gov unit 1

The Great Compromise, drafted at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, is significant for which of the following reasons? a. It established the presidential system and gave the U.S. Supreme Court the power to serve as final arbiter of constitutional disputes b. It allowed southern states to count each slave as 3/5 of on person in the House of Representatives c. It provided equality of representation among the states in both the House and the Senate :d. It proposed a senate with equal representation for each state and House of Representatives with membership established according the population of each state

It proposed a senate with equal representation for each state and House of Representatives with membership established according the population of each state

Changing the Constitution

II. Congress can limit the time between proposal & ratification III. 10,000+ amendment proposals have made it to Congress, but only 33 have received 2/3 vote to move on & only 27 have been ratified in over 225 yrs. IV. contemporary amendment proposals include flag burning, Electoral College adjustments, balanced-budget requirements V. formal amendment process is slow to protect against emotional & whimsical changes - it requires a large consensus (agreement) among many players so it only happens infrequently! VI. informal changes to Constitution

Some Americans claim to be moderate, rather than "liberal" or "conservative."

In other words, they report supporting aspects of each ideology, based on individual beliefs and circumstances. Ideology is often measured horizontally (on a line) with conservatives on the "right", and liberals on the "left." Centrists are in the middle of this spectrum.

The States are every day giving proofs that separate regulations are more likely to set them by the ears, than to attain the common object. When Massachusetts set on foot a retaliation of the policy of Great Britain, Connecticut declared her ports free. New Jersey served New York in the same way. And Delaware I am told has lately followed the example in opposition to the commercial plans of Pennsylvania. A miscarriage of this attempt to unite the States in some effectual plan will have another effect of a serious nature. . . . I almost despair of success. Which of the following best describes the author's perspective and reasoning?

International and interstate trade must be regulated by the central government.

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men,... [no] controls on government would be necessary..." The author of the above passage was

James Madison?

All of the following were sources for the U.S. Constitution EXCEPT: a. John Locke's Two Treatises of Government b. The Articles of Confederation Selected:c. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social ContractThis answer is incorrect. d. Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract

Shays's Rebellion highlighted which of the following weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

Lack of power to keep a standing army

The cartoon expressed which of the following viewpoints?

Many Americans are not well informed and hold conflicting views about the role of government.

Many Americans are not well informed and hold conflicting views about the role of government. The quotation best represents which concept?

Natural rights

But remember, when the people once part with power, they can seldom or never resume it again but by force..." Supporters of the above passage were known as

anti-federalists

politics

the process of influencing the actions & policies of government; who we select as our leaders & what policies they pursue to promote public interest (political agenda)

Proposal part to amending the constitution

1. 2/3 vote by both houses of Congress 2. 2/3 state legislatures request Congress call a National Convention for proposal (this has never happened)

Ratification part of amending the constitution

1. favorable vote in 3/4 state legislatures favorable vote in 3/4 state ratifying conventions (used only once - 21st Amendment)

Which of the following arguments would a proponent of the pluralist system of political participation most likely make? Selected:

American democracy is furthered when groups representing all points of view help make public policy.

Shays' Rebellion was

An uprising by farmers to prevent judges from foreclosing on their farms

The Congress has the power...to create all laws that are necessary & and proper..." can be found in which part of the Constitution?

Article I

direct/participatory democracy

A form of democracy in which most, or all, of the citizenry participate directly by either holding office or making policy.

All of the following were weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation EXCEPT: a. 9 of 13 states approve all laws Selected:b. A national court system rules on the constitutionality of lawsThis answer is correct. c. All states were required to approve amendments d. Congress could only raise money by borrowing or asking states for money

A national court system rules on the constitutionality of laws

Political Party:

A political organization that seeks to nominate candidates and get them elected to office. The U.S. is considered to be a two-party system, dominated today by the Republican and Democratic parties. The platform of the parties is often focused on the role of government (very involved/large scope v. less involved/small scope). The platform includes the party's ideological approach to social, economic, budgetary, defense, and foreign policy issues.

democracy

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

Which of the following does James Madison argue in Federalist No. 10?

A system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism

A constitutional amendment would be required to ban flag burning because that activity is currently protected by the right to

Free speech

Articles of Confederation adopted in 1781

A. coalition of states rather than strong centralized gov. B. Congress could establish army & navy with consent of states, but COULD NOT tax, regulate commerce, or coin money C. legislative process was timely (3/4 vote), no court system, "president" was weak, & changes had to be unanimous

Article V:

Amending the Constitution

The States are every day giving proofs that separate regulations are more likely to set them by the ears, than to attain the common object. When Massachusetts set on foot a retaliation of the policy of Great Britain, Connecticut declared her ports free. New Jersey served New York in the same way. And Delaware I am told has lately followed the example in opposition to the commercial plans of Pennsylvania. A miscarriage of this attempt to unite the States in some effectual plan will have another effect of a serious nature. . . . I almost despair of success. Which provision in the Constitution most specifically addresses the problems described in the excerpt?

Commerce Clause

Which of the following was a provision of BOTH the Articles of Confederation AND the Constitution?

Congress may declare war

In determining Congressional representation and taxation, the Constitution

Counted slaves as three-fifths of a person

July 4, 1776

Dec. of Independence adopted

Which party is mostly runs the House of Reps

Democratic party

[O]ur ancestors, who first settled these colonies, were at the time of their emigration from the mother country, entitled to all the rights, liberties, and immunities of free and natural-born subjects, within the realm of England. . . . By such emigration they by no means forfeited, surrendered, or lost any of those rights, but that they were, and their descendants now are, entitled to the exercise and enjoyment of all such of them, as their local and other circumstances enable them to exercise and enjoy. . . . The foundation of English liberty, and of all free government, is a right in the people to participate in their legislative council: and as the English colonists are not represented, and from their local and other circumstances, cannot properly be represented in the British parliament, they are entitled to a free and exclusive power of legislation in their several provincial legislatures, where their right of representation can alone be preserved, in all cases of taxation and internal polity. . . .25 What political philosophy set forth in the quote was incorporated two years later into the Declaration of Independence?

People have the right to elect representatives to the legislatures that govern them.

John Locke's concept of natural rights and the social contract emphasizes which pair of concepts and definitions?

Popular Sovereignty / Political equality among citizens

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to

Protect individual liberties

Citizens of a small American town have been dissatisfied with their elected representative in the House of Representatives and are planning to vote for a different candidate in the next election. Which form of government allows the citizens to take such an action?

Representative

The Virginia & New Jersey Plans introduced at the Constitutional Convention differed mainly over whether

States should send an equal number of representatives to Congress

Conservative v. Liberal:

Terms used to describe political beliefs and policy ideas, or ideologies, in the U.S. This is different from political culture, which is a term used to explain shared beliefs in government and its organization (e.g. democracy, independence, liberty, etc). Ideologies are embraced by individuals and political parties and guide our political decisions.

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791 largely because

The Anti-Federalist attacks were so strong that the founders feared the Constitution would not be ratified I think

Green Party

The Green Party promotes an activist role of the government in tackling climate change and environmental sustainability. Notable aspects of the platform included redirecting research funds from fossil fuels into renewable energy and conservation, ending fracking & offshore oil drilling, enacting a full employment program for 20 M Americans in green jobs, increasing the minimum wage, providing universal free child care, and creating tuition-free education programs from pre-school through university. Her share of the vote in was 1.1%. Howie Hawkins is the candidate in the 2020 general election and he is currently appearing on 30 state ballots (8/26/20).

The Constitiution states that all revenue bills must originate in

The House of Representatives

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party discourages government intervention in the economy and an interventionist role abroad. The party is also passionately committed to promoting civil liberties and individual freedom. Gary Johnson claimed the party was more fiscally conservative than the Republican Party and more socially conservative than the Democratic Party. Johnson received less than 5% of the vote, which is the threshold for allowing the party to receive federal funding in 2020. Jo Jorgenson is the candidate in the 2020 general election and she is currently appearing on 48 state ballots (8/26/20).

The delegates at the Constitutional Convention carefully drafted a document that would create

The ability to adapt to changing times

A federal system of government differs from a confederation in that in a federal system

The central government shares governing powers with states idk tho

linkage institutions

The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

[O]ur ancestors, who first settled these colonies, were at the time of their emigration from the mother country, entitled to all the rights, liberties, and immunities of free and natural-born subjects, within the realm of England. . . . By such emigration they by no means forfeited, surrendered, or lost any of those rights, but that they were, and their descendants now are, entitled to the exercise and enjoyment of all such of them, as their local and other circumstances enable them to exercise and enjoy. . . . The foundation of English liberty, and of all free government, is a right in the people to participate in their legislative council: and as the English colonists are not represented, and from their local and other circumstances, cannot properly be represented in the British parliament, they are entitled to a free and exclusive power of legislation in their several provincial legislatures, where their right of representation can alone be preserved, in all cases of taxation and internal polity. . . .25 The quote makes which of the following arguments?

The colonists were entitled to the rights of English subjects.

Which of the following was the most important effect of replacing the Articles of Confederation?

The creation of a strong national government

The table / graph supports which of the following statements? Selected:

The first four states that ratified the Constitution did so by wider margins than did the final four.

Given that Switzerland is governed by a direct democracy, which is a critique a Federalist would have of the Swiss government?

The government is susceptible to the dangers of factions.

Which of the following best describes a constitutional democracy?

The powers of government are both described and limited by the Constitution.This answer is correct.

Suppose Congress has passed a law that makes it illegal to smoke in public spaces and wants to punish those who have smoked in public spaces in the year prior to passing the law. Which constitutional protection prevents Congress from doing so?

The prohibition of ex post fato laws

Why was the Antifederalists' position more difficult than that of the Federalists during the debates over the ratification of the Constitution?

They had to prove that the proposed government was more dangerous than the existing one.

Why might small farmers and those from rural areas opposed the Federalist position?

They were generally distrustful of political elites and a distance central government

constitution

basic laws of a nation that create political institutions, power structure & citizens' rights

Connecticut Compromise

bicameral legislature B. slavery - importation outlawed in 1808 & 3/5 Compromise (# free persons + 3/5 of "others" for representation & taxation) C. republic = system of representation (based on framers' beliefs that some aspects of gov. needed to be kept away from majority control & lack of efficiency in direct democracy at national level) 1. people vote for Representatives (direct method) 2. state legislatures (elected) choose Senators 3. Electoral College created to choose President (compromise between southern & northern states & check on the "common man" whose emotions got in the way of rational thought) 4. President nominates, Senate approves fed. judges and high officials

Robert Dahl - traditional democratic theory

certain criteria are essential for an "ideal democratic process" including... A. equality in voting B. effective participation C. enlightened understanding (free speech, free press) D. citizens control of agenda (power to be involved) E. inclusion - citizenship & rights available to all

Participatory Democratic Theory

civil society and participation or involvement of individuals (formation of voluntary associations, group membership, rallies, letter-writing campaigns, social media, community service & volunteerism, etc.) - free civil society = vibrant democracy; inhibited civil society = constrained democracy

A group of women's rights advocates believes women are not being paid equally to men in the workplace and are concerned that federal anti-discrimination laws are not being effectively carried out. Which branch of government should be blamed for the lack of enforcement of such laws?

executive branch

indirect/representative democracy

elected delegates make decisions on behalf of people (republic or majoritarian politics)

judicial review

established in Marbury v. Madison - power of Supreme Court to declare a law or an act unconstitutional (Texas v. Johnson, Roe v. Wade)

Conservatives tend to

favor defense spending and strong national security policies, school prayer, and statutes banning flag burning and abortion. Often, they believe that taxes should be reduced and government should be smaller, especially at the federal level. They believe the role of the government is to provide freedom for people to pursue their own needs and they tend to favor a reduction of government involvement and oversight. They do support greater government involvement in legislation that promotes certain types of moral behavior (i.e. stricter criminal laws, restrictive abortion laws, school prayer, and religious freedom or choice). They favor state government decision-making in most policy areas.

All of the following are power unique to the House of Representatives EXCEPT

hold impeachment trial

policymaking system

how gov. responds to the people and designs policies - how political ideas & public policy are connected (how a bill becomes a laws, how judicial decisions affect the agenda, etc.)

With which of the following goals for government would the framers most likely disagree?

idek man Controlling the tyranny of the majority

The framers of the Constituiton left decisions on votin eligibility to the

individual states

polemic

presented an argument w/ supporting details

Tea Party

is not actually a political party, but rather a loose coalition of national and local groups who share some common beliefs, such as reduced government spending, opposition to increased taxes, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. The movement does not have a clear hierarchy of authority or leadership and many political scientists consider the group to be defunct. More conservative individuals in Congress are associated with the House Freedom Caucus and House Liberty Caucus. Their supporters tend to be more socially and economically conservative than the average Republican and polls have shown they are more skeptical about government and more skeptical about the Democratic Party's agenda than the overall American public.

goal of a political party

is to elect candidates to public office to influence and carry out public policy. Party labels seemed to be less influential than ever before in the late 20th C. and many Americans claimed to be independent. In other words, citizens favored some ideas promoted by each party. They were casting ballots for a Republican Senator, but a Democratic President on the same ballot - this is known as ticket-splitting.

Elite Theory

large and wealthy organizations, or individuals dominate the policymaking agenda (big business, rich leaders, corporations, etc.)

Which of the following principles established in the Articles of Confederation was maintained in the Constitution?

limited government?

Shays' Rebellion

many believe fed. gov. needed to be strengthened → Philadelphia Convention 1787 (to make changes to the gov.) VIII. equality, representation in Congress, slavery & individual rights were major topics of debate

factions

minority rights v. majority rule (factions should have some influence, but not become tyrannical)

John Locke

natural rights (life, liberty & property), limited gov. is only powerful enough to protect & consent of governed is essential (voting, revolting, etc.)

The Democratic Party

of today was formed in 1828, attempting to unify the "common man," farmers, and merchants. Many changes took place and divisions arose in the party in the late 19th and early 20th Century. FDR is considered to be the most influential modern Democrat and his ideals continue to dominate the more liberal-minded members of this party. His policies are controversial today because they are representative of an expansion of government involvement (e.g. Social Security, Medicare, and the creation of the Executive Office of the President).

The Republican Party

of today was formed in 1854 as an abolitionist party. They were greatly supported by those living in northern states, Catholics, immigrants, and laborers. Ideological shifts have taken place since the 19th Century, and the Republican Party is extremely influential in the southern states today. Republicans tend to be more conservative economically and socially than the Democrats today.

Which of the following groups believe bargaining and compromise are essential to a democracy? Elitists Pluralists Liberals Conservatives

pluralists

Which party is currently running the senate

republican party

The 17th Amendment changed the nature of senatorial elections by

requiring senators to be elected directly by the public.

government

rules and institutions that make authoritative decisions for a group of people (in U.S. - local, state, & national gov. = federalism; separation of powers/checks & balances/3 branches)

Pluralist Theory

scattering of power → so many groups exist so they cancel each other out, or force compromise on policies and issues - no one organiz. or small group actually dominates all government activity (criticism: hyperpluralism - too many groups have access to levels & branches of gov. → gridlock, ineffective policymaking, etc.)

"Madisonian Model"

separation of powers, checks & balances, federalism, republic

Liberals tend to favor

social programs that allow the government to "protect" or "better provide for" its citizens. Often, they believe the government should take on greater responsibility and they are therefore more tolerant of higher taxes, especially on those who are wealthier. Liberals often see taxation as a way to redistribute wealth and provide a more "equal" lifestyle. They often support the idea of government intervention in the economy. Liberals also believe the government should be less involved in legislation that limits individual freedom (i.e. abortion, same-sex marriage, flag burning or the rights of the accused or groups who might be discriminated against).

Article VI

supremacy Clause (all laws & treaties made by U.S. gov are supreme law of land) & all debts incurred under Art. of Confed. would still be owed under Const. X. 9 of 13 states needed for ratification, but opposition was significant → Federalists v. Anti-Federalists