Chapter 2 Flashcards
Stamp Act of 1765
All printed legal papers must be printed on official paper stamped by English officials.
The Boston Tea Party was a result of what?
A combination of political strife generated by the British giving the East India company a monopoly on tea export from Britain and to make matters worst they wanted to sell directly to citizens rather then going to merchants.
Thus on 1773 Samuel Adams and a group of conservatives worried about taxes organized and set in motion the Boston Tea party.
The first Continental Congress was what?
It was a meeting of the delegates from all parts of the colonies in which they decided to boycott all English goods and began to consider declaring Independence.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
Written in November of 1777, the Articles of Confederation where the United States first written constitution.
It made so there was only one branch of government, the Legislative branch, Congress. States had to enforce laws themselves, no Executive branch.
While congress was the only branch it was relevantly week, it’s members effectively delegates/messengers from central government to states. They were even chosen by state legislators and could have their positions recalled at any time.
Amendments to the article required all 13 states approval.
Was very week, essentially made Congress the United Nations of the States. Each state was effectively its own free sovereign country.
Sahys’s Rebellion
Under the leadership of former army captain Daniel Shays a group of angry farmers formed a mob and rebelled against the government of Massachusetts in 1787. They rebelled in order to prevent their lands from being taken due to debts.
They were at first dispersed by the state militia but regrouped and attempted to take the Springfield arsenal leading for the state to plied Congress for help. But with no Executive power Congress could do nothing.
This rebellion went to show that Congress can not help in a time of state crisis and that the Article of Confederation needed to be reevaluated due to their lack of power.
What was the Great Compromise?
the Great compromise, also known as the Connecticut compromise, was a proposition that Congress would be made up of 2 chambers The House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives would be populated by representatives from each state based on population. Meaning the more populated a state was the more representatives it got.
The Senate on the other hand would get equal representation from all states, regardless of population.
What is the difference between an empirical and normative question?
Empirical questions are very analytical focusing on WHY something is true.
Ex: Why responsible voters vote.
Normative on the other hand focuses on how something SHOULD be like.
Ex: How responsible voters should vote.
What is a government defined as?
The formal political arrangements that rule over a land and it’s people.
Can be as simple as a tribal council that advice a chief
What is an Autocracy defined as:
A government in which one individual rules, a king or dictator.
An Oligarchy is defined as what:
A government in which a small group of people rule.
A Democracy is defined as what:
A government in which many people have the ability to influence decision making and are able to participate in decision making.
What is a Constitutional government?
A government in which there limits in place to what CAN be controlled and HOW things can be controlled by law and political structures.
A government with checks and balances in the form of laws and political structures.
Ex: U.S. government
What is an Authoritarian government?
A government in which there are no laws to limit what a government CAN control and HOW they control it, but they must come to terms with some political
groups.
Ex of Groups: Churches, Work Unions, Business Groups, etc.
What is a Totalitarian government?
A government in which there is absolutely no limit to government powers. They have complete control over political, economic, and social life.
Ex: North Korea, Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany
What is Politics defined as?
Conflicts and struggles over leadership, structure, and government policies.
Rationality Principle states that…
All political behavior has a purpose , all political actors act in their own self interest, and political actions are calculated and are instrumental.
What are institutions defined as?
Rules and procedures that provide incentives for political behavior.
What is a Jurisdiction defined as?
The domain in which institutional members have power to make decisions over.
What is Agenda Power defined as?
The ability to decide what will be taken up for consideration in an institution.
Gate Keeping Power
Veto Power is defined as what?
The ability to completely defeat something even when it comes through gate keeping A.K.A Agenda Power.
Decisiveness rules are defines as what?
Rules describing how decisions will be made but more specifically:
- when votes may be taken
- the sequence in which votes may occurs
- how many votes are needed for a decision to go through
Delegation is defined as what?
The transfer of authoritative power to another person or body for latter use.
What is a principal-agent relationship?
The relationship between a person and their agent to see to a certain principal. For an example we vote in Presidents that share our principals and expect them to promote them.
A transaction cost is defined as what in political science?
All costs that come with making a principal-agent relationship and making sure that the principal is seen to.
The Collective action Principal is defined as what?
All political actions are collective. They involve the act of building, collecting, mixing, and implementing people’s individual goals.
Informal Bargaining is defined as what?
Bargaining situations without the need for Formal Lawyers, contracts or other formalities.
Neighbor hedge agreements
formal Bargaining is defined as what?
Bargaining with rules and formalities. For an example, length of time to think over an offer, counteroffer rules, take or leaf it rules ,etc.
Collective Action is defined as what?
When a group of people pool up their resources and coordinate their efforts in order to accomplish one collectively desired goal.
Ex: Teacher’s Union coming together to negotiate salaries to the Board of Education
What is a Free Rider?
Some one that benefits from other’s actions without ever putting in any effort.
Ex: Having your neighbor build and maintain a fence between your properties.
Define a public good.
A benefit that once given cannot be denied from public.
Ex: National Defense
Define Tragedy of Commons:
The idea that a publicly owned facility will be overused since it is not owned by any one person or group.
The Policy of Principles:
The simple fact that everyone is interested in the outcomes of politics, aka Policies and Laws. Everyone cares because it effects everyone.
Ex: Personal interests, Electoral Interests, institutional Interests
What is the History Principle?
The idea that past experiences is import to today because history repeats itself and we can learn from the past.
Path Dependency is defined as what?
The idea that certain possibilities are made more or less likely because of past actions.
Ex: Dont Ask Dont Tell
What was the Annapolis Convention?
A meeting of State Delegates in Annapolis, Maryland to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. It resulted in the petition of congress for a formal meeting to address the Articles of Confederation’s weakness’s and create a solution.
What was the Constitutional Convention?
The convention asked for during the Annapolis Convention. During the convention the focused on a new permanent founding, fixing the issues of the Articles of confederation.
The 3/5ths Compromise decided what?
In order to keep the Union hold this compromise was made; making it so that every slave would count as 3/5th’s of a person.
Define Bicameralism:
The division of Congress into two chambers; House of Representatives and Senate.
Expressed Powers are defined as what:
The specific powers stated in the constitution granted to the Federal Government. All non-expressed powers fall on State Governments.
Necessary and proper Clause does what?
Gives the federal government the ability to use it’s expressed powers if deemed “necessary and proper” .
Stated in Article 1 Section 8 also known as the Elastic Clause.
What is Judicial Review Defined as?
The Judaical Branch/Supreme courts power to declare actions by the Executive and Legislative branch Unconstitutional and thus invalid.
Ex: Marbury vs. Madison
What is the Supremacy Clause:
As stated in the 6th Amendment Federal Law is supreme above all else. Including State laws.
What is Separation of Powers:
The division of government power among several institutions. Making it so that different branches of government must cooperate in decision making.
What is Federalism:
The separation of power between Federal and State government.
This is done via constitutional checks and balances in America.
What is the the first 10 amendments known as?
The Bill of Rights
Define Checks and balances:
Mechanisms put in place for the different branches of to interact and influence other branches decision making.
Define tyranny:
When a government employs cruel and unjust use of powers and authority.
Define Sovereignty:
Supreme and independent political authority.
Define Implied Powers:
Powers that are not explicitly stated in Article 1 Section 8 of the constitution but are implied via interpretation of delegated powers.
Define Reserved Powers:
Powers that are not specifically stated and given to the Federal Government under Article 1 Section 8 but at the same time are not denied to states. These powers are reserved for States under the Tenth amendment.
Eminent Domain:
Government’s right to take private property for public use with reasonable compensation.
Ex: Lands taken for Highway
Police Power:
The Governments power to regulate safety, health, and morals of citizens.
Concurrent Powers:
Powers that are given to both the Federal Government and State Governments.
Privileges and Immunities Clause:
Clause under Article 4 Section 1 that makes so states can not discriminate against those from other states or give their citizens special treatment.
Full Faith and Credit Clause:
Under Article 4 Section 2 of the constitution, making it so that a state must honor public acts and judicial decisions made in other states.
Ex: Gay Marriage
Commerce Clause:
Congresses power to regulate commerce with foreign Nations and among several states and Indian Tribes. In essence National Power is favored over all in the economy. Given under Article 1 Section 8
Cooperative Federalism:
Federalism in which the Federal government tempts State governments with “carrots” in the form of Grants-in-aid to implement policies/regulations.
Mabel Cake
Grants-in-aid
A general Term for funds given by Congress to state and local governments.
Categorical grants-in-aids:
Funds given by Congress to States and local governments that by law are for SPECIFIC purposes.
Ex: Education, Police Force, etc.
Project Grants:
Grant Programs in which state and local governments propose ideas to the Federal government in which grants are given out in a competitive nature.
Formula Grants:
Grants-in-aid in which a formula is used to determine the amount of funds Federal government will give to local and state governments.
Dual Federalism:
Federalism in which distinct layers of government share NO power. State and Federal government acting in accordance to their own jurisdictions.
Layered Cake
Unfunded Mandates:
National standards or programs forced on States without funding from funding or reimbursement.
Ex: Seat belt Laws
Block Grants:
Federal funds given to state governments from the Federal government to be used on goods, services, and programs with little to no restrictions on what they can be used for.
Regulated Federalism:
Federalism in which government provide grants-in-aid financing BUT impose heavy conditions for usage. Even threatens to take and withhold funds.
Sticks Approach
Uses Categorical grants-in-aid
New Federalism (Competitive Federalism)
Federalism in which grants-in-aids are used with little to no conditions, Block grants. The Federal government gives funds directly to localities.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
States’ Rights:
The principle that States should not allow the growth of the Federal Government.
Popular during the Civil War era
State Sovereign Immunity:
Legal doctrine holding that the states can not be sued for violating an act of Congress.
Legislative Supremacy:
Congresses position of most power
Divided Government:
Condition in American government in which the President’s party hold control over the Executive branch but at the same time it’s opposing party holds one or two of remaining branches.
Executive Privilege:
Claim that that conversations between the President and his close advisers cannot be revealed without his personal consent.
Writ of habeas Corpus
A Court Order protected under the constitution that states an individual under custody must be brought into court and shown why he is being detained. Can only to be taken away during times of rebellion and invasion.
