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What was the first constitution of the United States called?
The Articles of Confederation.
How many chambers did Congress have under the Articles of Confederation?
One; it was unicameral.
Under the Articles, how many votes did each state have in Congress?
One vote per state.
What voting threshold was usually required for Congress to pass laws under the Articles?
Two-thirds (9 of 13 states).
Which area of policy was Congress clearly responsible for under the Articles of Confederation?
Foreign affairs.
Name two major institutional elements the national government lacked under the Articles.
A national executive and a national judiciary.
Why was national law enforcement weak under the Articles?
Enforcement depended on state governments that could choose to ignore national laws.
Why couldn’t Congress raise money effectively under the Articles?
It had no power to tax and had to request funds from states.
What economic problem arose when states taxed each other's imports?
Trade wars between the states.
Which 1787 meeting was called to fix the Articles of Confederation?
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Who authored most of the Virginia Plan?
James Madison.
What type of legislature did the Virginia Plan propose?
A bicameral legislature with representation based on population in both houses.
Which plan favored small states by keeping equal representation?
The New Jersey Plan.
What compromise combined elements of the Virginia and New Jersey plans?
The Connecticut (Great) Compromise.
How was representation determined in the House of Representatives according to the Connecticut Compromise?
By state population.
How was representation determined in the Senate according to the Connecticut Compromise?
Equal representation: two senators per state.
What rule about money bills was originally part of the Connecticut Compromise but later removed?
All legislation would originate in the House of Representatives.
What agreement counted a portion of enslaved people for representation?
The Three-Fifths Compromise.
How were enslaved individuals counted under the Three-Fifths Compromise?
Three-fifths of every slave was counted toward state population.
How many articles are in the main body of the U.S. Constitution?
Seven articles.
Which article of the Constitution is the longest and what does it establish?
Article I; it establishes Congress.
What section of Article I lists Congress’s specific powers?
Article I, Section 8 (the Enumerated Powers).
Name three economic powers granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8.
The powers to tax, borrow money, and regulate commerce.
What clause gives Congress authority to regulate trade across state lines?
The Commerce Clause.
Which article sets up the executive branch?
Article II.
Which article establishes the federal judiciary?
Article III.
What is the term for the federal courts’ authority to decide constitutionality of laws?
Judicial review.
Which Supreme Court power is implied rather than explicitly stated in the Constitution?
Judicial review (established in practice by Marbury v. Madison).
Why is the U.S. Constitution much shorter than most other democracies’ constitutions?
It leaves many details vague and unspecified.
What two-step process is required to amend the Constitution?
Proposal by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures.
How many constitutional amendments have been ratified to date?
Twenty-seven.
What is needed to override a presidential veto?
A two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
What power allows the Senate to approve or reject presidential appointments?
Advice and consent.
Which branch controls federal spending through the budget process?
Congress (the legislative branch).
What term describes the division of governmental powers among three branches?
Separation of powers.
What term describes each branch’s ability to stop the others from acting?
Checks and balances.
Give one example of an executive check on the legislative branch.
The presidential veto.
Give one example of a legislative check on the executive branch.
Impeachment and removal.
Give one example of a judicial check on the legislative and executive branches.
Declaring a law or executive action unconstitutional (judicial review).
What fear led framers to design a government with many checks and balances?
Fear of tyranny (government abusing its power).
What fear led framers to include indirect elections and limited suffrage in the original Constitution?
Fear of democracy or tyranny of the majority.
Under the original Constitution, who chose U.S. senators?
State legislatures.
Under the original Constitution, how was the president selected?
By the Electoral College, whose members were often chosen by state legislatures.
Which historical uprising increased delegates’ concern about majority rule?
Shays’ Rebellion (1786-87).
Why did the framers often use vague language in the Constitution?
To secure ratification when they could not agree on substantive compromises.
What are the three headline ways the U.S. differs from other developed democracies, according to the lecture?
Greater inequality, smaller government, and a distinctive constitutional design.
Why are Americans often less knowledgeable about other countries, as argued in the lecture?
Because of U.S. geography (large country, few neighbors) and limited direct exposure to foreign nations.
In comparative politics, what two criteria define a “developed democracy”?
High economic development (wealthy, capitalist) and a democratic political system (civil liberties, free elections).
Which developed democracy has the largest population?
The United States (over 300 million).
Besides the U.S., which other developed democracy has a population over 100 million?
Japan.
What economic statistic makes the U.S. appear richest overall, but not necessarily richest per person?
Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Why can Norway appear wealthier than the U.S. on a per-person basis?
Because per-capita GDP divides national output by a small population, making each person’s share higher.
Name two major policies found in every other developed democracy except the United States.
Universal health care and a ban on capital punishment (except Japan, which executes far fewer people).
When comparing murder rates only to rich democracies, how does the U.S. rank?
It is an outlier with a much higher homicide rate than its wealthy democratic peers.
Does inequality in rich democracies generally rise or fall as they get wealthier?
It generally falls—except in the United States, where it remains high.
Define ‘income inequality’ as measured in the lecture charts.
How many times more the richest 10 % earn annually compared to the poorest 10 %.
Roughly how many times more does the richest 10 % in the U.S. earn than the poorest 10 %?
About 17 times more.
What share of wealth is held by the top 10 % in the United States?
Roughly four-fifths (around 80 %).
How is poverty measured in the lecture (relative measure)?
The percentage of people earning less than half of the national median income.
Which developed democracy has the highest child-poverty rate?
The United States.
What statistic shows the U.S. has low economic mobility?
High intergenerational earnings elasticity—parental income strongly predicts adult income for children.
What percentage of U.S. workers are covered by collective-bargaining agreements?
About 10 %, one of the lowest among rich democracies.
Name two worker-protection indicators on which the U.S. scores lowest or near lowest.
Guaranteed vacation days (none federally) and strictness of dismissal protection (easiest to fire workers).
How does the U.S. incarceration rate compare with other wealthy democracies?
It is dramatically higher than any other rich democracy.
Which racial group is most over-represented in the U.S. prison population?
African Americans.
Where does the U.S. rank on the Gender Inequality Index among rich democracies?
It has the highest (worst) gender inequality of the group.
What percentage of the U.S. Congress is female (approx.)?
About 20 % (1 in 5 members).
Although the U.S. hosts many top universities, what academic test shows a large achievement gap by income?
The PISA exam—low-income U.S. students score far below high-income peers.
How much does the U.S. spend per person on health care compared with other rich democracies?
About three to four times the minimum needed for a modern health system (highest in the group).
What is unique about U.S. health-care financing versus peers?
Roughly half is private out-of-pocket or private insurance; other democracies rely mostly on public funding.
Despite high spending, where does the U.S. sit on life expectancy among rich democracies?
At or near the bottom.
Which two mortality rates illustrate U.S. health-care inequality?
Infant mortality and maternal mortality—both higher than in peer countries.
How do U.S. taxes as a share of GDP compare to other wealthy democracies?
They are among the lowest.
When Americans say government ‘spends too much,’ how does U.S. government spending actually rank internationally?
Near the bottom of rich democracies as a share of GDP.
‘Small government’ in the lecture refers mainly to what?
Expecting government to handle fewer social/economic tasks, leaving individuals to solve problems themselves.
What term do Scandinavian countries use for programs Americans would call ‘welfare’?
Social insurance (universal benefits against economic risks).
Give one benefit Swedish parents receive that illustrates social insurance.
Up to 98 days of paid parental leave at 80 % salary (shared between parents).
How much monthly child allowance does Sweden provide per child up to age 16?
About $127 per month.
How are Swedish universities funded for students?
Tuition-free plus a monthly stipend (~$300) for post-secondary students.
When comparing social-protection spending, which sector (public or private) dominates in Sweden?
Public spending (~87 % of the total).
What percentage of U.S. poverty is reduced by government programs, relative to peers?
Less than 40 %, far below reductions seen in many European democracies.
List two of the six distinctive features of U.S. constitutional design.
Examples: Federalism; strong bicameralism; judicial review; plurality voting (FPTP); two-party system; presidentialism.
How does average U.S. voter turnout since 1945 compare to other rich democracies?
Near the bottom—about 58 % in presidential elections, 40 % in midterms.
Roughly how many effective political parties win seats in most peer legislatures versus the U.S.?
Peers often have 4–10+ parties; the U.S. effectively has two.
Which professions dominate the U.S. Congress, unlike many peer legislatures?
Lawyers and businesspeople.
Why do campaign-finance rules help explain elite dominance in Congress?
Candidates must raise vast private funds, favoring wealthy or connected individuals.
Compared to peers, how do Americans rate their trust in national government and legislature?
Significantly lower confidence than citizens of most rich democracies.
What central claim does the Diversity Theory make about U.S. exceptionalism?
High demographic diversity lowers social capital and solidarity, hindering collective action.
Define ‘social capital’ in the lecture’s usage.
Networks of trust and mutual aid that facilitate collective action in a community.
Which demographic indicators show U.S. diversity versus homogeneity abroad?
Ethnicity (no majority ethnic group >16 %), many religions (largest single denomination ~25 %), multiple home languages.
What percentage of Americans self-identify as Catholic, the single largest denomination?
About 25 %.
Why does the lecture argue English is less unifying in the U.S. than French in France?
English is seen as a practical tool, not a core cultural identity tied to nationhood.
What phenomenon in Europe is cited as evidence for the Diversity Theory?
Rise of far-right, anti-immigrant parties as societies become more diverse.
Despite Diversity Theory predictions, which volunteerism statistic counters the idea Americans won’t cooperate?
Americans log ~44 volunteer hours per person yearly, among the highest in rich democracies.
What is the core argument of the Institutional Theory?
U.S. governmental rules, not culture, make collective action difficult, steering people toward individual solutions.
According to Gilens & Page, what bias does the U.S. political system exhibit?
A strong status-quo bias—majorities often fail to achieve desired policy change.
Roughly what percentage of bills introduced in Congress (1973-2018) became law?
About 4 % (96 % failed).
How does the Senate’s structure give small states outsized power?
Each state gets two senators, so 18 % of the population (26 small states) can control 52 % of seats.
What Senate rule requires 60 votes just to proceed to voting on a bill?
The cloture rule to end a filibuster.
In 2013, why did a background-check bill fail despite 55 Senate votes and 86 % public support?
Supporters lacked the 60 votes needed for cloture; the filibuster blocked a final vote.