Unit 1 foundations of gov't

Question 1

participatory democracy

Answer 1

a model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions; public influence

Question 2

civil society groups

Answer 2

NGOs used for social change

Question 3

pluralist theory

Answer 3

the theory that power shared between many groups produces the best outcomes in society and government.

Question 4

elitist theory

Answer 4

suggests a small group of elites holds the majority of power and influence in society, often overshadowing the general population in decision-making processes.

Question 5

Articles of Confederation

Answer 5

equal representation to all states in congress; unicameral legislative branch; No independent executive or judiciary
GOAL: avoid tyranny

Question 6

Shays’s Rebellion

Answer 6

uprising against the Articles of confederations lead by Daniel shays; Illustrated the weakness of the Articles and led many skeptics to agree to replace the Articles of Confederation

Question 7

Constitutional Convention

Answer 7

a convention called to come a consensus on a constitution; created our constitution

Question 8

writ of habeas corpus

Answer 8

the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them

Question 9

bills of attainder

Answer 9

when legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

Question 10

ex post facto laws

Answer 10

laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed

Question 11

Virginia Plan

Answer 11

3-branch government with a bicameral legislature
Larger states had more representation in both chambers
Lower house: elected directly by the people
Upper house: nominated by state legislatures and chosen by lower house

Question 12

new jersey plan

Answer 12

unicameral legislature where every state gets one vote

Question 13

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Answer 13

Bicameral (two house) legislature
Lower House (House of Representatives)
Elected directly by citizens; representation based on population of state
Upper House (Senate)
Selected by state legislatures; 2 per state

Question 14

Three-Fifths Compromise

Answer 14

An agreement to count three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state’s total population for legislative representation and taxation.

Question 15

Compromise on Importation

Answer 15

slave trade not permitted till 1808

Question 16

expressed or enumerated powers

Answer 16

authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution
Borrow money, tax, regulate interstate commerce

Question 17

Necessary and Proper Clause:

Answer 17

article 1 section 8 gave congress the power to carry our enumerated powers

Question 18

implied powers

Answer 18

authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers; make banks for example

Question 19

Federalist No. 51

Answer 19

addresses how checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government.

Question 20

supremacy clause

Answer 20

Constitution and all national treaties and laws shall be the supreme law of the land

Question 21

fed 10

Answer 21

Advocated for a large constitutional republic

Question 22

faction

Answer 22

A group formed to seek some goal within a political party or a government; democratic and republican parties; Feared danger of faction, group of self-interested individuals who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process
Can’t eliminate cause of factions – that would suppress liberty
Natural check is a large and diverse republic – control the effect with more people, more opinions and put the factions against each other

Question 23

Brutus No. 1

Answer 23

Suspicion of power
The country is too large to be governed as a republic and the Constitution gave too much power to the national government

Question 24

unitary system

Answer 24

power is held in a central authority; in the national gov

Question 25

Commerce clause

Answer 25

gives congress the power to regulate interstate commerce

Question 26

confederal system

Answer 26

the smaller governments within a larger political unit have the major power, and the central government has very limited powers

Question 27

federal system

Answer 27

power is shared in the states and the national gov (this is the USA)

Question 28

10th amendment

Answer 28

power that is not delegated to the federal gov goes to the states

Question 29

concurrent powers

Answer 29

powers that both the states and the national gov have (tax people, create courts etc)

Question 30

reserved powers

Answer 30

powers that are not given to the federal gov and are reserved for the states and people (marriage license and drivers license)

Question 31

full faith and credit clause

Answer 31

forces states to recognize marriage licenses etc from other states

Question 32

privileges and immunities clause

Answer 32

prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state

Question 33

dual federalism

Answer 33

A form of American federalism in which the states and the nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy (layer cake analogy)

Question 34

cooperative federalism

Answer 34

national gov't and state gov't work together (marble cake federalism analogy)

Question 35

grants-in-aid

Answer 35

Tool used by the federal government to achieve policy objectives within state

Question 36

categorical grants

Answer 36

the federal gov't tells the states on what to spend their money on

Question 37

block grant

Answer 37

the federal gov't gives the states money and they can spend it on whatever

Question 38

fiscal federalism

Answer 38

the federal government’s use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states

Question 39

Unfunded mandates:

Answer 39

the fed gov't mandates the states to implement and pay for programs without providing money (ADA 1990)

Question 40

Revenue sharing:

Answer 40

when a higher level of gov't distrubutes tax money to the states with no strings attached (ended bc it was too costly)

Question 41

devolution

Answer 41

when the fed gov't transfers power from them to state and local govts