A.P. Government
Government, Politics
and the U.S. Constitution
Politics
The process among individuals and
groups to influence the values,
beliefs and policy goals of the
society in their favor.
It is the study of who gets what,
when and how.
Political Activities Include
Identifying and defining a problem
Relating the problem to individual and
group interests
Stating a position on a problem and
proposing a solution
Negotiating and bargaining with rivals
Using third parties to mediate a
settlement
Casting and abiding by majority votes
Building coalitions, working on public
relations
Resources needed to exert
Political Power
Wealth
Control over vote
Prestige
Access to info
Education
Access to decision
Social Class
makers
Personal charisma
Legal authority
Leadership skills
Time
Friends and allies
Intelligence
Communication skills
Bargaining skills
Government
The set of organizations within which
politics take place.
The institutional mechanism for
determining the rules of the contest and
who wins it over time.
Legitimacy of a government can come
from birth (monarchy), power
(dictatorship) and constitutions.
Political Definitions
Power
The ability of 1 person to get another
to act according to their intentions
Authority
The right to use political power
Legitimacy
Political authority conferred by law,
public opinion or constitution
Theories of Government
Divine right- power to rule comes
from God and can not be taken
away
Social Contract- People give power
to one leader in exchange for
protection- you give up some rights
Hobbes
Locke
Hobbes v. Locke
Hobbes
Power to sovereign governing authority
Citizens exchange rights for law and
order
Locke
Government to guarantee rights
Power belongs to the people
Government operates on consent of
people
Locke’s Second Treatise of Gov’t
How does John Locke describe the
state of nature?
Why do men leave the state of
nature and join a political society by
establishing a gov’t?
Purposes of Government
Protect citizens from outsiders and
each other
Provide public goods / services
Defining and promoting equality
Defining and protecting freedom
Defining and maintaining order
Purpose of Constitutions
Outline structure and function of
government
Grant, disperse and limit powers
Set rule of law and limits to the law
Set election structure and processes
Serve as a symbol of the nation
Government Structures
POWER Choices in Government
Anarchy- No government, chaos
Totalitarianism- Government
controls everything – total control
Limited Government - Government
allows individual freedom/choice
Rulers
Autocracy- rule by one
Dictatorship- rule through fear or
force
Monarchy- power is inherited
Absolute monarch- King or Queen
Constitutional monarch- has a King
or Queen but the Parliament runs
the government
Rulers
Oligarchy- rule by a few
Democracy- rule by all
Direct- everyone votes on
everything
Representative- Choose
people to speak on our behalf
Governing Systems
Unitary- national government
rules
Confederation- State government
rules
Federal State- State and national
governments share power
US Government
The United States is a
Representative Democracy
(Democratic Republic) with
a limited Federal System
Principles of Democracy
Individual Rule
Majority
Worth with Minority
Rights
Liberties
Civil
and Rights Rule by Law
Representativ Limited Power
e Government
Foundations of
American Government
Colonistssettled in America looking
for freedom
English colony settled in 1607 in
1st
Jamestown
Charter
Charter is granted to colonists themselves
Governor is elected
Connecticut & Rhode Island
Royal
Direct control by King
Governor appointed by King
Property owners on Council
Proprietary
Land is granted to an individual to run
Maryland, Pennsylvania & Delaware
In response to the Boston Tea Party, these were the
harshest so far of all the Acts passed by Parliament.
The closing of Boston's port alone would cost the
colony (and the American colonies as a whole) a
ton of money.
The Regulating Act was aimed at curtailing
revolutionary activities.
The Quartering Act angered colonists who didn't
want soldiers (especially Redcoats) in their houses.
1st & 2nd Continental Congress were set up
to work out problems with Britain
2nd Continental Congress agreed that there
was no room for compromise
June 1776 Richard Henry Lee of Virginia
proposes declaration of independence from
Great Britain
Limited government
Representative government
Individual freedoms
Rule by law
Approved July 4, 1776
Lists abuses and
usurpations of the King
Government is the
creation of the people
and is meant to serve the
people
Governments must be
bound by their own laws
Articles of Confederation
1781-1789
First written plan
of government for
newly independent
states
Granted too much
power to the
states
Did not provide for
powers needed in
central gov’t
Under the Articles, Congress could…
Borrow or request money from the
states
Declare war
Maintain an army and navy
Make treaties and alliances
Weaknesses of the Articles
could not levy and collect taxes to help
pay for national government
no control over currency
could not regulate trade/commerce
9 states were needed for action; all for an
amendment
there was no executive or judicial power
1 vote per state
1 year term on the legislature
no federal supremacy
Shay’s Rebellion…
Led by Daniel Shays
(veteran of Bunker Hill
and Saratoga)
Angry farmers
demanded courts
close so that farmers
would not lose their
land to creditors
Central government
had no power to stop
them
State militias were
called out to control -
4 killed
Constitutional Convention
74 delegates appointed, 55 attended, 39 signed
(Rhode Island did not attend)
Young, well educated, wealthier
Most had college education, about 1/2 were
lawyers
Ben Franklin was oldest (81)
George Washington chosen to lead
Each state got one vote; majority vote to pass
measures; 7 votes for quorum
Meetings held in secret - no official records
Madison kept most accurate diary – known as
Father of Constitution
Proposals for New Government
Virginia Plan
2 houses, 3 branches
President picked by Congress
Court picked by legislature
Representation by wealth & population
New Jersey Plan
Single house with equal
representation
Plural Executives chosen by
Congress
Court appointed by Congress
The Connecticut Compromise
Bicameral Legislature
Upper House – chosen by states; equal
representation
Lower House – elected by people;
based on population
3/5 Compromise
Slaves count as 3/5 of a person
Representation and Taxation
Ratification of the Constitution
Approval by conventions, not legislatures - in nine
states
Federalists supported ratification; Antifederalists
opposed
By product: Bill of Rights
Lack of Bill of Rights was main objection of
Antifederalists
Federalists promised to add one by amendment
Applied only to the national government
11 states by 1788; all by 1790
New York chosen as capital; Washington as
president
Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty-
Government gets its power from
the consent of the people.
Limited Government- the
government only has the power
that the people give it and is
bound by the powers given to
them in the Constitution.
Separation of Powers- the national
government is divided into three
branches so that no branch has more
power than it should.
Checks and
Balances-
each branch
is given
powers over
the other
branches to
balance the
power.
Judicial Review- the
Supreme Court has the power
to determine if a law is
unconstitutional.
National Supremacy- if a
state and federal law
contradict, then the federal
law wins.
Federalism- governmental
power is divided between
national and state powers.
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Changing the Constitution
Changed 27 times by the rules
Step 1: Proposal
2/3 of Congress
2/3 of Constitutional Convention
Step 2: Ratification
3/4 of state legislatures
3/4 of state conventions