Chapters 1/2 Flashcards
Money granted to the states for a narrow purpose (ex: school lunch program)
Categorical grant
Branch of government which writes law
Legislative
Those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority
Centralists
System in which each branch of government limits one another
Checks and balances
Gives congress the power to regulate commerce among that states
Commerce clause
Concurrent powers
Powers held by both congress and the states
System in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central government
Confederation
People who prefer greater state authority over national authority
Decentralists
System in which the people rule themselves
Direct democracy
Money granted by the government to states from a broad purpose (like transportation)
Block grant
3 authors of the federalist papers
Madison, Hamilton, Jay
A change in the actual wording of the constitution
Formal amendment
Purpose of the federalist papers
Persuade people to adopt the constitution
System in which people rule by their representatives
indirect democracy
Judicial review
Power of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws and government actions
Court case which established judicial review
Marbury vs. Madison
Requirements posed by the national government to the states
mandates
Powers of the states to protect the public health, safety, morals, and health standards of the public
Police powers
Principle in which powers of the government are separated among three branches
separation of powers
Marbury vs. Madison year
1803
Principle in which ultimate political authority rests with the people
popular sovereignty
Why is Shay’s Rebellion significant?
highlighted the problems with the Articles of Confederation
A majority greater than a simple majority of one half
Supermajority
Bicameral
Two house legislature
Another word for indirect democracy
republic
Why did the founding fathers distrust direct democracy? (3 reasons)
The common man wasn’t educated enough to make good decisions
They could be swayed by demagogs
Gathering all citizens is impractical
Shay’s Rebellion year
1789
Minority delegates using politics to their advantage
Elite politics view
Political resources scattered so no elite can control all of government
Pluralist politics view
Example of elite politics view; what kind of elite does it represent
Marxist; economic elite
Majoritarian politics view
Leaders influenced by the views of the majority
So many political groups haggling, government goes into gridlock
Hyperpluralist view
Where are the fundamental democratic values stated?
The Preamble
Freedom within the context of order and fairness
Liberty
4 Fundamental Democratic Values
1) Popular sovereignty
2) Respect for the individual
3) Equality of opportunity
4) Liberty
What makes an election democratic?
Free and fair with competing parties
The Legislative branch consists of ____________.
Congress: the House and the Senate
Branch of government which enforces law
executive
Branch of government which interprets law
Judicial
The Following of The Ninth
Refers to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, which is used as a battle cry of people fighting for freedom
Ideal established by the Magna Carta
Limited government
What state constitution inspired the Preamble?
Massachusetts
3 Sources of inspiration for the Consitution
enlightenment ideals, british traditions, and colonial experience
3 problems with the Articles of Confederation
- National government could not tax
- No executive leader of judiciary
- No national currency
Annapolis Convention
convened to amend the A. of Confederation
Constitutional Convention
called to junk the A. of Confederation and start of; this purpose was concealed from the public
People must give up some freedom in the name of order
Social contract
Agreement to count slaves as 3/5s of a person for taxes and for representation
Compromise of 3/5s
Another name for the Great Compromise
Connecticut Compromise
What did the Great Compromise establish?
A bicameral legislature
The two main Federalists
Hamilton and Madison
The main Anti-Federalist
Patrick Henry
What sort of people were the Federalists?
Property owners, creditors, the elite
What sort of people were the anti-federalists?
Farmers, debtors, shopkeepers
2 British documents which influenced the Constitution
Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights
What was the goal of the Federalists?
Ratify the constitution
What was the primary belief of the antifederalists?
The government should be close to the people, thus, power should primarily remain with the states
Why is split ticket voting more common now than ever before?
Ballots are arranged by office, rather than by party
How did the Federalists and Anti-Federalists eventually compromise?
The addition of the Bill of Rights
Why were checks and balances established?
Fear of tyranny
When a voter votes for multiple parties
split ticket voting
The president from one party, Congress controlled by another
divided government
Under the Articles of Confederation, how could the document be changed?
unanimous vote
Under the constitution, how can amendments be made?
National government proposes an amendment, and state governments ratify it
The common way amendment proposals are made?
2/3 vote in both houses
What alternate process is there to propose an amendment? Has it ever been used?
Constitutional Convention; no
What common way are amendments ratified by the states?
3/4 vote
Why are terms staggered across government?
No party can gain control of all government at once
What is the only amendment to be ratified by a state-by-state series of constitutional conventions?
21st
