Gov

AP Government Quiz Review (Ch. 1 & 2)

Chapter One: Introducing Government In America 

Politics and Government Matter

• Many American under 30 don’t vote or follow politics, but many Americans over 65 do

  • This is because senior citizens are interested in issues that affect them, such as Social Security and Medicare

Government: the institutions that make decisions for a society collectively

• The federal government is made up of Congress, the President, courts, and agencies

• All governments have:

  • A national defense (US spends $650 billion a year)

  • Provides public services, such as roads, libraries, and schools

  • Preserve order

  • Socialize the young by providing education

  • Collection of taxes

Politics: determines whom we select as our government leaders and what policies these leaders pursue

• Media focuses on the “who” of politics, such as voters, candidates, and parties

• “What” of politics: benefits, taxes

• “How” of politics: ways of participating in them, such as voting

• Single-issue groups: supporters who vote for a candidate usually on the basis of one issue (abortion, gun laws)

The Policymaking System

• People get involved in a democracy through voting, involvement in parties, and interest groups

• Linkage Institutions: groups that let policymakers in government know the preference of Americans 

  • Parties, media

• Policy Agenda: issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at a given time

  • Americans tend to vote for candidates that support their major concerns

  • Bad news affects policy agenda

• Policymaking institutions include congress, the President, Courts

Democracy: a system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens’ preference

• Originally, the framers feared giving people many democratic elements

• 5 criteria of an “ideal democratic process”

  • 1. Equality in voting

  • 2. Effective participation

  • 3. Enlightened understanding - free press and free speech

  • 4. Citizen control of the agenda - one group should NOT control policy

  • 5. Inclusion

• Restraints protecting the minority from the majority (1st amendment)

• In a representative government, the officials should reflect the will of citizens

• 3 Theories of American Democracy:

  • 1. Pluralism: Interest groups can influence public policy (critics argue that certain groups have too much power)

  • 2. Elitism: belief that the upper-class has too much power

  • 3. Hyperplurism: belief that the government is weaker due to the many groups, too many groups leads to nothing getting done

• Challenges to Democracy

  • Increased complexity of issues

  • Limited participation in government

  • Escalating campaign costs 

  • Diverse political interest 

• 5 Elements of Democracy:

  • 1. Liberty: freedom of speech and religion

  • 2. Egalitarianism: equal opportunity due to lack of monarchy or aristocracy

  • 3. Individualism: american has a unique identity

  • 4. Laissez-faire: preference for limited government and free markets, which leads to Americans paying less taxes than other democracies

  • 5. Populism: advocates for the rights of average citizens against privileges elites

The Scope of Government in America

• Governments spend about ⅓ of the GDP (gross domestic product)

• 24 million Americans are government employees

• Social Securty consumes ⅕ of the national budget

Chapter Two: The Constitution

Constitution: a nation's basic law; it creates political institutions, allocates power within government, and provides guarantees to citizens

• The US constitutions is the supreme law of the land

• Guarantees individual rights and limits power of the government

 The Origins of the Constitution

• The British/colonial relationship changed after the French and Indian War (ex. British started implementing taxes to pay off debts)

• Common Sense: Thomas Paine, influenced the DOI

• John Locke

  • The Second Treatise of Civil Government

  • Natural Rights: inherent rights, not dependent of government (life, liberty, property)

  • Consent of the governed

  • Limited government (restrictions on what government can do)

  • Revolting should be saved until injustices are severe

The Articles of Confederation: the government that failed

• National legislature with one house - each state received a vote

• No executive branch or national court

• States had a lot of power due to a fear of a strong central government

• Required unanimous consent to amend the Articles

• No national military (Shays’ Rebellion)

  • MA rebellion against foreclosures on farms; they attacked courthouses

  • In a sense, this rebellion was was instrumental in the Constitutional Convention

• No taxes

• Northwest Land Ordinance of 1787: process for adding new land to the union

• Annapolis Convention: purpose was to discuss the Articles, but only 5 states showed up; promise to meet in Philadelphia the following year (Constitutional Convention)

The Philadelphia Convention

• All states except RI showed up

• 4 philosophy of government

  • 1. Human nature - belief that people were self-interested

  • 2. Political conflict - Madison believed the distribution of wealth was the cause of conflict

  • 3. Objects of Government - belief that government should preserve right to preserve the right to achieve wealth

  • Nature of Government - balanced government, separation of powers

Issues at the Constitutional Convention

• Representation

  • NJ Plan - William Patterson: proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation per state

  • Virginia Plan - Edmund Randolph: proposed a bicameral legislature with representation to be based on population

  • Connecticut Compromise: created a bicameral legislature (house based off population, and senate based off equal representation)

• Slavery: Only MA has outlawed slavery, and the constitution banned the importation of slaves

  • ⅗ compromise: 3 out of 5 slaves would be counted towards representation in the House

• Economic Issues with the Articles: 

  • Each state could create tariffs on goods from other states and issue own currency

  • Under the constitution, congress was in charge of most economic activities such as taxing, borrowing, and regulating interstate trade

• Personal Freedoms under the ratified Constitution

  • Habeas Corpus

  • Cannot pass bills of attainder 

  • Prohibits passage of ex post facto laws

  • Strict rules for conviction of treason

  • Trial by jury in almost all cases

The Madisonian System

• Many framers feared the power of the non-wealthy majority, so safe guards were set up (separation of powers, checks and balances)

• Limiting Majority Control; house of reps was only part of 3 branches directly elected by the people 

• Separation of powers: 3 branches each having distinct powers

• Creating checks and balances: using power against power to limit government actions

• Federalism: established to divide powers between state and federal governments

• The constitution created a republic, not a direct democracy

  • Republic: using consent of the governed to elected representatives to make decisions

  • Direct Democracy: citizens voting on issues

Ratifying the Constitution

• Federalists: supported the constitution

• Anti-Federalists: opposed the constitution

• Federalist Papers: purpose was to try to persuade the ratification of Constitution

  • Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Joy

  • #10 (factions are inevitable) and #51 (separation of powers) - most popular

• Anti-federalists opposed the Constitution because of the fear of a strong central government, lack of protection of liberties

• THE SOLUTION - Bill of Rights!!

Changing the Constitution

• Two ways to amend the constitution

  • 1. ⅔ of Congress can propose an amendment, ¾ of state legislatures or ¾ of state conventions must ratify

  • National Convention of ⅔ states can propose, ¾ of state legislatures or ⅔ of state conventions must ratify

  • The president/Supreme Court has NO role in the amendment process

• Equal Rights Amendment: proposed but never ratified

• Informal Process of Constitutional Change

  • Judicial interpretation - judicial review (established in Marbury v. Madison)

  • Changing Political Practice: after 1800, political parties require electors for the electoral college to vote for the state’s popular vote winner

  • Technology: media can reach Americans on issue

  • Increasing demands on policymakers: presidential powers during war increases

    • Patriot Act: powers for wiretapping and surveillance of suspected terrorist