Exam 1 Flashcards
What is the primary purpose of government according to the study guide?
To solve collective action/free rider problems
How does Hobbes describe life in the state of nature?
Short, nasty, and brutish
What do social contract theorists argue about life before government?
It was one of chaos
According to John Locke, what is an additional reason for the need for government?
To protect and realize our inalienable rights
What type of government does John Locke advocate for?
A liberal republic
List the three values that Americans generally hold in common.
- Equality
- Liberty
- Democracy
What has made COVID mandates hard to enforce in American political culture?
Individualism and anti-government libertarianism
Define political efficacy.
The belief that one’s participation in politics can make a difference
Who were the main influences on the Constitution and the Declaration?
John Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu
What are the seven main principles of the Constitution?
- Popular Sovereignty
- Separation of Powers
- Republicanism
- Checks and Balances
- Federalism
- Individual Rights
- Limited Government
What is the right to privacy?
The right to be free from intrusions into one’s personal life
Which amendments are involved in the right to privacy?
- Fourth Amendment
- Fifth Amendment
- Fourteenth Amendment
What landmark case established a right to privacy concerning family planning?
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Which case established a woman’s constitutional right to have an abortion?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
What was the significance of the Obergefell v. Hodges case?
It recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage
What does the commerce clause refer to?
The federal government’s power to regulate commerce between the states
What are expressed powers?
Specific powers granted to Congress and the president in the Constitution
What are implied powers?
Powers enabling Congress to make laws necessary to execute expressed powers
What type of federalism was dominant from 1789 to 1937?
Dual Federalism
What period is associated with Cooperative/New Deal Federalism?
1930s to the present
What was the outcome of the US v. Darby case?
The Fair Labor Standards Act was found constitutional
What is selective incorporation?
The process by which the Bill of Rights applies to the states
Which amendment’s is crucial for selective incorporation?
Fourteenth Amendment
What does the Fourth Amendment protect?
Against unreasonable searches and seizures
Fill in the blank: The right to privacy was incorporated by _______ until it was overturned by Dobbs.
Roe v. Wade
What ruling forbids the use of birth control?
It violates marital privacy as backed by the Third, Fourth, and Fifth amendments.
What was the outcome of Roe v. Wade?
It established the right to an abortion, but this has since been repealed.
What significant change occurred in 2003 regarding sexual orientation?
A 1986 ruling against homosexuality was overturned, affirming respect for private lives.
What was deemed unconstitutional in 2015 regarding marriage?
Bans against same-sex marriage were found to violate the equal protection and due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
What does the 14th Amendment ensure?
It mandates that states must adhere to the Bill of Rights.
What was established by the Civil Rights Act?
- Public accommodations could no longer be segregated.
- Strengthened executive branch power against segregation.
- Outlawed employment discrimination based on color, religion, sex, race, or national origin.
What did the Voting Rights Act ban?
- The use of literacy tests as a voting condition.
- Interference with voting efforts.
What are civil liberties?
Areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected from government interference.
What process allows civil liberties to apply to all states?
Selective incorporation.
Which amendment grants the right to bear arms?
The Second Amendment.
What does the Fourth Amendment protect against?
Unreasonable searches and seizures.
What landmark case involved the exclusionary rule?
Mapp v. Ohio.
What was the significance of Lawrence v. Texas?
It ruled the Texas ‘Homosexual Conduct’ law unconstitutional.
What did United States v. Windsor achieve?
It struck down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
What was the outcome of Obergefell v. Hodges?
It granted marriage equality for same-sex couples nationwide.
What does the Equal Pay Act address?
Gender equality in pay.
What are key liberal policy positions?
- Heavier taxation on wealth.
- Expansion of federal social services.
- Protection of minorities and women from discrimination.
What do conservatives typically support?
- Cutting taxes and reducing government spending.
- Traditional family arrangements.
- Military intervention abroad.
What are some differences in policy between Democrats and Republicans since the 1980s?
- Democrats support expanded funding for social services.
- Republicans favor cutting ties with corporations.
Fill in the blank: The _____ Amendment includes the establishment clause.
First
True or False: The Bill of Rights originally applied to state governments.
False
What are civil rights?
Rules governing who may participate in the political process and government treatment of citizens
Protection by the government
What are civil liberties?
Limitation on the government’s ability to interfere with the individual
Protection from the government
What did the 13th Amendment accomplish?
Abolished slavery
Passed after the Civil War
What does the 14th Amendment guarantee?
Equal protection under the law
What rights did the 15th Amendment guarantee?
Voting rights for African American men
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1875?
A failed attempt to secure civil rights
What was the significance of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?
‘Separate but equal’ doctrine established
What landmark case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson?
Brown v. Board of Education
What did the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 achieve?
Gave female workers equal pay
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The first written constitution of the United States
What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?
Weak central government
Under the Articles of Confederation, what was lacking in the government?
No president and no national army
What authority did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?
Taxing authority
What did the U.S. Constitution establish?
An executive branch and a federal judicial branch
What is federalism?
System of government that divides power between national and state governments
What was one of the goals of the framers of the Constitution?
Prevent excessive democracy
Who believed that governments should have limits on powers based on ‘contract theory’?
Thomas Hobbes
What did John Locke argue regarding people’s rights?
Lives, liberty, and property require protection
What was a criticism of the Articles of Confederation?
Offered too much power to the states
What is the Supremacy Clause?
Federal law is superior to state law
What was the 3/5 Compromise?
Representation based on population for the House of Representatives
What did the Anti-Federalists fear?
Tyranny and loss of individual liberties
What principle prevents excessive concentration of power in government?
Checks and balances
What is the Bill of Rights?
A list of fundamental rights and freedoms
