Unit 1 Flashcards
direct democracy
citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues
representative democracy
citizens choose officals (representatives who make decisions about public policy)
limited government
the government is empowered by law from a starting point of having no power, or where governmental power is restricted by law usually in a written constitution
popular sovereignty
the people are the ruling authority along with a government of officials to carry out the laws
natural law
people should be government by ethical principles based on reason
- life, liberty, property
republicanism
ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where head of state is appointed by other means than hereditary, often elections
- aspect is limit states power
which ideals of democracy are reflected in the Declaration of Independence?
limited government, natural rights, popular sovereignty, and social contract
purpose of Declaration of Independence
a breakup letter between Britain and the colonists in an attempt to unite colonies against Britain to list of grievances towards Britain
participatory democracy
emphasizes broad participation in politics by individuals
- people vote directly for laws instead of voting for people to represent them
elite democracy
emphasizes limited participation in politics by individuals
- groups of people who possess the most or more power (usually money) dominate the government and make the decisions
pluralist democracy
recognizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision-making
- groups compete and compromise with each other
Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) basic facts
- maintained state sovereignty
- one vote per state in a unicameral legislature
unicameral: one chamber - 9/13 votes needed to pass measures
- limited legislative powers
- no national judiciary
- no single executive
- 13 votes to amend the Articles of Confederation
weakness of the articles
- no power to tax
- no chief executive
- no national judiciary
- no power to regulate interstate or foreign commerce
- no national currency
- could not raise or maintain an army
- tough to pass laws and even harder to amend the Articles
Shay’s Rebellion
- revolutionary war veterans facing high debts and taxes prevented the MA government from functioning
- requests for national assistance were denied as the national government had no resources or power to intervene
- the rebellion was eventually dispersed by a volunteer militia
federalists
- property owners, creditors merchants
- Hamilton, Madison, Washington, Jay
- believed in a strong national government
anti-federalists
- farmers
- yates, clinton
- believed in weak national gov
the vriginia plan
- whole new national gov
- 3 branches of strong national gov
- bicameral legislature
- 2 chambers
- 1 elected by people
- 1 elected by other - favored by large states
the new jersey plan
- sought to amend the articles, not replace them
- unicameral legislature
- 1 chamber
- one vote per state - favored by small states
the Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
- bicameral legislature
- House: membership by population
- Senate: 2 members per state
- strong 3 branches
3/5 compromise
- keep power equal between states
- north wanted tax and no representation
- south did not want tax and wanted representation
electoral college
how we elect the president
bill of rights
first 10 amendments
included bc of antifederalists
article I
legislative branch
Article II
executive branch
article III
judicial branch
article IV
relations among states
article V
amendment process
article VI
national supremacy
article VII
ratification process
formal amendments
change to text of the Constitution
informal amendments
- changes to our understanding or interpretation of the Constitution
- acts of congress
- elastic clause
- judicial rulings
- customs and traditions - text doesn’t need change
separation of powers
- each of the three branches of government has different powers and responsibilities
- legislative: create the laws
- executive: enforce the a laws
- judicial: interpret the laws
checks and balances
- counterbalancing influences across the three branches
- president can veto legislation passed by congress
- congress can override a presidential veto with a 2/3 vote of both chambers
- president appoints judges and justices but must receive the advice and consent of senate
- congress and president can pass laws but the courts can strike them down as unconstitutional JUDICIAL REVIEW
- congress can impeach president
federalism
sharing of powers between the state and federal governments
federalism
constitutional division of power between the national government and state government, both get power from constitution
categorical grants
for specific programs
- strings: requirements to receive the money
block grants
granted to support a collection of general programs - allow for more discretion
mandate
- a federal order imposed upon states
unfunded mandate
a mandate that federal government does not provide the funding for
McCulloch v. Maryland
- national banks are necessary and proper (necessary and proper/elastic clause)
- states cannot tax national bank (supremacy clause)
- established dual federalism
US v. Lopez
- for the first time in decades, Supreme Court ruled that Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause authority
