Essay Questions Flashcards
- Describe the “State of Nature” as presented by Thomas Hobbes; why was it a problem and what was Hobbes’ solution to it? How did John Locke view Hobbes’ solution and how doe Locke’s ideas about government influence the US Constitutional system? (Give specific examples)
The “State of Nature” meant that life without government led to solitary and a very short
and poor life. Hobbes’s solution to it was to have an all powerful government. Hobbes
talks about this in his book “Leviathan”. John Locke saw the “State of Nature” as wrong.
Locke believed that people are “free” and it is PEOPLE who create government thus
“people” should control it. He believed that the role of government was to protect
LIBERTY AND PROPERTY which was later written into the US constitution.
- Do politics and government really matter? Why? You must use information from the text and the class materials as well as your own views in answering. (You must provide examples to support your case).
Yes, they do because government is everywhere. From the moment you wake up to the moment you lay down, government is inter fearing with your life. The government regulates what goes in your mattress, the food you eat, the medicine you take, and the cars you drive. They also regulate things such as speed limit, laws to protect you and me, and the prices of certain services. Personally, I believe that government and politics is very important because we live in a country in which we can vote which is not a guaranteed thing so we must educate ourselves to be able to keep our democracy alive for the next generation
- What did the Federalist believe were some of the key problems with the Articles of Confederation? How did the new Constitution attempt to correct these issues and have the solutions proven successful over time? (Provide specific examples)
It did not provide the federal government the power to tax, regulate interstate commerce, or create a standard currency to name a few. It gave the power to tax to the government. They have exercised this power very well. One example would be the 16th amendment which created a federal income tax. There is an interstate commerce clause that allows the federal government to regulate anything related to interstate commerce. This proved to be successful in Gibbons v. Ogden which set the precedent for future questions about the clause.
What sorts of things do people identify when they talk about being a “Good Citizen”? How do these sorts of things differ along party lines or by age or by other demographic distinctions? Why do people –who all identify as Americans - have such different ideas of what being a good citizen is? (You must provide examples to support your case and answer ALL aspects of the question)
Most older people believe that patriotism, Christian values, respect for the country, and voting are important characteristics of a good citizen. These beliefs are also typically held by the republican side of the population. Younger people and democrats tend to believe that protesting and respecting other opinions are what makes a good citizen. Obviously, there are many more than these few listed. The reason why there are so many different beliefs when it comes to this is we have a large population that is very diverse, and when this happens it is very hard for people to agree on things.
Compare unitary, federal, and confederal systems of government. What are held to be the advantages of a federal structure for a large diverse country such as the United States? Identify one area in which the federal system is advantageous and one in which it poses problems (You must give specific examples)
In a unitary government, all power is at the top in the form of a big national government with few powers given to lower levels. In a confederation all power is given to the states with very little power being given to a weak central government. The United States has a federal system in which power is divided into levels and sections, Ie some to the states and national, then divided between legislative, executive, and judicial. Federalism is good when it provides a way for the government to protect the country in war and in trade, Ie regulating interstate commerce and keeping a standing military. Federalism finds its faults when those powers are not very well defined, Ie as in McCulloch V. Maryland or as in Gibbons V. Ogden.
Various periods in the evolution of federalism are described by your notes and text using different titles such as “Dual Federalism”, “Cooperative Federalism”, “Creative Federalism” Describe and compare at least three of these periods and conclude your essay with a comment on the status of federalism. (Be specific address all aspects of the question and provide examples)
During the 1870’s e used Dual Federalism which is when both levels work in clearly defined areas, Ie the federal government did not interfere in the affairs of the states and vice versa. Cooperative federalism was born in the great depression and in it the powers of the levels intertwined, Ie federal programs helped fund schools and other services that are usually left to the states. Creative federalism bypassed the states and gave the federal government direct access to social programs such as in LBJ’s great society program. Today I feel as though every day we get closer to a unitary system of government. Increased powers are being taken over by the National government, although in the recent months this has changed towards a bit of devolution with the overturning of Roe V. Wade.
Two elements in the Constitution deal with religion. Identify these two elements, describe how they differ and give one example of a situation in which they might conflict.
They are both found in the first amendment. One is freedom OF religion and the other is freedom FROM religion. Freedom of religion or freedom of expression is the freedom to practice whatever religion you want without interference from the government with very few exceptions. Freedom from religion is the guarantee that the government will not impose an official religion or promote a specific religion for the the country. This can become a problem in the instance of prayer for example. Praying in school is allowed under freedom of expression, but a staff member leading a prayer is forbidden by freedom from religion.
The Bill of Rights is the part of the Constitution which Americans know best – but it was not originally part of the Constitution. Describe how it came to be added to the constitution and which group(s) were instrumental in pushing for it. Explain what is meant by “Negative Rights” (or liberties) in this context and give an example of this from the Bill of Rights.
The framers of the Constitution believed that a bill of rights was unnecessary and might even be limiting. The mindset was that the states should be able to decide and if you list some rights then people might assume that the unlisted ones are not rights. The only reason it was added was because the Anti-Federalists refused ratification without one, so the Federalist eventually gave in and promised a bill of rights if the Constitution was ratified. Rights require the government to provide something, Ie voting rights. Liberties, however, are the freedom to do something without interference from the government. One example being the first amendment. We say the right to free speech is more a liberty from government censorship.
Identify and describe at least three of the measures adopted in many Southern states to circumvent the Fifteenth Amendment. How were they able to prevent African Americans from exercising their constitutional right to vote and how were these measures overcome? Are these sorts of laws simply of historical interest or do they have any relevance to laws today? Be sure to provide evidence and examples to support your position.
The southern states adopted poll tax, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. These measures stopped African Americans from voting because many of them were poor and uneducated. It would not be until the voting right Act of 1965 was passed that many African Americans would be able to vote. These laws are still relevent today. State issued photo identification is needed at the polls. 13% of African Americans do not have photo identification to 5% of white as of 2012. This means that many African Americans cannot vote. In Alabama 30 of Alabama’s 67 counties currently have one DVM office open once each month.
We looked at some data regarding imprisonment in the US. What did those data show and what do you think explains what it shows? What are some possible causes of the patterns that emerge and what might we seek to do about them? (You must provide examples to support your case)
The data shows that most incarcerated people are minorities. It also shows that men are more likely to be put in jail than women. The United States keeps people imprisoned longer than other countries. The United States also have more guns than most countries which lead to more violent crimes.
