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| Power and responsibility shared between states and national government |
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| Both states and national government remains supreme within their own spheres |
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| Authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers |
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| Pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system |
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| Federal grants distributed according to a formula |
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| Asserts the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the Constitution |
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| Supreme broad interpretation that Congress has power to regulate interstate commerce (all commercial activity) |
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| Establishes supremacy of national government over state governments |
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| "Who gets what, when, and how" |
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| National laws and treaties superior to state counterparts (national government has to act within bounds) |
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| Court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody |
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| What are three functions of a constitution? |
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| Make political institutions, allocate power within government, provide guarantees to citizens |
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| According to John Locke, what are the two most important limits on government? What is the purpose of government? |
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| Governments must provide standing laws so that people know in advance whether their acts will be acceptable. Supreme power cannot take from any man any part of his property without his consent. Purpose is to protect natural rights |
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| How was American Revolution different from other revolutions? |
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| Essentially a conservative movement that strives to restore rights colonists felt were already theirs as British subjects |
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| What is the political and economic significance of Shay's Rebellion? |
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| Scared the economic elites who once controlled nearly all state legislatures. Elites thoughtt hat people had taken the law into their own hands and violated the property rights of others |
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| List and describe four core ideas on which the Framers of the Constitution agreed. |
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| Human nature (self-interest should create balance of power), political conflict (unequal distribution of land causes conflict), objects of government (Protect property and promote public well-being), and nature of government (Power vs Power Checks and Balances) |
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| What three weaknesses of economy did Federalists believe need to be addressed? |
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| States erecting tariffs on each other. Worthless paper money forced on creditors. Money raising difficulty from declining economy |
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| How did Madison plan to limit majority control of government? |
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| One element is placed in direct control of people and the other element is placed through elected officials |
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| What concerns did the Anti-Federalist have concerning the Constitution? |
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| Concerned that new government would have too much power and control, thus limiting freedom. Scared that it was a class-based document, as the government is run by a few and erode fundamental liberties |
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| Why did Federalists specify that the Constitution be ratified by special conventions in each state? |
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| State legislators would lose power so a special convention was needed to override |
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| List four ways Constitution has been changed informally. |
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| Judicial interpretation, changing political practice, technology, and increasing demands for policy increases policymakers power |
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| How has Constitution become more democratic? |
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| Elitist model moved to pluralist model. Each state decides on voter eligibility. Technology diminishes separation of people from those who has power |
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| What was the ruling in US v Lopez and the significance of the case? |
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Definition
| Gun-Free School Zones Act exceeds Congress's authority to regulate commerce among states, establishing the boundaries between federal and state |
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| How is federalism different from unitary governments? |
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| Federalism is a nation ruled by two or more levels of government. Unitary government is a central government |
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| What are three ways federal system decentralizes American politics? |
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| Policies are subject to both the centralizing force of national government and the dispersing force of states. States are responsible for most public policies dealing with social, family, and moral issues. American states have always been policy innovators |
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| What is the gist of the 10th amendment? |
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| All power not granted to national government nor prohibited by Congress are given to states and people |
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| Explain four causes of federal power growth and note Supreme Court cases involved. |
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| McCulloch v Maryland that states as long as national government behaved in accordance with Constitution, its policies took precedence over state policies. Gibbons v Ogden defines commerce very broadly to encompass virtually every form of commercial activity. Civil War uses military force to put the national government as supreme. Brown v Board of Education states school segregation was unconstitutional |
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| What are pros and cons of democracy? |
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| Greater participation, greater access, promotion of mutual policies, peaceful transfer of power in elections, state policies observed, and reduced decision making and conflict at national level. Cons in that states differ in resources, diversity in policy discourages provision of services, local interests can thwart majority desire, and sheer number of governments causes as much trouble as benefits |
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