Honors Gov Unit 1

Political Socialization

The experiences and factors that shape an individual’s beliefs about government and politics (Geographical Area, Ethnic/Racial Heritage, Gender, Friends, Religion, Family, Socio-Economic Status, Education, The Law, and Media)

Political Culture

The dominant set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and government

Social Contract

Theoretical and/or actual agreement on what should be exchanged between the people and the government

(People allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society)

Popular Sovereignty

People are the ultimate source of the authority and legitimacy of a government (government’s right to rule comes from the people)

Natural Rights

The rights and liberties that can be claimed by individuals by the virtue of being human

(The right of life, liberty, and property, which government can’t take away)

Rule of Law

• The belief that the government is based on clear and fairly enforced laws

• The principle that no one, including public officials, are above the law

Limited Government

In order to protect one’s liberty, the powers exercised by the government are restricted

Participatory Democracy

A theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Republicanism

A system in which the government’s authority comes from the people through their representatives

Individualism

The belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and the decisions they make

Equality of Opportunity

The principle that every individual should have access to the same resources, be treated fairly, and have an equal chance to succeed and thrive

Free Entreprise

An economic system in which the government intrudes as little as possible in the economic transactions among citizens and businesses

Inalienable Rights

Rights the government can’t take away

Liberty

Social, political, and economic freedoms

Government

• Institutions and officials organized to establish and carry out public policy

  • the intentional actions taken by government to respond to the problems/issues of society

• A group of people that make and carry out the rules of a society

(The rules and institutions that make up that system of policymaking)

Politics

The process of influencing the actions and policies of the government

Pluralist Theory

A theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process

Elitist Theory

A theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Political Institutions

The structure of government, including the executive, legislature and judiciary

Constitutional Republic

A democratic system with elected representatives, in which the Constitution is the supreme law

Republic

A government ruled by representatives of the people

Unicameral

A one-house legislature

Bicameral

An 2-house legislature

Salutary Neglect

Colonists took care of themselves for a long time. Then British Parliment came in and started ruling the colonists. They made laws and raised taxes, upsetting the colonists.

7 Years War

British vs French and Indians. The British won and went into a lot of debt, so they raised taxes on colonists.

Proclamation of 1763

Americans colonists can’t settle on new land gained from 7 Years War. Made American’s angry.

Declaration of Independence

The Second Continental Congress wrote a Declaration of Clauses for taking up arms against the British government

Articles of Confederation (Basic Structure and Weaknesses)

Basic Structure:

• State legislature had the most power

• Few structures that made states work together

• Created a weak national government

Weaknesses:

• Required the approval of all states to amend the articles

• States were equally taxed to support militia, declare war, enter treates and alliances

Shays’ Rebellion

Popular uprising against the government of Massachussets

Constitutional Convention (Issues/Worries)

State Sovereignty, Guarding Against Tyranny, Suffrage (Voting), State Representation, Congress’ Power of Economy, State Representation and Slavery

New Jersey Plan

A plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state

Virginia Plan

A plan of government calling for a 3 branch government with bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in Congress

Connecticut/Great Compromise

An agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate apportioned equally

3/5 Compromise

An agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as 3/5s of a person in calculating a state’s representation

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

Congress wouldn’t be allowed to restrict slave trade until 1808.

Fugitive Slave Provision

In Article 4. Slaves who escaped successfully would have to be returned to their owners, regardless of individual state laws.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

The right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them

Bills of Attainder

When the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

Ex Post Facto Laws

Laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed

Seperation of Powers

A design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own

Checks and Balances

A design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy

Federalism (Benefits and Drawbacks)

Benefits:

• Protects against tyrany of majority (by dividing power among several units of government. It’s difficult for a guided majority to trample the rights of a minority)

• Promotes unity without imposing uniformity (allows groups with different values and different ways of life to live together in peace; allows states to pass laws that reflect the needs and goals of their citizens while remaining part of the union of states)

• Creates “laboratories“ for policy experiments (flexibility of federalism allows states to act as testing grounds for innovative solutions to common problems)

• Encourages political participation (People can be involved in the political process closer to home than the national capital)

Drawbacks:

• Lack of consistency of laws and policies from state to state

• The tension it sometimes creates between state and federal officials (Constitution doesn’t always draw a clear dividing line between national and state powers)

• An imbalance of resources can disrupt the division of power

Federalism (How/Why it has Changed/Looked Over Time)

Up to the 1790s: federalism

1790s-1930s: Dual Federalism

Devolution happened and fiscal federalism occured.

Enumerated Powers

Authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution

Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause

Language in Article 1, Section 8 granting Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers

Implied Powers

Authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers

Supremacy Clause

Constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all federal laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land

Amending the Constitution

First propose the amendment through a 2/3 vote in House and Senate or in a national convention 2/3 of the states call for. Then it must be ratified through a majority vote in ¾ state legislatures or by ratifying conventions in ¾ of the states.

The Bill of Rights Compromise

Federalists and Anti-Federalists agreed to add Bill of Rights into the US Constitution in order to ratify it

Antifederalist v. Federalist (Beliefs/Arguments)

Federalists supported the proposed Constitution (strong national government). Believed that the unlisted rights would go to the people.

Anti-Federalists opposed the proposed Constitution (strong state government). Believed Bill of Rights should be added to protect citizen’s Rights so that the government can’t take them away

Faction

A group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process

Motives of the Framers

They were in debt and needed money. They also wanted to protect the elite’s interests.

Unitary v. Federal System

Unitary is when the central government has all the power over subnational governments. While federal is when the power is divided between national and state governments.

Exclusive Powers

Powers only the national government may exercise

Concurrent Powers

Powers granted to both states and the federal government in the Constitution

Reserved Powers

Powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people.

10th Amendment

Reserves powers not delegated to the national government to the states and the people; basis of federalism

13th Amendment

Outlaws slavery

14th Amendment

Provides that persons born in the US are citizens and prohibits states from denying persons due process or equal protection under the law

15th Amendment

Gave African Americans the right to vote

Commerce Clause

Grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Constitutional clause requiring states to recognize the public acts, records, and civil court proceeding from another state

Extradition

The requirement that officials in one state return a defendant to another state where a crime was committed

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Constitutional clause that prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state

Dual Federalism

States and national government operate independently in their own areas of public policy

Cooperative Federalism

States and national government work together to shape public policy

Fiscal Federalism

The federal government’s use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states

Categorical Grants

Grant-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use

Block Grants

A type of grant-in-aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of federal funds

Unfunded Mandates

Federal requirements the state must follow, without being provided with funding

Devolution

Returning more authority to state or local governments

McCulloch v. Maryland

• Used the Necessary and Proper Clause to establish Congress’s implied powers to create a national bank.

• Used the Supremacy Clause to block states from taxing federal property

US v Lopez

• Used Necessary and Proper Clause to execute the Commerce Clause