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