Government Flashcards
Checks and balances
Each areas of government has ceramic m powers over another
Federalism
Multiple smaller governments have a central government rule over them
Federalist
Pro-constitution
Strong central government
Anti federalists
Anti-constitution
States to hold central power
Revising articles of confederation
Separation of powers
Separating powers of governments into separate and distinct branches
Ex: making, enforcing and interpreting laws
Popular sovereignty
All powers of government rest in the hands of the people
Individual rights
Each individual has certain rights outside the jurisdiction of the government
Great compromise
Bi cameral legislature
Senate (2 members each)
House (by states population)
Declaration of Independence
Political ideology of the colonists and clearly outlined their reasons for revolution
Lockean principles
Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
Federalist papers
John jay, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton
Persuade colonists to adopt constitution
Outline purpose and motivation behind each article
Anti-federalist papers
Against the ratification of constitution
Too much power to the federal government
English bill of rights
Passed by parliament in 1689
Basic freedoms of an English man
Foundation to Bill of rights
Preamble of constitution
Outlines purpose and what the founding fathers hope to accomplish
We the people of the US in order to for, a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and prosperity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America
Article 1
The legislative branch
Structure, function, rules, powers and limits
Article 1 section 8
Powers of congress: what laws congress can make
Article 1 section 9
Limits of congress: what laws congress cannot make
Article 2
Executive branch
Powers, limits, and eligibility requirements
Article 3
Judicial branch
Powers, limits and eligibility requirements
Article 4
The states
Roles, rights , and privileges of the states and citizens of each state
Article 5
Amendments
How amendments can be made
Article 6
Debts, supremacy, and oaths
Debt held prior to ratification shall upheld
Supreme law of the land
All legislatures are held under oath to uphold constitution and trust of the public
Article 7
Ratification
How the constitution will be ratified
Bi lateral congress
Two houses:
Senate: two members from each state
House of representative: 1 member for 708,000 people; 435 members; altered after census
Structure of congress
Various congressional committees
Members are assigned to multiple committees
Chairman: committees head; organizes and presides;powerful member in congress
Political party in majority determines the committee chairperson
Amendment process: congress to states
2/3 of each house of congress approves and 3/4 of states ratify
Amendment process: constitutional convention
2/3 of states call together a constitutional convention = power to amend
Amendment takes place after 3/4 of states ratify
Revolution of 1800
Presidential election of 1800
Thomas Jefferson defeated incumbent John Adams
No violence during the switch of political ideologies
Important because it shows that both political parties would respect the constitution which lead to stability
Civil war on government power
Expansion of federal power over states
Major issue: states right
Lincoln used federal government to force southern states back into the union
Republicans used federal policies to alter/abolish states policies that they felt were unfair to freed blacks
Progressives
Social change through government action
Ex: Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, Woodrow Wilson
See government as agent of change, evolving to meet needs of society
New deal
FDR 1933
Enacted economic change
-elimination of gold standard, creation of welfare society (unemployment benefits and social security), regulating farmers production
Placed government in the middle of everything