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Definition
| A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. |
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| Origin of the state (4 theories) |
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Definition
| Force, evolved, Divine Right, social contract (Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau) |
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| The power to make law and to frame public policies |
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| Power to execute, enforce and administer law |
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| Power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society |
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| We are naturally bad, survival of the fittest, need order, and have a monarchy (give up liberties to be ruled by a king) |
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| We start as a blank slate and are changed by surroundings, citizens should agree with laws but are not negotiable, natural rights, parliamentary government |
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| Man is naturally good but corrupted by society, each person should remain free but life, liberty, and property should be protected, claims in ownership result in chaos, direct democracy |
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| Six purposes of government |
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Definition
| Form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty |
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| Democracy vs. Dictatorship |
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Definition
| A dictatorship consists of one person or a small group that have total control while in a democracy authority rests with the people |
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| Central government is supreme and sate is governed as one single unit |
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| The powers are divided between a central government and several local governments. Power is divided on a geographic basis |
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| An alliance of independent states where a central organization has the power to handle only those matters that the member states have assigned to it (limited powers) |
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| Presidential vs. Parliamentary |
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Definition
| Presidential features a separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches of the government while parliamentary has an executive branch made up of members of the legislative branch |
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| Five basic notions of democracy |
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Definition
| Worth of the individual, equality of all people, majority rule/minority rights, necessity of compromise, and individual freedom |
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Definition
| Government is the institution that makes laws and politics influence the government |
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| Free enterprise system/Capitalism |
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Definition
| An economic system characterized by private ownership unlike communism (collective state ownership) and socialism (equal distribution of wealth) |
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| An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation |
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Definition
| Protected life, liberty, and property from the king to avoid absolute power |
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| Limited powers of the king: can't punish people unless it's by the law of the land and the king can't impose rule by the military in a time of peace (challenged divine rights of king) |
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| Prohibited a standing army in peacetime, required all parliamentary elections to be free, and guaranteed the right to a fair trial. |
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| First and Second Continental Congress |
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Definition
| Meetings of the delegates to discuss problems with Britain but Britain refused to compromise so the battles of Lexington and Concord broke out |
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| Declaration of Independence |
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Definition
| Announced the independence of the US from Britain making the 13 colonies free and independent states |
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| State constitutions: commonalities |
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Definition
| Popular sovereignty, limited government, civil rights & liberties, and separation of powers & checks and balances |
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| Articles of Confederation |
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Definition
| Established a firm league of friendship between the states. Each state is sovereign and free but comes together for the common defense |
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| Weaknesses of Articles of Confederation |
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Definition
| Congress didn't have the power to tax or regulate trade between states and had limited power to make states obey the Articles or laws made |
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| Important sources of Constitution |
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Definition
| Framers were familiar with government of ancient Rome and Greece, knew the political writings of their time, familiar with the Second Continental Congress and Articles of Confederation |
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| Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists |
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Definition
| Federalists stressed the weaknesses of the Articles and favored ratification while Anti-Federalists attacked almost every aspect of the new document and firmly opposed it |
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Definition
| Popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks & balances, judicial review, and federalism |
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| Methods of amending the Constitution |
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Definition
1. Proposed by 2/3 vote in each house of Congress and ratified by 3/4 of state legislature.
2. Proposed by congress and ratified by conventions in 3/4 the states.
3. Proposed by a national convention called by congress at request of 2/3 state legislatures.
4. Proposed by a national convention and ratified by conventions in 3/4 of the states. |
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Definition
| First ten amendments of the constitution |
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Definition
| A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office |
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| Five functions of political parties |
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Definition
| Nominating candidates, informing & activating supporters, the bonding agent function, governing, and acting as watchdog |
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Definition
| Two major political parties dominate politics |
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Definition
| A political party without wide voter support in a country |
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| Reasons for a two-party system |
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Definition
| Historical basis, force of tradition, electoral system, and the American ideological consensus |
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| Four types of minor parties |
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Definition
| Ideological, economic protest, single issue, splinter party |
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| Importance of minor parties |
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Definition
| Major parties take ideas from minor parties and a strong third party candidacy can play a decisive role in an election |
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| Frustrations of minor parties |
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Definition
| Few supporters and overrun by major parties |
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Term
| Factors that shape political ideology |
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Definition
| How much change a person is willing to have within their society and government, how much government involvement in the economy a person desires, and how much government regulation of individual behavior a person desires |
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Definition
| Peaceful gradual change, favor broad government involvement in economic policy and limited government regulation of individual behavior |
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Definition
| Favor keeping things the way they are, the less government the better, limited government involvement in economic policy, and broad government regulation of individual behavior |
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| Authoritarian/Totalitarian |
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Definition
| Favor broad government regulation of individual behavior and involvement in economic policy making and regulation of business |
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Term
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Definition
| Believe that each individual has the right to control his/her own body, action, speech, and property. Limited government in economic policy making and regulation of individual behavior |
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Definition
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| Expansion of electorate (five stages) |
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Definition
1. No religious test for voting and elimination of property ownership and tax payment qualifications.
2. 15th amendment- protected the right to vote based on race and color.
3. 19th amendment- prohibited the denial of right to vote because of sex.
4. Voting Rights Act of 1965- racial equality, 23rd amendment- added voters of DC to presidential electorate, 24th amendment- eliminated poll tax.
5. 26th amendment- 18 and over have the right to vote. |
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Term
| Universal voter requirements |
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Definition
1. Citizenship-must be a legal citizen
2. Residence-must be a legal resident on state in which you're voting for a certain amount of time
3. Age- 18 or older |
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| Historical voter requirements |
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Definition
| literacy tests, poll tax, gerrymandering (drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a party) |
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Definition
| Inquire into claims of voter discrimination and report their findings to Congress and the President, and to the public through media. |
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Definition
| A court order that either compels (forces) or restrains (limits) the performance of some act by a private individual or by a public official |
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Definition
| Mandated by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the prior approval by the Justice Department of changes to or new election laws by certain states. |
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Definition
| Cannot vote due to illness, mental state, or physical disability, feel it makes no difference, don't trust political institutions, long lines, inconvenient registration, time-zone fallout, lack of interest |
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| Ways to address non-voting |
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Definition
| Easier registration, more voting locations, teach younger generations the importance of voting |
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| Sociological factors influencing voting |
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Definition
| Income/occupation, education, gender/age, religious and ethnic background, geography, family influence, mass media, and key events in lifetime |
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| Psychological factors influencing voting |
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Definition
1. Party identification- most people always vote either Democrat or Republican in every election.
2. Candidates and issues- impression of the candidates and their views of specific issues |
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Definition
| 1995- Lopez took a gun to school but won because of the reserved powers in the 10th amendment. Federal Gov't power was held in check. |
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Term
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Definition
| 1824- Gibbons won because he had a federal coasting license which reflected commerce more so than Ogden's license. This broadened the definition of commerce and increased power of Federal Gov't |
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| *Heart of Atlanta Motel V. US |
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Definition
| 1964- Owner refused to serve African Americans but US won because commerce clause applied to customers in hotel. This increased power of Federal Gov't |
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Definition
| 1819- This was the first time testing the elastic clause. McCulloch won and gained power for the Federal Gov't. |
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Term
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Definition
| 1987- Dole won because of tax and spending for general welfare which gained federal power. |
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Term
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Definition
| Congress has the power to regulate trade with other nations and among the states |
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Term
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Definition
| Congress has the power to make laws that are necessary and proper to carryout the powers vested in them by the constitution |
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Definition
| Powers not given to the US, nor prohibited to the States are reserved for the States. |
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Term
| *Taxing and Spending for the General Welfare |
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Definition
| Congress has the power to lay and collect taxes as long as they are uniform throughout the US |
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Term
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Definition
| Constitution requires that all the power resides with the people. EX: The people vote for congress and senate members. |
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Definition
| No government is all-powerful, it can do only those things that the people have given it the power to do. EX: Denied powers in the constitution. |
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Definition
| The distribution of power between independent branches of the government. EX: Judicial interprets laws, legislative makes laws, and executive carries out laws. |
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Term
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Definition
| Each branch has certain powers with which it can check the operations of the other two. EX: Congress makes laws but President can veto legislation, President appoints Supreme Court justices but judges are appointed for life free from executive control |
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Definition
| The power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action. |
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Definition
| The division of power among a central government and several regional governments. EX:Strong, effective National Government but concept of local self-government remains. |
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