Economics chapter 1

Popular vote

Total number of votes for the country, does not count

Electoral vote

Vote that does count

The number of electoral votes each state has depends on _________

population

Winner takes all

Electoral system in which the candidate receiving the most votes wins all the votes

270

number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency is ______

indirect

The electoral college is an ______ system

Swing State

a state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections

Executive branch

enforces the laws (President, Vice President, Cabinet)

Minimum age of president

35 years old

Major criticism of the electoral college

if you win the popular vote, you can still lose the election, as a result people may belive their votes do not count

Difference between voting for senate/house or reps rather than the president

Voting for the president is indirect and voting for the senate or house of reps is direct

What is law

the RULES and REGULATIONS made and enforced by the GOVERNMENT that regulate the conduct of PEOPLE within a SOCIETY

Laws reflect society's ____, _____, and _____ values

Moral, political and economic

If there is no order there will be ______

Chaos

Laws protect our rights such as

Rights to debate issues freely, to travel, to live in any state, practice the religion of your choice

For a law to be fully effective it must:

Be fair and enforceable and citizens must be able to know and understand it

We expect our legal system to

- Protect our freedoms
- promote fairness
- help people avoid and resolve conflicts
- help communities achieve certain goals
-promote order and stability
- represent the will of the majority
-protect the rights of the minority

The constitution

-framework for government
-highest authority
-power of the branches comes from the constitution
-basic law of the land

Preamble

Introduction to the Constitution stating it's goals

Article 1 of the Constitution

LEGISLATIVE Branch (how Congress works)
- congress has TWO houses meaning it is BICAMERAL
-these two houses are the SENATE and HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
- senate has TWO senators for each state with a SIX year term
-the house of reps is based on POPULATION and they serve a TWO year term
-there are currently FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE reps
- the senate has a longer term to promote STABILITY while the house of reps has a smaller term to GIVE NEW IDEAS AND CHANGE WITH THE COMMUNITY

article 2 outlines the _________ branch

EXECUTIVE (role of the president)
- includes the PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, and CABINETS
-the cabinets are ADVISORS and SECRETARIES
- examples are : Secretary of State, secretary of treasury, attorney general (justice), homeland security

The presidents term is

4 years, can only do 8 years in total or 2 terms

Electoral college votes are calculated by

adding the number of senators plus the number of reps for that state, 270 electoral votes are needed to win an election

Article 3 of the Constitution

JUDICIAL branch
- SUPREME COURT is the highest court
- (article outlines how the courts work)
- branch INTERPRETS the law
- PRESIDENT appoints the JUSTICES

Justice's term

for life or until they die or retire, this is for SECURITY purposes and there are NINE justices on the court

Impeachment

Accusing someone of wrong doing

Ratify

to approve

1st amendment

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition (they have limitations)

Establishment Clause

government can not establish an official religion

Establishment clause cans

- teach about religions in schools
-allow voluntary prayer
-transport students to a religion school
- read the Bible for literacy context

establishment clause cants

-set a state religion
-order prayer
-teach one religion in school
-teach creationism

Free exercise clause

citizens can practice any religion freely but with limits

Free exercise cans

-choose any religion
-lead a prayer in most instances
-ask questions about religion

Free exercise cants

-break the law and use religion as an excuse
- raise children without education
-deprive children from basic needs

hate crimes

attacks based on a person's race, religion, or other characteristics

free speech allows people to

-say political beliefs
-protest without it being chaotic
- say things that are true about someone
-burn the flag
-say racist/hate slogans
-say something you disagree with

free speech tests

-balancing test(weigh the danger of two things)
-clear and present danger
- incitement test (provoking)

freedom of the press

media

freedom of the press cans

-Print any political position
-Make fun of people, especially politicians
-Expose wrongs by the government
-Say things you might not agree with

freedom of the press cants

- libel, intentionally injuring someones reputation with false facts
- disclosing classified government information
- detail how to make a weapon

Libel vs. Slander

- Libel is written defamationand slander is spoken defamation
- libel falls under freedom of press while slander falls under speech

freedom of assembly

the right of the people to gather peacefully
- protest
-concerts
-parade with a permit
-parade chanting hate slogans
-charity

freedom of assembly cants

-protest violently by throwing rocks or breaking things
- loiter (hang out on private property without permission)

petition the government

-You may sue the government for wrongs
-You cannot be punished for exposing wrongs by the government
-The courts decide the wrongs

2nd Amendment

Right to keep and bear arms

Third amendment

No quartering of soldiers, government can not force you to shelter soldiers without your consent in time of war or peace

Fourth Amendment

search and seizure
- government needs a PROBABLE CAUSE and a WARRANT given by a JUDGE
- only a POLICE OFFICER or DISTRICT ATTORNEY can ask for a warrant
- you can be searched in public places such as a train or airport

Fifth Amendment

Rights of the accused persons
- indicted (to officially charge with a crime)
- Miranda rights - warning for criminal procedure "you have the right to remain silent... "
- double jeopardy- you cannot be tried for the same crime twice
- I plead the fifth- right to not self incriminate
- due process of law means the process an accused person goes through

Sixth amendment

Jury trial in criminal cases
- right to speedy trail before an impartial jury (not biased)
- trial must be held where the crime took place
- accused must be told what the charge is
- right to be represented by a lawyer

Seventh amendment

Rules of common law
- lawsuits based on common law
- common law- legal principles based on past court cases rather than laws passed by legislature (congress)
-ex Brown v Board of Ed overturned Plessy v Ferguson

Eight amendment

Protection against cruel and unusual punishment
- fines and bail money should be reasonable
-bail- money to stay out of jail while case is ongoing

Ninth amendment

Other rights of the people
- if something isn't prohibited, we can do it
- rights that are not listed in the constitution but still count

Tenth Amendment

Powers kept by the states or the people
-powers reserved for the states to decide
-ex abortion limitations, gay marriage, age for drinking, age for driving which may vary from state to state

Article 4 (IV)

- deals with criminal extradition (if someone commits a crime and flees out of state/country the US can try to bring them back
- formation of new states
- congress' power to government in territorial lands not yet states

Article 5 (V)

-Amending the Constitution
amending means changing
- 2/3 votes needed from congress
- submitted to states for ratification (3/4 of states must approve)

Article 6 (VI)

Constitution as supreme law
- the constitution declared itself the supreme law of the land

Article 7 (VII)

Ratification and approving the constitution

Amendments

Changes to the Constitution

Constitution was made to

-Improve how all the stages work together to make one
-Bring justice
-keep peace
defend the nation from foreign enemies
-make the people's lives better
-make sure that the people remain free

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
-ex congress impeaching the president or the judicial branch overturning laws

Judicial review

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional