Constitution, Political Parties, and Interest Groups Lecture

50 question-and-answer flashcards covering the Constitution, its predecessors, the Constitutional Convention, major compromises, ratification debate, evolution of U.S. political parties, realignments, and the role, types, and tactics of interest groups.

What three main functions does a constitution serve?

(1) Establishes institutions of government, (2) Grants and limits powers of those institutions, and (3) Specifies procedures for selecting officials.

Which Articles of the U.S. Constitution create the legislative, executive, and judicial branches?

Article I – Legislative, Article II – Executive, Article III – Judicial.

What is one key advantage of a written constitution?

It makes holding government officials accountable easier by clearly spelling out rules and limits.

Which 1215 English charter first limited monarchical power and influenced the U.S. Constitution?

The Magna Carta.

What was the purpose of the 1620 Mayflower Compact?

To form a “civil body politic” that would enact just and equal laws based on the consent of the governed.

What did colonial charters guarantee to American colonists?

The “rights of Englishmen,” including local representation, trial by jury, and limits on taxation.

During what years were the Articles of Confederation the governing document of the United States?

1781–1789.

Under the Articles of Confederation, where did most governmental power reside?

With the 13 individual states, not the central government.

Name three major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Inability to tax, lack of a shared national currency, and states making their own treaties.

What 1787 meeting originally aimed to revise the Articles but instead drafted a new Constitution?

The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

Who authored the Virginia Plan?

James Madison.

How would representation be determined in the Virginia Plan’s legislature?

Proportional to each state’s population (benefiting large states).

Who proposed the New Jersey Plan and what legislative structure did it call for?

William Paterson; a unicameral legislature with equal representation for every state.

What agreement blended the Virginia and New Jersey Plans to create a bicameral Congress?

The Connecticut or Great Compromise.

How is representation allocated in the House of Representatives and the Senate under the Great Compromise?

House – by population; Senate – equal with two senators per state.

Which constitutional clause allows Congress to pass laws necessary to execute its powers?

The Necessary and Proper Clause.

Before the 17th Amendment, how were U.S. senators selected?

By state legislatures.

What body elects the President according to the Constitution?

The Electoral College.

If no presidential candidate wins an Electoral College majority, who chooses the President?

The House of Representatives, with each state delegation casting one vote.

Which clause states that the Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”?

The Supremacy Clause.

What compromise postponed the end of the international slave trade?

The agreement to ban slave importation after 20 years (in 1808).

How were enslaved persons counted for representation and taxation purposes?

Under the Three-Fifths Compromise, five slaves equaled three free persons.

What fraction of Congress and of the states is required to amend the Constitution?

Two-thirds of each house of Congress and three-fourths of the states.

What were supporters of the new Constitution called during the ratification debate?

Federalists.

What is the name of the essay collection written to advocate ratification in New York?

The Federalist Papers.

What was the chief Anti-Federalist objection to the proposed Constitution?

The lack of a Bill of Rights protecting individual liberties.

Which first ten amendments addressed Anti-Federalist concerns?

The Bill of Rights.

In party terminology, what is the “party in government”?

All elected officials who hold office under a party label.

What does “party in the electorate” refer to?

Registered voters and citizens who identify with a political party.

What is meant by the “party as organization”?

The formal, professional structure that runs the party’s operations, fundraising, and campaign support.

Which two Founding Fathers’ rivalry spurred the birth of U.S. political parties?

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

What kind of economy did Hamilton envision for the United States?

One based on banking, finance, and a strong national credit system.

What name was given to Jefferson’s political followers?

Democratic-Republicans.

Which party dominated national politics before the Civil War?

The Democratic Party (descended from Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans).

For what central purpose was the Republican Party founded in 1854?

To oppose the expansion of slavery into new states and territories.

After the Civil War, where did Republicans and Democrats find their main regional bases?

Republicans – North, Midwest, West; Democrats – the South.

Which election is known as the “FDR realignment,” and why?

The 1932 election, when many former Republican voters shifted to support Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democrats.

Name two key groups that joined the Democratic coalition during the FDR realignment.

African Americans and organized labor (also ethnic/religious minorities).

Who were the “Reagan Democrats”?

Industrial-Midwest, blue-collar union workers who defected from Democrats to vote for Ronald Reagan.

Which region of the country shifted from Democratic to Republican loyalty in the Reagan era?

The South (Southern whites).

What did Bill Clinton mean by promoting “New Democrats”?

A more moderate Democratic stance aimed at recapturing centrist voters after GOP dominance in the 1980s.

Where do the modern Republican “L” and Democratic “Blue Wall” lie?

Republican “L” – South and Midwest; Democratic “Blue Wall” – Northeast and West Coast.

Define an interest group.

An aggregation of people sharing a common goal who seek to shape public policy to reflect that goal.

Give one example each of economic and non-economic interest groups.

Economic: labor unions; Non-economic: civil-rights organizations.

Which features of the U.S. political system encourage the growth of interest groups?

Federalism and separation of powers—multiple access points for influence.

Name three common tactics interest groups use to influence policy.

Lobbying, electioneering/PAC contributions, and litigation.

What is lobbying?

Direct efforts to influence the decisions of public officials through information, persuasion, and policy proposals.

What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?

A specialized organization that raises and donates campaign funds to influence elections.

What is an amicus curiae brief?

A “friend of the court” brief filed by a group not party to a case but advocating a particular legal outcome.

How can litigation advance an interest group’s goals?

By bringing or supporting court cases that produce judicial rulings favorable to the group’s policy objectives.

What is the main idea of Federalist Paper #10

It argues that a large republic can better control factions and prevent tyranny of the majority.

What is the main idea of Federalist Paper #51?

It discusses the importance of checks and balances in government to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

List three examples of occupational/economic interest groups

Labor unions, professional associations, business organizations

List three examples of non-occupational/non-economic interest groups

Public interest groups, environmental organizations, and civil rights groups.