4. Queer, sec-positive, trans inclusive, body positive

All four ways relate to civil rights and liberties because they seek equal rights, protection, and freedom. All focus on equality but in different ways.

Why is it difficult for progressive and considerate to get along? (3)

Because they have different values and ideas of how society should work. Conservatives prioritize tradition and stability while progressive prioritize change and reform. Each believe their way is the right way. Hard to change mind.