American Gov Quiz: Readings from Chapters 1-2

The Declaration of Independence states, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." What kind of government is that?

Representative government

When looking at a majority rule versus minority rights, why would some people argue that the U.S. is not a true democracy?

Within a pure democracy, majority rule means that all citizens can vote on political decisions. However, the U.S. government relies on representatives to make policy, and there are often times when republican processes do not yield the true will of the people. One example of this would be the decriminalization of cannabis, because while the public supports it, state and federal representatives have so far lacked the will to change current policy.

What are the 6 purposes of government established by the Constitution?

1) Form a more perfect union 2) Establish justice 3) Insure domestic tranquility 4) Provide for the common defense 5) Promote the general welfare 6) Secure the blessings of liberty

Name and explain the 3 concepts of government that the English brought with them to the colonies.

1) Ordered government: They established local governments in the colonies that were based on those they were familiar with in England. They saw the need for an orderly regulation of their relationships with one another, so they created the offices of sheriff and justice of the peace, the grand jury, counties, and many more. 2) Limited government: The English also brought with them the idea that the government should be restricted in certain ways, and that individuals have inalienable rights. This idea had been developing in England for nearly 400 years before Jamestown was settled in 1607. 3) Representative government: The English settlers believed that the government should serve the will of the people, meaning the people should have a voice in deciding what government should and shouldn't do.

What are the duties and responsibilities of citizenship, and explain how they contribute to the common good of all.

1) Paying taxes: This provides the government with revenue to spend on initiatives, such as building infrastructure and maintaining public health. Thus, a citizen's tax dollars go to services that directly benefit them. 2) Voting: Citizens get to express their opinions on government officials that agree with their viewpoint and can best support the needs of society within the context of the times. 3) Volunteering: Individuals can give their time and money to worthy causes that contribute to the greater good, filling in the gaps within understaffed and underfunded services.

Explain the fundamental ideas of democracy.

1) Recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person. 2) Political power rests within the people, and their consent is what validates the government. 3) Democracy occur can directly (or purely), where the public individually votes on all policies, or democracy can be indirect through public consent---elected officials/representatives make public policy decisions and holds them accountable to public interest through the process of reelection, which happens in a cycle.

Describe the limitations on the monarchy imposed by the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights.

1) The Magna Carta: This included guarantees of fundamental rights, such as trial by jury and due process of law (protection against the arbitrary/unrestrained taking of life, liberty, or property). 2) The Petition of Right: This limited the king's power in several ways, but most importantly, it demanded that the king no longer imprison or otherwise punish any person but by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land. 3) The English Bill of Right: This prohibited a standing army in peacetime, except with the consent of Parliament, and included guarantees such as the right to a fair trial, as well as freedom from excessive bail and from cruel and unusual punishment.

What are the 3 basic powers exercised by government?

1. Legislative power: law making and framing public policies 2. Executive power: executing, enforcing and administering laws 3. Judicial power: interpreting laws, determining their meaning, and settling disputes

How is power distributed in a presidential government?

A presidential government has a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government, and these two branches are coequal (equally dependent of one another). The chief executive, aka the president, is elected by the people and holds office for a fixed term, and she/he holds powers that are not subject to the control of the legislative branch.

How might the application of purely democratic ideas to a functioning government cause a problem for a large federal state? How might it cause a problem for minority groups within that state?

A pure democracy values the individual above everything else, so it is necessary that every citizen participates in policy-making by exercising their voting power. Within a large federal state, having individuals participate in all affairs would bring activity to a halt, creating an unproductive society. As a result, democratic ideas would need to be altered in order to support a large population in federal states. Minority groups would suffer most in a pure democracy, as this form of government relies on a simple majority to make decisions, and within the majority there are groups that can easily compromise. Thus, minority rights would easily go ignored. In a federal state, the governments would send representatives to these minority groups to advocate for their rights and grant them more opportunities for representation in government.

What is the difference between an autocracy and an oligarchy?

An autocracy is a government in which a single person holds unlimited power, and an oligarchy is a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed group of individuals.

What form of government does the king represent?

He represents the monarchy, which is a form of autocracy.

What is the king implying when he says he doesn't get a vote either? Why is this statement misleading?

He's implying that he doesn't necessarily want the responsibility for making all governmental decisions, and maybe if he could vote he would not elect himself to be the leader. His statement is misleading because he's attempting to make himself more likable by characterizing himself as equal to his subjects. While his statement is true in that he didn't get a say in whether or not he should be king, and thus does not have a vote in that regard, in the state he holds the only decision-making power, as he's the only head/leader of the nation.

Name 3 ways in which the Federal Government promotes the general welfare.

Healthcare, the Interstate Highway System (IHS), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

How is power distributed in a parliamentary government?

In a parliamentary government, the legislative branch chooses executive leadership from among its own ranks, which blurs the distinction between executive and legislative power. The prime minister and cabinet hold powers and duties separate from those of a standard representative, yet all those powers are subject to parliament's direct control.

How is a republic different from a democracy?

In a republic, sovereign power rests with the voters, who grant political power to a small group of elected officials. Republics are different from a direct democracy, because people must be eligible to vote based on certain criteria (ie. age), and they elect representatives to make decisions rather than relying on the direct input of the people.

Which type of dictatorship are you most likely to find today?

In most modern dictatorships, you'll see an expanded oligarchy; rather than a single person or small group having full control, a larger elite comprising of high-ranking individuals in various spheres of influence control the state.

Which system seems to give the most power to the legislative branch?

Parliamentary systems grant more power to legislation than presidential systems. In parliamentary systems, the legislative branch can quickly remove an executive branch that acts against the will of the legislative majority, such as through mechanisms like a vote of no confidence (vote declares that the person is no longer deemed fit to hold their position). Conversely, presidential systems have mechanisms in place to check and executive, and a legislative branch cannot disband the executive without engaging in an impeachment process.

What 4 characteristics does every state possess?

Population, territory, sovereignty, government

How are the rights of the individual protected in a true democracy?

Pure democracy protects the rights of the individual by enshrining each person's right to vote on all political decisions. As a result, pure democracy requires full participation, which means individuals cannot lose their right to political participation in this form of democracy, as political agency is essentially a requirement.

What was meant by "taxation without representation?"

Taxation without representation is the act of being taxed by an authority without the benefit of having elected representatives.

Why was the Bill of Rights not included in the original Constitution?

The Bill of Rights was only added after the Constitution was drafted because the Anti-Federalists felt that the delegates to the Constitutional Convention did not provide adequate safeguards to protect citizens from government interference in their everyday lives. The Framers didn't consider a Bill of Rights initially because State constitutions already covered basic liberties like the freedom of speech, press and religion.

How did the Constitution improve upon the Articles of Confederation?

The Constitution addresses many of the problems created by the Articles of Confederation., creating a federal system of government with a much stronger national government that had the power to tax, draft troops, control interstate commerce, etc. Before, the States had too much individual power, which is why conflicts arose often, but under the Constitution, the country became more cohesive; there were more effective ways to settle disputes between States, and the distribution of power in the government became better balanced.

Which theory best explains the rise of democratic states? Why?

The Social Contract Theory gives the best explanation for the rise of democratic states because the theory argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people. In a democracy, there are individual rights, popular sovereignty, and limited government, and these principals are all included in this theory.

Which of these responsibilities were taken over by the States?

The States took over the responsibilities of providing funds and troops, treating citizens of other states fairly and equally, surrendering fugitives from justice to one another, and submitting disputes to Congress.

Why do some people hold that the United States is more properly called a republic rather than a democracy?

The U.S. can, in fact, be called a republic because of the voting restrictions it has, as well as its representative structure. In a republic, sovereign power rests in the hands of the representatives. However, republics and democracies are only able to coexist under a more strict definition of democracy that leaves out indirect forms of public rule; in most cases, republics utilize indirect democracy.

Why did the Framers consider it necessary to replace the Articles of Confederation?

The delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention, known as the Framers, felt it necessary to replace the Articles of Confederation so that Congress would be given more power, as under the Articles the government was weak.

How does force theory account for the 4 characteristics of the state?

The force theory is the idea that one person or small group (government) claimed control over an area (territory) and forced all within it (population) to submit to that person or group's rule. In the end, the new state had sovereignty, because the state had absolute power within its territory.

How are rights of the individual protected in the United States?

The laws and checks and balances protect individual rights in the U.S. In fact, the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution enshrines all fundamental political rights for citizens, like freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial. The government over the years has crafted additional laws, or amendments, to cover additional rights not laid out in the Bill of Rights. With the checks and balances, the judicial branch is especially important in protecting these rights, because they can halt the implementation of a law in order to determine whether or not it is a violation of human rights.

What were the complaints of the Stamp Act Congress?

The taxes and trade policies were widely denounced because the rates were too severe and because they amounted to taxation without representation.

What obstacles did the Framers face in creating a strong central government?

There were proposals they considered, like the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan, but there was disagreement over representation; the larger States expected to dominate the new government, and the smaller States feared the larger States would curb their interests. Out of this heated dispute came a series of compromises: the Connecticut Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, and the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise.

How did these ideas shape the creation of the 13 colonies?

These three basic notions shaped the governments of the 13 colonies, which then influenced the structure of the government of the United States of America. The colonies were able to establish systems to implement order, limit the authority of the government, and accurately represent the wants and needs of the people, and all of these things protect the rights of the individual.

Why might the Anti-Federalists have wanted a Bill of Rights in the Constitution?

They wanted to ensure the protection of the natural rights of citizens, so having an official document outline the specifics would provide the people with security. Thus, in order to get the Constitution ratified by appealing to the Anti-Federalists, the Federalists added 12 Amendments.

In the royal colonies, why might the colonists resent the stern hand of a royal governor?

They would have resented any kind of severe rule, because despite living an ocean away from England, their lives were still being controlled by the king; they might as well have never moved if that were to be the case.

Why did this cause a problem?

This was a problem because the government was limited by the lack of power to tax, regulate trade, or build up an army. They would not make the States obey the Articles of Confederation or the laws they made.

Explain the responsibilities of Congress under the Articles of Confederation.

Under the Articles, Congress exercised both legislative and executive powers. In legislative matters, each colony got a vote, and executive functions were handled by committees of delegates. Congress could declare war, sign treaties, make alliances, appoint foreign ambassadors, and manage relations with Native Americans.