Test 1 Flashcards
What is a government?
The organization of people under authority (we have thousands of governments in America
What is power?
The ability to get someone to do as you want them to do.
What is formal authority and why is it important?
Formal authority is based in a specific government office, it is important because it helps to prevent the abuse of power.
What are the bourgeois & the working class?
The bourgeois are the wealthy elite, proletariats are the working class and they are the mass
What is the pluralist theory?
Considered to be the most plausible and most adequate
What are federalist papers?
A collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Define an elite and elitism.
An Elite is a small group of people who posses a disproportionate amount of some valued resource. Elitism is a leadership or rule by an elite.
What is ratification?
Approval from the legislative branch required to validate government agreement
What was the idea behind the New Jersey Plan?
Created by William Paterson, it stated that a “one house” legislature in which all states would have an equal # of votes
What is federalism?
Division of power between the national & state government by the constitution
What is the Unitary System?
The opposite of a Confederal System, it allows the central government more power
What is the Confederal System?
A mode of government in which a # of smaller states choose to delegate some of their policy making rights to a central body
Why did the Constitution fail to ban slavery?
It had no support from the Southern states
What is “inherent power”?
Sovereignty
What are reserved powers?
Found in Amendment X, the power to regulate intra state commerce
What is the Supremacy Clause and where is it found?
In the event of a conflict between state and federal law, federal law prevails. It is found in Article VI.
What is Horizontal Federalism and what is it’s goal?
Deals with the relationship between states. It’s goal is to prevent states from selling themselves apart from each other.
What are examples of Concurrent powers?
The power to tax, levy taxes, conduct elections, establish bankruptcy laws, and create lower courts
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The United States’ first constitution
What guaranteed equal representation?
The Articles of Confederation
What was a significant fact about the government?
It’s weakness
What did the Virginia Plan propose?
Proposed a stronger national government & a congress based on numerical representation
What is the majority of our country?
A Unitary System
What does the Central Government have more power over?
The States
What is a project grant?
Type of categorical grant, given by the federal government to state and local government on the basis of merit
How many Articles of Confederation and Amendments are in the Constitution?
7 articles and 27 amendments
What are the Bill of Rights?
The first 10 amendments, in them you will find our basic human rights
Where is the right to bear arms?
II
Right to Assemble? (Freedom of Speech)
I
Public trial?
VI
Double Jeopardy?
V
Cruel and Unusual punishment?
VIII
Search & Seizure?
IV
Self incrimination?
V
Right of trial by Jury?
VII
Deny or disparage?
IX
Concept of federalism?
X
What was the goal of the American revolution?
To gain independence from Britain
What had to split the country the most?
Federalism
What is judicial review?
Interpreting the law
What was the first state to ratify the Constitution?
Delaware
