Unit 1Foundations of American Gov.’t
Ch 1 – Principles of Gov.’t
Ch 2 – Origins of American Gov.’t
Ch 3 – The Constitution
Ch 4 - Federalism
Ch 1 – Principles of Gov.’t• What does the
gov.’t do for you?• Provides ____________• Limited _______________ • ______________ + traffic control• Punishes ____________• Responds to disasters (fires,
earthquakes, terrorist attacks)• Protects _______________• Protects ______________• Protects ______________• Protects from ______________• And much, much more…
• _________• Government – the institution through which a ________ makes + enforces its _______________.
• Public policies – all the things the gov.’t ______________ (ex: education, crime, defense, etc)
• Constitution – the body of fundamental _______ setting out the principles, structures, + _____________ of a gov.’t
• Every gov.’t has 3 types of _________:1. Legislative power – power to _____ laws
2. Executive power – power to __________ laws
3. Judicial power – power to _______ laws
• Dictatorship – type of gov.’t in which those who rule ______________ responsible to the _______________
• Democracy – type of gov.’t in which the supreme __________ rests w/ the people (______________)
• Politics – process by which a society decides how _______________ will be distributed w/in that society (who gets the benefits + who _______________)
• State – a _______________ living in a defined territory, _________________ (having a gov.’t), + w/ the power to make + enforce law w/o the consent of any _______________
• The 4 _____________ of a state:
The State
____________ – people (duh!)
___________ – land (double duh!)w/ recognized boundaries
___________ – supreme + absolutepower w/in its own territory to decideits own domestic + foreign policies
_________ – politically organized
• Purpose of the ________ according to the ___________
1. Form a more perfect ________ - united we stand divided we fall
2. Establish __________
3. Insure domestic ___________
4. Provide for the common ________
5. Promote the general __________ - providing _______________,
protecting the environment, etc
6. Secure the blessings of ________
- rights, __________, protection
- “You can only be free if I am free.” - Clarence Darrow
• Classifying gov.’ts based on _________:
1. Democracy – supreme political authority rests w/ the __________
- “Gov.’t of the people, by the people, for the people.” - Lincoln
- Direct democracy vs. Indirect democracy (republic)- Democracy comes from the
Greek words demos (people) + kratia (rule) – __________________
2. Dictatorship – gov.’t isn’t accountable to the __________
- Most _________ form of gov.’t in history
- Ex. Hitler + Stalin
- Usually, one person doesn’t have complete ________ –
must work w/ army, ________ leaders, industrialists, +/or other groups
• Classifying gov.’ts based on geographic distribution of ______:
1. Unitary – __________, all powers belong to the national gov.’t which creates ____ gov.’ts for its own convenience.
-Local gov.’ts only have ________ the national gov.’t chooses to give them.
- Most gov.’ts are unitary (Ex. _____)
2. Federal – powers are ________ b/w a central + local gov.’ts.
- Both levels of gov.’t act through their own sets of laws, ______, + agencies (Ex. USA, ________, + Australia)
3. Confederate – alliance of ___________ states.-The central gov.’t only has powers the _________ choose to give it.
- Typically limited to defense + ________.
- Few exist today (Ex. EU + _______)
• Classifying gov.’ts based on the relationship b/w the __________ + the _________ branches:
1. Presidential – executive + legislative branches are __________. The chief executive is chosen independent of the legislature + his term of office + powers are not ___________ by the legislature.
- The _____ invented this form of gov.’t
2. Parliamentary – the executive is made up of a ___________/premier + his/her _________ who are all members of the legislative branch. The prime minister is the leader of the ______ party of the parliament, but ________ to its control.
- Most gov.’ts are parliamentary
End Section 2
• Basic concepts of __________
• “…it has been said that democracy is the worst form of gov.’t except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” -Winston Churchill
Worth of the____________
Worth of the____________
Necessity of ____________
Necessity of ____________
Majority _______,Minority _______
Majority _______,Minority _______
___________ of All Persons
___________ of All Persons
Individual__________
Individual__________
The Basic Concepts of Democracy
The Basic Concepts of Democracy
• The American free ________ system
• Free enterprise, or ________, is characterized by:
1.Private ____________
2. Individual __________
3._________
4._____________• It is an _______ system, NOT a
__________ system• More about that in Economics
End Section 3
Ch 2 – Origins of _________ Gov.’t• Basic ________
of gov.’t• ________ Gov.’t – the gov.’t is
structured• ________ Gov.’t – the gov.’t is
restricted in what it may do + individuals have certain rights the gov.’t can’t take away
• ______________ Gov.’t – the gov.’t is elected by the people to represent them
End Section 1
• The 2nd Continental __________
• Served as the 1st _______ for the colonies during the ____________
• Not by any constitutional basis, but by ____________________
• Served from the adoption of the _________________ (1776) until the ______________________ went into effect (1781).
• Encouraged states to adopt their own ______________
• The Declaration of Indep. was written to _________ revolution.
• Written by _________________• Influenced heavily by thinkers of
the ______________, especially _____________
• 2 views of ________
• Social Contract– Agreement in which people ___________ their individual
rights + create a gov.’t to ______________________• 1. _________________ (English)
• English Civil War convinced him humans are naturally __________
• Man against Man• Social Contract: People must give over their rights to
a ___________ (absolute monarchy) in exchange for ______________
• 2. ________________ (English)• Believed people were ________________ who could
____________________• All are born free + equal w/ God–given Natural Rights
• Life, Liberty, + ______ (pursuit of happiness)• Social Contract: a gov.’t (self-gov.’t) was created to
________________. If it failed to do so or attempted to take away those rights, it is the privilege of the people to ____________________
• Declaration of Indep.
The Declaration of Indep.:• “When in the Course of human events, it becomes
necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another … the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them (John Locke) …requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
• We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Locke’s Natural Rights)… deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, (popular sovereignty / social contract) That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government …”
End Section 2
• The Articles of ____________
• 1st attempt at a __________ for the US• Intended to be a “firm league of
________” (States retained most of the _________________)
• Had a ___________ congress w/ each state getting ____________
• Had many ______________:1. Congress couldn’t collect _____2. Congress couldn’t regulate
____________________________3. No ______________ branch4. No ______________ branch5. _______________ to pass laws6. Amendments only w/ states’______________ agreement
• Chaos ensued
• Shays’ ___________
• 1786 - Daniel Shays led a rebellion in Massachusetts against ________ _____________________________ (losing their property)
• W/o _______ from the national gov.’t, the state had to deal w/ the rebellion on its own Shays’ Rebellion showed the ________________________.
• Led to the ___________ Convention in 1787.
End of
Section 3
• The ___________ Convention
• Delegates were supposed to ___________ _______________, NOT come up w/ a new gov.’t. Different ideas on what the gov.’t should be like emerged:
• A. ________________: proposed a federal gov.’t w/ 3 branches
• Called for the legislative branch to be divided into ___________ w/ representatives from each state – based on _____________
• A. K. A. - the “_______ State Plan” • B. ____________________:
• 3 branches of gov.’t• Legislative branch would have ___
______ – each state receives only ________, regardless of size
• A.K.A – the “________ State Plan”
• C. ___________________ or THE GREAT COMPROMISE was the compromise b/w the 2 plans:
• Became the _________• Legislative branch w/ 2
houses– _______ house (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) based on __________ + the _________ house (SENATE) on _______ ______________
• Other ___________ of the Constitutional Convention
• ____________________: Debate ensued over whether or not _______ counted towards a state’s ___________. They agreed that “all other persons” (slaves) counted as 3/5 a person for representation + __________.
• __________________________: Congress couldn’t end the slave trade for at least ___________.
End Section 4
• _______ the Constitution • Unlike the Articles of Confed., the Constitution required only _______ _________ to agree.
• A debate broke out b/w the __________ (those who supported the Constitution) + the _______ __________ (those opposed to the Constitution)
• The federalists stressed the ______________ of the Articles of Confed.
• The anti-federalists opposed the Constitution for 2 main reasons: 1) the greatly increased powers of the ___________ + 2) the lack of a ______________
• It was ratified in 1788 + George Washington was ______________ elected president.
End Section 5
Ch 3 – The Constitution• The Basic
Principles of the Constitution
Principles of
the Constitution
Popular
__________
________
Gov.’t
Separation
of ________
Checks +
__________
________
Review__________
Power of
the _______
The gov.’t
must obey
__________
Powers are
divided b/w
__________
of gov.’t
Each branch
of gov.’t has
______ over
the others
The power of
the _________ to
declare laws
or gov.’t actions
unconstitutional
________ of
power b/w
a central +
local gov.’ts
Prevents any
______ from
becoming
too powerful
• Checks + Balances
________________
BranchBranch 1. Can _______ legislation 1. Appoints Justices + federal _____
2. Call special sessions3. Recommend ____________
1. May override a veto w/ __________ 1. Can declare executive 2. House of Rep. may __________ president actions _____________
3. Senate approves treaties + _____________
____________________ ________________
BranchBranch Branch Branch 1. Senate ________ judges 1. Can declare acts of
2. Creates _____________ Congress _____________
3. House of Rep. may _______ judges End Section 1
(____________)(____________)
(_________)(_________) (______)(______)
• The formal _____________ process to the Constitution
• There are 2 ways an amendment may be ______________:
1. ______ in each house of Congress2. A national convention called by
Congress at the request of 2/3 of ____________________
• If successful, the proposed amendment must then be ratified by either:
1. Ratified by ¾ of the state _____________
2. Ratified by conventions held in ___ _______________
• The President does NOT _________ an proposed amendment
• Only _____________ resolutions calling for amendments to the constitution have been sent to the states + of those only _______ have been ratified
• Amendments to the Constitution:
1-10: The Bill of Rights • (added ____________ after the
Constitution was ratified)1. _____________________________
___________________(________)2. Bearing arms3. Quartering troops4. Searches + seizures5. Criminal proceedings, due process,
+ eminent domain6. Criminal proceedings7. Civil trials8. Punishment for crimes9. Unenumerated rights10. ____________________________
• Additional Amendments to the Constitution:
11: States can NOT be sued in a federal court12: Change in the electoral college system.
-President + VP will run on the same ticket. 13: ____________________14: Rights of citizens (due process & equal protection) 15: ________________________________________ 16: Congress has the power to tax income17: Popular election of Senators18: _____________________19: ____________________20: Commencement of terms21: _________________________22: ________________________________________23: D.C. included in presidential election system24: Suffrage can NOT be reduced (no tax to vote) 25: Presidential succession26: _____________________27: Congressional pay
End Section 2
• Informally changing the ___________
End Section 3
__________
Activities
of _________
________
Major
_____________
decisions
Actions
taken by the
_________
Passage of
__________ by
Congress
Changing the
Constitution w/o
_______ it
Ch 4 – Federalism • Federalism
in the ____• Both the ____________________ have
substantial powers + neither level, acting alone can change the basic _______________ the Constitution has created
• Division of powers (federalism) – The Constitution assigns _____________ to the national gov.’t + others to the states.
• __________________• Do NOT confuse w/ separation of
powers b/w the 3 branches of gov.’t
• ______ of the ________ gov.’t
• The national gov.’t’s powers are known as delegated powers (powers granted to it by the _______________)
• 3 types of delegated powers:1. Expressed (or enumerated) – spelled
out in the Constitution2. Implied – powers that are __________
___________ by the expressed powers- the “Necessary + Proper
Clause” or the “Elastic Clause”“…to make all Laws which shall
be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.” - Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18
3. Inherent – powers that national gov.’ts have _____________________
- Ex. Controlling immigration + diplomacy
• Powers of the state gov.’ts
• ________ powers
• Amendment #10 states that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reservedreserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
• So, reserved powers are powers the ___________ doesn’t grant to the _______ gov.’t + doesn’t deny to the _________. Includes the power to:
- Control _____________________- Legalize ____________- Control _____________- Establish ________________
• The only expressly given power to the states is in the ______Amendment, which gives the states almost unlimited power to regulate the use of _____________________.
• Most of what the gov.’t does is done by the _____.
• Concurrent powers are powers that both the ___________________ have.
• Exclusive + concurrent powers:
Expressed Powers
of the National Gov.’t:
- ___________
- Declare ________
- Conduct ________
_________
- Raise + maintain
______________
- Regulate foreign
+ interstate ______
Concurrent
Powers
- Collect ________
-Borrow _____
- Establish ______
- Define _______ +
set ___________
Reserved Powers of the States:
- Regulate ______ w/in the state
- Establish ______ ________
- Regulate ________ ___________
- Conduct ________
- Pass _________ requirements for
______________
- Establish ______ _________
• _________ b/w different _____ of gov.’ts
• _____ gov.’ts are made to carry out state laws. They are allowed to tax, provide services, + regulate activities only b/c _______________ _________________.
• The Supremacy Clause states that ___________________________ of the land. After that, ________ laws take precedence over _______ laws (but only in areas the national gov.’t is allowed to _____________).
• The Supreme Court is the ______ in the federal system. When _______ arise over which level of gov.’t has authority, the Supreme Court settles the matter.
End Section 1
• Obligations of the national gov.’t to the __________
• How the national gov.’t influences _______________ _________
1. Guarantees every state has a ___________ (representative) form gov.’t
2. Protect against invasion + ______________
- Protection from internal disorderis rare + usually occurs after states ____________________
- Includes ________________
3. Respect the states’ __________________
• Grants-in-aid occur when the national gov.’t gives the states ______________________ _______________
- Often comes w/ _____________
- Gives national gov.’t some control over areas where it has no __________________________.
End Section 2
• __________ relations
• Interstate compacts: when 2 or more states voluntarily ___________________ w/ one another
• Ex. Sharing law enforcement data, conservation issues, tax collections, etc…
• Many, but not all of these must be ___________________
• Full Faith and Credit – states must respect other states ______________ for citizens + ______________
• Extradition – States must turn over _______ that have fled from another state
• States cannot draw ______________ ______________ b/w its own residents + residents of other states End Section 3