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American Congress Midterm > Historical and Institutional Backgrounds > Flashcards

Historical and Institutional Backgrounds Flashcards

1
Q

Intraparty Division

A

division within a political party

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2
Q

Theory Tests

A

establish causation between two relationships

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3
Q

Empirical Tests

A

testing a hypothesis through real-world observation or data

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4
Q

Self-Interested Rational Actor

A

Self-Interested: prioritize goals

Rational: given a set of choices, individuals will choose the option that
furthers their goals → optimization

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5
Q

King’s Counsel (1066)

A

Tax-voting body
● Evolves into a law-
making body
● Addresses list of
grievances towards
the King; if approved,
agreement
becomes binding for
the King

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6
Q

Magna Carta (1215)

A

Written agreement signed by King John to avoid
Civil War
● Protect the rights and
properties of barons
against a tyrannical
king
● King and government
are not above the law

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7
Q

House of Commons

A

Commoners participate in these assemblies independently of
elites

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8
Q

House of Lords

A

upper chamber

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9
Q

House of Commons

A

lower chamber

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10
Q

English Bill of Rights

A

1) established principles of free speech and elections within the Parliament

2) limits the power of the monarchy by creating a separation of powers

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11
Q

Benign Neglect

A

colonies can self-govern so long as they don’t threaten mother nation

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12
Q

Albany Congress

A

the Board of Trade and organ of the British government
responsible for colonies

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13
Q

Albany Plan of Union

A

◆ Created a federal union
◆ Grand council elected by colonial legislatures
◆ Powers:
● Make peace in war,
levy taxes, make laws
(colonies must
uphold
agreement to protect
British Empire)
◆ Fails to solve collective action problem

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14
Q

William Pitt’s Argument

A

1) America is key to securing the British empire

2) Encouraged Britain to win the French-Indian War

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15
Q

Stamp Act

A

Fee on official documentation
● Effect: boycotts and
conflicts

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16
Q

Coercive/Intolerable Acts

A

In Declaratory Acts, Britain claims they have the right to tax colonies and pass intolerable acts, which annulled Massachusetts Harbor (close Boston Harbor), change
judicial proceedings of soldiers, etc.

17
Q

First Continental Congress

A

1) established decision and policy making
2) passed the Bill of Rights against the English and used violence to defend those
rights
➔ King of England sends
troops to stop the
American revolt

18
Q

Second Continental Congress

A

independence and births national politics in America
◆ Write and approve the
Declaration of
Independence
◆ Effect: Revolutionary
War begins!

19
Q

Weakness of the Continental Congress

A

◆ cannot tax states/colonies or compel them to
take action
◆ Collective Action
Problem and
coordination problem
◆ How can we get
different entities to
work together?

20
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

◆ Unicameral
◆ Senators have one vote each
◆ Cannot tax
◆ 9/13 votes needed to pass policy → supermajoritarian
◆ Term limits (delegates cannot serve more than 3 years in any 6 year period)
◆ Fails due to poor economy and inability to handle external threats → central
authority needed

21
Q

What were the Framers’ Fears?

A

1) Outside/External Threats
○ Shifting alliances
(France originally
enemy of America but
helped in
Revolutionary War);
Interpretations of
weakness; Trade
2) Threats from Below (Open rebellion from the underclass)
○ Shays Rebellion -
mob of farmers
(revolutionary war
veterans) against
Massachussetes
government due to
debts and closures;
eventually,
state militia
intervenes
○ Too much power to
the masses → bad
decision making
○ Mobocracy
3) Threats from Above
○ Executive may
disregard
heterogeneity of
country and global
interests
4) Horizontal Threats (Among states)
○ Border disputes
among states, states
tariffs each other →
economic
weakness → remove
some sovereignty
from 13 colonies

5) Abolition of Slavery
○ Abilitionists and the
North are against
slavery
○ If the federal
government is
overpowered, they
may abolish slavery
to the dismay of
certain states

22
Q

Parliamentary System

A

executive elected in legisislative body (i.e. speaker)

23
Q

Dual Sovereignty

A

states and federal government have authority over citizens in
separate fields

24
Q

Virginia Plan

A

states represented by population → House of Representatives

25
Q

NJ Plan

A

states represented with equal representation/votes → Senate

26
Q

Great/Connecticut Compromise

A

Compromise: formed the House of Representatives
(lower chamber) based on VA Plan and Senate (upper chamber) based on NJ Plan

27
Q

3/5 Clause

A

representation based on population and wealth of state and every 3⁄5 of
slaves

28
Q

Reapportionment

A

1) reassignment of representation as the size of HoR may change depending on population/census

2) power for HoR

29
Q

Quorum

A

a simple majority that sets a threshold

30
Q

Transparency Provision

A

publicized journal of proceedings

31
Q

Rollcall Vote

A

may occur if 1/5 of the chamber agrees

32
Q

Enumerated Powers for Congress

A

○ Power to tax
○ Power to spend (purse) and borrow
○ Medium of exchange (coin money) and standardized weights of
measure
○ Regulate trade (with foreign nations) and interstate commerce
(between states)
○ Congress cannot lay taxes on exports

33
Q

Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause

A
  1. Congress has the power to make all laws “necessary and proper”
  2. Under the Elastic Clause, Congress may regulate intrastate commerce
34
Q

Limitations on Congressional Power

A
  1. Indirect & Direct Representation (periodic elections)
  2. Separation of Powers (bicameralism, checks and balances)
35
Q

How can Congress check the President?

A

Congress can override President’s veto

36
Q

How can Congress check the Judiciary?

A

Statutory Control: Congress may restrict courts from hearing certain cases

36
Q

What are checks on Congress?

A
  1. President veto power
  2. Judicial Review established in Marbury v. Madison - USSC is the final authority on interpreting cases
37
Q

Reserved Powers

A

10th Amendment: powers not explicitly stated for the federal government are reserved for the states

American Congress Midterm (1 decks)

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