American Government

chapter 1

what are the three basic powers of government?

executive, legislative, judical

what does the executive branch do?

1. enforce laws

2. execute laws

what does the legislative branch do?

1. frame public policies

2. makes laws

what does the judicial branch do?

1. settle disputes

2. interpret laws

sovereignty

a state has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

ex: USA

population

1. a state must have people in it

2. can be large, small, homogeneous, or heterogeneous

ex: USA, Finland

borders

a state has clear and present borders

ex: USA, Canada, Mexico

democracy

where the supreme political authority rests with the people

government

an institution through with a society makes and enforces its public polices

public policies

all those things government decides to do

what are the three ways to classify government?

1. who participates in governing process

2. geographic distribution of government power

3. relationship between legislative and executive branches

what is a unitary government

centralized government

1. all powers belong to central agency

2. local governments only have powers granted by central government

what is a federal government

powers divided between central and local governments

1. division of powers can not be changed by either party alone

what is a confederation government

alliance of independent states

1. only able to handle matters they all have been assigned

presidential government

separation of powers between executive and legislature branches

ex: Mexico

parliamentary government

executive branch is made up of members of the legislative branch

ex: Canada

autocracy/dictatorship government

a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power

ex: Russia

communism/ totalitarianism

those in power hold absolute and unchallenged authority over all people

ex: North Korea

theocracy

exists where the legal system of a state is based on religious law

ex: Saudi Arabia

monarchy

when the king and queen hold all the power

ex: Japan

where did the earliest form of democracy originate?

athens, greece

1. only male citizens could vote

2. 25% of the population were slaves

3. women had no clear rights

where did the earliest for of republic originate?

rome

1. assemblies of wealthy citizens that debated and decided important matters for the Roman population

2. senate was the highest authority

what are natural rights?

rights that belong to all people from birth

1. life

2. liberty

3. property

4. freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly

5. balance of power in government

6. representation in government

what is the declaration of independence and how does is connect to natural rights?

1. written by Thomas Jefferson on July 4th, 1776

2. enshrines the rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

what type of government did the US make after declaring independence

a republic

what were some problems of the articles of confederation

1. national government couldn’t tax citizens directly

2. national government couldn’t regulate trade

3. national government couldn’t raise an army

4. each state got 1 vote in Congress regardless of size

5. no executive or judicial branches

6. 9 of 13 states had to agree to laws

7. all 13 had to agree to amendments

how did the constitution remedy them

they made laws for it to be fair for everyone and for the government

what is the Virginia plan

benefited big states- votes based on state population

what is the New Jersey plan

benefited small states- each state gets one vote

what is the Connecticut compromise

• also known as the Great Compromise of 1878

• delegates from Connecticut came up with a compromise of the two plans

plan:

1. 2 houses; one based on state population and one where every state would be represented equally

2. population question; 3/5 compromise where only 3/5 of the slave population would count in total state population. southern states would have to pay taxes on their slaves

• 3/5 compromise was removed with the 13th amendment which abolished slavery

• congress could regulate interstate trade

how did the US separate the power between the different branches of government

they created checks and balances

limited government

limits to what the federal government is allowed to do

federalism

divides the powers between the central government and states governments

what is the structure of the constitution

Part 1- preamble

Part 2- 7 articles

• legislative branch

• executive branch

• judicial branch

• state powers

• amendments

• federal powers

• ratification

Part 3- amendments

• first 10- Bill of Rights

• 27 in total

what are some examples of national powers

• maintain military

• declare war

• establish postal system

what are some examples of state powers

• establish local government

• set up schools

• regulate state commerce

what are some examples of shared powers

• collect taxes

• establish courts

• regulate banks

• borrow money

how many states are needed to ratify a new amendment to the constituition

¾ or 38 states

how many amendments have been ratified

27

what is the president’s role in amending the constitution

he does not have a role in amending the constitution