Mayflower Compact
(In the Mayflower Compact, the colonists agreed to live under the colony's recognized authority and to wait for a royal charter.)
(... [Show More] The Mayflower Compact demonstrates the emergence of two enduring principles important to the American political system: a willingness to live under the rule of law, and a government run by the consent of the governed.)
What was Plymouth Colony's first governing document?
Magna Carta
What 1215 document set limits on the English monarch's powers and helped make the U.S. Constitution possible?
Sovereign Nation
(In other words, no other country or entity has control over the U.S. This means that each state government is also a sovereign entity.)
The U.S. was formed, and continues to operate as what type of nation?
Second Continental Congress
Which body of colonial leaders devised the Articles of Confederation?
Articles of Confederation
(States could simply refuse to send troops to meet a national need. This was one of the many reasons the central government under the Articles was deemed too weak.)
Which document empowered the government to declare war, regulate coinage and Indian affairs, create and operate a postal system, but did not grant the government power to draft soldiers for national service?
Constitution
(Early leaders set out to amend the Articles but quickly decided to throw them out and compose a new document—the U.S. Constitution. This improved plan granted additional powers to the federal government while reserving certain powers for the states.)
(Most of the Constitution's framers feared a "mobocracy" (rule by the mob). Thus, they established an indirect democracy.)
Which document sought to correct the problems caused by the Article of Confederation's limitations on the powers of the national government?
English Bill of Rights
(The English Bill of Rights guaranteed liberties such as freedom of speech and protection from cruel or unusual punishment. The promise of the inclusion of a Bill of Rights assured those who opposed the original document that the nation was willing to affirm civil liberties, thus making ratification of the Constitution possible.)
As a condition for the ratification of the Constitution, those who argued for a list of assured individual liberties drew inspiration from which document?
James Madison
(Madison—who had initially opposed the Bill of Rights—eventually co-authored amendments to protect minority rights. Women, racial minorities, and those without a certain level of property, however, had fewer rights under the Constitution than property-owning white males.)
While framing the Constitution, [this man] sought to limit the influence of factions (interest groups) and prevent them from putting their interests ahead of national interests.
The Federalist Papers
(The Federalist)
(The Federalist Papers were written to promote the ratification of the Constitution. They have been called "the most penetrating commentary ever written on the Constitution.")
Under the pen name "Publius," Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote what series of papers?
The Anti-Federalist Papers
What collection of works was written in opposition to the ratification of the Constitution?
Common Sense
In what pamphlet did author Thomas Paine advocate independence from Great Britain?
Two Treatises of Government
(The treatises were highly influential on American revolutionaries and also on those who framed the Constitution.)
In [these works], author John Locke attacked patriarchalism and outlined his ideas for a more civilized society based on natural rights and contract theory.
John Locke
(Locke's works were a huge influence on the framing of the Constitution.)
Which English philosopher's words are used almost verbatim in the Declaration of Independence?
Montesquieu
Which philosopher's "Spirit of the Laws" regarding checks and balances and a separation of powers had the biggest influence on the framing of the Constitution?
Democratic Republican, Federalist
(Led by Alexander Hamilton, the Federalists supported giving power to a central government. In contrast, the Democratic Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, preferred to assign power to the states.)
Which two political parties were the first to emerge in the U.S.? (D, F)
Democratic Party, Whig Party
In the election of 1824, Andrew Jackson's supporters were angry because Jackson had won more popular votes than his opponent, John Quincy Adams. This would eventually lead Jackson's supporters to call themselves [this party], and Jackson's enemies to call themselves [this party].
Slavery
What issue ultimately destroyed the Whig/Democrat party system?
Republican Party
(Southern Democrats, however, supported slavery and threatened to leave the Union. In the South, many Whigs joined the Democrats even though they disagreed with Democrats on many economic issues. In short, issues surrounding race and preserving the Union trumped economic issues.)
In the 1830s, many Northern Democrats who opposed slavery joined [this party] which was forming around the cause for abolition.
Spoils System
(The spoils system led to pervasive patronage - the giving of political jobs in exchange for help with elections. This led to widespread corruption. The Pendleton Act began the process of significantly reducing patronage in the federal government by instituting a selection process based on merit.)
Before reforms were put in place, what allowed political victors to give jobs to friends and supporters in the 1800s?
Nullification
What political theory claimed that the states had the right to nullify within their boundaries the laws that, in their view, were unconstitutional?
Progressivism
(Under President Woodrow Wilson, the Democrats became receptive to government action in the economy.)
(While there are some exceptions, for the most part, the party that controls Congress is the president's opposing party. This trend has continued for over fifty years.)
Following the Civil War, what push for reform in all areas of society changed the political system?
Twenty-Five
(A candidate must also have been a U.S. citizen for seven years, and must reside in the state from which they are chosen. House members are elected every two years.)
(Senators are elected every six years, must be at least thirty years old, have been a U.S. citizen for nine years, and must reside in the state from which they are chosen.)
What is the minimum age a candidate must be in order to run for a seat in the House of Representatives?
Electors, Electoral College
(The original thirteen colonies were used to operating on their own. This meant the colonies were largely unfamiliar with the political leaders of other colonies. The founding fathers developed our current political system to combat this problem, but only white, land-owning men could vote at the time. This meant that presidential candidates only needed to campaign to people like themselves.)
When electing the president, the states choose _______, or voting representatives. These representatives are collectively known as the _________ _______.
4, 2, 6
(Members of the House of Representative are elected every two years, the point being to keep them close to the concerns of their constituents. Senators are elected every six years, and as a result, should be able to operate at a greater distance from their constituents' immediate and sometimes passing concerns.)
Presidents are elected every __ years, representatives every __ years, and senators every __ years. [Show Less]
