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Foundations of American Government

Terms in this set (79)

state
a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government.
Nation
a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.
nation-state
a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent.
consensus
general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions
Sovereignty
supreme power or authority
Government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
Social Contract
A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.
Features of a state
population, territory, sovereignty, government
Origin of the state
Family, Defense, Theocracy, Representative Democracy
Purpose of Government
Organization, Public Service, National Security, Regulate the Economy
Unitary Government
A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency.
Federalism (federal system)
system of government in which the national government and state governments share power and derive all authority from the people
Purpose of the Constitution
to create a basic framework for the national government
Preamble to the Constitution
Introduction to the U.S. Constitution, establishing the goals and purposes of government
The framework of government in America
Three Branches, Federalism, Separation of Powers
Constitution
Supreme law of the land
Importance of Politics
Through politics, conflicts in society are managed
special interest group
a group of people who support a particular issue and who can be mobilized for political action
Government and Inequality
Social, economic, and political factors still create government inequality.
Autocracy
a system of government by one person with absolute power.
Oligarchy
a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution.
Democracy
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
free enterprise
an economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control.
individual liberty
the liberty of an individual to exercise freely those rights generally accepted as being outside of governmental control.
majority rule
Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.
minority rights
A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities.
free elections
Elections in which (1) more than one candidate runs for office, (2) the candidates present real alternatives by promising to promote different public policies (or stand for different values or principles) if elected, (3) no adult citizen is unjustly denied the right to vote, (4) all who have the right to vote have reasonable opportunity to exercise that right, and (5) everyone's vote is counted.
Political Parties
organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices
market economy
economic system in which decisions on production and consumption of goods and services are based on voluntary exchange in markets
mixed market economy
economic system that combines both private ownership and government ownership of the means of production
command economy
an economy in which production, investment, prices, and incomes are determined centrally by a government.
Magna Carta
the royal charter of political rights given to rebellious English barons by King John in 1215
English Petition of Rights (1628)
a document that set out specific liberties that the King is prohibited from infringing
English Bill of Rights
King William and Queen Mary accepted this document in 1689. It guaranteed certain rights to English citizens and declared that elections for Parliament would happen frequently. By accepting this document, they supported a limited monarchy, a system in which they shared their power with Parliament and the people.
Representative Democracy
A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.
Virginia House of Burgesses (1619)
First representative assembly in the american colonies. Representatives immediately began to enact laws and to safeguard the individual rights. Setting precedent in the colonies for individual rights protected by law ( British law did not provide for individual rights.)
Mayflower Compact
1620 - The first agreement for self-government in America. It was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower and set up a government for the Plymouth colony.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
It has the features of a written constitution, and is considered by some as the first written Constitution. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is a short document, but contains some principles that were later applied in creating the United States government. Government is based in the rights of an individual, and the orders spell out some of those rights, as well as how they are ensured by the government. It provides that all free men share in electing their magistrates, and uses secret, paper ballots. It states the powers of the government, and some limits within which that power is exercised.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Join or Die Cartoon
*Created by Ben Franklin to try to unite the colonies towards fighting the French. This is later used in the American Revolution.
Sugar Act of 1764
An act that raised tax revenue in the colonies for the crown. It also increased the duty on foreign sugar imported from the West Indies.
Stamp Act
1765; law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.
First Continental Congress (1774)
Met to discuss a response to the Intolerable Acts; adopted the Declaration and Resolves in which they:
Declared the Intolerable Acts null and void.
Recommended that colonists arm themselves and that militias be formed.
Recommended a boycott of British imports.
Second Continental Congress
They organized the continental Army, called on the colonies to send troops, selected George Washington to lead the army, and appointed the comittee to draft the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain
Natural Rights
the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property
List of Complaints against the King
Describe the grievance part of the DOI.
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
Achievements of the Articles of Confederation
1. It secured recognition of American independence by European government.
2. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which defined the northwest territory and created a plan for its government and set up districts. Each district was required to have a school, which was controlled on the local level of government.
3. Gave Congress full power over the Northwest Ordinance.
4. Prohibited slaves in the Northwest Ordinance.
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
One vote for each State, regardless of size. Congress powerless to lay and collect taxes or duties. Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce. No executive to enforce acts of Congress. No national court system. Amendment only with consent of all States. A 9/13 majority required to pass laws. Articles only a "firm league of friendship."
Shay's Rebellion (1786)
This MA conflict caused criticism of the Articles of Confederation; weak govt; increased calls for a Constitutional Convention to revise the Articles
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.
Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist
Federalist pushed for adoption of the Constitution and Anti-Federalist were against ratification
Bill of Rights, 1791
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists
Constitutional Convention
Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of the thirteen original states to write the Constitution of the United States.
3/5 Compromise
the decision at the Constitutional convention to count slaves as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of deciding the population and determining how many seats each state would have in Congress
Preamble of the US Constitution
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Articles of the Constitution
These are the main areas of the US Constitution which lay out the establishment of all three branches of the Government -- the legislative, the executive and the judicial as well as the establishment of states and their relationship to the federal government and how the Constitution can be amended, how National law is supreme and how the Constitution will be ratified.
Amendment
A change in, or addition to, a constitution or law
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Executive Branch (President)
has the power to enforce the law
Legislative Branch (Congress)
makes laws, imposes taxes, and declares war
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
interprets the constitution and other laws, reviews lower-court decisions
The amendment process for the Constitution
Requires a 2/3 vote in Congress or in a Constitutional Convention to propose, and a 3/4 vote by the states to be ratified
First 10 amendments
1) free speech, press, religion, assemble, petition
2) right to bear arms
3) no quartering
4) no unreasonable searches and seizures
5) rights when accused: grand jury indictment; no double jeopardy, self-incrimination; due process of law
6) rights when on trial: speedy, public, nature of accusation; witnesses; attorney
7) law suits
8) no cruel or unusual punishment
9)unenumerated rights
10) reserved powers for the states and people
First Amendment
5 freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly, petition
Voting Amendments 15, 19, 24, 26
Gave African American Males, Women, eliminated poll taxes, Eighteen year olds the right to vote.
Fourth Amendment
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
National Powers (Expressed, Implied, Inherent)
regulate foreign and interstate commerce, coin and print money, provide an army and a navy, declare war, establish federal courts below the Supreme Court, conduct foreign relations, make all laws necessary and proper, acquire and govern US territories and admit new states, regulate immigration and naturalization
State powers (reserved)
Regulate intrastate commerce, establish local governments, establish public schools, administer elections, establish licensing requirements
Full Faith and Credit Clause
Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state
priviledges and immunities clause
Part of Article IV of the Constitution guaranteeing that the citizens of each state are afforded the same rights as citizens of all other states.
Extradition
The legal process by which a fugitive from justice in one state is returned to that state
interstate compact
An agreement among two or more states. Congress must approve most such agreements.
Lawsuits between states
Lawsuits brought by a state against another state are tried in the Supreme Court
states' rights position
a position that favors state and local action in dealing with problems
Nationalists position
a position that favors national action in dealing with problems
income tax
Tax paid to the state, federal, and local governments based on income earned over the past year.
Federalism and Politics
a. Federalism determines whether public policy originates at local, state, or national level
b. Federalism lessens the risk of one political party having all the power
c. Federalism gives citizens a lot of opportunities to participate in politics
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