POL 1100: American Government Week 1 Slides

Government

formal institutions throiugh which a territory and its people are ruled

provides services known as public goods

Public Goods

services that all citizens need but cannot provide for themselves (defense, stable currency, public order, etc)

Autocracy

single individual governs

Oligarchy

small group governs

Democracy

all govern

Constitutional

constitutions and other laws limit what governmets can do and how they go about it

Authoritarian

laws impose few real limits; governmet checked by other institutions

Totalitarian

lack any legal limit and will eliminate institutional checks

control all political, economic, and social life

Founders

established many individual liberty principles (think freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, etc) BUT they did not favor democracy as we view it today

Direct Democracy

citizens vote directly onlaws and policies (James Madison disliked)

Representative Democracy

citizens elect officials, but do not directly vote on legislation (Republic)

Political Power

having a say on the issues, on leadership and policies

Political Participation

cna have many forms: voting, donating money, signing petitions, attending politcal meetings, lobbying legislators, working ona campaign

Pluralism

pattern of struggles among interests or groups (these groups might fondraise of donate to candidates), elites responsive to retain office

Citizenship

membership in a politcal community that provides legal rights and carriers participation responsibilities

Civil liberties/rights

freedom of speech, worship, and trial by jury and identified in the constitution

Citizen responsibilities

upholding the constitution, obeying laws, paying taxes, serving on juries when called, and being informed on issues

Politcal Knowledge

democraxy funcions best when citizens have the knowledge to engage in politcal debate

Disinformation

false infomration shared intentionally to reach a politcal goal

Politcla Efficacy

belief that ordinary citizens can affect what government does

Radicals

small farmers, shopkeepers, adn artisans who had few economic resources and distrusted the British

Colonial Elite

merchants, planters, and royalist who benefited from British rule and supported the crown

John Locke

lives, liberty, and porperty require protection, right to overthrow a tyrannical government

Thomas Hobbes

believed goveenments power should be limited (Contract Thoery)

Baron de la Brede et de Montesquieu

power needed to be balanced (separation of powers)

Article II

each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence (a confederation)

National Government

no president, no real powers, all 13 states had to agree

Virginia Plan

representation based on population and/or revenue

proposed a second chamber to be elected by members of the first (favored large states)

bicameral legislature: 2 chamer legislature

New Jersey Plan

each state should hvae equal representation

only 1 chamber in the legislature (unicameral)

Connecticut Compromise

known as the Great Compromise

-congress would be a bicameral legislature

-one chamber appointed by population (House)

-onechamber by equal state representation (Senate)

Three-Fifths Compromise

enslaved population would count as 3/5ths of a free person for house apportionment

Checks and Balances

oreventing one branch of government from having too much power and prevents abuses of power

Separation of Powers

the division of governmental power among institutions that must cooperate in decision making

Federalism

a ssytem of government in which pwoer is divided between a central and reional governments and not one has complete power over citizens

Articles

L E J S A S R

1) legislative, 2) executive, 3) judicial, 4) states, 5) amendment, 6) supremacy, 7) ratification

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

congress can write laws needed to carry out its expressed powers

10th Amendment

powers not specifcally granted by the constitution to the federal government are reserved for the sates or the people

House of Representatives

• represented by population

• 435 members

• msut be 25 years old

• members serve 2 year terms

• house sole pwoer to orginate revenue bills

Senate

• representation by state

• 100 members

• must be 30 years old

• members serve staggered 6 year terms

• an ratify treaties and approve presidential appointments

Judicial Review

not mentioned in COnstitution but is the power to determine whether the actions of congress or executive are consistent with the law and the Constitution

Comity Clause

states are prohibited from discrimnating against citizens or goods of other states in favor of their own

Supremacy Clause

national alws and treaties are supreme law of land superior to state laws

Federalists

supported constitution and preferred a strong national government

Anti Federalists

opposed the constitution and preferred a more decentralized federal system