* - American Gov 101 Sparknotes Flashcards
Highlights (29 cards)
year Constitution was written
1787
type of gov USA is
constitutional democracy
sole authorities of Congress
make laws,
levy taxes,
declare war,
print money
**controls federal budget
unique geographical features of the US that led to benefits in its ability to become strong/superpower
isolated from conflict by oceans,
vibrant trading,
rich farmland,
vast fronteir,
natural resources
belief that God wanted Americans to control the land between the Atlantic and Pacific
manifest destiny
- frontier spirit…but also excessive cruelty and greed
yrs of immigration waves to the US
1600-1850: western/north Europeans. for economic, political, & religious reasons. Also African slave trade
1850-1970: southern/Eastern Europe to escape violence & political instability. Also Jewish holocast refugees
+1970: Medico, Korea, India, PHilippeans, Latin America
countries with the highest immigration rate to the US between 1820-2000
Germany 7million
Mexico 6 million
Italy/Great Brittian/Ireland/Canada - 5 million
Austria/Hungry 4million together
Russia 4mil
Philippeans 2 million
China/Sween 1 million each
system where politicians gave immigrants resources, jobs, and homes in exchange for their political vote
machine politics
historical context of Americans scorning foreigners
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first immigration law that targeted a specific ethnic group.
hx of Chinese exclusion in the US
first immigration law by Congress to keep a specific ethnic group out o f the US = Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
= passed to keep Chinese laborers out of the US for 10 yrs but renewed it then made it permanent in 1902
years the Chinese Exclusion Act was in effect
1882 - 1965
freedom for people to do what they want & what is needed to find personal fulfillment and happiness
liberty
liberty
freedom to do whatever you need to in order to find personal fulfillment and happiness.
BUT
does come with restrictions to create a stable society (“freedom to do whatever you want as long as it does not impinge on others freedom”
limited government
places relatively few restrictions on citizen freedoms
economic system where the government plays almost no role in the production/distribution of goods
laissez-faire capitalism
2 different types of equality
equality of OPPORTUNITY,
equality of OUTCOME
yr of No Child Left Behind
2001 by Bush Jr
Iran-Contra scandal
Regan’s administration sold arms to Iran in order to raise money for the Ncaraguan contras who were fighting the Communist regime in power
government where the people rule
popular soverignty
why are minority rights needed?
so there will not be a tyranny of the majority that would ignore basic rights of the miniority
what did James Madison believe about why the government is needed
Madison in Federalist Paper No. 51
- government is only needed bc sometimes people act in their own self interest to the detriment of others
famous book about America after the American Revolution
Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835/1840 (2 volumes)
“Democracy in America”
perception of the government during the VIetnam War
1960s…distrust in government
yr Nixon resigned
1974
