Ch1-3

Think politically CH1

Political thinking

Critical thinking focus on deciding what can reasonably be believed

Using this information to make political judgement

Enable citizen act responsibly

Voting

Forming opinion

Political issue

Contributing to political cause

Responsible citizenship

What makes democracy

Liberates individual

Provides opportunity

frees them to make choices

Obstacles to political Thinking

Unwillingness of citizen

Media consumption

Make effort

Self-inform

Counterproductive

Modern communication

Less trust worthy

Misinformation spreads easy

Political leaders "spin" messages

Research show fault perception becoming more prevalent

Political science

The study of government and politics

Increase one's ability to think politically

Reliable information about the U.S. political system operates

Systematic generalizations about major tendencies in American politics

Terms and concepts that precisely describe key aspects of politics

Political culture

Widely shared and deep-seated beliefs of a country's people about politics

Americans' core ideals are rooted in European heritage of the first white settlers

Derived from a country's traditions

Defines the relationship between citizens and government

Decade later drafted the Constitution of United States

Leaders would be required to govern within a set of rules designed to protect people's rights and interests

Core values

Liberty

Individualism

Equality

Self-Government

Principle that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on that freedom and well-being of others

The notion that all individuals are equal in their moral worth and thereby entitled to equal treatment under the law

Commitment to personal initiative and self-sufficiency

The principle that the people are the ultimate source of governing authority and should have a voice in their governing

Limits and power of Americans' ideals

Slavery

Perplexing ideal in the early years of the nation, when some were free while others were enslaved

Differing opinions on the meaning of equality persist

American colonials had substantial self-determination

Vision of a self-governing nation with “powers from the consent of the governed”

Post-slavery "Jim Crow" era

Racial immigration and property restrictions

1619 1st black slaves brought in America

Lasted 250 years

Legal segregation

1923 permanent ban on Chinese immigreation

Prohibiting individuals of Japanese descent from purchasing property in state

1965 discrimination against Asians eliminated from U.S. immigration laws

Politics and power in America

Politics

Power

Authoritarian and totalitarian goverments

The means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costs

The ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developments

Nondemocratic, repressive regime types

A Democratic System

Democracy

A system in which the people govern, by direct or representative means

In practice, it has come to mean majority rule through the free and open election of representatives

Majoritarianism

The majority effectively determines what government does

Competition between Republican and Democratic parties

Different from oligarchy

Controls rests with a small group, such as top-ranking military officers or a few wealthy families

Autocracy

Control rests with a single individual such as king or dictator

Pluralism

Authority

The preferences of special interests largely determine what government does

The recognized right of officials to exercise power

In contrast, authoritarian governments repress opposition through intimidation, restriction of rights, and even imprisonment and physical abuse

Authoritative decision

Response to power asserted by the majority or special interests

Constitutional System

Constitutionalism

The idea that there are lawful restrictions on government’s power

Restraints on the power of the majority

Legal action

Of the courts as a means of asserting rights and interests

The use Channel through which ordinary citizens can exercise power

In democracy

Votes of majority prevail over the minority

Free-Market System

A system that operates mainly on private transactions

Tax rates are much lower in the U.S. than in European countries

Some government intervention through regulatory, taxing, and spending policies

Corporate power

The influence business firms have on public policy

Elitism

The power exercised by well-positioned and highly influential individuals

Democratic

A system of majority rule through elections; empowers majorities (majoritarianism), groups (pluralism), and officials (authority)

Constitutional

A system based on rule of law, including legal protections for individuals; empowers individuals by enabling them to claim their rights in court (legal action)

Free market

An economic system that centers on the transactions between private parties; empowers business firms (corporate power) and the wealthy (elitism)

Constitutional Democracy Ch2

Framers

Sought to create a limited government

One that is subject to strict legal limits on the uses of power

Would not threaten the people's liberty

Sought to establish a system of representative government

Which the people would govern through the selection of their representatives

Timeline

1765

1770

1772

1774

1775

1776

1777

1787

1788

Samuel Adams convinces colonists to prepare a list of grevances

Boston Massacre "Incident of King Street"

Committee of Correspondence

1st Continental of Correspondence

Mass. Olive Branch Petition

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense pamphlet John Locke’s Social Contract theory Declaration of Independence (motion made by Richard Henry Lee, of Va. to sever connection with Great Britain)

Colonist asked

Their own councils

End of British military occupation

Guarantee of trial by local juries

Colonists met in Philadelphia to formulate their demands on Britain

King George III rejected their demands

British troopsand Massachusetts minutemen clashed at Lexington and Concord

American Revolution had begun

The Declaration of Independence

click to edit

The Articles of Confederation

Constitution

Fundamental law that defines how a government will legitimately operate

Method of choosing leaders

It is the highest law of the land

1st government of the U.S.

Created a very weak national government

Each state retained its full "sovereignty, freedom, and independence."

Colonies been governed separately

No judiciary and no independent executive

Articles of Confederation drafted by the colonies

Framers write the Constitution (Second Continental Congress)

First Congress convenes under the new Constitution

Constitution adopted/ratified (signed)

Prohibited congress from levying taxes

Have to ask the states for money

Slow to arrive, if it arrived at all

National government

Desperate for funds end up selling navy's ships and cut army to less than 1,000 soldiers