Government & Citizenship - Unit 1

Government

The institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions that are binding on all people living within the state

Politics

the process by which government is established/changed and determining whose policies prevail or the effort to control/influence the government

Political party

a group with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for government positions and politics

Free enterprise

opportunity to control one’s economic decisions; provides base for making independent political decisions

Country

a distinct geographic and cultural land area

State

country. Need population, territory, and sovereignty

Nation

a group of people with a common bond

Evolutionary Power Theory

State developed over time, starting with the family

Divine Right Power Theory

Authority comes from God (Monarchies, Feudalism, Theocracy)

Force Power Theory

Authority comes from fear/ violence (Dictatorships, Fascism, Oligarchy)

Social Contract (The People) Power Theory

Authority comes from the consent of the governed (The People and the Government must be responsive to each other)

Magna Carta (1215)

British document declaring that others than the king has political power

Thomas Hobbes

By contract people surrendered to the state the power to maintain order and gain protection. People can’t overthrow gov.

John Locke

People have natural rights (Life, Liberty, and Property). Those who rule must have the consent of the governed. People have the right to overthrow the government. Highly influential to the Founding Fathers and justified the American Revolutionary War

Order

Oldest objective of government; 2 Main Goals (Preserving life and protecting property)

Freedom

The ability to do as one pleases socially, politically, and economically

Equality

controversial; Most Americans support equality of opportunity; Equality of outcome conflicts with a belief in meritocracy

Original Dilemma

How much freedom should be sacrificed for order?

Modern Dilemma

How much freedom should be sacrificed for equality?

Federal system

Powers of government are divided between the national (called federal) and state (or provincial) governments (US)

Constitution

A plan that provides the rules for government

Unitary System

All key powers are given to the national/central government (UK)Can have more than one level of government.

Confederacy

A loose union of independent states that may fail to provide effective policies

Autocracy

One person possesses unlimited power; Citizens have little to no role in gov; Maintain power through inheritance or ruthless use of the military and police

Totalitarian Dictatorship

Autocracy; Government/1 person tries to control all aspects of social and economic life; Glorify a single leader (North Korea, Fascist Germany)

Absolute Monarchy

Autocracy; King or queen exercises supreme power; Power is inherited (Saudi Arabia)

Interstate commerce

trade among states

Anarchy

political disorder

Commerce compromise

Converess would gain the power to regulate interstate/foreign commerce but can’t abn the slave trade until 1808 or impose export taxes.

Electoral College System

each state selects electors to choose the president

Oligarchy

Autocracy; Government by the few; small group exercises control (China)

Democracy

System in which “the people” rule; Either through representatives or directly

Direct Democracy

Democracy where people govern themselves by voting individually

Representative Democracy

Democracy where people elect representatives and give them the responsibilities and powers to conduct government and make laws

Characteristics of democracy

Individual liberty; Majority rule with minority rights; Free elections; Competing political parties; People hold sovereign power; Government work for and by the people

Elements to Sustain Democracy

active citizen participation; stable/growing economies; educated public; civil society social consensus about the government

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Established that the territories west of the Appalachians were to be developed for statehood on an equal basis with the older states

Parliamentary Democracy

Executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of the legislature; legislature elect executive; Head of gov. = Prime Minister; Chief of State = King/Queen in a Constitutional Monarchy; Chief of State = President in a Republic. Get things done but change happens too fast

Presidential democracy

Executive power is constitutionally independent of the legislature. Head of Gov. + Chief of State = President; Change doesn't happen too fast but things don't get done if different parties control legislature/executive

Republic

A democracy. A representative system in which elected officials, not the people themselves, vote on laws and make policy. The head of state is not a king or queen

Constitutional Monarchy

Both a democracy and monarchy. A representative system in which a monarch is guided by a constitution Monarch’s rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom

Tribal Sovereignty

tribes have the right to land and their right to internal self-governance

The Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States; Created a confederacy among the 13 states; specified how the national government was to operate; states were sovereign; League of friendship; Unicameral; Equal representation

Weaknesses of the Articles

Can’t collect revenue, regulate trade, or enforce laws. Does not have executive, judicial, or national army; Require 9/13 votes to pass laws and 13/13 to amend articles

Shays’s Rebellion

A group of armed farmers, led by Danial Shays, forced several courts to close to prevent loss of their farms. Showed moderates that the Articles was too weak to be effective

Annapolis Convention in Maryland

convention where five delegates from 5 states called for another convention in Philadelphia to improve the national government

The Constitutional/Philadelphia Convention

Meeting in Philadelphia in May 1787 to discuss ways to improve the Articles but ultimately create a new Constitution

Virginia Plan

Power divided among three branches; bicameral legislative branch (proportional representation; people elected lower; lower elected upper); Executive and Judicial branches (both selected by legislature); Large states support

New Jersey Plan

Unicameral legislature (Power to raise revenue, regulate commerce, Equal representation); Multi-person executive (elected by Congress; single term); Weak national judiciary (elected by the executive); Support by smaller states)

Connecticut Compromise

Bicameral legislature (House is by population; Senate by equal); 1 person Executive (Elected by electoral college); ⅗ Compromise

Three Fifths Compromise

Slaves are counted as 3/5 of a person for determining House seats and tax

Federalism

power is divided between national and state government

Veto

When the president rejects Congress’s legislation. This can be overridd by Congress if there’s ⅔ vote of each house

George Washington

Presided over convention; his fame gave it legitimacy

James Madison

Had the basic plan; wrote most of it; considered Father of the Constitution

John Dickinson/Roger Sherman

biggest voices/workers for compromise

Benjamin Franklin

Highly respected, strong believer in “the people”

Alexander Hamilton

Supported a strong national government

Gouverneur Morris

Responsible for the "wording" of the Constitution

Federalists

Wanted more power in the central government

Anti-Federalists

Argued against a strong national gov; Wanted additional sep. of powers and checks; Called for written limitations on gov (Bill of Rights)

Ratification of the Constitution

9th state (New Hampshire) Ratifies; Constitution takes effect; Had to promise a Bill of Rights to get last states; Washington sworn in April 30

Federalist Papers

Series of essays convincing many Americans to support ratification; written by John Jay, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton

Federalist #10

by James Madison; Talk about a large Republic can control factions because if there are many factions and many people of different opions. The effects of factions are limited.

Articles

the 7 divisions in the Constitution that cover general topic

Principles of the Constitution

popular sovereignty, republicanism (elected representative exercised people’s power), limited government, separation of powers, judicial review, federalism (nation/state’s power), check & balances

Check & Balance

Executive appoints judges in judicial and veto laws of legislative; Legislative can pass laws over executive’s veto/control’s executive’s budget, and approve president’s court appointments/remove judges in judicial. Judicial can declare legislative’s laws unconstitutional and declare executive’s acts unconstitutional

The Preamble

“We the People…” Introduction why the Constitution was written. Creates a people and articulates a set of goals; Promotion of order and freedom

Legislative branch, Article I

make rules, tax, borrow and coin money, regulate commerce Declare war, raise and support armed forces

Executive branch, Article II

enforce laws, can appoint, make treaty, pardon, and delivers an annual state of the Union; describe electoral procedures for president and vice president

Judicial branch, Article III

Explain the rules; Creates a Supreme Court; Left details of composition to Congress

Marbury v. Madison (Judicial review)

Established precedent for federal courts to rule on the actions of the government

3 Rights protected by Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Virginia Declaration of rights, and Bill of Rights

Trial by jury, due process, no excessive bail or fine

Bill of Rights

Religion, speech, press, assembly, & Petition (1st), Bear Arms (2nd), Quartering of Soldiers (3rd), Search and Seizure (4th), Self-incrimination and Due Process (5th), Trial process (6th), Common or Civil law (7th), No excessive…(8th), Rights of People (9th), States and People (10th)

Enumerated (expressed) Power

powers directly stated in the Constitution that are numbered 1-18

Ratify

to approve

Petition

to appeal to

Implied Power

Powers that are required for the national gov. to do expressed/enumerated power (Enumerated: Create army. Implied: draft people)

Necessary and proper (elastic) clause (gave Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper”); McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Reserved Power

Certain powers that are strictly reserved to states (e.g. public school, firefighters, polices, health systems)

Inherent Power

power that the governments may exercise simply because it is a government (international relations, immigration regulation)

Concurrent Powers

powers that both the national gov. And states have (tax, maintain court, define crimes, appropriate private poverty)

Denied Powers

powers that the Constitution denies to all levels of government (national gov can’t tax export nor interfere with states’ duties; state gov cant make treaties, coin money)

McCulloch v. Maryland

Supreme Court ruled in favor of a broad interpretation of the Constitution and supported the Elastic Clause

Worcester v. Georgia

Supreme Court upheld the rights of the Cherokee people against the state of Georgia by denying Georgia the power to pass laws affecting the Native Americans living there by president Andrew Jackson refused to carry out Court Order

Supremacy Clause

Article V. Establishes that constitution laws passed by Congress and treaties are the supreme Law of the Land

Amendments

changes in the constitution. Proposed by ⅔ vote in both houses or at a national Convention called by Congress when requested by ⅔ State legislatures. Ratified by the state legislatures of ¾ states or conventions held in ¾ states

How Congress expanded executive branch with amending the Constitution

create the cabinet departments, agencies, boards, and commissions

Popular sovereignty

rule by the people. Social contract

Delegated powers

Powers the Constitution grants to the national government (expressed, implied, and inherent powers)