American government Exam 1
Nominate and gain confirmation for their cabinet and hundreds of other officials
A very challenging job for new presidents is to ______.
Block Grant
A ____________________________________________________ is a type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds.
Legislate in the way he or she believed constituents wanted, regardless of the anticipated outcome.
A congressperson who pursued a strict delegate model of representation would seek to ________.
A select committee is convened for a specific and temporary purpose, while a standing committee is permanent
A select committee is different from a standing committee because ________.
Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state's population and every state would have two senators.
According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be apportioned?
government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests
According to the Pluralist theory of government, ________.
Reserved Powers
Any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government are called ______________________.
Selected Answer: both civil and criminal law
Both state and federal courts hear matters that involve ________.
John Locke
British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of ________.
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
partisanship- is the tendency to identify with and to support (often blindly) a particular political party, alienates some Americans who feel that elected representatives should vote in support of the nation's best interests instead of voting in the way their party wishes them to.
Committed partisanship, which is the tendency to identify with and to support (often blindly) a particular political party, alienates some Americans who feel that elected representatives should vote in support of the nation's best interests instead of voting in the way their party wishes them to.
Under dual federalism, the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction. Like the layers of a cake, the levels of government do not blend with one another but rather are clearly defined. Cooperative federalism was born of necessity and lasted well into the twentieth century as the national and state governments each found it beneficial. Under this model, both levels of government coordinated their actions to solve national problems, such as the Great Depression and the civil rights struggle of the following decades. In contrast to dual federalism, it erodes the jurisdictional boundaries between the states and national government, leading to a blending of layers as in a marble cake. New federalism is premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves policy outcomes. During Nixon's administration, general revenue sharing programs were created that distributed funds to the state and local governments with minimal restrictions on how the money was spent. The election of Ronald Reagan heralded the advent of a "devolution revolution" in U.S. federalism, in which the president pledged to return authority to the states according to the Constitution.
Compare different conceptions of Federalism
Bicameralism, or the division of legislators into two separate assemblies. In this proposed two-chamber Congress, states with larger populations would have more representatives in each chamber. Predictably, smaller states like New Jersey were unhappy with this proposal.
Define bicameralism
Article 1 of Constitution describes congressional powers 1. Make Laws 2. Declare war 3. Levy taxes, borrow money, regulate commerce 4. Impeach and try federal officers 5. Approve Presidential appointments 6. Approve treaties 7. Oversight and investigations
Describe the role of Congress in the U.S. constitutional system
The Federalists supported it. A national currency, which the federal government had the power to create, would ease business transactions. The ability of the federal government to regulate trade and place tariffs on imports would protect merchants from foreign competition. Furthermore, the power to collect taxes would allow the national government to fund internal improvements like roads, which would also help businessmen. Opponents of ratification were called Anti-Federalists. Anti-Federalists feared the power of the national government and believed state legislatures, with which they had more contact, could better protect their freedoms.
Describe arguments the framers raised in support of a strong national government and counterpoints raised by the Anti-Federalist
Argued that Congress could create a national bank even though the Constitution did not expressly authorize it. Under the necessary and proper clause of Article I, Section 8, the Supreme Court asserted that Congress could establish "all means which are appropriate" to fulfill "the legitimate ends" of the Constitution. This ruling established the doctrine of implied powers, granting Congress a vast source of discretionary power to achieve its constitutional responsibilities. The Supreme Court also sided with the federal government on the issue of whether states could tax federal property. Under the supremacy clause of Article VI, legitimate national laws trump conflicting state laws. This second ruling established the principle of national supremacy, which prohibits states from meddling in the lawful activities of the national government. First, interstate commerce was interpreted broadly to mean "commercial intercourse" among states, thus allowing Congress to regulate navigation. Second, because the federal Licensing Actof 1793, which regulated coastal commerce, was a constitutional exercise of Congress's authority under the commerce clause, federal law trumped the New York State license-monopoly law that had granted Ogden an exclusive steamboat operating license. As Marshall pointed out, "the acts of New York must yield to the law of Congress." The ultimate showdown between national and state authority came during the Civil War. Prior to the conflict, in Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court ruled that the national government lacked the authority to ban slavery in the territories. In sum, after the Civil War the power balance shifted toward the national government, a movement that had begun several decades before with McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Odgen (1824).
Describe how federalism has evolved in the United States
Since ratification in 1789, the Constitution has been amended only twenty-seven times. Madison followed the procedure outlined in Article V that says amendments can originate from one of two sources. First, they can be proposed by Congress. Then, they must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate before being sent to the states for potential ratification. States have two ways to ratify or defeat a proposed amendment. First, if three-quarters of state legislatures vote to approve an amendment, it becomes part of the Constitution. Second, if three-quarters of state-ratifying conventions support the amendment, it is ratified. A second method of proposal of an amendment allows for the petitioning of Congress by the states: Upon receiving such petitions from two-thirds of the states, Congress must call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments, which would then be forwarded to the states for ratification by the required three-quarters. All the current constitutional amendments were created using the first method of proposal (via Congress).
Describe how the Constitution can be formally amended
Unfunded mandates are federal laws and regulations that impose obligations on state and local governments without fully compensating them for the administrative costs they incur. The federal government has used mandates increasingly since the 1960s to promote national objectives in policy areas such as the environment, civil rights, education, and homeland security. One type of mandate threatens civil and criminal penalties for state and local authorities that fail to comply with them across the board in all programs, while another provides for the suspension of federal grant money if the mandate is not followed. These types of mandates are commonly referred to as crosscutting mandates.
Describe the characteristics of federal unfunded mandates
became apparent that, while they protected the sovereignty of the states, the Articles had created a central government too weak to function effectively. One of the biggest problems was that the national government had no power to impose taxes. Without money, it could not pay debts owed from the Revolution and had trouble conducting foreign affairs. The new nation was also unable to protect American ships from attacks by the Barbary pirates. Foreign governments were also, understandably, reluctant to loan money to a nation that might never repay it because it lacked the ability to tax its citizens. The central government also lacked the power to impose tariffs on foreign imports or regulate interstate commerce. It was unable to prevent British merchants from flooding the U.S. market with low-priced goods after the Revolution, and American producers suffered from the competition. states often imposed tariffs on items produced by other states and otherwise interfered with their neighbors' trade. The national government also lacked the power to raise an army or navy. Fears of a standing army in the employ of a tyrannical government had led the writers of the Articles of Confederation to leave defense largely to the states.
Describe the crises resulting from key features of the Articles of Confederation
· Two remaining problems in the House are the size of each representative's constituency—the body of voters who elect him or her—and the challenge of Washington, DC. First, the average number of citizens in a congressional district now tops 700,000. This is arguably too many for House members to remain very close to the people.
Describe the extent to which Congress as a body represents the U.S. population
· incumbent reelections have remained largely unaffected. The reason has to do with the remarkable ability of many in the United States to separate their distaste for Congress from their appreciation for their own representative. Paradoxically, this tendency to hate the group but love one's own representative actually perpetuates the problem of poor congressional approval ratings. The reason is that it blunts voters' natural desire to replace those in power who are earning such low approval ratings. · citizens tend to rate Congress more highly when things get done and more poorly when things do not get done.
Describe the forces that influence congressional approval ratings
· the modern filibuster is actually a perversion of the cloture rules adopted to control the filibuster. When partisanship is high, as it has been frequently, the senators can request cloture before any bill can get a vote. This has the effect of increasing the number of votes needed for a bill to advance from a simple majority of fifty-one to a super majority of sixty. The effect is to give the Senate minority great power to obstruct if it is inclined to do so.
Describe the modern legislative processes that alter the classic process in some way
This belief is called the Elite theory of government. Many Americans fear that a set of elite citizens is really in charge of government in the United States and that others have no influence. Pluralist theory- government, which says that political power rests with competing interest groups who share influence in government. --Pluralist theorists assume that citizens who want to get involved in the system do so because of the great number of access points to government. That is, the U.S. system, with several levels and branches, has many places where people and groups can engage the government.
Describe the pluralism-elitism debate
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation, which formed the basis of the new nation's government, was accepted by Congress in November 1777 and submitted to the states for ratification. It would not become the law of the land until all thirteen states had approved it. Within two years, all except Maryland had done so. Maryland approved the Articles.4 A few months later, the British surrendered. Americans wished their new government to be a republic, a regime in which the people, not a monarch, held power and elected representatives to govern according to the rule of law. Thus, a confederation was created—an entity in which independent, self-governing states form a union for the purpose of acting together in areas such as defense. Fearful of replacing one oppressive national government with another, however, the framers of the Articles of Confederation created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government.
Describe the steps taken during and after the American Revolution to create a government
Not surprisingly, the jungle of campaign financing regulations and loopholes is more easily navigated by incumbents in Congress than by newcomers. Incumbents are elected officials who currently hold an office. The amount of money they raise against their challengers demonstrates their advantage. · In the House, the percentage of incumbents winning reelection has hovered between 85 and 100 percent for the last half century. In the Senate, there is only slightly more variation, given the statewide nature of the race, but it is still a very high majority of incumbents who win reelection · The historical difficulty of unseating an incumbent in the House or Senate is often referred to as the incumbent advantage or the incumbency effect
Discuss campaign funding and the effects of incumbency in the House and Senate
-Why are younger Americans less likely to become involved in traditional political organizations? One answer may be that as American politics become more partisan in nature, young people turn away. Committed partisanship, which is the tendency to identify with and to support (often blindly) a particular political party, alienates some Americans who feel that elected representatives should vote in support of the nation's best interests instead of voting in the way their party wishes them to. -The other factor involved in low youth voter turnout in the past was that younger Americans did not feel that candidates generally tackle issues relevant to their lives. put off by the ideology—established beliefs and ideals that help shape political policy—of one of the major parties. This is especially true among the young. find it difficult to register to vote. depends not only on age but on such factors as wealth and education. depends on how strongly people feel about current political issues.
Discuss factors that may affect people's willingness to become engaged in government
it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. individuals, groups, and social movements are encouraged to actively participate and help shape public policy.
Discuss the advantages of federalism
Under the U.S. Constitution, the president assumes executive power, Congress exercises legislative powers, and the federal courts (e.g., U.S. district courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court) assume judicial powers. In each of the fifty states, a governor assumes executive authority, a state legislature makes laws, and state-level courts (e.g., trial courts, intermediate appellate courts, and supreme courts) possess judicial authority.
Discuss the constitutional logic of federalism
The Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments extended the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment gave men the right to vote regardless of race or color, but women were still prohibited from voting in most states. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to African Americans and equal protection under the law regardless of race or color. It also prohibited states from depriving their residents of life, liberty, or property without a legal proceeding.
Discuss the importance of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments
In general, congressional powers can be divided into three types: enumerated, implied, and inherent. An enumerated power is a power explicitly stated in the Constitution. An implied power is one not specifically detailed in the Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government. An inherent power, while not enumerated or implied, must be assumed to exist as a direct result of the country's existence.
Discuss the three kinds of powers granted to Congress
· Gerrymandering is the manipulation of legislative district boundaries as a way of favoring a particular candidate. The term combines the word salamander, a reference to the strange shape of these districts, with the name of Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who in 1812, signed a redistricting plan designed to benefit his party. Despite the questionable ethics behind gerrymandering, the practice is legal, and both major parties have used it to their benefit. Seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the states based on each state's population and each member of the House is elected by voters in a specific congressional district. Each state is guaranteed at least one seat in the House
Explain gerrymandering and the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives
Categorical grants are federal transfers formulated to limit recipients' discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria that guide project selection, performance, and financial oversight, among other things. These grants also often require some commitment of matching funds. Medicaid and the food stamp program are examples of categorical grants. Block grants come with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more flexibility over how to spend grant funds. Examples of block grants include the Workforce Investment Act program, which provides state and local agencies money to help youths and adults obtain skill sets that will lead to better-paying jobs, and the Surface Transportation Program, which helps state and local governments maintain and improve highways, bridges, tunnels, sidewalks, and bicycle paths. The national government has greatly preferred using categorical grants to transfer funds to state and local authorities because this type of grant gives them more control and discretion in how the money is spent. In 2014, the federal government distributed 1,099 grants, 1,078 of which were categorical, while only 21 were block grants.45 In response to the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, more than a dozen new federal grant programs relating to homeland security were created, but as of 2011, only three were block grants.
Explain how federal intergovernmental grants have evolved over time.
A House member must be a U.S. citizen of at least seven years' standing and at least twenty-five years old. Representatives serve two-year terms. House members are elected by the voters in their specific congressional districts. There are currently 435 congressional districts in the United States and thus 435 House members, and each state has a number of House districts roughly proportional to its share of the total U.S. population, with states guaranteed at least one House member. Because its members serve short, two-year terms, they must regularly answer to the demands of their constituency when they run for election or reelection. Senators are required to have nine years' standing as citizens and be at least thirty years old when sworn in. Senators serve six-year terms. Per the Supreme Court decision in U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton (1995), there are currently no term limits for either senators or representatives, despite efforts by many states to impose them in the mid-1990s. Two senators are elected by each state. Also, unlike members of the House who can seek the narrower interests of their district, senators must maintain a broader appeal in order to earn a majority of the votes across their entire state. In addition, the rules of the Senate allow individual members to slow down or stop legislation they dislike. · Congressional apportionment today is achieved through the equal proportions method, which uses a mathematical formula to allocate seats based on U.S. Census Bureau population data, gathered every ten years as required by the Constitution.
Explain how fundamental characteristics of the House and Senate shape their elections
That is, representation refers to an elected leader's looking out for his or her constituents while carrying out the duties of the office. This is the strict delegate model of representation- someone who sees him- or herself as a delegate believes he or she is empowered merely to enact the wishes of constituents. Delegates must employ some means to identify the views of their constituents and then vote accordingly. They are not permitted the liberty of employing their own reason and judgment while acting as representatives in Congress. the trustee model of representation In contrast, a representative who understands their role to be that of a trustee believes he or she is entrusted by the constituents with the power to use good judgment to make decisions on the constituents' behalf. In the words of the eighteenth-century British philosopher Edmund Burke, who championed the trustee model of representation, In the modern setting, trustee representatives will look to party consensus, party leadership, powerful interests, the member's own personal views, and national trends to better identify the voting choices they should make. The politico model of representation. Understandably, few if any representatives adhere strictly to one model or the other. Instead, most find themselves attempting to balance the important principles embedded in each. In it, members of Congress act as either trustee or delegate based on rational political calculations about who is best served, the constituency or the nation. Descriptive representation. In some cases, representation can seem to have very little to do with the substantive issues representatives in Congress tend to debate. Instead, proper representation for some is rooted in the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, gender, and sexual identity of the representatives themselves. This form of representation is called descriptive representation.
Explain the basics of Representation
The concept of collective representation describes the relationship between Congress and the United States as a whole. That is, it considers whether the institution itself represents the American people, not just whether a particular member of Congress represents his or her district. Predictably, it is far more difficult for Congress to maintain a level of collective representation than it is for individual members of Congress to represent their own constituents.
Explain the concept of collective representation
The federal design spelled out in the Constitution divides powers between two levels of government—the states and the federal government—and creates a mechanism for them to check and balance one another. -------As an institutional design, federalism both safeguards state interests and creates a strong union led by a capable central government.
Explain the concept of federalism
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties The Bill of Rights was intended to quiet the fears of Anti-Federalists that the Constitution did not adequately protect individual liberties and thus encourage their support of the new national government.
Explain the contents and significance of the Bill of Rights
Chief among them are economic disparities across states, race-to-the-bottom dynamics (i.e., states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations), and the difficulty of taking action on issues of national importance.
Explain the disadvantages of federalism
By creating two institutional access points—the federal and state governments—the U.S. federal system enables interest groups such as MADD to strategize about how best to achieve their policy objectives. The term venue shopping refers to a strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government (legislature, judiciary, or executive) they calculate will be most advantageous for them. If one institutional venue proves unreceptive to an advocacy group's policy goal, as state legislators were to MADD, the group will attempt to steer its issue to a more responsive venue.
Explain the dynamic of competitive federalism
· Civic engagement can increase the power of ordinary people to influence government actions. Even those without money or connections to important people can influence the policies that affect their lives and change the direction taken by government · Activism can improve people's lives in less dramatic ways as well. Working to make cities clean up vacant lots, destroy or rehabilitate abandoned buildings, build more parks and playgrounds, pass ordinances requiring people to curb their dogs, and ban late-night noise greatly affects people's quality of life. The actions of individual Americans can make their own lives better and improve their neighbors' lives as well. · Representative democracy cannot work effectively without the participation of informed citizens. Engaged citizens familiarize themselves with the most important issues confronting the country and with the plans different candidates have for dealing with those issues. Then they vote for the candidates they believe will be best suited to the job, and they may join others to raise funds or campaign for those they support. They inform their representatives how they feel about important issues. Through these efforts and others, engaged citizens let their representatives know what they want and thus influence policy. Only then can government actions accurately reflect the interests and concerns of the majority.
Explain the importance of citizen engagement in a democracy
First, legislation must be drafted. Once legislation has been proposed, however, the majority leadership consults with the parliamentarian about which committee to send it to. Each chamber has a parliamentarian, an advisor, typically a trained lawyer, who has studied the long and complex rules of the chamber. Whether at the full committee level or in one of the subcommittees, the next step is typically to hold a hearing on the bill. If the chair decides to not hold a hearing, this is tantamount to killing the bill in committee. Once hearings have been completed, the bill enters the markup stage. This is essentially an amending and voting process. In the end, with or without amendments, the committee or subcommittee will vote. If the committee decides not to advance the bill at that time, it is tabled. Tabling a bill typically means the bill is dead, but there is still an option to bring it back up for a vote again. If the committee decides to advance the bill, however, it is printed and goes to the chamber, either the House or the Senate. Before it reaches the House floor, it must first go through the House Committee on Rules. This committee establishes the rules of debate, such as time limits and limits on the number and type of amendments. After these rules have been established, the bill moves through the floor, where it is debated and amendments can be added. Once the limits of debate and amendments have been reached, the House holds a vote. If a simple majority, 50 percent plus 1, votes to advance the bill, it moves out of the House and into the Senate. Since the Senate is much smaller than the House, it can afford to be much more flexible in its rules for debate. Typically, senators allow each other to talk and debate as long as the speaker wants, though they can agree as a body to create time limits. But without these limits, debate continues until a motion to table has been offered and voted on. Congress typically takes one of these two options, but about one in every eight bills cannot be resolved in this way. These bills must be sent to a conference committee that negotiates a reconciliation both chambers can accept without amendment. Only then can the bill progress to the president's desk for signature or veto. If the president does veto the bill, both chambers must muster a two-thirds vote to overcome the veto and make the bill law without presidential approval
Explain the steps in the classic bill-becomes-law diagram
-In reality government action and public policy are influenced by an ongoing series of tradeoffsor compromises. -Tradeoffs also occur as a result of conflict between groups representing the competing interests of citizens. -Tradeoffs are especially common in the United States Congress. Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives usually vote according to the concerns of people who live in their districts. Not only does this often pit the interests of people in different parts of the country against one another, but it also frequently favors the interests of certain groups of people over the interests of others within the same state. -Finally, the government may attempt to resolve conflicting concerns within the nation as a whole through tradeoffs.
Explain the tradeoffs perspective on government
-The term government describes the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits that the society as a whole needs. -The goals that government seeks to accomplish are economic prosperity for the nation, secure national borders, and the safety and well-being of citizens. -Governments commonly provide such things as education, health care, and an infrastructure for transportation.
Explain what government is and what it does
the document had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states.
Identify the steps required to ratify the Constitution
Oligarchy
In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?
The majoritarian nature of the House—a majority can run it like a cartel
House leaders are more powerful than Senate leaders because of ________.
It was agreed that 60 percent of a state's slave population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.
How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement regarding Slavery?
The selection of the candidate with fewer electoral votes triggered the rise of party control over nominations.
How did the election of 1824 change the way presidents were selected?
Three-fourths
How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?
the Virginia plan- the delegates from Virginia called for a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses. The number of a state's representatives in each house was to be based on the state's population. In each state, representatives in the lower house would be elected by popular vote. These representatives would then select their state's representatives in the upper house from among candidates proposed by the state's legislature. the New Jersey Plan, called for a unicameral legislature with one house, in which each state would have one vote. Thus, smaller states would have the same power in the national legislature as larger states. =the Great Compromise, suggested by Roger Sherman of Connecticut. Congress, it was decided, would consist of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state, regardless of size, would have two senators, making for equal representation as in the New Jersey Plan. Representation in the House would be based on population. Senators were to be appointed by state legislatures, a variation on the Virginia Plan. Another fundamental division separated the states. Following the Revolution, some of the northern states had either abolished slavery or instituted plans by which slaves would gradually be emancipated. Pennsylvania, for example, had passed the Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery in 1780. =The Three-Fifths Compromise, illustrated in Figure 2.8, resolved the impasse, although not in a manner that truly satisfied anyone. For purposes of Congressional apportionment, slaveholding states were allowed to count all their free population, including free African Americans and 60 percent (three-fifths) of their enslaved population. To mollify the north, the compromise also allowed counting 60 percent of a state's slave population for federal taxation, although no such taxes were ever collected. Perhaps the greatest division among the states split those who favored a strong national government and those who favored limiting its powers and allowing states to govern themselves in most matters. =Congress was given great power, including the power to tax, maintain an army and a navy, and regulate trade and commerce. Congress had authority that the national government lacked under the Articles of Confederation. It could also coin and borrow money, grant patents and copyrights, declare war, and establish laws regulating naturalization and bankruptcy. Fifty-five delegates arrived in Philadelphia in May 1787 for the meeting that became known as the Constitutional Convention. Many wanted to strengthen the role and authority of the national government but feared creating a central government that was too powerful. They wished to preserve state autonomy, although not to a degree that prevented the states from working together collectively or made them entirely independent of the will of the national government. While seeking to protect the rights of individuals from government abuse, they nevertheless wished to create a society in which concerns for law and order did not give way in the face of demands for individual liberty. They wished to give political rights to all free men but also feared mob rule, Delegates from small states did not want their interests pushed aside by delegations from more populous states like Virginia. And everyone was concerned about slavery.
Identify the conflicts present and the compromises reached in drafting the Constitution
ratified a constitution providing for a republican form of government in which political power rested in the hands of the people, although the right to vote was limited to free (white) men, and the property requirements for voting differed among the states. Each state had a governor and an elected legislature. In the new nation, the states remained free to govern their residents as they wished. The central government had authority to act in only a few areas, such as national defense, in which the states were assumed to have a common interest (and would, indeed, have to supply militias). This arrangement was meant to prevent the national government from becoming too powerful or abusing the rights of individual citizens. In the careful balance between power for the national government and liberty for the states, the Articles of Confederation favored the states.
Identify the main features of the Articles of Confederation
The most significant contributions of Locke, a seventeenth-century English philosopher, were his ideas regarding the relationship between government and natural rights, which were believed to be God-given rights to life, liberty, and property. The belief that government should not deprive people of their liberties and should be restricted in its power over citizens' lives was an important factor in the controversial decision by the American colonies to declare independence from England in 1776.
Identify the origins of the core values in American political thought, including ideas regarding representational government
The federal government is the only entity permitted to print money, to challenge the legality of state laws, or to employ money grants and mandates to shape state actions. The national governmentis responsible for handling matters that affect the country as a whole, for example, defending the nation against foreign threats and promoting national economic prosperity. Subnational, or state governments, are responsible for matters that lie within their regions, which include ensuring the well-being of their people by administering education, health care, public safety, and other public services.
Identify the powers and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments
·The government of the United States can best be described as a republic, or representative democracy. -A democracy is a government in which political power—influence over institutions, leaders, and policies—rests in the hands of the people. -In a representative democracy, however, the citizens do not govern directly. Instead, they elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people. Thus, U.S. citizens vote for members of Congress, the president and vice president, members of state legislatures, governors, mayors, and members of town councils and school boards to act on their behalf. - Most representative governments favor majority rule: the opinions of the majority of the people have more influence with government than those of the minority. If the number of elected representatives who favor a proposed law is greater than those who oppose it, the law will be enacted.
Identify the type of government in the United States and compare it to other forms of government
The act of charging a government official with serious wrongdoing, which in some cases may lead to the removal of that official from office.
Impeachment is
Selected Answer: least dangerous
In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton characterized the judiciary as the ________ branch of government.
Selected Answer: stare decisis
In standing by precedent, a judge relies on the principle of ________.
no power to raise an army, the government had no troops at its disposal.
In what ways did Shays' Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Selected Answer: filing amicus curiae briefs
One of the main ways interest groups participate in Supreme Court cases is by ________.
They feared the opportunities created for corruption
Many at the Continental Congress were skeptical of allowing presidents to be directly elected by the legislature because ________.
Representative democracy A.a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws Direct democracy B. a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them Monarchy C. a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power Oligarchy D. a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power Totalitarianism E. a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights
Match the following terms with the proper definition of that term. representative democracy A.a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws direct democracy B. a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them monarchy C. a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power oligarchy D. a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power totalitarianism E. a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights
Selected Answer: at the state level
Of all the court cases in the United States, the majority are handled ________.
Premier position to pressure through public appeal
President Theodore Roosevelt's concept of the bully pulpit was the office's ________.
broad discussion of policy issues
Senate races tend to inspire ________.
Selected Answers: voting
Some ways one can become engaged with the government are; voting posting something on social media donating money to campaigns signing petitions
The chamber votes for cloture
Stopping a filibuster requires that ________.
All this began to change in 1763 when the Seven Years War between Great Britain and France came to an end, and Great Britain gained control of most of the French territory in North America. The colonists had fought on behalf of Britain, and many colonists expected that after the war they would be allowed to settle on land west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been taken from France. However, their hopes were not realized. Hoping to prevent conflict with Indian tribes in the Ohio Valley, Parliament passed the Proclamation of 1763, which forbade the colonists to purchase land or settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. To pay its debts from the war and maintain the troops it left behind to protect the colonies, the British government had to take new measures to raise revenue. Among the acts passed by Parliament were laws requiring American colonists to pay British merchants with gold and silver instead of paper currency and a mandate that suspected smugglers be tried in vice-admiralty courts, without jury trials. What angered the colonists most of all, however, was the imposition of direct taxes: taxes imposed on individuals instead of on transactions. Because the colonists had not consented to direct taxation, their primary objection was that it reduced their status as free men.
Summarize Great Britain's actions leading to the American Revolution
The framers resolved this problem through a separation of powers, dividing the national government into three separate branches and assigning different responsibilities to each one. They also created a system of checks and balances by giving each of three branches of government the power to restrict the actions of the others, thus requiring them to work together.
Summarize the core features of the structure of U.S. government under the Constitution
Partisanship
Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of ________.
A dynamic in which states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations, often to workers' detriment.
The "race-to-the-bottom" in the textbook between states is ____________________________________________________
listed the grievances of the colonies.
The Declaration of Independence
wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people
The Elite theory of government maintains that ________.
Large and small states
The Great Compromise successfully resolved differences between ________.
Selected Answer: an appeals court
The Supreme Court most typically functions as ________.
Elastic clause
The __________________________________________ is the last clause of Article I, Section 8, which enables the national government "to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying" out all its constitutional responsibilities.
the social contract
The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called ________. the divine right of kings the social contract a bill of rights due process
Increasing the number of minority members in Congress
The increasing value constituents have placed on descriptive representation in Congress has had the effect of ________.
Selected Answer: nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate
The justices of the Supreme Court are ________.
the budget process
The key means of advancing modern legislation is now ________.
Selected Answer: solicitor general
The lawyer who represents the federal government and argues cases before the Supreme Court is the ________.
Struggles for power between the president and the Congress
The passage of the Tenure of Office Act of 1867 was just one instance in a long line of ________.
must be confirmed by the Senate
The people who make up the modern president's cabinet are the heads of the major federal departments and ________.
Districts are often drawn to benefit partisan groups.
The process of redistricting can present problems for congressional representation because ________.
One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.
What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not dangerous to place power in the hands of one man? That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president; thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group. both B and C
The Fourteenth Amendment gave citizenship to African Americans and made all Americans equal before the law regardless of race or color.
What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?
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?
Public goods
What goods are available to all without direct payment?
It could not impose taxes.
What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms
What is the Bill of Rights?
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?
Selected Answer: concurring opinion
When a Supreme Court ruling is made, justices may write a ________ to show they agree with the majority but for different reasons.
Latent preferences
When a person is asked a question about a political issue that he or she has little interest in and has not thought much about, that person's answer will likely reflect ________.
Selected Answer: defer to the decisions of the elected branches of government
When using judicial restraint, a judge will usually ________.
TRADEOFF -The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.
Which of the following is a good example of a Tradeoff?
He appointed the heads of various federal departments as his own advisors.
Which of the following is a way George Washington expanded the power of the presidency?
The president signs legally binding nuclear arms terms with Iran without seeking congressional approval.
Which of the following is an example of an executive agreement?
Sometimes candidates unpopular with the party leadership reach the top.
Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the rise of the primary and caucus system?
Selected Answers: Town/City Council Members Mayors
Which of the following positions are elected by the voters of the United States? Town/City Council Members Mayors State/Federal Members of Congress U.S. Supreme Court Justices
A. States already had their own Bills of Rights. C. Delegates promised one would be drafted after the constitution was ratified.
Which of the following were reasons a Bill of Rights were not included in the original constitution?
A. It did not include a Bill of Rights. B. It did not provide term limits for Congress or the President.
Which of the following were reasons for objecting to the ratification of the US Constitution?
In a federal system, the constitution allocates powers between states and federal government; in a unitary system, powers are lodged in the national government.
Which statement about federal and unitary systems is most accurate?
The amount of federal grant money going to states has steadily increased since the 1960s.
Which statement about federal grants in recent decades is most accurate?
United States v. Windsor legalized same-sex marriage in the United States.
Which statement about the evolution of same-sex marriage is false?
New federalism does not promote the use of unfunded mandates.
Which statement about unfunded mandates is false? The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act has prevented Congress from using unfunded mandates. The Clean Air Act is a type of federal partial preemptive regulation. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act establishes crosscutting requirements. New federalism does not promote the use of unfunded mandates.
None of the statements are correct.
Which statement about venue shopping is true? MADD steered the drinking age issue from the federal government down to the states. Anti-abortion advocates have steered the abortion issue from the states up to the federal government. Both MADD and anti-abortion proponents redirected their advocacy from the states to the federal government. None of the statements are correct.
According to the state's population
While each state has two senators, members of the House are apportioned ________.
The approval of New York was the last major hurdle. Facing considerable opposition to the Constitution in that state, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of essays, beginning in 1787, arguing for a strong federal government and support of the Constitution
Why were The Federalist Papers written? To encourage states to oppose the Constitution. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation's first president.
Devolution
______________________ is a process in which powers from the central government in a unitary system are delegated to subnational units.
Concurrent powers
___________________________________________________ are shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems.
