Direct Democracy (Greeks)
A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives
Republicanism and Civic virtue
the idea that people elect leaders to a governing body of citizens
Magna Carta
defined the rights and duties of English nobles and set limits on the monarch's power. rule of law: made it clear that all people, including the monarch, were subject to the rule of law.
Petition of Right
prohibited arbitrary arrests and the quartering of troops in private homes without the owners' consent. The Petition of Right underscored the principle of limited government by affirming that the king's power was not absolute.
English Bill of Rights
1689 reaffirmed the principle of individual rights established in the Magna Carta and the Petition of Right. New individual rights guaranteed to British subjects included the right to petition the king, the right to bear arms, and freedom from cruel and u
John Locke, natural rights, social contract
+rights that all people have by virtue of being human. These rights include the right to life itself, to liberty, and to the ownership of property produced or gained through one's own labors.
+exchanged some of their freedom for the protection of governme
Thomas Hobbes nature of man
Hobbes believed that human beings naturally desire the power to live well and that they will never be satisfied with the power they have without acquiring more power.
Montesquieu and separation of powers
each branch would act to limit the power of the other branches
Rousseau - Sovereignty of the people
the general will of the people.
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
lack of power to tax, intentionally weak
In response to widespread antipathy toward a strong central government, the Articles of Confederation kept national government weak and allowed for the states to be as independent as possible.
Confederate System
A system of government with a very weak central government and strong states.
the great compromise
congress has the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce, but couldn't tax imports and couldn't outlaw slavery
3/5 Compromise
the ideal of equality; a slave was to be counted as 3/5s of all free people
Anti-Federalists cons
+ feared increased powers to tax
+feared tyranny
+didnt represent the people and their rights
+
Federalists pros
+Greater flexibility in meeting local needs
+Diff regions have own Laws
+limits power of central gov
Three parts of the Constitution
Preamble, Articles, Amendments
Preamble
Introduction to the Constitution
Bill of Rights
the first 10 amendments to the Constitution; ratified in 1791
Articles
lay out the basic structure of national gov
expressed powers
powers directly stated in the constitution
delegate and enumerated
counties
Provide gov services to rural residences
federalism prevents tyranny
Division of power
+Difficult for a misguided majority to trample the rights of a minority
two types of state courts
trial and Appeal
Trial courts
handle cases involving citizens
Appeal court
Requests to be reviewed to reverse decisions
goss v lopez
Lopez appealed his conviction the grounds that Congress lacked Power to regulate gun possession
State constitution amended
Proposed by 3/4s or citizens can petition for public vote
intersate commerce vs intrastate
INTER-TRADE AMONGS STATES
INTRA- TRADE WITHIN STATES
Every state gov must have
A republican form of gov
concurrent powers vs shared powers
concurrent-COLLECT TAXES, PUBLIC SAFTEY&PUBLIC HEALTH, COURT
Reserved- ELECTIONS, LOCAL GOVS, INTRASTATE
County Officials
County Commissioners, County Judge, County Sheriff, County Attorney
Benefits of Federalism
+Protects against tyranny
+unity
+Participation
drawbacks of federalism
+Lack of consistency
+different laws within states
+tensions bet state and fed
political socialization
the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions
6 factors of political socialization
1:news&media
2: family
3: school
4: religion
5: peer groups
6: gender/ethnicity
What is public opinion?
citizens' attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events