Unit 1: US Political Development and the Constitution

Unit 1 Key Objectives

1. Balance Between Governmental Power and Individual Rights

  • A balance between governmental power and individual rights has been a hallmark of American political development.
1.1 Democratic Ideals in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
  • Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
  • Key Principles:
    • Limited government
    • Natural rights
    • Popular sovereignty
    • Republicanism
    • Social contract
  • The Declaration of Independence:
    • What it is.
    • Who wrote it? (3 Founding Fathers)
  • The U.S. Constitution:
    • What it is.
    • Philadelphia Convention:
      • What it is and who led it.
    • “Grand Committee”:
      • What 2 major Founders were in it.
    • Why the Constitution is considered a blueprint.
1.2 Models of Representative Democracy
  • Explain how models of representative democracy are visible in major institutions, policies, events, or debates in the U.S.
  • Forms of representative democracy:
    • Participatory democracy:
    • Pluralist democracy:
    • Elite democracy:
  • Constitutional tensions between participatory model and pluralist/elite models.
    • Key concepts in Federalist No. 10
    • Key concepts in Brutus No. 1
      • Compare concepts in Brutus 1 and Federalist 10 with each other:
  • Modern issues reflecting the three models of representative democracy.

2. Constitution as a Blueprint for Limited Government

  • The Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government.
2.1 Federalist and Anti-Federalist Views
  • Explain how Federalist and Anti-Federalist views on central government and democracy are reflected in U.S. foundational documents.
    • Connections between a superior large republic, the “mischiefs of faction,” and relation to Federalist 10
      • Connection to elected representatives
      • Connections between “federalism” and its division of power between states and national government
    • Connections between Brutus No. 1 and popular democracy, small decentralized republics, guarding personal liberty against a strong and large government
2.2 Articles of Confederation
  • Explain the relationship between key provisions of the Articles of Confederation and the debate over granting the federal government greater power formerly reserved to the states.
    • Key weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:
      • Incidents like Shays’ Rebellion highlight what key weakness?
      • Lack of tax law enforcement power
2.3 Political Negotiation and Compromise at the Constitutional Convention
  • Explain the ongoing impact of political negotiation and compromise at the Constitutional Convention on the development of the constitutional system.
    • Key Compromises at the Constitutional Convention:
      • Great (Connecticut) Compromise:
        • What is it a compromise of?
      • Electoral College:
        • What is it a compromise of?
      • Three-Fifths Compromise:
        • What was it a compromise of?
      • Compromise on the importation of slaves:
        • What was it a compromise of?
    • Article V of the Constitution:
      • What it deals with.
        • What is the 2 step process to get an Amendment to the Constitution?
    • Debates today dealing with Constitutional issues that were not resolved at the Constitutional Convention.
    • Examples of modern debates between national power, state power, individual rights:
      • Debates between government surveillance and the 9/11 attacks
      • The debate about the role of the federal government in public school education

3. Competitive Policy-Making Process

  • The Constitution created a competitive policy-making process to ensure the people’s will is represented and that freedom is preserved.
3.1 Separation of Powers and "Checks and Balances"
  • Explain the constitutional principles of separation of powers and “checks and balances.”
    • Main checks and balances:
    • Federalist No 51:
3.2 Implications of Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
  • Explain the implications of separation of powers and “checks and balances” for the U.S. political system.
    • Access points to influence:
    • Impeachment process:

4. Federalism

  • Federalism reflects the dynamic distribution of power between national and state governments.
4.1 Societal Needs and Constitutional Allocation of Power
  • Explain how societal needs affect the constitutional allocation of power between the national and state governments.
    • Exclusive and concurrent powers:
    • Definitions:
      • Grants
      • Incentives
      • Aid programs
      • Revenue sharing
      • Mandates
      • Categorical grants
      • Block grants
4.2 Balance of Power Over Time
  • Explain how the appropriate balance of power between national and state governments has been interpreted differently over time.
    • Understand the power struggle between states and the federal government with the following:
      • 10th and 14th amendments:
      • Commerce clause:
      • Necessary and proper clause:
      • Enumerated powers
      • Implied powers
      • McCulloch v Maryland
      • US v Lopez:
4.3 Distribution of Powers and Policy Making
  • Explain how the distribution of powers among three federal branches and between national and state governments impacts policy making.
    • Access points:
    • How is national policy constrained by the 3 branches and state government: