Chapter One: Constitutional Underpinnings

Question 1

European Enlightenment

Answer 1

Confidence in the power of reason

Question 2

John Locke’s “State of Nature”

Answer 2

people are free and equal, but freedom leads to inequality, and then to chaos

Question 3

Natural Rights

Answer 3

Rights that people have from the state of nature - right to life, liberty, and property

Question 4

Second Treatise of Government

Answer 4

governments are formed to protect natural rights, but citizens consent to give up some freedom when forming government

Question 5

Social Contract

Answer 5

agreement between rulers and citizens - government protects freedoms and citizens voluntarily give up some -
if government breaks contract, people have right to dissolve the government

Question 6

Locke in the Declaration of Independence

Answer 6

Thomas Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence closely resemble those of John Locke in the Second Treatise of Government

Question 7

Direct democracy

Answer 7

citizens debate and vote directly on all laws - high participation and faith in judgement of everyone - Founding Fathers skeptical in masses ruling themselves well because of vulnerability to demagogues

Question 8

Demagogues

Answer 8

charismatic leaders who manipulate popular beliefs

Question 9

Representative democracy

Answer 9

a Republic or indirect democracy which the Founders chose - people have power through electing officials to represent their will - compromise between direct democracy and authoritarian rule

Question 10

Elite theory

Answer 10

representative democracy isn’t really based on the will of the masses but more upon the small, rich class of people that make all the decisions (elites) - voters choose the winner of the competition between elites

Question 11

Social Mobility in Elitism

Answer 11

new elites incorporated in a merit-based education system - best and brightest are incorporated

Question 12

British Enlightenment vs. French Enlightenment

Answer 12

British - elitist, republicanism

French - pluralist, democracy

Question 13

Pluralist theory

Answer 13

Representative democracy is based on competing interest groups that represent and protect the interests of the masses - public policy is formed through compromise between competing interests

Question 14

Popular sovereignty in the Constitution

Answer 14

basic principle that the power to govern belongs to the people and that government must be based on the consent of the governed

Question 15

Separation of powers in the Constitution

Answer 15

the division of government powers into three separate branches - executive, legislative, and judicial

Question 16

Checks and balances in the Constitution

Answer 16

a political system in which branches of government have some authority over the actions of others

Question 17

Limited government in the Constitution

Answer 17

the basic principle that government is not all-powerful, and that it does only those things that citizens allow it to do

Question 18

Federalism in the Constitution

Answer 18

the division of governmental powers between a central government and the states

Question 19

Articles of Confederation

Answer 19

• only a Congress
• no executive or judiciary
• Congress couldn’t levy taxes or regulate commerce between states
• no law enforcing powers were granted to Congress
• no process of amending articles
• states retained all powers not specifically granted to Congress

Question 20

Alexander Hamilton

Answer 20

leading proponent of a strong, centralized government

Question 21

James Madison

Answer 21

young, well-read delegate from Virginia, who is usually credited with writing large parts of the Constitution

Question 22

Hamiltonian v. Jeffersonian

Answer 22

Hamiltonian - Pro-Britain/federalist/trade and industrialization/strong central government

Jeffersonian - Pro-France/democratic-republican/agrarian/state sovereignty/democratic

Question 23

Elbridge Gerry

Answer 23

Gerry-mandering

Question 24

The Great Compromise

Answer 24

AKA The Connecticut Compromise - bicameral legislature: larger house elected by popular vote, smaller house selected by larger house from nominees from state legislatures

Question 25

Three-fifths compromise

Answer 25

Slaves represent three-fifths of a person when counting population

Question 26

Electoral college

Answer 26

people selected by state legislatures cast ballots for the office of President

Question 27

Formal amendments

Answer 27

Convention method v. Congressional method
Conv. - proposed by 2/3 vote of each house of Congress and ratified by specifically called conventions in 3/4 of the states (only 21st amendment b/c Congress thought that not many state legislatures would vote for it)

Cong. - proposed by 2/3 vote of each house of Congress and ratified by at least 3/4 of the state legislatures

Question 28

Legislature and informal amendments

Answer 28

Legislature is passed that expand and further define Constitutional clauses - e.g. commerce clause and evolution of modern day transportation

Question 29

Executive branch and informal amendments

Answer 29

Executive agreements are a legal action of the President not listed in the Constitution - they do not need Senate approval unlike treaties - used to circumvent the formal process or prevent slowing of Senate progress

Question 30

Judicial branch and informal amendments

Answer 30

judicial review allows the judicial branch to interpret the Constitution and declare certain actions unconstitutional - lots of informal amending done by judicial branch - e.g. 2nd amendment = individual right

Question 31

Charles Beard’s Criticism of the Founders

Answer 31

they were motivated by money and power (Economic Interpretation of the Constitution) - created a Constitution to benefit their own economic interests

Question 32

Federalists vs. Antifederalists

Answer 32

Debate over ratification of new Constitution - those who believed it would protect individual liberties and supported strong central government = federalists - those who believed it would be oppressive of civil liberties and that more individual freedoms should be explicitly guaranteed = antifederalists

Question 33

Federalist Paper #10

Answer 33

Separation of powers and federalism check growth of tyranny and each branch of government - Constitutional principles prevent the dangers of majority oppression in direct democracy

Question 34

Federalist Paper #51

Answer 34

Why is strong central government necessary? No government would be needed if men were angels. No external nor internal controls on government would be necessary if angels governed men

Question 35

Ratification and addition of the Bill of Rights

Answer 35

Ratified by all states in 1789, but Bill of Rights added in 1791 - several states wouldn’t ratify the Constitution until a Bill of Rights was promised