ultimate gov
Case | Clause | Holding |
Marbury v. Madison | Article III | Judicial review established |
McCulloch v. Maryland | Necessary & Proper, Supremacy | Implied powers, states can’t tax fed gov |
U.S. v. Lopez | Commerce Clause | Limited Congress’s power under Commerce Clause |
Baker v. Carr | Equal Protection (14th) | Courts can hear redistricting; “one person, one vote†|
Shaw v. Reno | Equal Protection | No racial gerrymandering |
Engel v. Vitale | Establishment Clause | No school-led prayer |
Wisconsin v. Yoder | Free Exercise | Amish exempt from school — religious freedom |
Tinker v. Des Moines | Free Speech | Symbolic speech protected in schools |
NY Times v. U.S. | Freedom of Press | No prior restraint — Pentagon Papers |
Schenck v. U.S. | Free Speech | Speech limited during wartime (clear and present danger) |
Gideon v. Wainwright | 6th Amend, Incorporation | Right to an attorney |
Roe v. Wade | Right to Privacy | Women’s right to abortion (now overturned by Dobbs) |
McDonald v. Chicago | 2nd Amend, Incorporation | Right to bear arms applied to states |
Citizens United v. FEC | Free Speech | Corp/union political spending protected speech |
Concept | Explanation |
Federalism | Division of power between federal and state govs |
Separation of Powers | Each branch has its own powers |
Checks and Balances | Branches limit each other’s power |
Popular Sovereignty | Power comes from the people |
Limited Government | Government is restricted by the Constitution |
Republicanism | People elect representatives |
Social Contract | Gov protects rights, people obey laws |
Civil Liberties | Freedoms guaranteed (Bill of Rights) |
Civil Rights | Protection from discrimination (Equal Protection) |
Political Socialization | How people develop political beliefs |
Political Ideologies | Liberal vs Conservative views |
Policy Making Process | Agenda setting → policy formulation → adoption → implementation → evaluation |
Iron Triangle | Congress + Bureaucracy + Interest Groups work together |
Issue Networks | Looser version of the Iron Triangle (more actors involved) |
Judicial Review | Courts can strike down laws |
Stare Decisis | Let the decision stand (precedent) |
Branch | Powers |
Legislative (Congress) | Makes laws, confirms appointments, declares war, controls budget, can impeach |
Executive (President) | Enforces laws, veto power, appointments, commander-in-chief, executive orders |
Judicial (Courts) | Interprets laws, judicial review, life terms to ensure independence |
5. POLITICAL BEHAVIOR & PARTICIPATION
Voting Behavior (who votes & why: education, age, efficacy)
Linkage Institutions: Political parties, interest groups, media, elections
Elections: Electoral College, incumbency advantage, midterms vs presidential
Campaign Finance: PACs, Super PACs, Citizens United
Political Parties: Platforms, realignment, divided government
Interest Groups: Lobbying, litigation, amicus briefs
Media: Agenda setting, horse race journalism, bias
Document | Core Idea |
Declaration of Independence | Natural rights, popular sovereignty, social contract |
Articles of Confederation | Weak federal gov, no power to tax, no military power |
Federalist No. 10 | Factions are inevitable but best controlled in a large republic |
Brutus No. 1 | Anti-Federalist: small republic, fear of elite tyranny |
Federalist No. 51 | Separation of powers + checks and balances protect liberty |
Federalist No. 70 | Need for a strong, single executive for efficiency |
Federalist No. 78 | Judicial review, life tenure, courts are the weakest |
Letter from Birmingham Jail | Just vs unjust laws, civil disobedience, equality under law |
6. POLICY-MAKING & BUREAUCRACY
Formal & informal presidential powers
Congressional oversight of bureaucracy
Bureaucratic discretion & rule-making
Policy implementation by agencies (EPA, FBI, etc.)
Checks on bureaucracy: hearings, budget control
Necessary & Proper Clause – implied powers of Congress
Supremacy Clause – federal law > state law
Commerce Clause – regulates interstate commerce
Establishment Clause – no official religion
Free Exercise Clause – religious freedom
Equal Protection Clause (14th) – used to incorporate rights
Due Process Clause (5th & 14th) – gov must respect rights
Privileges & Immunities – no discrimination against other states’ citizens
Full Faith & Credit – states recognize each other’s laws