Unit 1 Flashcards
State
body of people, occupying a defined territory, organized politically with power to make and enforce laws without the consent of a higher authority.
Characteristics of a state
Sovereignty, territory, government and population
Force theory
a person or group claim control of a territory and force others to follow
Evolutionary theory
the state developed naturally from an early family, clan or tribe. Usually developed through agriculture.
Divine Right Theory
God granted right to kings, queens…etc to be in power. This caused democracy to develop as a form of protest.
Social Contract theory
the people willingly give up certain individuals rights to create a government that is guided by the general will of the people.
James Harrington
Proposed what is known today as term limits.
Thomas Hobbes
Believed that an authoritarian ruler was needed to keep humans in order.
John Locke
People should hold the power but it is the governments duty to protect peoples natural rights.
Voltaire
He fought for reason, tolerance, freedom of religion and the freedom of speech
J.J.Rousseau
He wrote the book “the social contract”, in which he describes what it is.
Beccaria
Judicial concept and thought that torture was a bad type of punishment
Impact of the enlightenment
Writers examined principles (unreasonable stuff like divine rights of kings, social classes…)
People started writing theories about the issues and encouraged to reform monarchies.
Inspired the American and the French revolution.
Autocracy
government by a single person having unlimited power
Oligarchy
a government in which a few people are in control
Monarchy
king,queen, empress…etc in control (there is constitutional monarchy)
Theocracy
government rules are identical to that of the countries dominant religion.
Dictatorship
a single person ruling a country, usually by force and forces others to follow him - usually not elected either.
Anarchy
This is when there is no governemnt, usually during a civil war.
Anarchists are those who do not believe in a government
Capitalist
a free-market economy, people can own businesses and properties
Socialism
economic and political system in which properties, factories, offices (source of income) is owned by society as a whole instead of private owners.
Communism
No private ownership, government owns everything
Republic
the supreme power is held by the people
Revolutionary
governemnt is overthrown
totalitarian
political party, people are forced to do what the government tells them to do - usually prevents citizens from leaving its country
Unitary government
the central government has all the power to make laws and decisions for the people
Confederate Government
individual states make their own laws and decisions with a weak central government - the cent gov is only considered with defense and trade.
Federal government
the powers and decisions are shared between the states and the central government.
Direct democracy
people have direct and immediate input into laws and decisions.
Indirect democracy
people choose/elect representatives to make those laws and decisions for them
republic democracy
supreme power is held by representatives (the US is a republic democracy)
5 Key Concepts of Democracy
- Fundamental worth of the individual
- Equality of all persons
- Majority rules restrained by minority rights
- Necessity of compromise
- Individial freedom
“Consent of the governed”
people give up power to gov (social contract theory)
Who wrote the pamphlet “Common Sense”
Thomas Pane
Ordered government
the english colonists created a local government to have orderly regulations.
Limited government
Individuals have rights, limiting the government in what they can do.
Representative government
Serves the will of the people
Magna Carta
Document that talked about individual rights and due process (protection of life, liberty, property and trial by jury)
Petition of rights
King charles I wanted to raise tax money and parliament agreed on the condition that he signs this petition, which limited his powers and prohibited forcing people to house troops.
The English Bill of Rights
No royal interferance with law, only civil courts are legal and people have the freedom to petition leaders without fear of retribution.
Powers granted to Federal gov under the A.O.C
Declare war
Treaties with other countries
establish/maintain an army or navy
print or borrow money
Virginia Plan
Proposed a strong central government consisting of three branches and voting was based on population.
New Jersey Plan
Proposed a weak central government and voting not based on population.
The Great Compromise
A strong central government. Equal representation in the senate and population-based in the house of representatives
Commerce and slave trade
Cogress would not act on slavery until 1808
Constituitional Convention
Philedelphia 1787, Rhode Island did not attend.
Led by George Washington
James Madison - father of the constituition.
Bill of Rights
the first 10 amendments of the constitution that protects peoples natural and individual rights (ratified in 1791)
parts of the constituition
Preamble
Articles
Amendments
Articles
I. The legislative branch II. Executive branch III. Judiciary branch IV. Relations amongst states V. Amendments process VI. Nation debts, supremacy and oath of affairs VII. Requirements for ratifications
6 Basic Principles
- popular sovereignty
- Limited government
- Separation of powers
- Checks and Balances
- Judicial Review
- Federalism
1st Amendment
Guaranteed freedom of religion, assemble, speech, petition and press.
2nd Amendment
Protects the right to keep and bear arms.
3rd Amendment
The right to protect against housing and quartering of troops.
4th Amendment
The right to protect against illegal searches and seizures
5th Amendment
Right to due process, cannot be held without charges or be charged twice for the same crime. You do not have to testify against yourself.
6th Amendment
The right to a speedy, public trial and trial by jury.
7th Amendment
The right to civil trial by jury.
8th Amendment
Right to protect against excessive bail, fines or cruel and unusual punishments for crimes.
9th Amendment
Rights not stated in constituition, but not forbidden belong to the people.
10th Amendment
Any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the state or the people of that state.
Expressed powers
Congress: Lay and collect taxes, regulate commerce, declare war
President: CICOAF, grant pardons, appoint federal office holders
Judiciary: one supreme court that extends to all cases.
Implied powers
Necessary and proper clause
E.g: prevent racial discrimination in public places.
Inherent Powers (powers of national gov)
Regulate imiigration, acquire territory, protect from rebillion
Concurrent powers
powers given to both the state and the federal gov
Reserved powers (state gov)
marriage laws and school system
Powers denied to National gov
Suspend bill of rights
suspend hapeas corpus
ex posto facto laws are prohibited
Powers denied to state gov
Amendments 13, 14, 15, 19, 24, and 26
Methods to Amending the constituition
First method: 2/3 of majority vote in house of congress and then 3/4 of state legislatures to ratify.
Second method: 2/3 majority vote in house of congress and then 3/4 of state ratifying conventions.
Third Method: Constitutional convection called by congress upon petition of 2/3 state legislativea and then 3/4 of state legislatives to ratify
Fourth Method: Constitution called by congress upon petition fo 2/3 state legislatures and then 3/4 of state ratifying conventions.
