posi Flashcards
exam 1
Why should human beings bother caring about politics at all?
cover every aspect of life
What is political culture and how does it help us understand politics
reflection of a government, but it also incorporates elements of history and tradition that may predate the current regime. Political cultures matter because they shape a population’s political perceptions and actions.
What four ideals does your textbook say form the basis of America’s political culture?
liberty, equality, democracy, civic duty, and individual responsibility
Why did they not begin in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence?
12 of the 13 colonies — New York did not vote — adopted the Lee Resolution immediately before Congress began to consider the Declaration of Independence. After a few changes and revisions to the document, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
What is a danger in being extremely idealistic,
an idea or plan that is impossible or very unlikely to happen.” 1 They can become obsessed with their dream, overestimate their chances of success, and make foolish decisions.
How did Harold Laswell define politics
study of changes in the distribution o value patterns in society
What is an authoritarian government
Highly concentrated and centralized government power.
Political repression and exclusion of potential challengers.
Limited individual autonomy and circumscribed civil and political rights.
Strict subjection of citizens to the authority of the state.
Rule by a single leader or a small elite without regard for the will of the people.
What is the bill of grievances?
colonists listed their issues with the British government, specifically King George III. It contains 27 grievances (injustices) against the decisions and actions of King George III of Great Britain
What was the 28th “deleted grievance” about? Why was it deleted?
too many delegates, and the colonies they represented, had a vested interest in perpetuating the institution of chattel slavery. Southern plantation owners insisted that they needed free labor to produce tobacco, cotton, and other cash crops for export.
What is the sequence of events that led to the creation of the US Constitution?
The Bill of Rights is approved by Congress. The 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, is ratified. The 14th Amendment is adopted. The 15th Amendment is adopted. The 21st Amendment repeals the 18th Amendment. The Constitution arrives at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
What were the Articles of Confederation?
first constitution of the United States. It was sent to the states for ratification in November of 1777 and established a confederation government that consisted of thirteen sovereign states and a limited central government.
Articles of Confederation,What powers did that government have?
Regulate foreign affairs
Conduct war
Appoint military officers
Control Indian affairs
Borrow money
Determine the value of coin
Issue bills of credit
Govern currency
Coordinate resources for the war effort against Britain
Each state had one vote in the Confederation Congress
Measures passed by Congress had to be approved by 9 of the 13 states
Did not establish federal executive or judicial branches of government
Each state retained “every Power…which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States.”
How many votes did it take to pass laws and to amend the Articles
13
Articles of Confederation What event finally exposed its weakness
the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Convention was tasked with creating a new constitution that would strengthen the federal government and address the weaknesses of the Articles.
What was the reason for calling the Convention in Philadelphia?
“to devise such further provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the constitution of the Federal Government adequate to the exigencies of the Union”. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation into a more powerful document.
What is the name of the series of essays that James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay
wrote to persuade Americans to adopt the Constitution?
The Federalist Papers
How did the Bill of Rights come about?
derives from the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, and the colonial struggle against king and Parliament. It was largely crafted by Representative James Madison, who proposed a series of corrective amendments to the Constitution. After ratification by the state of Virginia, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution became the law of the land in 1791. The Bill of Rights was designed to protect individual liberties and limit the power of the federal government
What is democracy
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
What is direct democracy
All laws and policies are determined by the people themselves, rather than by representatives.
Citizens vote directly on issues, rather than for candidates or parties.
Originated in Ancient Greece during the 5th century BC.
Considered the oldest non-authoritarian form of government.
What is sovereignty?
Supreme authority or power over a country or community.
In a monarchy, it resides in the sovereign (king or queen).
In modern democracies, it rests with the people and is exercised through representative bodies.
In international law, it is the exercise of power by a state.
What is sovereignty Confederacy
they have the right to secede. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence. Confederates were citizens of both the confederal republic and of the state in which they resided, due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the Confederate government.
What is sovereignty Unitary
rests with the central government, which holds the ultimate authority to make and enforce laws. This centralized governance system often results in a standardized legal framework, uniform policies, and a unified administration across the entire country.
What parts of the Constitution itself lend themselves to fluidity?
Commerce clause, necessary and proper clause
What parts of the Constitution seem to be more rigid
Tenth Amendment, denials of power
