Foundations Exam Review
31 - What is meant by political ideology?
"An ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual. Very often ideology refers to a set of political beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a particular culture. Capitalism, communism, socialism, and Marxism are ideologies."
30 - Based on Federalist 10 and 51 summarize Madison's views on the government?
"Madison argued that if a country was extensive rather than small, a multiplicity of interests and factions could cancel one another out, making it more difficult for any single faction to form a majority and commandeer the government for its own purposes."
37 - Identify the main components of the Articles of Confederation.
1 - No national executive branch 2 - No national judiciary branch 3 - Each state delegation cast a single vote in congress 4 - Routine decisions in the congress required a simple majority of seven states; for momentous decisions, such as declaring war, nine states needed to agree. To approve or amend the Articles required the unanimous consent both of the thirteen state delegations and of the thirteen state legislatures. 5 - Taxation; each state was to contribute in proportion to the property value of the state's land. The actual taxes would be levied by the state legislatures, not by the congress. However, no mechanism compelled states to pay.
17- How does the electoral college work?
538 electors: 435 representatives for states, 100 Senators, and 3 electors for the District of Columbia. In the majority of states, the most popular voted candidate gets all the electoral votes for that state. Each state gets at least 3 representatives, but some states get more electors, based on their state's population. A minimum of 270 electoral votes are required for a president to win the election.
51 - In the context of gov, what does the term "preemption" mean?
A legal doctrine in which federal law supersedes, or "preempts," state law when the two are in conflict one with another.
7- Explain the views of the Anti-Federalists.
Anti-Federalists oppose the ratification of Constitution. They want a weaker central government and stronger state governments, and believe that the Constitution did the opposite.
3- Who is the Commander in Chief?
Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution states that the President is the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
48 - Article 1, Setion 8.
Basically stating that enumerated powers are a thing. Outlines power of federal legislature.
21- Where in the Constitution can you find freedom of speech and other guarantees of liberty in the Bill of Rights?
Bill of Rights - The first 10 amendments in the Constitution
8- How did Charles Beard characterize the Framers of the Constitution?
Charles Beard made the Framers of the Constitution look like greedy, wealthy, slaveholding landowners that molded the Constitution to benefit their own economic status.
5- How do checks and balances and separation of powers influence the decision making process within the federal government?
Checks and Balances make sure that no one has too much power in the decision making process. When a decision is made, it typically has to be OK'ed through multiple houses.
4- Explain the concept of checks and balances and provide examples.
Checks and balances are ways to keep the government in check and make sure no one party has too much power. A good example would be that the President can veto a law passed by Congress, but the Congress(House of Reps & Senate) can override a veto by means of a 2/3 vote.
13- How can a president's veto be overridden?
Congress can override a president's veto by getting the necessary 2/3 vote from each house.
54 - Explain cooperative federalism.
Cooperative federalism is a concept of federalism in which national, state, and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve common problems, rather than making policies separately but more or less equally or clashing over a policy in a system dominated by the national government.
33 - What were the characteristics of dual federalism? When did the period of dual federalism come to an end?
Dual federalism, also referred to as divided sovereignty, is a political arrangement in which power is divided between the federal and state governments in clearly defined terms, with state governments exercising those powers accorded to them without interference from the federal government. - THE END: Industrialization, economic modernization, and conditions surrounding the Great Depression elevated commerce to a more national level, so there was an overlap in the powers of the federal government and the states.
23- Explain/Identify an elitist theory of government.
Elitist theory states that a small minority, consisting of only the wealthiest, highest-class business men hold the majority of power.
43 - Explain terms: 1) Extradition 2) Privileges and Immeunities 3) Socialism 4) Cooperative Federalism
Extradition - The surrender of an accused/fugitive (someone who is sought by law) to the jurisdiction of another state, country, or government for trial. (In layman terms, when a country/govt./state sends a criminal from its own to another where he has committed the crime.) Priv + Imm - A clause in the United States Constitution that prohibits states from discriminating against citizens from another state. Socialism - A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Coop Fed - Cooperative federalism is a concept of federalism in which national, state, and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve common problems, rather than making policies separately but more or less equally or clashing over a policy in a system dominated by the national government.
39 - Compare and contrast a Federal, Confederate, and Unitary system of gov
Federal - Shared power between national and state gov Confederate - Weak national, strong state gov Unitary - Central gov (national) holds most power https://classroom.synonym.com/differences-unitary-confederate-federal-forms-government-16423.html (Great site for it)
22- Compare and contrast a federal system of government with a confederal form of government.
Federal Form - Gov run by national and local Confederal Form - A joint group of smaller states, making decisions for one big central body that applies to all. (Smaller states joined together for ALL the power)
12- What is necessary for an international treaty to be approved?
First the treaty goes to the Senate, where they approve or reject it as is, or they revise it and send it back. Once that's done, the President and all the other countries involved in the treaty must decide if they want to approve, revise, or reject it. Even after all that, the Senate can then just let the treaty sit around, never actually taking definitive action on it. It's a hard life for a treaty.
53 - Be able to identify examples of how categorical grants have been used (apply the term to current gov programs).
Grants given to state governments for things like the construction of new schools or highway construction/repair are examples of categorical grants. Categorical grants are intended for specific things and are typically accompanied by a set of specific requirements for use.
46 - Compare/Contrast terms: 1) Block Grants 2) Categorical Grants 3) Federal Mandates 4) Fiscal Federalism 5) Cooperative Federalism 6) Unfunded Mandates
Grants-in-aid are federal cash payments to states and localities for programs they administer. Block Grants - Grants-in-aid that permit state and local officials to decide how the money will be spent within a general area, such as education or health. Categorical Grants - Grants-in-aid that can be used only for designated projects. Federal Mandate - A requirement set by the Federal government. It usually is in the form of a new Federal Law. Fiscal Fed - As a subfield of public economics, fiscal federalism is concerned with "understanding which functions and instruments are best centralized and which are best placed in the sphere of decentralized levels of government" (which powers belong on which level of gov). Coop Fed - Cooperative federalism is a concept of federalism in which national, state, and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve common problems, rather than making policies separately but more or less equally or clashing over a policy in a system dominated by the national government. Unfunded Mandates - An unfunded mandate is a statute or regulation that requires a state or local government to perform certain actions, with no money provided for fulfilling the requirements.
25- Summarize a Hyperpluralist's view.
Hyperpluralists believe that politics is a competition between groups where each one pushes for their own preferred policies. They also believe these groups are so strong that they weaken the government.
41 - Compare/Contrast following terms: 1) Implied powers 2) Inferred powers 3) Inherent powers 4) Reserved powers 5) Enumerated powers 6) Concurrent powers
Implied - Implied powers, in the United States, are those powers authorized by a document (from the Constitution) that, while not stated, seem to be implied by powers expressly stated. Implied powers are powers that are not explicitly spelled out in a contract or legal document but can be assumed because, without those powers, the document would not be functional. Inferred - No info found, another word for implied powers? Inherent - Powers held by the U.S. President which are not specified in the Constitution, but which are needed to efficiently perform the duties of the office. (Like implied but for pres) Reserved - In the U.S. Constitution, certain specific powers are granted to the federal government. The Constitution reserves all other powers to the states. These are known as "reserved powers." The reserved powers clause is not found in the body of the Constitution itself, but is part of the Tenth Amendment. To explore this concept, consider the following reserved powers definition. Enumerated - Specific powers granted to Congress as outlined in Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution. Concurrent - Concurrent powers are powers in nations with a federal system of government that are shared by both the federal government and each constituent political unit (such as a state or province).
24- Compare and contrast a Republic and a Direct Democracy.
In American English, the definition of a republic refers specifically to a form of government in which elected individuals represent the citizen body and exercise power according to the rule of law under a constitution, including separation of powers with an elected head of state, referred to as a Constitutional republic or representative democracy. Direct Democracy is like a republic but instead of getting officials to make the official decisions for us, the people vote on everything themselves (no representatives).
26- Explain/Identify initiatives and referendums.
Initiatives allows citizens to propose a statute(definition), while referendums allows citizens to put the passed statue on a ballot so that voters can enact or repeal it.
35 - Explain John Locke's philosophy, found with the Dec of Ind.
John Locke wanted everyone to have the "right to life, liberty, and property" which is used in the Declaration of Independence as the "right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.".
11- Explain the term 'judicial review'.
Judicial Review is a court's right to evaluate if a legislative act contradicts the constitution or not.
32 - Compare and contrast the following ideologies: 1) Liberalism 2) Conservatism 3) Libertarianism 4) Totalitarianism 5) Socialism 6) Social Conservatives
Liberalism - Liberal views (someone who is open-minded and progressive in their views) Conservatism - Conservative views (commitment to traditional values and ideas with opposition to change or innovation) Libertarianism - An extreme political philosophy advocating only minimal state intervention in the lives of citizens. Totalitarianism - A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state (Hitler-y). Socialism - A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Social Conservatives - "Social conservatism is the belief that society is built upon a fragile network of relationships which need to be upheld through duty, traditional values, and established institutions. This can include moral issues. Social conservatism is generally skeptical of social change, and believes in maintaining the status quo concerning social issues such as family life, sexual relations, and patriotism."
27 - Within the context of Federalist Paper No. 10, what distinguishes a democracy from a republic?
Madison states that democracy will cause danger due to too many opinions on both sides (and factions) while a republic will prevent danger while still hearing everyone's opinion.
44 - What's significance of "McCulloch V. Maryland".
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) is one of the first and most important Supreme Court cases on federal power. In this case, the Supreme Court held that Congress has implied powers derived from those listed in Article I, Section 8. The "Necessary and Proper" Clause gave Congress the power to establish a national bank.
34 - What are reserve powers and what amendment (s?) are associated with reserve powers?
Reserved Powers - A political power that is reserved exclusively to a particular political authority. Tenth Amendment reservation of political powers, not specifically granted to the federal government, to the states (10th amendment has the deets).
15- According to James Madison and his Federalists Paper No. 51, what was a way to prevent the concentration of power?
Separation of powers to balance all the branches of government and separate them from one another. Checks and balances to go along with these separations to make sure that all branches are equally as powerfully as one another.
36 - Explain the concepts, "Social Contract" and "Natural Rights".
Social Contract - An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection. Natural Rights - Natural rights are those that are not dependent on the laws or customs of any particular culture or government, and so are universal and inalienable (they cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws, examples include right to property, the right to question the government, and the right to have free and independent thought).
49 - In the system of Federalism, as developed in the US, which level of gov has the most responsibility for social, moral, and family policies?
State gov
38 - Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Art-of-confed
Strengths: passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which established a basic pattern of government for new territories north of the Ohio River - first real establishment of government Weaknesses: lack of power to raise funds for the militia, no power to raise revenues to provide adequate support for military forces, maintain a sound monetary system, provide effective treaty-making power and control foreign relations, regulate foreign and interstate commerce https://www.ewing.k12.nj.us/cms/lib6/NJ01001291/Centricity/Domain/122/articles%20of%20conf%20stength%20and%20weaknesses.pdf (Image says it all)
28 - What does Majoritarian Control mean?
That the majority in a society (maybe social class, religion, language, etc.) should be held to more importance in a society.
6- Originally did the Bill of Rights apply to the States, Federal Government, or both? Explain.
The Bill of Rights originally only applied to the Federal Government, but over time they eventually made it apply to both.
52 - Identify Supreme Court ruling trends since the 1990s.
The Court has limited the power of the national government over the state government.
14- Which branch of government is associated with most bureaucratic agencies?
The Executive Branch
47 - What's significance of "Gibbons v. Odgen".
The Supreme Court case Gibbons v. Odgen is widely accepted as the first true instance of the power struggle between federal and state governments. When Marshall Court ruled in favor of Gibbons, it was concluded that the federal government holds more power than state governments regarding the issue of interstate commerce.
9- Describe the checks and balances system and how it applies to the different branches of government.
The checks and balances system is a way to make sure power is equal. Judicial- Legislative- Executive-
18- What type of government did the Constitution create?
The constitution created a federal government consisting of 3 branches- Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
42 - Be familiar with E L A S T I C C L A U S E .
The elastic clause, also called the necessary and proper clause, was intended to provide Congress with the necessary means of passing laws in the best interest of the nation. It also helps to organize the government by giving Congress influence over other branches of government.
16- What is the electoral college and why was it created?
The electoral college is a group of 538 electors that help decide who the next President and Vice President will be. It was created to make sure the government still had a say in who the President will be, instead of relying on just the citizens.
29 - As expressed in the Constitution, what does the concept of equality mean?
The everyone should be be held up to the same standards as one another and have basic human rights. This is shown most in the 14th amendment when it states, "no state shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.".
45 - Describe the concept of "devolution".
The passing down of authority from the national government to the state and local governments.
20- What type of Democracy did the Framers of the Constitution create?
They created a Republican form of government instead of Direct Democracy.
19- Identify and explain the concept of totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism is when the government complete and utter control over the people. Freedom is lost and the people don't have a say in the direction their nation is going.
50 - What's significance of "US v. Lopez".
US v Lopez is significant because it is the first case since the New Deal to limit Congress' ability to use the commerce clause as a source of authority
40 - Many federalists viewed Federalism as a compromise between Unitary gov and confederate gov, explain my boi!
Unitary gov favors the national and central powers while confederate favors the states. Federalism favors both, giving them equal powers making them a compromise of one another.
1 - What does separation of power mean in the context of the United States government. Provide Examples?
https://legaldictionary.net/separation-of-powers/
2 - What separate roles do the legislative, executive and judicial branches play?
https://legaldictionary.net/separation-of-powers/
10- Be able to identify examples of checks and balances.
https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/checks-and-balances