AP Gov (Unit 1): Foundations of American Democracy

government

an institution that enforces decisions binding on all people in the state

4 purposes of government

1. maintain social order

2. provide public services

3. provide national security, common defense

4. influence the economic system

Thomas Hobbes

philosopher that believes life was naturally solitary, poor, nasty, and short; people were always in a state of war, humans need a social contract enforced by an absolute monarch, Leviathan (1651)

social contract

people agree to be ruled; if the people perform civic duties (follow the law), the govt. will protect civil liberties. if the leader enforces the social contract, they keep civic power to rule

John Locke

humans are mostly reasonable and moral in a state of nature; he also believed in the social contract (people consent to rule and form a limited government)

natural rights

(John Locke) Life, Liberty, and Property

limited government

government leaders are limited in the use of power by written laws (protects life, liberty, and property), if government fails to operate within the law, people have an obligation to overthrow it

Montesquieu

believed in power divided into legislative, executive, and judicial (Spirit of Laws, 1748)

Rousseau

believed that people are naturally good and government power comes form the people, The Social Contract

July 4th, 1776

the Declaration of Independence was written (John Locke influenced tjeff)

post-revolutionary war

the colonies needed a new government

second continental congress

meeting of delegates from the 13 colonies that made the Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation

reaction to the absolute monarchy = WEAK government = FAILED

What was wrong with the Articles of Confederation?

1. govt. couldn’t tax directly, only borrow $ from states (no enforcement = no money = no military)

2. couldn't regulate interstate commerce (state economies compete w/ each other, tariff policy up to states)

3. each state had its own currency (started making national currency, but let states keep their currency)

4. no executive or judicial branches

5. unicameral congress - one house, no branches, each state had one vote regardless of size

6. laws required 9/13 votes to pass a law, states could opt-out with no consequences

7. amendments to articles required a unanimous vote

supermajority

anything over 7/13 votes

Why were people angry at the government after the Revolutionary War?

courts took away farmer’s property since they were behind on tax/mortgage payments

Daniel Shays

a farmer and revolutionary war veteran

Shay’s rebellion

violent attacks on courthouses in Massachusetts (1786-1787), no military to counter it = need amendments to AoC

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: meeting to amend the articles, held in secret, suspicions of a coup d’etat (55 delegates attended, 39 signed the final product)

Grand Committee

delegates at the constitutional convention (leaders)

George Washington

didn’t do much, president of the convention

James Madison

the “father” of the Constitution, used enlightenment thinkers to support arguments

Ben Franklin

abolitionist, 81 years, good at compromise

Alexander Hamilton

wrote and spoke most, concerned about too much power to the people

preamble

“we the people",” states powers, establishes justice, social service, etc.

article 1

the legislative branch

article 2

the executive branch

article 3

the judicial branch

article 4

the states

article 5

amending the constitution

article 6

debts, supremacy clause, oaths

article 7

ratification (LEJSASR) + signatories, BoR, 17 amendments

republicanism

political ideology prioritizing representation to make govt. decision

popular sovereignty

people established the government and are its source of power (“consent of the governed”)

limited government

government can only excercise powers granted to it; must follow rule of law

federalism

the rights of the states are protected by dividing the powers between the national government and state governments

separation of powers

the power to govern divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches, prevents concentration of power and abuse by other branches

checks and balances

each branch has authority to check or restrain some powers of the other two branches

judicial review

the power held by the courts to review laws and declare them unconstitutional

Virginia Plan

bicameral, proportional representation based on population (inc. Virginia’s power)

New Jersey Plan

unicameral, equal representation between states

the Great (Connecticut) Compromise

bicameral, house uses proportional representation based on population, and senate had equal representation

What did southern states think about enslaved people being part of the population?

slaves remain enslaved, counted in population, no political voice

What did northern states think about enslaved people being part of the population?

enslaved people freed in the future, not counted in population

Three-Fifths Compromise

enslaved people counted as 3/5ths of a person + a law saying that fugitive slaves must be returned

Compromise on Importation

congress couldn't outlaw slave trade until 1808

electoral college

allow a group of people (educated electors) to use the guidance of the people to elect the president

How are amendments proposed?

2/3 of both houses of Congress or 2/3 of states

How are amendments ratified?

¾ state legislatures or ¾ state delegates at ratifying conventions

the Federalists

supported to constitution as it was since the state reps wrote it (fixed the articles, general welfare, acknowledged that states must give up some sovereignty, federalist papers; Publius: Madison, Jay, Hamilton)

Federalist No. 51

Madison says natural government corruption can be counterarcted by separation of powers and checks and balances (+ bicameral legislature!), double security (separating power and state power)

How did Madison use human nature to strengthen checks and balances?

human nature is shown in how branch checks another branch to show their power

Federalist No. 10

Madison acknowledges that factions are dangerous, but inevitable and can be controlled by a large republic: “liberty is to faction what air is to fire”

faction

agroup of self interested people who are willing to trample common good for personal gain

the Anti-Federalists

thought that the Constitution gave national govt. too much power (autocracy/monopoly), only real state power through elections, feared Supremacy Clause, states are closer geographically to the people

Brutus 1

argues for a confederation of small state republics is best, the country was to large to have a big republic, must represent the people better

ratification

federalists won the debate overall, but agreed to Bill of Rights (1-9 amendments protect individual rights, 10th focuses on federal government)

autocracy

one unelected person with absolute power (absolute monarchy, dicatatorship)

constitutional monarchy

limited monarchy

oligarchy

small group leads the government from elite or military (ex. Afghanistan under the Taliban)

direct democracy

people govern through their vote only; meet together (ex. small towns)

representative democracy

people elect representatives to vote on their behalf (ex. US)

republic

representatives vote on behalf of the people (not necessarily elected), Ancient Rome, HoL

paritcipatory democracy

the people, through voting, participate in politics and civil, society, hold leaders accountable, very broad power

elitist democracy

a specific group of people who are elite hold disproportionate amount of power politically, power of people is limited

Marxist-Elitist theory

belief that politics are controlled by economic factor and those who hold means of production

military-industrial complex theory

power comes from key corporate, military, and political leaders (inc. power when at war)

bureaucratic-elitist theory (deep state)

appointed officials who are the daily operators of large government agencies and corporations; their discretionary authority allows them to have a lot of power

pluralist democracy

politically involved and activist Americans have power; power or the people is limited, but access is open; interest groups bargaining drives policy making