Unit One: Foundations of American Democracy

Key Ideas:
- Balance of power: Federal vs. State Governments
- Individual rights vs. Governmental power
- Impact of the Constitution in contemporary society

Natural Rights: Jefferson's concept of unalienable rights; rights inherent to all individuals.
Social Contract: Government's purpose is to protect these rights; authority stems from the people.
Popular Sovereignty: The idea that governmental power originates with the people, who can replace ineffective governments.

Limited Government: Power limited strictly to those explicitly granted by the Constitution.
Republican Government: U.S. operates as a republic; citizens elect representatives to legislate on their behalf.

Participatory Democracy: Awareness of civic involvement; examples include town hall meetings and protests.
Pluralist Democracy: Groups compete for policy influence; characterizes political parties and interest group dynamics.
Elite Democracy: Limited individual involvement; focus on representation by elites instead of direct policy votes.

Federalist No. 10: Madison warns against factions that threaten minority rights; advocates for a large republic with elected representatives.
Brutus No. 1: Anti-federalist perspective favoring democracy; emphasizes local control and warns against a powerful central government.

Original framework based on state sovereignty; limited national government powers (e.g., war declarations, treaties).
Failure: Lacked enforcement powers (e.g., no ability to tax); led to public demand for a stronger central government after Shay's Rebellion.

Great Compromise: Established bicameral Congress; House by population vs. Senate with equal state representation.
Electoral College: Compromise on presidential election; mixes indirect election with legislative representation.
Three-Fifths Compromise: Slaves counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and electoral allocation.
Slave Trade Compromise: Prohibited abolition of slave trade for 20 years to appease Southern states.

Amendments require a two-thirds majority in Congress and three-fourths state ratification.

Federalist No. 51: Madison's exploration of managing governmental power while limiting overreach.
Separation of Powers: Assigns distinct responsibilities to legislative (law-making), executive (law enforcement), and judicial (law interpretation) branches.
Checks and Balances: Mechanisms for branches to limit each other's powers (e.g., Congress's impeachment authority).

Shift from Dual to Cooperative Federalism: Evolved from clear boundaries (layer cake) to shared powers (marble cake).
Funding Mechanisms:
- Categorical Grants: Federal funds for specific state purposes with conditions attached (e.g., transportation funding linked to drinking age).
- Block Grants: Broader funding with less stringent conditions.
- Funded and Unfunded Mandates: Federal rules states must follow regardless of funding support.

Supremacy Clause (Article 6): Federal law prevails over conflicting state laws.
Necessary and Proper Clause: Grants Congress implied powers to enact laws necessary for executing enumerated powers.
Commerce Clause: Broad interpretation allows regulation of anything affecting interstate commerce.

McCulloch v. Maryland: Confirmed Congress's implied powers to create a national bank; states can't tax federal entities.
U.S. v. Lopez: Set limits on the scope of Congress's power under the commerce clause; reaffirmed states' reserved powers under the 10th Amendment.

Federalism allows multiple governmental avenues for citizens to engage in policy making and enables a balance between uniform national policies and local state experimentation, promoting effective governance and democratic experimentation across state lines.