Constitutional Underpinnings Flashcards
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT MATTER
Politics does matter. It can make the difference in terms of a benefits check. It can make the difference in terms of school funding. Citizens canโt just remove themselves from that process. They actually have to engage themselves and not just leave it to the professionals.
โข ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ
โIf a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be..โ
๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ
Why are there debates about the balance of power between ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น and ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ governments?
Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declartion of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
The U.S government is based on ideas of limited government, including natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, and social contract.
Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution
The Declaration of independence, drafted by Jefferson with the help from Adams and Franklin, provides a foundation for popular sovereignty, while the U.S Constitution drafted at the Philadelphia convention led by George Washington, with important contributions from Madison, Hamilton, and members of the โgrand committee,โ provides the blueprint for a unique form of political democracy in the US.
Declaration of Independence
Describes the principles of government outlines in the Declaration of independence in a scenario
FEDERALIST
โขAlexander Hamilton
โขWealthy Merchants, Landowners
โขStrong National Government > Weak State Governments
โขGovernment by the elite
โข No Bill of Rights necessary
ANTI-FEDERALIST
โขThomas Jefferson
โข Laborers, Small Farmers
โขCalled
Democratic-Republicans
โขWeak National Government <
Strong State Governments
โข Government of the common man
โข Protection for Individual liberties necessary
Explain how federalist and anti-federalist views on central government and democracy are reflected in US Foundational documents.
Madisonโs arguments in Federalist No. 10 focused on the superiority of a large republic in controlling the โmischiefs of faction,โ delegating authority to elected representatives and dispersing power between the states and national government.
THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
85 Essays
โข Author: Publius
โข James Madison,
Alexander Hamilton & John Jay
โ Intended audience:
+ People of the State of New York
โPurpose:
โข To encourage ratification of the Constitution
โDates:
โข Fall of 1787 until Spring of 1788
FEDERALIST #10
Perspective: โThe Father of the Constitutionโ hoping to encourage ratification of this document
Claim: The Constitution has designed a representative republic to control the effects of violence of faction.
โข Evidence #1: Faction cannot be stopped so itโs effects must be controlled.
โข Evidence #2: A minority faction cannot get control of a republican government.
Explain how models of representatives, democracy are visible in major institutions, policies, events, or debates in the US
Different aspects of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the debate between the Federalist No. 10 and Brutus No. 1, reflect the tension between the broad participatory model and the more filtered participation of the
pluralist and elite models.
CONTRAST FEDERALIST #10 & BRUTUS #1
FEDERALIST 10
favored an elite democracy
did not trust the majority to rule
faction is inevitable so construct a government to control it
the protection of property is the main purpose of government
BRUTUS 1
feared a pluralist and elite democracy
Republic would morph into power being held by a corrupt few
peopleโs voices can be better heard by representatives who personally known them
participatory democracy is desired
PARTICIPATORY
is the right to petition the government, protest, and vote on ballot measures
PLURALIST
interest group action, impact on elections, government watchdogs, and influences public opinion
ELITE
wealthy influence on campaign financing/elections
big business influence on Congress as lobbyists
electoral college
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
No power to tax people directly, no power to regulate commerce, & no power to creat and maintain an army.
no president, & no power.
SHAYS REBELLION WAS BECAUSE
CAUSE; of poor farmers who were unpaid, and lost their farms in a post-war depression.
EFFECT: the wealthy fear potential threat of farmers violating property rights and taking the law into their own hands.
RESULT: A more effective government was needed to protect from rebellion.
VIRGINIA PLAN
Representation based on population of each state
has 3 branches of government
has separation of powers, & bicameral legislature
NEW JERSEY PLAN
Equal representation in legislature for every state
limited and expressed powers.
sovereignty of states
CONNECTICUT COMPROMISE
Bicameral legislature created
house of representives based on population
senate has equal representation of all states (2 senators/ state
ELECTROAL COLLEGE
Body to choose the president
Number of electors is equal to total number of Congressmen
Each state may decide how to choose their delegates who are sent to the Electoral College.
THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE
Only 3 of every 5 slaves would be counted when counting the population of representatives
THE CONSTITUTION
Blueprint for American Democracy
Under leadership of George washington
Grand committee (1 delegate from each state)
โข George Mason
โข William Paterson
โข Benjamin Franklin
โข Roger Sherman
THE ARTICLES OF CONSTITUTION
Article 1- Legislative (Congress), makes laws
Article 2- Executive (President), carries out laws Article 3- Judicial (Supreme Court), interprets laws
Article 4- Relations Among States
Article 5- Amending Process
Article 6- Supremacy
Article 7- Ratification 9-17-1787
BILL OF RIGHTS 1ST 10 AMENDMENTS
1st 5 freedoms: Speech, Petition, Religion, Assembly, Press
2nd Right to bear arms
3rd Against quartering troops
4th Against unlawful search and seizure
5th Rights of accused:
formal charges presented, against double jeopardy and self-incrimination 6th Right to speedy, fair trial and lawyer
7th Right to civil suits (suing but not criminal)
8th Against unreasonable bail or punishment
9th Any other rights reserved to the people
10th Powers reserved to the states
