AP GOV 1

- in US, the determining factor for the elite would be (or is) wealth

hyperpluralism

- power distributed among MANY different groups

- power is held by so many that efficacy is limited

origins of American constitutional government

- John Locke: social contract that must be upheld by the gov, otherwise the people have the duty to overthrow the gov

- Thomas Hobbes: social contract that cannot be broken

- Montesquieu: separation of powers

- Magna Carta: rule of law (no one is above the law); British constitution signed by King John

the Articles of Confederation created

a weak federal government

How many votes did each state have under the Articles? How mant states had to agree to change or amend the Articles

- one

- all 13

under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government could not

collect taxes

Annapolis Convention

- September 1786

- discussion over the issues of the Articles of Confederation

- low turnout

- led to planning of the Philadelphia Convention (aka the Constitutional Convention)

Shay's Rebellion

- 1786-1787

- farmers rebelled over taxes that had to be paid in metal and often led to foreclosures of land/farms/homes

- farmers shut down courthouses

- wake up call: proved the inefficacy of the Articles of Confederation

who was at the Philadelphia (Constitutional) Convention?

- 55 delegates from 12 states (no Rhode Island)

- President of Convention: Washington

- James Madison ("Father of the Constitution")

- Benjamin Franklin

- Alexander Hamilton (for only a small portion of time)

Who wasn't at the Constitutional Convention?

- Thomas Jefferson (France)

- John Adams (Britain)

- Patrick Henry (did not trust convention)

Original purpose of the Constitutional Convention? Why did this change?

-to revise the Articles of Confederation

- easier to start fresh than to fix

- James Madison had already written the Virginia Plan

small state v. large state issues at the Constitutional Convention

- small states wanted equal representation

- large states wanted population-based representation

Great Compromise

Congress becomes a bicameral (2-part) legislature with the Senate (2 senators per state) and the House of Representatives (population-based representation)

electoral college

- A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

- each state gets the \# of senators + \# of representatives

judiciary compromise

Supreme Court Judges will be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate

3/5ths Compromise

each slave will be counted as 3/5ths of a person for population counts

slave trade compromise

the slave trade cannot be prohibited until 1808, but can be taxed

Fugitive slave clause

- slaves are still slaves if they escape to free states

- if slaves are found in another state they must be returned to their owners

How did John Adams still influence the Constitutional Convention?

the Massachusetts Constitution he wrote was very influential

unitary government

- one government with one head

- very little conflict, very efficient

- no regional power for people

- sheet cake (one layer)

- ex: England

confederation

- multiple independent sovereign groups

- lots of regional power, reflects local opinions

- lacks the benefits of big gov (military strength)

- hard to work collectively

- cupcakes (separate)

- ex: Articles of Confederation/ the Confederacy

federalism

different levels of government with separate powers and sovereignty

dual federalism

- two sovereign groups

- clearly separated powers between national and state levels

- little conflict

- not flexible

- layer cake (2 distinct layers)

- what the Constitution was intended to set up

competitive/ cooperative federalism

- power split between multiple sovereign groups

- undefined powers/division

- adaptable

- marble cake (mixed, undefined layers)

- ex: the US

grants-in-aid

money given by the national government to the states

block grants

Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines

categorical grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

mandates

terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants

Funded Mandates

when the federal government give the states money to help them do whatever they want them to do

unfunded mandates

Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding

arguments for ratification of the Constitution

- it's the best we're going to get

- good for trade since states can't set taxes on interstate commerce

- better defense/military

- Federalist Papers

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail

arguments against ratification of the Constitution

- it was created without public knowledge and essentially illegally

- power should stay with the states

- there was no bill of rights

- Brutus I

Brutus I

- written to discourage ratification of the Constitution

- examines the major complaints of the Constitution

McCulloch v. Maryland

- Maryland was trying to tax the national bank

- James McCulloch, an important figure in the bank, refused to pay the tax

- Maryland sued

Decision in McCulloch v. Maryland

- John Marshall's Supreme Court ruled that Maryland could not tax the national bank

- the national bank is legal

- argued "the power to tax is the power to destroy"

- used the elastic/ national supremacy clause

- established precedent of national supremacy

elastic or national supremacy clause

-Article VI (6), paragraph 2 of the Constitution

- establishes the Constitution as the "Supreme law of the land"

Who has total control over interstate commerce?

the national government

10th Amendment

all powers not explicitly given to the federal gov are reserved for the states

11th Amendment

One State cannot be sued by another state

16th Amendment

Allows the federal government to collect income tax

4 major principles of the Constitution

1. separation of powers: 3 branches

2. checks and balances

3. judicial review

4. federalism

17th Amendment

- Direct election of senators