1.1-1.6 Flashcards
Natural Rights
Each individual possesses rights that cannot be taken away by the government
Democracy in the U.S. is based on the ideals of the…
Enlightenment
Social Contract
Governments were created to protect the natural rights of citizens
People agree to follow the laws in exchange for their rights being protected
Popular Sovereignty
The power of the government comes from the general will of the people
Limited Government
The power of government should be restricted
Declaration of Independence: Main Ideas
- all men are created equal
- people have unalienable rights
- purpose of the government is to preserve those rights
- government power comes from the people
- people have the right to alter or abolish an unjust government
Representative Democracy
Republic
Republic
A government in which people elect officials to represent their concerns
Participatory Model
A model of democracy where citizens have power to influence policy decisions
-not direct democracy
Pluralist Model
A model of democracy in which no single group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy
- interest groups
Elite Model
A model of democracy that emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society
- small number of people influence political decision-making
The constitutional convention
Gathered to revise the A.o.C. But began writing the Constitution
Federalist
- wanted to replace the A.o.C.
- strong national government was needed to fix the nations problems
- wanted to increase the powers of congress-> create a national executive and judicial branches
- elite model
Anti-Federalist
- wanted to keep the A.o.C.
- feared that a strong national government would violate individual rights
- believed that the states should have more power
- participatory model
Brutus 1
- Believed the U.S. was too large to be effectively governed by one gov
- new gov created by Constitution would be too powerful
- necessary and proper clause and supremacy clause
Federalist 10
- argued in favor of the new Constitution-> creation of a “large republic”
- worried about the creation of factions
- believed creating a large republic was the only way to control factions
- wanted elite democracy
Factions
Interest groups
Articles of Confederation
- the first gov of the U.S.
- United the colonies into the United Stares
- establish a “league of friendship”
- Created a confederacy
Confederacy
A weak national govt where the states retain most of the governing power
A.o.C. Congress could
- conduct foreign affairs
- declare war
- regulate currency
- borrow money
- acquire territory
- establish post offices
A.o.C. Congress could not
- raise a standing (permanent) army or navy
- tax
- regulate trade
Shay’s rebellion and the a.o.c.
Congress couldn’t raise an army to put down the rebellion which illustrated the weakness of the A.o.C. And many wanted changes to the govt
2 options of representation in Congress
New Jersey Plan: each state has equal representation in Congress
Virginia Plan: representation in Congress determined by population
The Great Compromise
Created a bicameral legislature
- House of Representatives and Senate
House of Representatives
Representation proportional to state’s population
- the higher the population the more representation in the house
Senate
Each state has equal representation
Representation and Slavery
How should enslaved people be counted?
Southern states wanted enslaved people to be counted and Northern states did not
- 3/5 compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise
Enslaved people counted as 3/5 of a person
Slave trade clause
Congress could not limit international slave trade for 20 years
Fugitive slave clause
Requires persons “held to a service of labor” who flee to another state be returned to his/her slave holder in the state they escaped
Bill of Rights
First ten amendments
Principles of the Constitution
- republicanism 2. Popular sovereignty 3. Separation of Powers 4. Checks and Balances 5. Federalism 6. limited gov
Federalist 51
Argues in favor of the separation of powers and checks and balances
- federalism will further prevent factions from controlling government
Weaknesses of the A.o.C.
- Congress couldn’t raise taxes
- couldn’t regulate trade
- couldn’t raise a standing army
- 9/14 states to pass a law in Congress
- no chief executive responsible for enforcing laws
- no national court system
- 13/13 states must agree to amend A.o.C.
- states can print their own currency
Commerce Clause
Congress can regulate interstate and international trade
