Mercantilism
to sell more than you buy, profit
salutary neglect
if colonists give England raw materials then England will leave alone, allow us to be self sufficient
taxation
citizens pay taxes to government
representation
we vote for people to represent us
boycott
refuse to buy
protest
to go against the government
independence
freedom from another country
American Revolution
the war we fought with England for independence
Articles of Confederation
our 1st constitution, united us to fight England; too weak!!!
Ben Franklin
helped to negotiate a relationship with France to help us fight the British in the American Revolution
George Washington
general in the American Revolution, leader in the Constitutional Convention, 1st US president
John Adams
member of the Sons of Liberty, helped Jefferson write the Dec. of Independence
Sons of Liberty
group who secretly fought for independence from England, carried out Boston Tea Party
Creator-endowed inalienable rights
rights you are born with, natural rights
structure of government
how the government is set up. 3 branches with separate powers
separation of powers
each branch has separate powers - Legislative - makes laws; Executive - carries out laws; Judicial - judges laws
checks and balances
each branch checks over the other to balance their power
frequent and free elections
all elections should be free for everyone to participate in and held often so no one can gain too much power
representative government
we elect people to represent us in government and make decisions for us
rule of law
no one is above the law; all people are bound by the law
equal justice under the law
the idea that everyone is treated equally by law; written on the Supreme Court building
property rights
government cannot take personal property unless eminent domain
federalism
the state and federal government shares power
due process
steps a person must go through when being arrested; if any step is missing the case should be dismissed.
Bill of Rights
the first 10 amendments added to the Constitution
individual responsibility
its your responsibility to follow the law; and speak up when you feel government is violating the Constitution
natural rights
rights you are born with
classical theories of government
Thomas Hobbes - representative gov't; Montesquieu and Locke
Magna Carta
document the nobles made King John sign - limited king's power, he must now obey his laws, equal treatment under the law, trial by jury
Montesquieu
believed that we should have 3 separate branches with separate powers
John Locke
social contract - government protection and citizens follow the law; and natural rights
English Bill of Rights
laws to protect Parliament's rights - make laws, control the military, raise taxes, free elections, trial by jury, eliminate cruel and unusual punishment.
private property rights
It measures the degree to which a country's laws protect private property rights and the degree to which its government enforces those laws.
Individual rights in the Bill of Rights
the first 10 amendments
consent of the governed
permission of the citizens
popular sovereignty
people rule themselves
religious and political freedom
free to make our own choices about who to vote for and if we chose to follow a religion without government influence
Hamilton
leader of the Federalists; wanted a stronger national government
Jefferson
wrote the Declaration of Independence; was an Anti-Federalist
Madison
another leader of the Federalist
Federalist Papers
papers written to persuade Americans that a stronger national government was needed
strong central government
although power is shared between state and national; the national government will always be more powerful
protection of individual rights
the first 12 amendments of the Constitution (first 10 become the Bill of Rights)
Elastic Clause
also known as the Necessary and Proper Clause; gives implied powers
limited government
each level of government is limited in its power; people have voice
democracy
a form of government in which people can vote; 2 kinds - direct democracy and representative democracy
individual rights
These rights are derived from the Bill of Rights in our United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments of the Constitution.
life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
ideals written in the Declaration of Independence
self-government
the control of a government by its own people; not controlled by another country
representative democracy
citizens vote for a representative to make government decisions for them
equal opportunity
the policy of treating employees and others without discrimination, especially on the basis of their sex, race, or age.
equal protection under the law
part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides "nor shall any State [...] deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws".
diversity
a variety of people
patriotism
a love or passion for one's country
precedents
to look back a previous court cases to make a decision on a current case; helps to keep punishments to similar crimes the same
rule of law
the law applies to everyone, even those in government
stare decisis
let the decision stand"; a higher court will keep the same decision as a lower court
judicial review
the Supreme Court can review any federal, state, and local law or action to see if it is constitutional
supremacy
the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land
equal protections
the law is to protect everyone
establishment clause
the clause in the First Amendment of the US Constitution that prohibits the establishment of religion by Congress.
symbolic speech
a symbol used to represent something a person feels is important; it can be offensive to others
right to privacy
the concept that one's personal information is protected from public scrutiny.
representative government
An electoral system where citizens vote to elect people to represent their interests and concerns. Those elected meet to debate and make laws on behalf of the whole community or society, instead of the people voting directly on laws and other debates.