Term
| What is a definition of government? How do government decisions differ from those of other social groups? |
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Definition
A vehicle for making social decisions
Can legally use force
But legitimacy – public acceptance – is preferred
Sovereign |
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Term
| What is sovereignty? What is popular sovereignty? What is legitimacy? |
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Definition
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority.
The will or consent of its people, who are the source of all political power.
legitimacy- govt. understands that it has limited power and that it can be dissolved |
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Term
| What are some common definitions of politics? How does politics in general differ from partisan politics? |
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Definition
Robert Dahl – The Authoritative Allocation of Values
Robert Dye – Who gets what, when, and how
Expressing, managing, and resolving disagreements
The Art of Compromise vs. War – The Art of Victory
Partisan Politics are about trying to make yourself look better than your opponent |
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Term
| Plato, Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke. In what general time period did each live (e.g., 200 BC, in the 1600s, the 1900s, or what)? |
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Definition
Plato
@ 428-348 B.C.
Hobbes
1588-1679
Rousseau
1712-1788
John Locke
1632-1704 |
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Term
| Which one discussed classes of citizens and philosopher kings? What is the reasoning behind philosopher kings? |
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Definition
Plato: Nature of Philosopher-kings
Decades of training as a philosopher
Philosophy was the seeking of truth
Communal existence
Possibly many philosopher kings
no conflict of interest
Would then make wise decisions
for the benefit of all |
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Term
| The analogy of the cave –what is it and what was Plato’s purpose with this analogy? |
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Definition
The Analogy of the Cave
People chained in cave all their life
Can only face back cave wall with sun behind them
Sometimes see caravans pass by, but only see shadows on wall
If someone found them and took one of the people outside into blinding sunlight and said
THIS IS TRUTH, your life is false.
What would happen? They would become a philosopher |
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Term
| Hobbes versus Rousseau: On what did they agree and on what did they disagree? Which one favored an aristocracy and which a democracy? |
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Definition
Hobbes - tough law enforcement, against welfare, didnt trust the poors
Rousseau - favor individual freedom, didnt like law enforcement, doesnt trust rich, need govt for people who are down on there luck |
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Term
| Which two philosophers most explicitly discussed the state of nature? What is the state of nature? |
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Definition
Rousseau and Hobbes
People can be corrupt by the environment they live in |
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Term
| Why did they discuss it? What conclusions did each reach? |
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Definition
Hobbes states that in order to keep from anarchy you have to have a strong govt or king.
Rousseau states that you dont need a govt, give individual freedoms. |
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Term
| The Social Contract. What is it? What are its basic parts, assumptions, or arguments? Who was its major proponent? |
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Definition
Social Contract Principle 1
There is a natural law
A law of nature or God
Social Contract Principle 2
People consent to government
enter a social contract and
“accept the bonds of government
in order to better protect their rights.”
Social Contract Principle 3
Government transgressions
justify changing it- check mode
John Locke |
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Term
| How does a social contract relate to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? |
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Definition
both state that all men are equal
the govt will help you if you obey them
you can vote to have people fired |
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Term
| What does the Declaration of Independence say? What are its four basic parts? |
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Definition
It states Why we wrote it :So others will understand our decision
for world opinion,
Also directed to friends, family, & political leaders in Europe
So people won’t think colonists were totally irrational
4 parts:
The Preamble
Principles of Government
The Wrongs of Britain
Conclusion |
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Term
| How does it differ from the Constitution? Who was its primary author? From where did the author get most of his ideas? |
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Definition
Author Thomas Jefferson, got most of the ideas from John Locke and the social contract.
D of I declares us independent and the constitution governs the government. (limited Govt.) |
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Term
| For what major books are Plato, Hobbes, and Locke best known? |
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Definition
Plato- "The Republic"
Hobbes- "The Leviathan"
Locke- "Second Treatise on Government" |
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Term
| The U.S. constitution accomplishes three basic functions. What are they? |
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Definition
1.)what bodies or agencies a government will have
2.)What power each body or whole govt. will have
3.)How people are selected to fill each body |
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Term
| Presidential – Parliamentary: How does the relationship between the executive and legislative branches differ between the two? |
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Definition
1. Parliamentary vs. Presidential
Parliamentary
All power in legislature
Legislature selects (and can fire) executive
Most countries have parliamentary form
Presidential
Two co-equal bodies, executive & legislature
Elected separately & neither controls the other |
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Term
| How does the distribution of governing power differ in unitary, federal, and confederate structures? What are some examples of confederate governments? |
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Definition
Unitary- King
Confederacy- Power with states
Federal-U.S States elect Govt. |
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Term
| What is the only significant difference between a dictatorship and a monarchy? |
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Definition
Dictatorship / Monarchy
Rule by wisest, best (or strongest)
Religious leadership |
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Term
| How does a representative democracy or a republic differ from a pure or direct democracy? Which one is our current national government? What are some examples of direct democracy? |
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Definition
Pure or Direct Democracy
All citizens involved in all decisions
Tribes, clubs, New England Town Meetings
Indirect Democracy
Republic or Representative Democracy
Elect representatives to make decisions
We are indirect
elect a president |
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Term
| What were the experiences and concerns of the founders related to: limited national identity and communications, their experiences with centralized power and colonial governors and colonial legislatures? Who did they trust more, legislatures or executives? Why? |
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Definition
Fear of centralized power
Trusted legislature because they represented colonists and they dis liked kings and they could be dissolved if they become too powerful. |
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Term
| Articles of Confederation: How was it structured? How many votes did each state have in the national legislature? What, if any, was the executive of the government? |
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Definition
Each state had one vote
Created army & Navy, but
No power to tax
Had to request money from states
Semi-parliamentary
Rule by committee (Congress)
No chief executive
Congress there was no chief |
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Term
| What were the problems with the articles concerning: the government’s taxing power and ability to pay its bills, problems with interstate trade and currency, civil disorder? |
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Definition
Government couldn’t pay its’ bills
wealthy citizens and foreign governments bought government bonds to finance Revolutionary War
90% of requests to states for funds ignored
Value of bonds fell to 10 cents on the dollar
No common currency
Each state, and sometimes private banks made its own
Required goods and services to be paid in its currency
Stifled trade between states
some states set tariffs
Made other state goods cost more
Under the Articles, each state issued its own currency
Civil disorder
Debtors revolted against tax collectors and sheriffs attempting to foreclose on farms if mortgage not paid |
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Term
| What was Shay’s rebellion and why was it important? |
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Definition
2,000 farmers in Massachusetts captured courthouses in several counties
burned tax records and bank records of mortgages |
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Term
| What problems under the Articles of Confederation led the founders to want to make changes to it? At what meeting did they write the new Constitution? What was that meeting called to do and how does this differ form what it actually did? |
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Definition
Congress called a convention to meet in Philadelphia for
“sole and express purpose” of revising the Articles,
“To report to the Congress and state legislatures” on needed changes
Changes would go into effect only “when agreed to in Congress and confirmed by the states”
What it actually did
threw out the Articles and started over drafting an entirely new government
ignored current Congress & state legislatures
called for special ratifying conventions in each, thus bypassing state legislatures
declared would go into effect when approved by 9 states (versus unanimous approval required by Articles) |
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Term
| How much faith did the founders have in democracy? What are elements of the Constitution that show their faith or lack of faith in democracy? Which offices were elected directly by the people? How were people selected to serve in the other offices? |
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Definition
Not alot of faith that have alot of checks and balances that keep the govt running.
House was directly elected by the people.
members of the house elected congress and the president |
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Term
| What was the New Jersey Plan |
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Definition
| New Jersey Plan = presidential system One house, each state with equal vote, separate executive and judicial branches |
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Term
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Definition
| Virginia Plan = parliamentary system Lower House elected by population, it selects upper house, cabinet, and judges |
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Term
| the Connecticut Compromise? |
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Definition
| Connecticut Compromise = presidential system, BUT: two houses, lower by population, upper where each state has equal vote separate executive and judicial branches |
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Term
| What is the Separation of Powers? How does it relate to checks and balances? How do separation of powers and checks and balances differ from federalism? |
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Definition
Needed stronger national leadership, but still fear of executives, so checks & balances.
No bill becomes law without approval of both houses
President can veto,
BUT Congress can override with 2/3 vote
President appoints ambassadors, judges and heads of federal agencies
BUT Senate must approve appointments
Congress may impeach, convict, and remove from office president and judges
Federalism- differences Constitution lists powers of new national government
Powers not listed left “to the states and or the people” |
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Term
| How did the constitution writers deal with slavery, both counting slaves for purposes of representation and whether slavery should be legal or outlawed? |
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Definition
3/5 compromise
slave trade - then govt. banned importation of slaves |
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Term
| What were the battles over who was allowed to vote? How did they deal with this issue? What is meant by the terms franchise and / or suffrage? |
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Definition
Who votes?
All males?
Only property owners?
Couldn’t decide and left to states
Later generations addressed via amendments
Slave Trade – Allow or not? |
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Term
| How many articles does the U.S. Constitution have and what is the general topic of each article? |
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Definition
Seven Articles -- each article is a separate section / topic
(1). Legislature membership & power
(2). Executive membership & power
(3). Supreme Court membership & power
(4). Interstate relations
Full faith & credit
Privileges & immunities
Addition of new states
(5). How to amend
(6). National supremacy clause
(7). Ratification |
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Term
| Who were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists? What was the position of each on the proposed Constitution? |
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Definition
| Anti Fed. liked the Articles of Confederation |
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Term
| What was the media campaign waged by the Federalists? What was it called, which individuals were involved, and what name did they use? |
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Definition
The Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay
85 “Press Releases”
Printed in newspapers as letters to the editor
A key to understanding founder intent |
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Term
| How is a formal change (amendment) to the Constitution proposed and ratified and what is the difference between proposing and ratifying amendments in terms of who does it and the vote required? |
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Definition
Formal Amendment – adding words to or taking them away from the Constitution
Proposal
– the specific words to be added or deleted
2/3 vote of both houses of Congress,
OR
National Convention called by 2/3 of the states
Formal Amendment – Ratification
Legislatures in 3/4 of states
OR
Conventions of citizen in 3/4 of states |
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Term
| What is an informal change and how does it differ from a formal one? What role do judicial interpretation and custom and usage play in the meaning of the Constitution? |
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Definition
Judicial interpretation
Custom and Usage
ex no one has to quarter troops anymore |
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Term
| How many amendments have been added to the constitution, both counting and not counting the bill of rights? |
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Definition
27 Total
1-10 = Bill of Rights |
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Term
| What have most of those amendments dealt with? Be able to give examples of amendments in each of these categories: Bill or Rights, Perfecting the process or correcting errors, Expanding Liberty, and Expanding Voting Rights. |
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Definition
| allowing more personal freedoms, such as voting, slavery, drugs, drinking |
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Term
| Why is constitutional government inherently limited government? How does constitutional law differ from statutory law? |
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Definition
| Because the Constitution is just checks and balances so the con. cannot obstruct individual rights |
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