Exam 1 Flashcards
Political Efficacy
the belief that ordinary citizens can affect what government does.
Digital Citizenship
the ability to participate socially and politically online.
Pluralism
theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government with competition leading to the best outcome either through compromise or mass appeal.
American Political Culture
emphasizes the values of liberty, equality ,and democracy
Liberty
freedom from governmental control
Equality
the right to participate in politics and be subject to laws and protections equally.
Democracy
a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials.
Popular Sovereignty
power in the hands of the people.
The Relationship between Political Knowledge and Political Participation
Cyclical relationship that reinforces itself.
When people have less political power they tend to have less political efficacy, apathy and therefore are less likely to participate
politically.
Western Philosopher John Locke influenced
civil liberties and the protection of property. Argued that the government needed consent of the people
American Trust in Government and How it Has Changed
Trust has declined while dependence has increased.
British Taxes and Colonial Interests
Reason for British Taxes
Britain incurred debt driving French from North America
Protecting colonial trade routes with British Navy expensive
Expansion into Native American territories required Army.
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Elites only wanted an end of British taxes while the Radicals wanted independence.
Once British taxes ended, the Elites made scapegoats of the Radicals as being extremists.
Groups that Made Up Colonial Interests
Elites:
New England Merchants
Southern Plantation Owners Royalists (held royal land, offices, and patents)-
Radicals:
Laborers, Shopkeepers, and Artisans
Small Farmer
Popularity of Independence
The merchants had hoped to force the British government to rescind the Tea Act, but they did not support any further demands and did not seek independence from Britain.
Not very popular
First Attempt at a Constitution
The Annapolis Convention, 1786 FAILED. Only 5 states sent delegates, though the resolution called for a convention in Philadelphia that eventually became the Constitutional Convention.
Articles of Confederation and its Weaknesses
Adopted in 1777 America’s national government until 1789.
no executive of judicial branch
Congress had little power – members were delegates from state legislatures
Each state – no matter the size – had 1 vote
9 of 13 were required to pass a law; 13 for an amendment
No power to tax or raise an army
No method of enforcing treaties or defending itself with an army.
No army also meant no means of preventing conflict among the states.
Constitutional Convention and the Controversy of a New Constitution
The Constitutional Convention took place from May to September, 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia,
Ginsberg, Benjamin; Lowi, Theodore J.; Tolbert, Caroline J.; Weir, Margaret. We the People (Eleventh Core Edition) (Page 48). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.
The portion of Randolph’s motion that became most controversial was called the Virginia Plan. This plan provided for a system of representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state or the proportion of each state’s revenue contribution to the national government, or both.
Principles of Limited Government
a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and
Great Compromise (Representation based on population or equally distributed).
Merger of New Jersey Plan and Virginia Plan
The Great Compromise creates a bicameral legislature
House: representatives apportioned by population in state
Senate: states with equal representation regardless of population
Bill of Rights and How it was Adopted
citizens are guaranteed a list of rights
the framers, lacking the power to force the states or the public at large to accept the new form of government, sought to identify principles that would help secure support.
Most delegates sincerely believed that since the federal government was already limited to its expressed powers, further protection of citizens was not needed. The delegates argued that the states should adopt bills of rights because their greater powers needed greater limitations. But almost immediately after the Constitution was ratified, a movement arose to adopt a national bill of rights.
Federalism
a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between a central government and regional governments
Necessary and proper clause
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which provides Congress with the authority to make all laws “necessary and proper” to carry out its expressed powers
Commerce clause
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States and with the Indian tribes”; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy
Reserved powers
powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states
