American Government Honors Final Study Guide

American Government Final Study Guide
Constitution-the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles,structures,and processes of a government.
Preamble-the broad purposes the Constitution it is intended to serve
*to establish a government that provides for greater cooperation among the States,ensures justice and peace,provides for defense against foreign enemies promotes the general well-being of the people,and secures liberty now and in the future.The phrase “We The People”emphasizes the twin concepts of popular sovereignty and of representative government.
Legislative – power to make laws and to frame public policies
Executive – power to execute, enforce, and administer law
Judicial – power to interpret laws, determine meaning of laws, and to settle disputes that arise within the society
State-a body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically (government), and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority
Every state in the world possesses four characteristics, each of which may vary widely from state to state.
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government
Large or small, every state must be inhabited – that is, have a population.
Every state must have land, with known and recognized borders.
The state has absolute power within its territory. It can decide its own foreign and domestic policies.
Government is the mechanism through which a state makes and enforces its policies.
Government-the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies
Democracy-supreme political authority rests with the people.
Direct (Pure)
Indirect (Representative)
Occurs when the will of the people is translated into laws directly by the people.
Works only on a small, local level.
A group of person chosen by the people to express the will of the people.
Widely used on a national, State, and local level.
Example: Town meetings
Example: Legislator votes
Dictatorship-exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people.
Oligarchy
Autocracy
Government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.
Government in which a single person holds unlimited power.
Example: Soviet Union (Communist Party)
Example: Hitler

Distribution of Power
Power can be distributed between central (national) and local governments in three different ways.
Federal Government -U.S.A
Confederate Government–Confederate Army
Unitary Government-Great Britain

Central Local Local

Central

Central

Local
Powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments.
The National government and the State are co-equal partners in the federal system.
Is an alliance of independent states
Most power belongs to the local (regional) governments. The central government has only limited power.
All powers held by the government belong to a single, central government
Power resides with the central government, which creates local governments.
Most common form of government.

Parliamentary
Executive branch is made up of the prime minister or premier
Prime minister and cabinet members are a part of the legislative branch
The chief executive is chosen by the leading party in the legislature.
Example: Costa Rica
Presidential
Separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.
Branches are independent of one another, but coequal.
Chief executive is chosen independently of the legislature.
Example: USA
Limited Government-basic principle of American government which states that government is restricted in what it may do and each individual has rights that government cannot take away
Representative Government-system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable in periodic elections.
Ordered Government-orderly regulation of relationships between states or colonist, to organize an government.
Petition of Rights-the document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles (1st) of England 1682;challenged the idea of the divine right of kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land.
Federalist-favored the ratification of the constitution (old constitution-new constitution)
People-Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
Reasons-Articles are too weak, Need for a stronger national government
Anti-Federalist –opposed the ratification of the constitution (old constitution- new constitution)
People-Patrick Henry, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams
Reasons-States can’t print money, national government is too powerful, Bill of rights
Magna Carta- Great Charter forced upon King John of England by his barons in 1215; established that the power of the monarchy was not absolute and guaranteed trial by the jury and due process of law to the nobility.

Bicameral Legislature-a legislature made up of 2 houses
Uni-Cameral-a legislature made up of 1 house
Bill of Rights-first ten rights in the Constitution
Elastic Clause-Article 1 Section 8,Clause 18- stretched overtime for so many different situations: 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.
Delegated Powers – is only those powers delegated (granted) to “The National Government” in the Constitution.

Expressed Powers
Actually written into the Constitution.
Article I, Section 8 (27 powers expressed to Congress)
Example: Commerce power Implied Powers
Powers are not stated in the Constitution but drawn from the expressed powers. Based on the expressed power to regulate commerce, Congress can set the minimum wage for hourly workers Inherent Powers
Powers are those that belong to all sovereign nations – for example, the power to control a nation’s border Date
Congressional elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year.

Reserved Powers- those powers that the Constitution does not grant to the National Government
Examples: Marriage Laws and Drinking Age

National Powers
Concurrent Powers
State Powers Coin Money Regulate interstate and foreign trade Raise and maintain armed forces Declare war Govern U.S. territories and admit new states Conduct foreign relations Levy and collect taxes Borrow money Establish courts Define crimes and set punishments Claim private property for public use Regulate trade and business within the states Establish public schools Pass license requirements for professionals Regulate alcoholic beverages Conduct elections Establish local governments

Supremacy Clause-Trump-State vs. City: State Wins
Off Year Elections- Congressional elections that occur in nonpresidential years-between presidential elections.
Term-two-year period of time during which Congress meets
2 years long
Starts on January 3rd of every odd numbered year
Session- a period of time during which each year, congress assembles and conducts business
2 sessions of each term of Congress (1 session each year)
Veto- chief’s executive’s power to reject a bill passed by a legislature
Jurisdiction-the authority of a court to hear a case.