exam 1 Flashcards
(90 cards)
DEFINE GOVT
public institutions that establish and enforce the rules
5 different forms of govt
democracy, oligarchy, theocracy, monarchy, dictatorship/authoritarian
what do you need to run a govt and where does it come from?
authority, social contract with people
authority and social contract only work if govt has power and legitimacy. define those.
power: ability to influence people’s behavior. legitimacy: the extent to which people allow one to exert power.
HOW DOES AUTHORITY relate to people and social contract, and power and legitimacy?
people+social contract=authority=power+legitimacy
DEFINE POLITICS
who does what, when, and how. OR way in which govt institutions are organized to make laws/policies, and how they are influenced.
idea the founding fathers use as the basis for the Constitution
idea of natural rights from natural laws
new idea of power from political philosophers of 1700s
power from people, not govt
two kinds of democracy; which kind do we use?
direct and indirect/representative democracy. we use representative.
america has no unique history. why?
young nation with no historical heritage
3 core values of American culture
majority rule, minority rights and limited govt
3 major subcultures of America’s political culture
Individualism, moralism, and traditionalism
avg lifespan of most constitutions
17 yrs
what war ended in 1785, cost 130,000 debt to England and possible taxes for colonies
French and Indian war
what event used to justify the Intolerable Acts
Boston Tea Party
3 PURPOSES OF Dec of Ind, and who wrote it?
list grievances, redefine social contract, and to say people have a right and duty to replace bad govt. Thomas Jefferson
document that first created a govt in 1781
Articles of Confedertion
4 MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF NEW AMERICAN GOVT
make war, make peace, regulate economy/coin, make treaties with foreign nations
what were some of reasons our first govt failed?
unicameral legislature that had minimal power and gave smaller states disproportionate power. no checks and balances system, cuz no executive/judiciary. no power to regulate trade, taxes, make an army
Shay’s rebellion did what?
illustrated problem with Articles
constitutional convention
Philadelphia, 1787, Rhode Island did not show up
Pres of Convention and 2 rules
George W. close doors to public, majority rule
author of US constitution?
no one
6 PURPOSES OF CONSTITUTION
popular soveriegnty, separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances, limited government, living document