U.S. Government Unit 1 Test

Natural rights

rights one is born with (life, liberty, property)

Limited Government

Government whose power is restricted by a written constitution usually

Separation of powers

Giving different powers/responsibilities to different groups within government

Social Contract

Governmental power comes from consent of the governed; members of society agree to be governed giving government their power

Popular Sovereignty

Governments right to rule comes from the people; people have consented to be governed

Confederation

group of states/nations joined by central gov. that has limited powers

Ex; u.s when we had articles of confederation or Switzerland

Unitary Government

All political power in central government (Small gov. only do what central government says)

Which countries have a unitary government?

United Kingdom and China

Federalism

Two or more levels of government share power over same group/area

Dual Federalism

Federal government and state government don’t overlap and each supreme in own spheres

Cooperative Federalism

Federal government and state government create/oversee policy in overlapping areas (Ex: traffic laws, tax policies)

3/5 Compromise

counted three out of every five enslaved individuals for representation and taxation

New Jersey Plan

equal representation for all states in a single-chamber Congress — one vote per state, no matter how big or small.

Virginia Plan

strong national government with three branches and a bicameral legislature where representation was based on state population — favoring large states.

How does the Declaration of Independence provide a foundation for popular sovereignty?

By stating that governments derive power from consent of governed and people have right to alter/abolish governments that violate their rights

Major Differences between Federalists and Anti-Federalists in their backgrounds and ideaology?

Federalists- Want strong national gov, federalist papers, large landowners/professionals, Northern States (believe in constitution)

Anti-Federalists- Anti-fed papers, want strong state gov, small farmers, Southern States (Don’t believe in constitution)

What compromises at the Constitutional Convention allowed for the adoption and ratification of the Constitution, and why were they necessary?

?

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

FEDERAL GOV TOO WEAK/STATE GOV TOO STRONG

Federal gov couldn’t tax

Federal gov couldn’t coin money/regulate commerce

Federal Gov couldn’t raise an army

Only 1 branch: legislative

State only had 1 vote in legislation regardless of pop.

could only be amended by unanimous consent

Name of the first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee basic liberties?

Bill of Rights

Concurrent power?

Power shared by both the federal and state governments

Ex: Power to tax, general welfare, and regulating commerce

Three main U.S. goals of the U.S government as stated by the Preamble

1. Form a more perfect union

2. Establish Justice

3. Provide for the common defense

Other goals for U.S government as stated by the Preamble

Insure domestic tranquility, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty

Direct Democracy

Citizens directly involved in day-to-day governing (can be judges)

-no representatives

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect leaders to represent rights and do day-to-day work of governing country

Who holds the ultimate power in a Representative Democracy

(U.S.) Citizens

What type of government does Kim Jong-un represent

Totalitarianism (Dictatorship)

Main difference in focus between the Declaration of Independence and the Constiution?

Declaration of Independence: Explains why American colonies broke away from British rule

Constitution: Structure and Operation of government

What constitutional principle best explains why states have different laws on issues like capital punishment?

federalism

Monarchy

Monarch (king/queen) holds all power and usually comes into power through family line

Totalitarianism (Dictatorship)?

Government has absolute control over citizens, led by single leader, if constitution present-dictator controls it

Oligarchy

Small group of people have all power; only certain groups have political rights and several people share power (military officers usually ones who rule)

Anarchy

Nobody in control; usually believe people shouldn’t be subject to gov. control or national identity

The excerpt from the Declaration of Independence states that if a government becomes destructive, the people have the right to “alter or to abolish it” What concept does this idea refer to?

popular sovereignty

How does government “establish justice”

Through constitutional frameworks, judicial oversight, and due process

What are the three unalienable rights according to the Declaration of Independence

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Supremacy Clause

Federal law supreme over state law

Tenth Amendment

All powers not given to the federal government are reserved for the states

Full Faith and Credit Clause

States must respect each others laws

Advantages of Federalism

-Allow for diversity in public policy

-Good for large areas

-Increased citizen participation

-Increased efficiency/responsiveness

Disadvantages of Federalism

Inequalities in services between states

History of protecting slavery, segregation, and other forms of discrimination

Things needed to be addressed in the Constitution?

1. How should states be represented in federal legislature

2. How would population of each state be determined

3. Who can vote

4. How will individual freedoms be protected from tyrannical gov.

Electorate?

Portion of people allowed to vote in election

What did the Constitution actually do?

create republic (no true democracy)

divide fed. gov into 3 branches

explains what gov. can & cannot do

leave lot of power to states

give people rights and liberties

DIVIDED INTO 7 ARTICLES AND 27 Amendments

Great Compromise

Congress would have two legislative houses

Congress= 2 senators from each state

House of Representatives= 1 rep. from every 30,000 people