American National Government Test 1 UARK

government

the institutions and procedures through which a land and its people are ruled

autocracy

a form of government in which a single individual rules (ie.dictatorship)

oligarchy

a form of government in which a small group of landowners, military officers or wealthy merchants controls most of the governing decisions

- group of individuals that makes the decisions for everybody

democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through selection of key public officials

direct democracy

each person has a vote and a say

indirect democracy

elect delegates (US)

constitutional government

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of government

- least restrictive/limits on our government

- what we have in the US

- ex Bill of Rights

authoritarian government

1 individual/group that makes decisions in a way to control and maintain the status quo

- politics at it dirtiest

totalitarian government

- most restrictive kind

- total opposite of constitution

- ex: Hitler

politics

conflict, struggle, cooperation, and collaboration over the leadership, structure and policies of government

rational principle

- all political behavior has a purpose

- governments respond to what people want

- government is instrumental; everything is done with a purpose

- concerned with individuals needs and responses

institutional principle

institutions structure politics, rules by which the decisions that are made matter, and institutions affect decisions

- concerned with problems that are recurring and the institutions that can help

institutions

procedures and rules that provide incentives for political behavior

jurisdiction

the institution has authority

agenda power

the control over what a group will consider for discussion

veto power

the ability to defeat something even if it has made it on to the agenda of an institution

"set the agenda or veto it"

delegation

the transmission of authority to some other official or body for the latter's use (though often with the right of review and revision)

principal-agent relationship

the relationship between a principal and his or her agent. this relationship may be affected by the fact that each is motivated by self-interest, yet their interests may not be well aligned

transaction costs

costs that go with the relationships within the institution

collective action principle

bargaining, informal and formal

- concerned with group needs and responses

free riding

enjoying the benefits while others absorb the costs

public goods

goods that may be enjoyed by everyone -- parks, roads, air

tragedy of the commons

over use of common materials

policy principle

political outcomes are the products of individual preferences, institutional procedures, and collective action

historical principle

how we got here matters.. path dependency

history helps explain:

- rules and procedures (voter rules and regulations - progressive era)

- loyalties and alliances (Jewish support of Democrats)

- history shapes current viewpoints (current Syrian refugee crisis)

why are the principles important?

they are the lens which help us understand politics

tea introduced

1714

the molasses act

English Parliament 1733

- imposes heavy duties on molasses, rum and sugar imported from non British islands

- protects the english planters from their French and Dutch competition

english declares war on spain

1739

- hostiles break out between Florida, Spaniards, and Georgia

5 groups that had a huge stake in political life

-new england merchants

-southern planters

-royalists (pro-Britain)

- shopkeepers/ artisans/laborers

-small farmers

iron act

1750

-by english parliament

-encourages iron production in the colonies

currency act

1751

-bans issuing of paper money by New England colonies

french and indian war

1754

- lead by George washington

- america wins over french

- builds fort necessity in Ohio

- washington surrenders at end

england declares war on france

1756

- french and indian war spreads to europe

- pilgrams: religious freedom

- colonists: money

england declares war on spain

1762

british then successfully attack spanish outposts

sugar act

- passed by english parliament

- passed to help pay for war debt and expenses

- increases the duties on imported sugar and other items such as textiles, coffee, wines, and indigo

- doubles the duties on foreign goods reshipped from england

currency act later

1764

- prohibits colonists from issuing any legal tender paper money

- unties colonists against act

stamp act

1765

- passed to offset the high costs of the british military organization in America

- for the first time americans will pay taxes directly to England

- all printed materials taxed

- now taxing the elite (those who read)

quartering act

1765

requires colonists to house british troops and supply them with food

repeal of stamp act

1766

showed that when people got together they were able to have an effect on england

boston massacre

1770

first time in 40 years that british troops have killed in a group of people that were just trying to gather to talk about what was going on

boston tea party

1773

- britain granted east indian company a monopoly on export of tea

- cuts off colonial merchants within the tea trade

- as a result, colonial activists disguised as Mohawk Indians and dumped 342containers of tea into harbor

- britain tightened down ($) on colonists

coercive acts and intolerable acts

1774

- passed by parliament

class the boston harbor until all taxes paid

- first continental congress meets in philadelphia to organize boycott english imports, creating embargo on exports and slave trade

american revolution begins

1775

- merchants, southern plantation owners, and royalists (top 3)

-shopkeepers/artisans/ laborers & small farmers complaining b/c they are being taxed too much

- once britain started the unfair trade and tax people stopped supporting

declaration of independence

1776

articles of confederation and perpetual union

1777

- first written constitution

- strong states weak federal government -- did not work!!

- limited the powers of the central gov

- each state only had one vote (all 13 states unanimous)

- articles gave no remedy for discrimination in commerce btw states

- no executive or judicial authority all commerce

- in essence, each state was an independent nation

treaty of paris

1783

- signed by US and britain ending the revolutionary war

- ratified by congress under articles of confederation

americans suffer from post-war economic depression

1786

- shortage of currency, high taxes, nagging creditors, bankruptcy

- high taxes on land

- the wealthy british and elite left america for canada, leaving small farmers and shopkeepers in charge of gov

annapolis convention

1786

- addresses the institutions of the constitution

shays' rebellion

1787

- daniel shay leads rebels to attach arsenal in springfield - unsuccessful

- shows that the american gov is NOT PREPARED AT ALL

- amid calls for a stronger central gov - First Constitutional Convention

- great compromise provided each state with an equal number of senators and the H of R was apportioned by compromise

three fifths amendment

provided that each slave would count for 3/5 of a person for purpose of apportioning representatives

why is this history important

sets the stage for why the constitution is drafted the way it is

- institutions and rules are created allowing for trial and error of political structures

- individuals reacted rationally to the actions of the colonists and the british

- colonists acted so they could solve many issues within the collective action principle

federalists

- individuals that support a STRONG central gov

- generally ppl w money like

- constitution is good

representation (federalist)

should be "of" the people, serve long term public interests, representatives should be trustees (do what they think is in the best interest)

tyranny (federalist)

- too much power going to one group

- where we take power that is not ours

- really bad in gov

- our constitution is written so this doesn't happen

governmental power

avoid unwarranted limits on government (oppose bill of rights - scared it would weaken the fed gov)

anti - federalists

support states having their OWN CONTROL

- small farmers, frontiersmen, debtors, shopkeepers

- government should be close to the people - elites are dangerous

- state governments need power and government - protects the right of the individual

representation (anti-federalist)

representatives should be delegates (do exactly what the people want)

tyranny (anti-federalists)

danger in gov becoming controlled by the elite

governmental power (anti-federalists)

waned to limit the federal gov

compromise

constitutional convention of 1787 led to the ratification of the constitution

- ratification is found in the constitution Art VII - conventions of 9 states

checks and balances

each branch is ale to participate in the other branch/all interact

legislative branch

-article I

- the most important branch/supreme branch

-house and senate can veto each others bills

bicameralism

- 2 houses (stop tyranny of majority)

necessary and proper clause

congress has power to make all laws necessary and proper to carry them out

expressed powers

powers are specifically stated in the constitution

supremacy clause article VI

all laws passed by National Government are superior

executive branch

-article II

- the president

- single executive - energy allows for quick decisions

- indirect election of president and the president's veto power- limitations on central gov

- head of army, navy, overseas staff

judicial branch

- article III

- very brief

- the courts

- establishes only a supreme court, inferior courts' and the courts' jurisdiction (resolve conflicts under constitution, laws, and treaties)

judicial review

the courts have the power to say the actions of the other 2 branches are unconstitutional

sovereignty

the ability for each government to have supreme and independent political authority

ex:

arkansas laws have sovereignty, texas laws don't have sovereignty over arkansas

why is federalism important?

POWER

expressed power

power expressly given to federal government (Art I Sec. 8)

implied powers

all of those powers that are necessary to carry the expressed powers out are powers too

reserved powers

found in the 10th amendment which states that powers are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states; these powers are reserved for the states

police power

power reserved for the government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens

- not found in the constitution

home rule

power to run local government without interference from the state government - not found in constitution

- states have to pass on their own

concurrent powers

the authority possessed by both state and national governments such as the power to levy taxes, hold people in jails, build and maintain roads

- when there is a conflict between national and state concurrent powers, the resolution favored national supremacy

full faith and credit

requires the each state normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

ex: child support

privileges and immunities clause

states cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

ex: alaskan oil fields

state government vs. national government

federalism is a tug of war between those seeking more uniform national standards and those seeking more room for variability from state to state

dual federalism

before 1930s america had a 2-layer system of government

- states and local governments in control

mcculloch v. maryland

1. can congress charter a bank? YES

2. can may land tax a federal bank? NO

- supreme court created "implied" powers and federal laws are supreme law

cooperative federalism

- after 1930s there is now a "supportive" relationship between the state and the national governments

categorical grants-in-aid

money given for a specific purpose

project grants

competitive

formula grants

each state gets an amount

regulated federalism

1960s-present

- national gov sets minimum standards/policies and the state governments modify and administer policies (social welfare)

- ADA, No Child Left Behind

what is an unfunded mandate?

direction from the federal gov telling the state gov what to do without any money attached

new federalism

nixon and reagan's attempt to bring back traditional federalism where states have more authority over policy

- block grants provided states with large amounts of funds to use at their discretion

marbury v. madison

1800s

prior to 1803, the judicial branch had no power

- POWER OF JUDICIAL REVIEW

- courts have the ability to review the acts of the legislature and declare those acts unconsitutional

commerce clause

gives Congress the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes."

How do we ratify an amendment?

• House and Senate - 2/3 vote

• Majority of legislatures - ¾ of state