Chapter 1

Question 1

Elements of politics

Answer 1

Power: The ability to make others act in a way that they otherwise might not have done
Resources: Anything of value to others that can be used to sway another individual
Politics: Who gets what, when, and how

Question 2

Types of observations

Answer 2

Empirical: A claim about the “real world” based on the assessment of data or analysis of information
Value: A judgment about something in the world, typically involving whether it’s “good”, “bad”, “the best”, ect.
Normative: A claim about what ought to be in the world, which typically follows from a value judgment

Question 3

Two theories of resource allocation

Answer 3

Elitism: government responds to small groups of elites, corporate leaders, media owners, and/or academic leaders
Pluralism: Government responds to individuals through membership in groups, service organizations, union and/or religious groups

Question 4

Equality of outcome

Answer 4

Emphasis on providing with comparable economic and social positions
Social equality
Economic equality

Question 5

Liberty

Answer 5

The ability to pursue your ends and objectives, tempered by socially defined boundaries and limited government obstructions: “Absolute liberty” would be the freedom to do anything a person wanted without any limits or boundaries (i.e. no punishment)
A central source of tension in politics is the conflict between liberty and social responsibility, or concern for the protection of the rights of individuals in a community or society at the expense of some degree of personal liberty

Question 6

Ideal balance

Answer 6

Liberty, political equality, and equality of opportunity

Equality of outcome, social equality, and economic equality

Question 7

Equality of Opportunity/Political equality/Liberty

Answer 7

Outcomes should be based on individual talents, capabilities, and interests (because people are different)
Characteristics such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and nationality

Question 8

Equality of Outcome/Social and Economic Equality/Social responsibility

Answer 8

Government should play an active role in the allocation of resources to promote a more equal distribution (because not all people are treated equally)

Question 9

Authority

Answer 9

The right to act in an official capacity by virtue of holding an office like president or member of Congress

Question 10

Democracy

Answer 10

A government created by the people over whom it rules

Question 11

Direct democracy

Answer 11

Democracy without representation, where each eligible individual participates in decision making

Question 12

Economic equality

Answer 12

A form of equality of outcome that values using government policy to minimize the economic disparities found in society

Question 13

Elitism

Answer 13

The theory that government responds to a small, stable, centralized hierarchy of corporate and academic leaders, military chiefs, people who own big media outlets, and members of a permanent government bureaucracy
People who subscribe to this position believe the actions of regular citizens, like voting and joining groups, simply mask the real power exercised by elites

Question 14

Empirical

Answer 14

Any statement based on the assessment of data or the analysis of information, without regard to value judgements

Question 15

Equality of opportunity

Answer 15

One of several ways of understanding quality
This way values leveling the social and economic inequities among people, rather than attempting to give people comparable advantages for succeeding in life

Question 16

Legitimacy

Answer 16

Widespread ublic acceptance of the official standing o a political figure or institution

Question 17

Liberty

Answer 17

The ability to pursue your ends and objectives, tempered by socially defined boundaries and limited government impediments

Question 18

Normative

Answer 18

Any statement that invokes a judgement or evaluation

Think of the word norm, which implies a standard for evaluating something

Question 19

Pluralism

Answer 19

The theory that government responds to individuals through their membership in groups, assuring that government is responsive to a wide range of voices
People who subscribe to this position believe that the wide distribution of resources in society drives the decisions government officials make

Question 20

Political equality

Answer 20

Establishing political and legal rights on the basis of the individual, so that everyone has the same right to vote and is equal under the law
An alternative would be to grant political rights to elite individuals based on wealth or social standing

Question 21

Politics

Answer 21

The process of determining who gets what, when, and how

Question 22

Power

Answer 22

The ability to make others act in a way that they otherwise might not have done

Question 23

Representative democracy

Answer 23

A form of democracy in which eligible individuals choose others to make decisions on their behalf

Question 24

Republic

Answer 24

Any nation with provisions for the selection of representatives who make decisions on behalf of these who select them
James Madison said a republic was “a government in which the scheme of representation takes place”, as compared to direct democracy

Question 25

Resources

Answer 25

Anything of value to others that can be used to sway another individual

Question 26

Social equality

Answer 26

A form of equality of outcome that values using government policy to minimize social class distinctions found in society

Question 27

Social responsibility

Answer 27

Concern for the protection of the rights of individuals in a community or society, at the expense of some degree of personal liberty

Question 28

END CHAPTER 1

Answer 28

END CHAPTER 1

Question 29

British acts as imposition on liberty

Answer 29

``` Sugar Act (1764) tax to raise revenue for British government Quartering Act (1765) colonists forced to house British troops Stamp Act (1765) tax to raise revenue for British government ```

Question 30

Tensions Rise

Answer 30

Colonists respond to taxes with protests and demands for repeal Parliament enacts more taxes and new laws to punish colonists

Question 31

Attempt to Coordinate Efforts

Answer 31

First Continental Congress (1774) meets for the purpose of coordinating a boycott of British goods Fighting begins at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts (1775) Second Continental Congress (1775) meets to coordinate war effort and in 1778 issues Declaration of Independence

Question 32

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 32

Liberty in the state of nature is absolute, but anyone can deny another's liberty (or life by force) Life in the state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" To protect themselves from this situation people, exchange their liberty for the security of a strong government A social contract between the government and the governed provides security in exchange for liberty

Question 33

John Locke and natural rights

Answer 33

In the state of nature all persons possess the natural right to life, liberty, and property People enter into the social contract to protect these natural rights, agreeing to give up some individual rights in exchange for greater protect of natural rights The purpose of government under this contract entails more than just providing physical safety, therefore government should have less power that Hobbes says

Question 34

Articles of Confederation (1777)

Answer 34

Colonists feared creating a strong national government capable of infringing on their liberty just as Britain had done National government is created by subservient to the states: State governments were in turn created by the people of the state Small farmers and debtors preferred rule of local governments while bankers, traders, and manufacturers wanted a strong national government

Question 35

Problems with the Articles

Answer 35

National government was unable to: regulate trade; states used a different way of measurement of currency, raise taxes, enforce national law (they could pass laws, but not enforce them), effectively conduct foreign affairs (negotiate treaties to secure loans), unanimity among states needed to amend the Articles

Question 36

Shay's Rebellion (1786)

Answer 36

Northeastern states experience downtown in economy Massachusetts increased taxes and creditors sought to collect debts Small farmers and debtors took up arms and blocked the local courts from convening and sentencing debtors to failure to pay and repossessing land National government was powerless to deal with the complaints of debtors or assist the state

Question 37

Types of Government

Answer 37

Confederal: Natioanl government is created by and remains subservient to a pre-existing set of compnent states Unitary: Central natioanl government creats subunits, such as states, which derive their power from that national government Federal: National government and states share authority over citizens; states are autonomous in some areas

Question 38

Constitutional Compromise

Answer 38

How will representation work in the new government: Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut Compromise

Question 39

American settlers

Answer 39

Self-reliant Risk-takers Values liberty and opportunity

Question 40

Institutional Safeguards to Liberty

Answer 40

Power should be not concentrated inn a single place, institution, or person: Sepration of powers Once powers are separated, they should be positioned to counteract each other: Checks and balances Federalism Limited government Popular soverignty

Question 41

Three Branches

Answer 41

Executive, Legislative, and Judicial

Question 42

Executive Branch

Answer 42

Represents: entire nation Chosen by: Electoral College Term: 4 years, renewable once Function: Carrying out laws

Question 43

Legislative Branch; House

Answer 43

Represents: Small districts Chosen by: The people Term: 2 years Function: Writing laws

Question 44

Legislative Branch; Senate

Answer 44

Represents: States Chosen by: The people (originally state legislatures) Term: 6 years Function: Writing laws

Question 45

Judicial Branch

Answer 45

Represents: The Constitution Chosen by: The president, confirmed by the Senate Term: Life Function: Judging laws

Question 46

Political battle over ratification

Answer 46

Who were the sides What groups made-up each side What was a major point of contention between the two sides and what did it ultimately resolve in How was Article VII written to aid passage of the Constitution

Question 47

Federalism

Answer 47

Federal systems are unusual in the world States and federal government are independent power centers Different perspectives on federalism: Nation -centered, state-cented, and dual federalism

Question 48

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819); Could the federal government engage in activities that were not expressly delegated to it in the Constitution

Answer 48

Yes-Article 1, Section 8- "Necessary and Proper" clause

Question 49

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819); Does the federal government supersede the states when a conflict arises between them

Answer 49

Yes-Article VI-

Question 50

The Changing Nature of Federalism

Answer 50

1789 to 1890s: Struggle between National/State/Dual federalism 1890s to 1960s: Cooperative federalism, New Deal/Great Society 1960s to???: New Federalism

Question 51

END CHAPTER 2

Answer 51

END CHAPTER 2

Question 52

Articles of Confederation

Answer 52

The first constitution of the United States, which created a loosely functioning national government to which the individual states were supreme It addressed concerns about a strong government undermining individual liberty, but it created a national government that was unable to regulate commerce or conduct foreign policy and was abandoned in favor of the United States Constitution just 8 years after it was ratified

Question 53

Boston Massacre

Answer 53

A a precursor to the war that was still 5 years away, it was the first mortal conflict between colonists and British troops in Boston and resulted in the deaths of 5 colonists in 1770

Question 54

Boston Tea Party

Answer 54

A protest against the Tea Act of 1773 in which 50 colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded British trade ships loaded with tea and threw the contensts into the water

Question 55

Checks and balances

Answer 55

The ability of any one of the several equal and independent branches of government to keep the others from acting, designed to prevent power from being consolidated tin any one branch Because any branch can put a check on the others, government can only act when there is cooperation between the branches, a situation that neccessitates compromise

Question 56

Coercive Acts

Answer 56

Called the Intolerable Acts in the colonies, the Coercive Acts represented the British attempt to clamp down on the colonies following the Boston Tea Party

Question 57

Confederal system

Answer 57

An arrangement for establishing a governmnet out of a set of component states, in which the national government is the creation of the states and subservient to them The Articles of Confederation established a system like this in the United Nations may be the mist prominent example of a confederation

Question 58

Connecticut Compromise

Answer 58

A compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans that broke the deadlock over representation at the Constitutional Convention by providing for a bicameral legislature Large states would get their demand for represnetation based on population in the House of Representatives, while every state, regardless of size, would have two senators, which pleased small states

Question 59

Constitutional Convention

Answer 59

A meeting of representatives from 12 of the 13 states held in Philadelphia in 1787, which produced the federal system of government outlined in the United States Constitution

Question 60

Cooperative federalism

Answer 60

One of several perspectives on federalism, popular during the first two-thirds of the 12th century, which was defined by join endeavors between the federal and state governments Typically, state governments would carry out federal initiatives, using federal money and federal guidelines

Question 61

Declaration of Independence

Answer 61

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