Exam 1 Study Guide- POLS 1101: American
Government |63 Questions and Answers
What does it mean for a government to be a republic? - -A form of government in which
power is explicitly vested in the people, who in turn exercise their power through elected
representatives.
-What are the 5 liberties guaranteed by the 1st Amendment? - -Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press
Freedom to Assemble
Freedom to Redress the Government
-What are the differences between a unitary, confederal, and federal government? - -
Unitary- Central Government holds most of the power.
Federal- Good Balance of power between state and central government.
Confederal- Weak Central Government, and the States holds must of the power.
--What was the name given to those who favored strong state governments during the
debate over ratifying
the Constitution? - -Anti-Federalist
--What is new federalism and which president was its primary advocate? - -New
federalism is a return to dual federalism a attempt created by President Ronald Reagan.
Dual Federalism involves the state exercising their power without the federal government
interfering in affairs.
--What is the Articles of Confederation and what were the problems with it? - -The Articles
of Confederation is a form of government set in place by 13 states of the U.S. in 1777. in
There were many weaknesses under the Articles of Confederation. Congress had trouble
passing laws due to the fact that 9 of the 13 states had to agree before any laws could be
passed. Since there was no president or an executive branch, there was no way to make
sure that laws passed by Congress were carried out. There were no courts to interpret laws
or to judge those that broke them because a national court system did not exist. To make
matters worse, changing the Articles of Confederation was nearly impossible. A unanimous
vote of all 13 states were required before any changes could be made.
--What is limited government and how do federalism, republicanism, the separation of
powers, and the
system of checks and balances limit government activity (that is, how does the American
political system
, seek to limit a "tyranny of the majority")? - -(Republicanism) is one possible ideology of
governing a society or state as a republic. The key point is that the people hold popular
sovereignty, rather than the people being subjects of a king.
-Which were the Civil War (aka the Reconstruction) Amendments and what did they do? -
-( 13, 14, 15th ) The Reconstruction Amendments are the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and
Fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, adopted between 1865 and 1870,
the five years immediately following the Civil War
The 13th Amendment banned slavery and all involuntary servitude, except in the case of
punishment for a crime.
The 14th Amendment defined a citizen as any person born in or naturalized in the U.S.,
overturning the Dredd Scott V. Sandford (1857) Supreme Court ruling stating that Black
people were not eligible for citizenship.
The 15th Amendment prohibited governments from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote
based on race, color, or past servitude.
-What is the Lemon Test? What are the three prongs of the Lemon Test? - -First, the
statute (law) must have a secular legislative purpose;
second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits
religion;
finally, the statute must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.
-The U.S. has gone through a few distinct periods of federalism. What are they? - -a. Dual
Federalism: functions of the state and national government remained largely separate
b. Cooperative Federalism: new programs of the "New Deal" require cooperation across all
levels of government
c. Regulated Federalism: national government further intervened in state government
decision-making by threatening to withhold federal grants for specific purposes
d. New Federalism: reflects the return of administrative powers to the state governments
-What are grants-in-aid? How do they fit into the practice of coercive/creative federalism?
- -funds given by congress to state and local governments
--What effect did the Great Depression have on federalism in the United States? - -The Gov.
went from Dual Federalism to Cooperative Federalism.
--What are the different terms of office for Congress, the Presidency, and the Courts? - -
Congress -2 Years
Government |63 Questions and Answers
What does it mean for a government to be a republic? - -A form of government in which
power is explicitly vested in the people, who in turn exercise their power through elected
representatives.
-What are the 5 liberties guaranteed by the 1st Amendment? - -Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press
Freedom to Assemble
Freedom to Redress the Government
-What are the differences between a unitary, confederal, and federal government? - -
Unitary- Central Government holds most of the power.
Federal- Good Balance of power between state and central government.
Confederal- Weak Central Government, and the States holds must of the power.
--What was the name given to those who favored strong state governments during the
debate over ratifying
the Constitution? - -Anti-Federalist
--What is new federalism and which president was its primary advocate? - -New
federalism is a return to dual federalism a attempt created by President Ronald Reagan.
Dual Federalism involves the state exercising their power without the federal government
interfering in affairs.
--What is the Articles of Confederation and what were the problems with it? - -The Articles
of Confederation is a form of government set in place by 13 states of the U.S. in 1777. in
There were many weaknesses under the Articles of Confederation. Congress had trouble
passing laws due to the fact that 9 of the 13 states had to agree before any laws could be
passed. Since there was no president or an executive branch, there was no way to make
sure that laws passed by Congress were carried out. There were no courts to interpret laws
or to judge those that broke them because a national court system did not exist. To make
matters worse, changing the Articles of Confederation was nearly impossible. A unanimous
vote of all 13 states were required before any changes could be made.
--What is limited government and how do federalism, republicanism, the separation of
powers, and the
system of checks and balances limit government activity (that is, how does the American
political system
, seek to limit a "tyranny of the majority")? - -(Republicanism) is one possible ideology of
governing a society or state as a republic. The key point is that the people hold popular
sovereignty, rather than the people being subjects of a king.
-Which were the Civil War (aka the Reconstruction) Amendments and what did they do? -
-( 13, 14, 15th ) The Reconstruction Amendments are the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and
Fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, adopted between 1865 and 1870,
the five years immediately following the Civil War
The 13th Amendment banned slavery and all involuntary servitude, except in the case of
punishment for a crime.
The 14th Amendment defined a citizen as any person born in or naturalized in the U.S.,
overturning the Dredd Scott V. Sandford (1857) Supreme Court ruling stating that Black
people were not eligible for citizenship.
The 15th Amendment prohibited governments from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote
based on race, color, or past servitude.
-What is the Lemon Test? What are the three prongs of the Lemon Test? - -First, the
statute (law) must have a secular legislative purpose;
second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits
religion;
finally, the statute must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.
-The U.S. has gone through a few distinct periods of federalism. What are they? - -a. Dual
Federalism: functions of the state and national government remained largely separate
b. Cooperative Federalism: new programs of the "New Deal" require cooperation across all
levels of government
c. Regulated Federalism: national government further intervened in state government
decision-making by threatening to withhold federal grants for specific purposes
d. New Federalism: reflects the return of administrative powers to the state governments
-What are grants-in-aid? How do they fit into the practice of coercive/creative federalism?
- -funds given by congress to state and local governments
--What effect did the Great Depression have on federalism in the United States? - -The Gov.
went from Dual Federalism to Cooperative Federalism.
--What are the different terms of office for Congress, the Presidency, and the Courts? - -
Congress -2 Years
