Political Science

Question 1

Trace the legal developments and social movements that expanded civil rights.

Answer 1

13th Amendment(1865) abolition of slavery, 14th Amendment(1868) equal protection, 15th Amendment(1870) voting rights for Black men, Brown vs School Board(1954) Desegregation of Schools, Montgomery Bus Boycott(1955-56) Desegregation of busses, Student Sit-Ins(1960-61) Desegregation of restaurants, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom(1963) Civil Rights were supported by the President, Selma-to-Montgomery marches(1965)Voting Rights Act was passed.

Question 2

Describe how different groups have won protection of their rights.

Answer 2

Women won the right to vote when the through the help of National American Woman Suffrage Association. They did meetings, parades, petitions, and protests. And manage to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. Mexican American orginizations were given the right to vote.

Question 3

Contrast arguments for and against affirmative action.

Answer 3

An argument for affirmative action is that it allows for people of color to have broader opportunities. An argument against affirmative action is that it discriminates people like Whites.

Question 4

How do civil rights differ from civil liberties?

Answer 4

Civil Rights are guarantees of equal protection and opportunity for all; civil liberties are restriction or limitations on what government can do.

Question 5

How have civil rights been limited (e.g. Plessy v. Ferguson) and expanded (e.g. civil rights movement and federal legislation) in the history of the United States?

Answer 5

Civil rights was limited in the Plessy vs. Ferguson and the emergence of Jim Crow Laws which was held by the decision of the U.S Supreme Court and agreed on “separate but equal”. It was then expanded with the Brown vs. Board of Education and U.S supreme overruled the “separate but equal” into separate is not equal. It has also been expanded by the Civil Act of 1964 which banned major form of discrimination.

Question 6

Civil liberties and civil rights are subject to judicial interpretation and controversy. What does this mean? What are some recent examples of debates, including affirmative action?

Answer 6

Judicial interpretation is the interference of the U.S Supreme Court, A Recent examples is the Students for fair Admissions vs Harvard (2023) decided that affirmative action is not allowed in private and public universities.

Question 7

What are the Four Key Federal Laws

Answer 7

Civil Rights Act of 1964, 1965 Hart-Celler Immigration Nationality Act, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Question 8

Who can be elected President and how does this differ from U.S. Representatives and Senators?

Answer 8

Must be a natural born citizen, must be at least 35 years, living in the U.S for at least 14 years.

Question 9

How is the President elected?

Answer 9

Through winning electoral votes.

Question 10

What is the electoral college and why do we have it?

Answer 10

Electoral College is the number of votes each state has depending on the number of Senators and Representatives in the state.

Question 11

How does the popular vote differ from the electoral vote?

Answer 11

Winning popular vote does not necessarily guarantee winning.

Question 12

How many electoral votes does a state have?

Answer 12

A state has at least two votes plus the number of Senators and Representatives in the State.

Question 13

What are the Constitutional powers of the President?

Answer 13

The President’s constitutional powers are Expressed powers.

Question 14

What are the five areas in which the President has expressed powers? What are examples of these powers?

Answer 14

The President’s Expressed Powers are Executive, Military Diplomatic, Judicial Branch, and Legislative Branch.

Question 15

What are some of the administrative resources of the President?

Answer 15

Some administrative resources of the President are the Vice President and First Lady, Trusted advisors and Analyst, Executive Office of the President, The Cabinet, and Independent Establishments and Government Corporations.

Question 16

The Constitutional powers of the President has limits, but what are some other ways in which the President attempts to exert power?

Question 17

Why is California’s executive branch called a plural executive? How does the plural executive complicate the political structure in California?

Answer 17

The California’s executive branch is called a plural executive because we the people have the power to elect executive positions. This complicates things because some executive position may have apposing views and parties.

Question 18

Governor and its role in the executive branch

Answer 18

The governors role in the executive branch is to serves as head of California and commander in chief of State National Guard.

Question 19

Lt. Governor and its role in the executive branch

Answer 19

Replaces the Governor when incapacitated or acts on behalf in Governor’s absence

Question 20

Attorney General and its role in the executive branch

Answer 20

Ensures laws are enforced, including environmental regulations

Question 21

Secretary of State and its role in the executive branch

Answer 21

Negotiates with foreign treaties and represents the US at the national level

Question 22

State Controller and its role in the executive branch

Answer 22

Fiscal officer of the state or “chief accountant”

Question 23

Board of Equalization and its role in the executive branch

Answer 23

Over sees property taxes, alcoholic beverage taxes and taxes on insurers

Question 24

State Treasurer and its role in the executive branch

Answer 24

Manage state’s money after collected and before spent, or “chief investment officer”

Question 25

Insurance Commissioner and its role in the executive branch

Answer 25

regulates California insurance industry, which has more than 300,000 agents and brokers.

Question 26

Superintendent of Public Instruction and its role in the executive branch

Answer 26

Head of K-12 education at the state level

Question 27

What are some similarities and differences between the executive branches of the national government and the state of California.

Answer 27

Similarities are, California’s executive branch has state the same powers but at the state level. The only differences is that California has the power to veto bills.

Question 28

What Is the structure of U.S Congress what are the characteristics of the house and the senate? What are some differences between the two chambers?

Answer 28

The structure of U.S congress is the Senate and The House of Representatives. The characteristics are 100 in Senate and 435 in the House. The differences between the two chambers is that the Senate represents the whole state while the representatives in the house represent the districts in the states.

Question 29

What kinds of leadership positions exist to lead Congress?

Answer 29

In the House of Rep there are, the Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, and Minority Whip. In the Senate there is President of the Senate, President Pro Temper, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, and Minority Whip.

Question 30

What steps occur for a bill to become law?

Answer 30

First a Congressman or a Senator introduces a bill as an idea. Then it is referred to a committee if the markup wins the majority vote in the committee it is then moved into the floor of the full senate. The senate then sends it to the House but before it sent there it must go through the rule committee, If the bill receives majority vote the bill is then passed. Then the bill has to pass both houses before it could go to the President. The President then has to option to either veto or not sign a bill.

Question 31

When can a bill be defeated?

Answer 31

It can be defeated in the Committee, On the Floor, In Conference Report, President veto, and Failing to override veto

Question 32

Why did the founders make it so difficult to pass legislature?

Answer 32

The founders made it difficult because they wanted to avoid creating authoritarian laws

Question 33

Why are Congressional committees and staff important, and what do they do?

Answer 33

They are important because it is more efficient to write bills, and gives congress more expertise on a topic. They manage the process of writing a bill otherwise known as markup.

Question 34

What is a filibuster?

Answer 34

A filibuster is an unlimited time discussion on why a bill should not be passed, and requires 60 votes in the Senate to end, or stepping out of the area.

Question 35

What influences Congress person’s stance on a bill?

Answer 35

What influences person’s stance in Congress is Constituents/Voters, Party Discipline, and Interest Groups.

Question 36

In what way does Congress represent us?

Answer 36

They represent us in race, gender, ethnic, religious, and educational backgrounds, and experiences.

Question 37

How representative is U.S Congress Sociologically?

Answer 37

In the House there are more racially and ethnically diverse than in the Senate.

Question 38

What is Agency representative

Answer 38

They what are people and their votes represent, and usually vote for interested of their constituents.

Question 39

How are district lines drawn in California compared to other states? How might this prevent gerrymandering?

Answer 39

In California the Citizens Redistricting Commission do the redistricting instead of the State Legislature who would often organize the districts in their favor. This prevents gerrymandering because it makes it more fair.

Question 40

How is the California State Legislature similar to and different than U.S Congress?

Answer 40

It similar in congress in that of the California Legislature because it is modeled after the U.S Congress. They different because in California State Legislature Filibuster are not allowed, have to have two-thirds vote to raise taxes, and it also a direct democracy, can only serve a total of 12 years.

Question 41

Explain how party leadership, the committee system, the staff system, and caucuses help structure congressional business.

Answer 41

They help structure congressional business because they are who write most of the rules.

Question 42

Analyze the factors that influence which laws Congress decides to pass.

Answer 42

The factors that influence which laws Congress decides to pass are Constituency, Interest Groups, and Party. This is because constituencies are used to get their view for the next election to be re-elected. In Interest Groups help mobilize constituents which in turn help for re-election. And Party it influences because they will pass laws that are more aligned to their parties views.

Question 43

What is the purpose of the U.S. legal system.

Answer 43

The purpose of U.S legal system is a system used to settle disputes.

Question 44

Do most cases go to trial? How else are they resolved?

Answer 44

Most cases do not go to trial, they are otherwise resolved with plea bargains and settlements.

Question 45

Define stare decisis

Answer 45

Stare decisis it stands for the idea that the case at hand is to be decided by similar cases in the past.

Question 46

What is the structure of the U.S. federal court system? How are federal judges selected?

Answer 46

The structure of the U.S federal court system is Supreme Court which is the highest court in the U.S then it is Appellate Courts, finally it is trial courts. Federal judges are appointed by the President

Question 47

What is judicial review?

Answer 47

It a power that judicial branch holds to deem a law unconstitutional and it is not written in the constitution.

Question 48

How does a case get to the U.S. Supreme Court?

Question 48

What influences U.S. Supreme Court decisions (e.g. judicial restraint vs. activism, ideology)?

Question 49

Describe Congress’s influence over other branches of government.

Answer 49

Congress influences other branches by oversight which oversee or supervises how the executive branch carries out legislation, it also has impeachment which is used to remove an official if found guilty of a crime. The president is not allowed to make treaties or appoint top executive officers without the consent of the Senate.

Question 50

Criminal vs. Civil Cases

Answer 50

In a criminal case the government is who brings the charges most are in state courts but could also go to federal courts depending on the severity of the charge. A civil case are disputes among individual, groups, corporations, and other private entities, to government the loser cannot be incarcerated but they may require to pay monetary damages.

Question 51

Federal vs. State Courts

Answer 51

State courts have a broader jurisdiction they have the power to hear a much bigger variety of cases than federal courts. Federal courts have jurisdiction where United States is involved as a party and cases where the constitution is violated. Can hear cases if the case involves over $75,000

Question 52

Trial vs. Appellate Courts

Answer 52

Trial courts determine if guilty or innocent by jury and is then where a judge decides how to deal with the committer of the crime. Appellate Courts hear cases appeals, if a person says that their case was unfair and based they can ask to appeal.

Question 53

Identify the general types of cases and types of courts in our legal system

Answer 53

Criminal, Civil Cases, Federal, State Courts, Trial, and Appellate Courts

Question 54

Describe the different levels of federal courts and their functions.

Answer 54

Federal Trial Courts the lowest level of court in the federal system, Federal Appellate Courts are the next level of court decisions on this court are final, Supreme Court is the highest level of court and is established by the constitutions

Question 55

Explain how the Supreme Court exercises the power of judicial review.

Answer 55

The Supreme Court exercises the power of judicial review by determining a law to be unconstitutional.

Question 56

Describe the process the Supreme Court follows in the exercise of its power judicial review

Question 57

Consider the personal and political influences on judges and the courts.

Answer 57

A personal influence is usually what they deem is the norm. And political influences are decisions influenced depending on what is their party.

Question 58

Define writ of certiorari

Answer 58

an order to a lower court to deliver the records for review in case of legal errors.

Question 59

Define habeas corpus

Answer 59

Prohibits the government from depriving a person of liberty without an open trial before a judge.

Question 60

Define due process

Answer 60

A government must respect a person’s legal rights before taking from them life, liberty, and property. The opportunity to defend oneself.