PoliSci Exam 1

Question 1

What are 5 forms of government

Answer 1

Anarchy
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Tyranny
Republic

Question 2

What is anarchy?

Answer 2

Anarchy is a type of society that lives without rules, without a leader and without a government. Everyone governs themselves

Question 3

What is aristocracy?

Answer 3

Aristocracy is rule by an elite. Such as the Brittish monarchy

Question 4

What is an oligarchy?

Answer 4

An oligarchy is rule by an elite where that elite is making decisions to benefit that elite

Question 5

What is a tyrany?

Answer 5

Rule by one. Usually always supported by a military

Question 6

What is a republic?

Answer 6

Population elects agents to represent it

Question 7

What does deomcracy mean?

Answer 7

Rule by the people

Question 8

What are two important models of democracy?

Answer 8

Liberal and Direct Democracy

Question 9

Describe direct democracy?

Answer 9

Everyone (who is considered a person) votes for himself for something he wants. Open assembly.

Question 10

What is so attractive about direct democracy?

Answer 10

Citizen Participation

Question 11

What are some problems with direct democracy?

Answer 11

too many people could lead to disorder

Question 12

What is meant by a “restrictive definition of personhood”? Why is that important to explain?

Answer 12

Idea that not all humans can be considered a person.

Question 13

Describe a representative democracy?

Answer 13

People elect officials to represent them

Question 14

What is another name for representative democracy?

Answer 14

Liberal democracy

Question 15

What three traits define a liberal democracy?

Answer 15

1) Popular Sovereingnty
2) Political Equality
3) Political Liberty

Question 16

What does Popular Sovereignty mean?

Answer 16

In a democracy, ordinary people rule themselves. This means that the people are the ultimate source of authority and the gov’t does the people’s bidding, open and free elections

Question 17

What does Political Equality mean?

Answer 17

Equality before the law and equality in voting. Each person carries the same weight in voting.

Question 18

What does Political Liberty mean?

Answer 18

Freedom and choice

Question 19

What is the problem with Pop Sov?

Answer 19

not everyone wants the same thing
some ordinary people are not well-informed
propoganda sways
campaigns get bankrolled
too much Party Politics

Question 20

What is the problem with Political Equality?

Answer 20

concerns not always equal
disinfranchised voters
diff background=not “born equal”

Question 21

What is the problem with Political Liberty?

Answer 21

privacy being violated?

Question 22

What is a cosmopolitan?

Answer 22

society that is diverse in an urban setting

Question 23

What does egalitarian mean?

Answer 23

equal

Question 24

Describe colonial America? Was it egalitarian? What does the “habit of local self-government” mean?

Answer 24

Colonial America was far from the centers of civilization (euro). Overall the colonies were self-sustaining and created their own government institutions. This is what is meant by local self-govt. Although they were pretty much their own thing, they still reported to the Crown. It was not egalitarian, but still much better than the aristocracy in Britt

Question 25

How did the American Revolution start? Why?

Answer 25

The American Rev didn't start as a radical movement. Initially the colonists wanted to return to the status quo before all the crazy taxes and tarriffs Britt imposed on America. These were called the "intollerable acts" Eventually rich white guys got upset and it excalated to the point of independence. The idea of indep was initiallized by intellects like Thomas Paine and popularized by his book, Common Sense.

Question 26

Who were the Revolutionary Intellects?

Answer 26

People (men) who developed the mind set and popularized ideas of independence (Thomas Paine)

Question 27

What happened on July 4th 1776?

Answer 27

Declaration of Independence was written

Question 28

Why is the Dec of Inde considered a "revolutionary document"?

Answer 28

1) created during a revolution | 2) It was something radically different than anything the world had seen before

Question 29

How was the Dec of Inde so radically different than anything ever before? (4 reasons)

Answer 29

1) Declared that a govt should be established by the will of the people of the nation 2) Declared that humans pocessed rights that could not be taken away 3) Govt elected by the people 4) If a govt fails the ppl, the ppl can reject it

Question 30

What are 3 traits of a Republican Model/ Liberal Democracy?

Answer 30

1) Limited Govt 2) Based on popular consent 3) Protection against tyrrany and abuse of power

Question 31

How is the Dec of Inde contradictory

Answer 31

the idea of personhood

Question 32

What was the US's first constitution

Answer 32

The Articles of Confederation

Question 33

What is a constitution

Answer 33

rule book for the government

Question 34

What was the 1st Constitutional Convention?

Answer 34

1777: Group of intellectuals gathered to created the AOC

Question 35

What is a confederation?

Answer 35

A LOOSE nebulus of states that form for some sort of purpose wherein the states are virtually independent from each other and function alone

Question 36

How long did the AOC last? Why? What happened?

Answer 36

The AOC only lasted 10years because it was very flawed. One main critism is that it was too decentralized. Eventhough the goal was to make sure tyranny never happened, the total opposite doesn't work either. no overaching authority. no common currency. the states created laws that contradicted each others'

Question 37

When was the 2nd Constitutional Convention and what happened there?

Answer 37

Summer 1787. Intellectuals gathered to contstuct a new const to replace the AOC

Question 38

Why were there so many undemocratic aspects of the constitution?

Answer 38

The Framers' knowledge of the world was limited to their life experiences. Limited imagination-they couldn't ever imagine what the US would look like 20 years down the line let alone 200 years. They couldnt forsee the future

Question 39

What are the 6 Key Ideas in the US Constitution?

Answer 39

1) The constitution rejects a monarchy 2) The constitution is SECULAR, meaning since it was made by the people, it can have flaws and can be changed. It's not set in stone by a divinity 3) The constitution creates limits on the govt 4) Individual Rights. Peopl ehave rights that cannot be taken away 5) Power doesn't have to be absolute 6) Size doesn't matter

Question 40

What is federalism?

Answer 40

shared power between the state and fed govts

Question 41

Descibe some of the undemocratic elements of the US Constitution?

Answer 41

Slavery Representation in the Senate 3/5 Compromise Electoral College