Unit 1 Terms Flashcards
Politics
the process of influencing the actions and policies of government
Government
the rules and institutions that make up that system of policymaking
Democracy
(form of govt.) power is held be the people
Natural Rights
the right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away.
Social Contract
people GIVE their govt.s the power to rule over them to GET / ensure an orderly and functioning society. If the government violates the social contract, people have the right to replace that government
what did John Locke do?
Social contract and natural rights believer
American Political Culture
the set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share.
Parts of the Declaration of Independence
had the preamble (set the stage), a declaration of rights, grievances to the king, and a pledge.
Sovereignty
the right of a government to rule
Popular Sovereignty
(a kind of sovereignty) the idea that the government’s right to rule comes from the people. (stated in preamble)
Republicanism
a government’s authority comes from the people through their representatives.
Representative govts. are more efficient that direct democracy govts. (like in Ancient Greece) - people can’t vote on every little issue.
Inalienable Rights
self evident. rights that the government cannot take away (ex - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)
Liberty
social, political, and economic freedoms
Freedom from interference/etc. or freedom to do something/etc. - often tension between these two.
Participatory Democracy (theory)
widespread participation is key/essential for democratic government.
Civil Society Groups
independent associations outside of the government’s control
Cornerstone of Particapatory Democracy
Pluralist Theory (theory)
emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process.
Ex: NRA, AARP, ACLU, the National Legal Foundation
Believes - thousands of groups - impossible for one of them to win all of the time,
Groups have many ways to influence
Elitist Theory (theory)
theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount pf influence in the policymaking process.
Elected officials are too heavily influenced by wealthy interest groups.
Concerned with the growing income gap - believe that top 1 percent have too much control over policymaking.
Political Institutions
the structure of government, including the executive, legislative, judicial, branches.
Constitutional Republic (a democratic system)
with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law.
USA is this
Constitution
a document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government
Republic
a government ruled by representatives of the people.
What did James Madison do?
-James Madison was interested in creating a republic that lasted (unlike other republics)
-Madison’s research played a huge role in designing the new American government
- wanted to change articles of confederation govt
- wrote some of the federalist papers
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
a governing document that created a union of thirteen sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme.
- Formally ratified in 1781, but by 1786 began showing problems
League of Friendship
- “Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.”
- Provided protections against the possibility of any other state claiming disputed territory on its own w/o approval from the federal govt.
What could the national government do under the articles of confederation?
- The national government under the Articles was intentionally weak - state legislatures had most of the power.
- They really only had the powwer to raise an army/navy.
Lacked taxation power
Hindered domestic economy - states placed trade restrictions on eachother
Unicameral
a one-house legislature.
Confederal / Articles of Confederation Govt. Branches
- unicameral legislature
- States could sent up to seven delegates to serve in the legislature, but each state was only given one vote on legislation
-Confederal Government had no judicial branch
-It was a weak government that a country in crisis / just needed to survive needed.
The Annapolis Convention
Called in the fall of 1786 to address trade and navigation disputes among states.
Madison and others unofficially hoped that this would lead to government change
Turnout and results were weak - only 5 out of the 13 states sent representatives.
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Shay’s Rebellion
a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts.
Named after Daniel Shays.
Shay’s Rebellion Significance
- Shay’s Rebellion was defeated by Major General William Shepard and his newly raised state militia.
- Convinced George Washington to return to public life after before saying that he was going to just be a civilian after the Revolutionary War.
Constitutional Convention
a meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation.
What was the initial overall goal of the Constitutional Convention?
Overall goal of creating a stronger fiscal and military state
Writ of Habeas Corpus
- the right of the people detained by the government to know the charges against them
- Article I Section 9 of the constitution forbids this
Bills of Attainder
- when the legislature declares someone guilty without trial.
- not alloweddd
Ex Post Facto Laws
- laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed.
- prohibited
Virginia Plan
- a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature (two houses) where more populous states would have more representation in Congress.
- Members of the lower house were nominated by the people , members of the upper house would consist of representatives nominated by state legislatures and chosen by members of the lower house.
- Some questioned if they could be equally represented in this a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature (two houses) where more populous states would have more representation in Congress.
- Members of the lower house were nominated by the people , members of the upper house would consist of representatives nominated by state legislatures and chosen by members of the lower house.
Some questioned if they could be equally represented in this
The New Jersey Plan
- proposed a unicameral legislature where each state delegation (chosen by state legislature) would get one equal vote in that legislature.
- James Madison and James Wilson didn’t like how people didn’t like the Virginia Plan. Some thought that it violated sovereignty.
Grand Committee
a committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on representation.
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
- an agreement for a plan of government that drew up on both The Virginia Plan and The New Jersey Plan. It settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate apportioned equally.
- Decided that a number of members from each state in the Houuse of Representatives would be chosen according to state populations, The people would directly elect these representatives.
- States would be represented equally in the upper chamber, The Senate. Two senators would be chosen from each state by their state legislatures.