American government/ citizenship

Exam 1

John Locke

A political thinker from 1632-1704 who wrote 'Second Treatise of Government' (1690) and influenced ideas in America.

State of Nature

A view by Thomas Hobbes (1660) about how people act in their basic form without society, mainly focusing on self-interest.

Natural Rights

Basic rights every person should have, like the right to life, freedom, and owning property, influenced by Cicero.

Social Contract

An agreement where people give up some freedoms to have a government that protects their rights, influenced by Rousseau.

Consent of the Governed

The idea that the government's power comes from the people's approval.

The Declaration of Independence

A document from 1776 that announced America's break from Britain but did not set up a government.

The Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. constitution used from 1781 to 1788, which acted like a first agreement among the states.

Structure of the Articles of Confederation

A government setup with strong state powers, a weak national government, one legislative body where each state got one vote, and no President or Courts.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Key problems included no ability to tax, no control over trade between states, economic issues, and failures in foreign affairs.

Constitution and the Articles

The claim that the Constitution went against the Articles because changes needed all states to agree, which was ignored.

Limited Government

The idea that the government can only do what the people allow, ensuring laws are followed and rights are protected.

Republicanism

A system where citizens vote for their representatives to make decisions for them.

Federalism

The sharing of power between national and state governments.

Separation of Powers

The way the government is divided into different branches that share power to avoid one group taking control.

Checks and Balances

A system that prevents any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the others.

Federalism

A system where power is divided between the national government and state governments.

Dual Federalism (1789-1932)

A system where national and state governments have their own clear areas of control (like a layered cake).

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

A case that confirmed Congress has implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

The Reconstruction Amendments

Three amendments after the Civil War that changed power dynamics: 13th (ended slavery), 14th (gave citizenship and equal rights), 15th (protected voting rights).

Cooperative Federalism (1933-Present)

A system where federal and state governments work together on issues (like a marble cake).

The New Deal and Fiscal Federalism

FDR's New Deal increased federal power by funding state programs with grants.

Categorical vs. Block Grants

Categorical Grants are for specific uses (like Medicaid); Block Grants are for broader purposes (like education).

New Federalism (1970s-80s)

A movement to shift some power back to the states, led by Nixon and Reagan.

Coercive Federalism

When the federal government forces states to follow rules through conditions on funding.

Picket Fence Federalism

Cooperation between different government levels on specific issues.

Why do we need government?

Governments provide order, security, public services, and protect individual rights.

What does the Preamble to the Constitution say?

An introduction that states the goals of the Constitution, including justice and liberty for all.

What does the question 'Who Governs? To What Ends?' explore?

It looks into who has power in government and what they do with that power.

What is democracy?

A government system where power lies with the people, either directly or through elected representatives.

What is direct democracy?

A system where citizens directly make decisions instead of through representatives.

What is representative democracy?

A system where people vote for officials to make laws and decisions for them.

What is a republic?

A government where elected officials represent the people and follow the law.

What is republicanism?

A political idea that focuses on elected representatives, citizen participation, and protecting personal rights.

What is the Majoritarian Theory of Democracy?

Democracy works best when the majority opinion shapes policies.

What is the Pluralist Theory of Democracy?

Power is spread among various interest groups competing for influence.

What is the Elite Theory of Democracy?

A small group of powerful individuals makes political decisions.

Who was John Locke?

An Enlightenment thinker who believed in natural rights and that government should be by the consent of the people.

What are natural rights?

Basic rights that everyone has, like life, freedom, and property ownership.

What does 'consent of the governed' mean?

The idea that government is legitimate only if the people approve of it.

What are unalienable rights?

Rights that cannot be taken away, like life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness.

What does the Declaration of Independence say about the social contract?

If a government is harmful, people have the right to change or get rid of it.

What was the Articles of Confederation?

The first governing document of the U.S. (1781-1789) that created a weak central government.

What was Shays' Rebellion?

An uprising in 1786-87 showing the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, which pushed for a stronger national government.

Why was the Constitutional Convention called?

Originally to fix the Articles of Confederation, but it led to creating the U.S. Constitution.

What is limited government?

A government that only has powers given to it by the people to protect freedom.

What is separation of powers?

Dividing government into three branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) to avoid one group having too much power.

What are checks and balances?

A system where each branch can limit the power of the others to prevent misuse.

How can amendments be proposed?

Through a 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress or a convention called by 2/3 of state legislatures.

How can amendments be ratified?

By 3/4 of state legislatures or by 3/4 of special state conventions.

What is federalism?

A system where power is shared between national and state governments.

What is a federal system?

A government setup where both national and state governments share power.

What is a confederal system?

A system where states hold most power and the central government is weak.

What is a unitary system?

A government system where power is mainly held by the national government.

What is dual federalism?

A time when national and state governments operated separately within their own authorities (1789-1932).

What is cooperative federalism?

A time when national and state governments worked together on issues, often using federal funds to influence state actions (1933-present).

The Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym 'Publius' to promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Alexander Hamilton's role in The Federalist Papers

Wrote 51 of the essays, focusing on the need for a strong central government and executive power.

James Madison's role in The Federalist Papers

Wrote 29 essays, emphasizing checks and balances, federalism, and the separation of powers.

John Jay's role in The Federalist Papers

Wrote 5 essays, mainly covering foreign affairs and the need for a unified government.

What is anarchy?

a state without rule, where there is no authority governing the society. Example: The Purge (a fictional example of lawlessness).

What are the main purposes of government as stated in the Preamble?

1. Form a more perfect union 2. Establish justice 3. Ensure domestic tranquility 4. Provide for the common defense 5. Promote the general welfare 6. Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

What is ideal democracy?

a system where the people rule directly and have ultimate authority over government decisions.

Define oligarchy.

a form of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of people.

What is the significance of Ancient Greek democracy?

(rule or power), is considered the origin of democratic ideas, where the people directly exercised power in decision-making.

Define a constitution.

is the set of rules, laws, institutions, and values that define how a government operates and bind citizens together in a civil society.

What is John Locke's political philosophy?

emphasizes natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the social contract. He argued that individuals give up some freedoms to form a government that protects their rights.

What is the social contract theory?

Social contract theory suggests that individuals agree to form a government and give up certain freedoms to ensure the protection of their natural rights.

What are the five principles of the U.S. Constitution?

• Limited Government

• Republicanism

• Federalism

• Separation of Powers

• Checks and Balances

What is the significance of Federalist #10 and #51?

• Federalist #10 addresses the problem of factions and how a large republic can control them.

• Federalist #51 discusses the need for separation of powers and checks and balances within the government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.