Unit 1--The Basics of Our Government Flashcards
Government
A group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken.
Political Scientists
those who study the principles and organization of government
Central Government
The national government
Unitary Government
a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single central agency
Confederacy
A loose union of independent states
Federalism
A system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central, or national, government and several regional governments
Policy
A proposed or adopted course or principle of action
Articles of Confederation
1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)
13 Original States
Mass, Conneticut, Vermont, NH, RI, Delaware, New Jersey, VA, Maryland, NC, SC, Georgia, Penn
Sovereignty
Ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states.
Shays Rebellion
Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.
Constitutional Convention
- A convention in the Pennsylvania State House where the Articles on Confederation were supposed to be revised. Instead they were thrown out and a new constitution was drafted
John Locke
17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
Thomas Hobbes
-1651 wrote the leviathan which argued people were naturally wicked and could not be trusted to govern themselves, thus a strong absolute monarchy was needed.
Voltaire
(1694-1778) French philosopher. He believed that freedom of speech was the best weapon against bad government. He also spoke out against the corruption of the French government, and the intolerance of the Catholic Church.
Montesquieu
Spirit of the Laws Believed BRITISH had the best government and the best political system depended on various FACTORS about the country. (Size, culture etc). Believed in DIVISION OF POWER in gov’t…judicial/executive/legislative.
Rousseau
(1712-1778) Author Social Contract, More radical political philosopher, people have to surrender liberties for common good, owning property need laws, people make own laws
Beccaria
…, – a person accused of a crime should receive a speedy trial. Torture should never be used because it will make people confess to things that they have not done. (Italian, 1700
United States Constitution
1787, Continental Congress made a constitution after Articles of Confederation failed; It was based on Enlightenment ideas and It included a central government divided into three branches (president, Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court) and controlled by checks and balances. The Bill of Rights were ten amendments to the new constitution that guaranteed rights of freedom to citizens; made a national gov’t that controlled taxes, army, trade, and currency.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Interstate Commerce
Approved on February 4, 1887 the Interstate Commerce Act created an Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee the conduct of the railroad industry. With this act the railroads became the first industry subject to Federal regulation. Example of Supremacy Clause
Legislative Branch
Branch of Gov’t charged with creation of new laws.
House of Representatives
- house of Congress where the size of the state determines the number of representative
Senate
100 members, 2 members for each state. Members are elected every 6 years. The Vice President is the head of this body.
Executive Branch
Carries out the laws
Judicial Branch
A branch of the system of checks and balances that interprets Congressional laws
Supreme Court
Consists of nine justices, each appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Appointment is for life. Supreme Court exercises the power to determine constitutionality of statutes
Lower Federal Courts
13 courts of appeals, 89 district courts (within the 50 states) and several special courts. These courts hear cases related to federal law.
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Justices
Members of the Supreme Court
Nullify
To make null; declare invalid
Unconstitutional
A law that is not agreeable with the constitution and is no longer valid
Alexander Hamilton
founding father, and author of the Federalist Papers, the first Secretary of the Treasury, and the architect of the first fiscal plan for the United States after ratification of the Constitution. He is most popular for losing a duel with Aaron Burr that eventually cost him his life.
James Madison
Father of the Constitution, Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.
Bill of Rights
Although the Anti-Federalists failed to block the ratification of the Constitution, they did ensure that the Bill of Rights would be created to protect individuals from government interference and possible tyranny. The Bill of Rights, drafted by a group led by James Madison, consisted of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed the civil rights of American citizens.
Federalists
A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.
Anti-Federalists
Anti-Federalists rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed the Constitution’s powerful centralized government, arguing that the Constitution gave too much political, economic, and military control. They instead advocated a decentralized governmental structure that granted most power to the states
