AP Gov

de facto segregation

segregation of schools and other public facilities through circumstance with no law supporting it.

Reconstruction Amendments

13th, 14th and 15th Amendments

Shay's Rebellion

A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes; made founding fathers realize that the Articles of Confederation needed to be reformed

TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)

A block grant program under the Clinton administration that replaced AFDC

Amendment

A new provision in the Constitution that has to be ratified by the states

Political culture

A patterned and sustained way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out; a set of general attitudes, ideas and beliefs which broadly informs and shapes a region's politics

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Rev. War; had lots of flaws, purposely written to keep central government as weak as possible

Dred Scott v. Sandform 1857

African Americans are NOT citizens and thus could not petition the Supreme Court - overturn by the 14th Amendment

Full faith and credit clause

Article IV: Section One --> states that states must recognize legislative acts, public records, and judicial decisions of the other states within the United States

checks and balance

Authority shared by three branches of government in order to ensure that one branch will not become more powerful than the others

Liberalism

Belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity. Support political and social reform, government regulation of the economy, expansion of programs for the poor, minorities, and women, national health care system and abortion rights; Oppose increase military spending, foreign wars and school prayer

Conservatism

Belief that limited government insures order competitive markets and opportunity. Support expansion of military power, free market economy, less government regulations, and school prayer; Oppose federal social and welfare programs, abortion rights and a national health care system

-Many states were hesitant to ratify because they believed that the Constitution did not guarantee them any rights -Framers believed that with an inclusion of the Bill of Rights that they would be creating a government with limited powers -The Constitution included liberties before the Bill of Rights (writ of habeas corpus may not be suspended, no bills of attainder or ex post facto laws, trial by jury guaranteed, no religious test for fed. office, no law impairing contractual obligations) -Most states already had their own Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights Debate

Unitary System

Concentrates power in a central government. Ex: Great Britain, France, and China

Framers Rationale for Federalism

Confederate system under the Articles of Confederation caused too many problems; unitary system is what the colonists revolted against

Political ideology

Consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.

Separation of powers

Constitutional authority is shared by three branches of government

Dual federalism

Doctrine holding this the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate; necessary and proper clause should be narrowly defined, national government powers are purposefully limited by the Constitution, and nation and states are sovereign in their spheres

Socialism

Economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production.

NCLB (No Child Left Behind)

Example of an underfunded mandate/waiver

To Propose: a) 2/3 of both Houses vote to propose Amendment b) 2/3 of state legislatures ask Congress to call a national convention to propose amendment To Ratify: a) 3/4 of the state legislatures approve it b) Ratifying conventions in 3/4 states approve it

Explain the process of proposing/ratifying an Amendment

Agents of Political Socialization

Family (#1), Education and Social groups

Random Sampling

Gauging public opinion through a scientific process with carefully designed survey questions to avoid bias. Ex: Gallup

federalism

Government authority shared by national and local governments

categorical grants

Grants may be spent only for narrowly-defined purposes; many strings attached

Madison: emphasized fragmentation and spread of power Hamilton: emphasized concentration of powers especially strong executive branch

Hamilton vs. Madison

Libertarianism

Ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in one's life.

1) Congressional Legislation 2) Presidential Actions (i.e. as Commander in Chief, he/she can deploy troops) 3) Custom and Usage (political parties) 4) Judicial Review (Marbury v. Madison)

Informal Methods to Change Constitution (4)

Federalists

Proponents of the Constitution and favor a strong national government

Changing American Attitude Towards Government

Less trusting of government since 1950s due to political efficacy (does my political participation even matter?)

Core American Values

Liberty/freedom, equality, individualism & democracy. Economic equality is NOT a core American value

1) Religious freedom 2) People have the gift of reason (the ability to think) 3) Government should operate with the consent of the governed: formed to protect the right to life, freedom, and property for ALL 4) People have the right to rebel if government abuses its authority 5) Slavery is unacceptable 6) Equality for women

Locke's views (6)

Layer Cake: based on a clear delineation of authority and programs among the levels of government Marble Cake: based on a pragmatic mixing of authority and programs among the national, state, and local governments

Marble Cake vs. Layer Cake

Elite

Persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource, like money, prestige, or expertise

Enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

Divine right theory

Rulers/leaders inherit their power from God

Public opinion polls

Scientific surveys aimed at gauging public preference of candidates and issues.

Art. I: Legislative Branch Art. II: Executive Branch Art. III: Judicial Branch Art. IV: Interstate Relations Art. V: Amendment Process Art. VI: Supremacy clause, oath of office, no religious test Art. VII: Ratification Process **(Let's Eat Jelly In Aunt Nelly's Raft)**

Structure of the Constitution

Conditions of aid

Terms set by the national government that states must meet if they're to receive certain federal funds

Mandates

Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants

1) Marxists/Class View: those who control the economy 2) Power Elite: top (non-gov) leaders in the major sectors of society 3) bureaucratic: civil servants and appointed officials 4) pluralists: competition among all groups above; no single elite can dominate the whole process

Theories on who Governs

Anti-Federalists

Those who favor a weaker government

Straw Polling

Trying to gauge public opinion thru counting the size of a crowd, noting the level of audience applause or asking random people questions on the street

1) Direct or Participatory Dem: A government in which all or most citizens participate directly 2) Rep. Democracy: a government in which leaders make decisions by/after winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote -Parliamentary Democracy: two branches, leader is a member of legislature, Prime Minister -Presidential Democracy: 3 branches, president has political power, separation of powers is a typical concept

Types of democracy (2)

Confederate System

Weak central government with limited power over the states. Ex: US under the Articles of Confederation

1) 9/13 states required to pass any measure 2) No official currency (could vary from state to state) 3) Small army and dependent on state militias 4) No national judicial system 5) Didn't have power to collect taxes 6) Each state had only one vote in Congress (no matter the population size) 7) All 13 states needed to approve amendments 8) Weak central government which lead to increased state to state conflict

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation (7)

Political culture

Widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another.

orthodox

a belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance

representative democracy

a government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote

political ideology

a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue

elastic clause

a statement in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers

Americans with Disabilities Act

act that required employers, schools, and public buildings to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of handicapped individuals by providing such things as ramps and elevators with appropriate facilities.

Immigration Act of 1991

act that shifted the quota of immigrants to Europe and aimed to attract immigrants who were trained workers.

Civil Rights

application of equal protection under the law to individuals - laws prohibiting racial and gender discrimination

Plessy v. Ferguson 1896

case that ruled that states had the right to impose "separate but equal" facilities on its citizens as well as create other laws that segregated the races.

AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children)

commonly known as "welfare;" a federal guarantee of cash assistance to states that offered support to low-income, unmarried mothers and children since 1935. Was changed to a block grant program called TANF under the Clinton administration

culture war

conflict between the two broadly defined groups, the orthodox and progressive; conflict is animated by deep differences in people's beliefs about private and public morality

Reed v. Reed 1971

created a new standard for judging constitutionality in sex discrimination cases

social contract theory

developed during the Enlightenment: theory that humans formed government and chose rulers in order to establish order in a chaotic world

ADA (American With Disabilities Act)

direct order mandate set out by federal government that made states comply to building codes that would be suitable for the handicapped

revenue sharing

distribution of federal revenue to states for any purpose; phased out decades ago

Civil Rights Act of 1964

ended Jim Crow segregation by making racial discrimination illegal in public accommodations; prohibited employment discrimination; expanded upon through interstate commerce clause (Heart v. Atlanta)

white primaries

excluded African American form voting in primary elections

Equal Rights Amendment

failed constitutional amendment that stated equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on account of sex

Title IX of the Education Act of 1972

forbids educational institutions receive federal funds from discriminating against female students (created women athletics in colleges

limited government

government can only do things that the people have given it the power to do

Seneca Falls Convention

in 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the fight for political suffrage and supported a doctrine very similar in nature to the Declaration of Independence called the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. It became a rallying document in the fight for women's rights.

Jim Crow Laws

legislation that legalized segregation even after the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment.

racial gerrymandering

oddly shaped districts designed to give minority groups voters a numerical majority

Voting Rights Act of 1965

outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that have disenfranchises African Americans; provide for federal oversight of voter registration

Poll tax

pay to vote

Federalist Papers

series of propaganda written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in order to gain support for the ratification of the Constitution; emphasized wisdom of a strong central government along with autonomy for states

Grantz v. Bollinger 2003

stuck down undergraduate admission policy that automatically awarded appellants from underrepresented racial and minority groups - violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th

Muller v. Oregon 1908

that spoke about inherent differences between men and women in the workplace.

impeachment

the ability to remove an official from office (i.e. the President by a 2/3 vote of Congress due to crimes such as Treason, Bribery, Misdemeanor, or other high crimes)

electoral college

the people chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election. Each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has. The District of Columbia has three votes, even though it cannot elect a Representative or Senator

judicial review

the power of the courts to review the constitutionality of a law or executive action

Separate but equal

upheld Jim Crow segregation by approving separate but equal public facilities for African Americans --- judicial precedent established in the Plessy v Ferguson decision that enabled states to interpret the equal protection provision of the Fourteenth Amendment as a means of establishing segregation.

Grutter v. Bollinger 2003

upheld the affirmative action policy of the University of Michigan law school and the Bakke ruling that race could be a consideration in admission policy, but that quotas are illegal

cooperative federalism

1) National and state agencies work together 2) State and nation routinely share power 3) Power isn't concentrated in any government level or agency

Federalism

Constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between the federal government & the states. Both exercise direct authority over individuals. Ex: US, Mexico, Germany and India

Political Socialization

Continuing process about how political values are formed and passed from generation to generation

implied powers

governmental powers not explicitly stated in the constitution

necessary and proper clause

grants Congress the ability to exercise its implied powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution

block grants

grants to governments that give them broad flexibility to design and implement designated programs; few strings attached

19th Amendment

guaranteed women the right to vote

literacy tests

pass difficult reading comprehension questions before they could register to vote

Equal Pay Act of 1963

pay women and men equal pay for equal work

Affirmative Action

policy and/or programs for minorities supported by government as a means of providing equality under the law and remedy the effects of past discrimination

competitive federalism

powerful harnessing of our tri-partite sovereignty system that allows states to compete with each other over a broad range of issues to provide citizens with the best value goods and services at the lowest cost

concurrent powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

political socialization

process by which background traits influence one's political views

24th Amendment

prohibited poll taxes in federal elections

strict scrutiny

race and ethnic background is inherently suspect and must be justified by a compelling public interest

Shaw v. Reno 1993

racial gerrymandering would be held to a standard of strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke 1978

ruled that the medical school's strict quota system denied Bakke the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment - ruled the race could be used as one factor among others in the competition for available places

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka 1954

ruled theta racially segregated schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and reversed the principle of separate but equal established in Plessy

de jure segregation

segregation by law, made illegal by Brown v Board of Education.

national Supremacy (clause)

the federal government, in exercising any of the powers enumerated in the Constitution, must prevail over any conflicting or inconsistent state exercise of power

popular sovereignty

the government is created and sustained by the will of the people though their elected representatives