American Government Exam 1 Free Response
Both groups lost their ancestral lands to whites who also attempted to destroy their culture. Both groups also suffer high levels of poverty and unemployment today. Most Native American tribes are allowed to govern themselves, but so far Native Hawaiians are not.
Briefly describe the similarities and differences between the experiences of Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.
Selective incorporation is the process of expanding the application of the Bill of Rights to also include the states. It became necessary in order to guarantee people's civil liberties equally across all states.
Briefly explain the concept of selective incorporation, and why it became necessary.
Civil liberties demonstrate the limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms, while civil rights guarantees equal treatment by government authorities.
Briefly explain the difference between civil liberties and civil rights.
It fosters state loyalty; practices pragmatism in such a large population yields positive results; it encourages pluralism, encouraging people to get involved in government; Ensures the separation of powers and prevents tyranny.
Describe the advantages of federalism.
Federalism can trigger a race to the bottom, leading states to reduce workplace regulations and social benefits for employees; it can obstruct federal efforts to address national problems; and it can deepen economic and social disparities among states.
Describe the disadvantages of federalism.
Federal system : citizens vote for representatives. Confederation system : citizens will have more power because this system pretty much relies on its local governments. Unitary system : Citizens pretty much leaves everything to the central government.
Describe the primary differences in the role of citizens in government among the federal, confederation, and unitary systems.
The development of email also came with the technology to intercept emails, and this created a means to invade privacy. The other thing is through social media, as people update their lives onto the internet, they can be tracked, followed, and their lives can be at the disposal of anyone who knows how to access the internet, therefore invading privacy in that way as well.
Describe two ways in which new technological developments challenge traditional notions of privacy.
For one, all of the state governments are modeled after the federal government and consist of the three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Another thing is Federal grants to state can sort of direct what is going to be funded, and therefore shapes how a state will use their funds to head in a specific direction.
Discuss how the federal government shapes the actions of state and local governments.
Criminal cases almost always allow for a trial by jury, whereas civil cases are often decided by a judge (juries are allowed in certain instances.) Criminal cases involve jail-time as a potential punishment, whereas civil cases generally only result in monetary damages or orders to do or not do something. A criminal case can have both.
Explain the difference between a criminal case and a civil case.
A right listed in the Bill of Rights is afforded clearer protection than one developed incrementally through court precedents.
Explain the difference between a right listed in the Bill of Rights and a common-law right.
The two clauses together protect religious liberty but from opposite directions. The establishment clause prevents governments from having an official religion (thus giving all religions a chance to flourish), while the free exercise clause clearly empowers individuals to practice as they wish.
Explain the difference between the establishment clause and the free exercise clause, and explain how these two clauses work together to guarantee religious freedoms.
Someone accused of a crime may take a plea bargain because it reflects a clear path forward rather than the uncertainty of a trial. Typically plea bargains result in weaker punishments than does a court trial.
Explain why someone accused of a crime might negotiate a plea bargain rather than exercising the right to a trial by jury.
It went through several different phases on the political level. In the era of dual federalism, both levels of government just stayed to themselves. In the era of cooperative federalism, the government became active in policies originally controlled by the states. Since the 1970s, there has been an effort to promote new federalism in attempts to decentralize policy management. Economically, when the states decided to globalize their industries, its vast economy allowed the federal government to assume a greater economic role in American businesses as opposed to the State role.
How have the political and economic relationships between the states and federal government evolved since the early 1800s?
The weakness was clear as the Shay rebellion involved a group of farmers that rose against the Massachusetts. The governor of Massachusetts asked for national aid, but the articles of confederation had no means to fund an army, and so the governor had to rely on local militia to crush the rebellion. This demonstrated to many that the Articles of Confederation had to be revised.
In what ways did Shays' Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Delegates, this is because a representative in the state legislator is supposed to take into account what other in the State system say are the best thing for the state. If the representative chooses not to listen to those who have the problems, then the representative will not know the major issues and problems with the state.
Is it preferable for representatives in the state legislature to behave as trustees or as delegates? Why?
The biggest change that allowed for the federal government to become stronger was allowing it to tax the citizens of the U.S. This in turn gave them funds to build up infrastructure, raise armies, and create a stronger, total force.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was quite weak relative to the states. What changes were made to strengthen the role of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution?
What angered the colonists most of all wad the imposition of direct taxes, taxes imposed on individuals instead of on transactions. When the colonists disagreed, the British attacked them, and that is what triggered the need to declare independence.
What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to declare their independence?
It was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court allowing closely held for-profit corporations to be exempt from a law its owners religiously object to if there is a less restrictive means of furthering the law's interest.
What are the implications of the Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby?
In dual federalism the national government and the state governments have different spheres, and both are sovereign in their respective sphere. Accepts the powers of state governments, and some state powers are equal to that of the national government. In cooperative federalism, no such separate spheres exist, and both the governments work in tandem, even in matters of formulating policies. The system does not believe in any wall between powers and responsibilities for the national government and the state government.
What are the main differences between cooperative federalism and dual federalism?
The federal government is responsible for collecting federal tax, regulating interstate commerce, coining money, declaring war, and raising and maintaining an army and navy. The State government is responsible for creating state laws, often deal with crime and contracts for things such as marriage. They are in charge of their state infrastructure and their state education.
What are the main functions of federal and state governments?
Municipal governments are responsible for providing clean water as well as sewage and garbage disposal. They maintain city facilities, such as parks, streetlights, and stadiums. In addition, they address zoning and building regulations, promote economic development, and provide law enforcement, public transportation, and fire protection.
What are the primary responsibilities of municipal governments?
The Fourteenth Amendment gave citizenship to African Americans and made all Americans equal before the law regardless of race or color. Over the years it has also been used to require states to guarantee their residents the same protections as those granted by the federal government in the Bill of Rights
What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?
Government affects all aspects of people's lives. It affects what we eat, where we go to school, our education, how our tax money is spent, and what we do in our free time is all affected by government.
What does government do for people?
It has to do with deciding to either convince the population to do something through grants (carrot of grants) or through mandates (stick of mandates.) The classic "reward for good behavior or punish for bad behavior" question.
What does it mean to refer to the carrot of grants and the stick of mandates?
Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different branches and giving different responsibilities and powers to each branch. In this way, the separate branches must work together to govern the nation. For example, according to the Constitution, Congress has the power to draft legislation. However, the president must sign a piece of proposed legislation before it becomes a law. Thus, the president and Congress must work together to make the nation's laws.
What does separation of powers mean?
In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.
What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?
Civil liberties demonstrate the limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms, while civil rights guarantees equal treatment by government authorities.
What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
The following parts of the Constitution sketch the powers of the states and the federal government: Article I, Section 8; the supremacy clause of Article VI; and the Tenth Amendment. The following parts of the Constitution detail the limits on their authority: Article I, Sections 9 and 10; Bill of Rights; Fourteenth Amendment; and the civil rights amendments.
What key constitutional provisions define the scope of authority of the federal and state governments?
Americans believed all people (i.e., white males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. The best way to protect these rights was by limiting the power of government and allowing people to govern themselves.
What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare independence from Britain?
People can pay attention to the news in order to be aware of the most important issues of the day. They can contribute money to a campaign or attend a rally in support of a political candidate whose views they favor. They can write letters to members of Congress and to state and local politicians. They can vote.
What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?
The McCulloch decision established the doctrine of implied powers, meaning the federal government can create policy instruments deemed necessary and appropriate to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities. The case also affirmed the principle of national supremacy embodied in Article VI of the Constitution, namely, that the Constitution and legitimate federal laws trump state laws.
What were the implications of McCulloch v. Maryland for federalism?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in employment based on race, color, national origin, religion, and sex and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate discrimination and enforce the provisions of the bill. It also prohibited segregation in public accommodations and encouraged integration in education.
What were the key provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
So many people opposed because they were mostly fearful of the power that the national government would have, as they believed that it would be better to separate the power according to state legislators. Furthermore, they worried about the taxation of the poor and that those who were poor would not be able to afford the taxation, such as the farmers and lower class. They also did not want the government to become an elitist aristocracy and preferred the power to be in the middle/lower class, as they were more modest, temperate, and of better morals.
Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their opposition partly overcome?
