Federalism
Define the main idea of power distribution of Federalism?
Federal and State governments have overlapping/share powers. But, federal government's power is superior to the state's.
Give an example of a checks and balance?
President appoints a new supreme court judge and Congress approves it
Congress passes a law and Supreme court decides if its constitutional or not
What is revenue sharing?
When the government shares some of its tax income with other units of government. Ex: Federal to State or State to Local
What is the social contract theory?
John Locke's theory: government was created through the consent of the people and ruled by the majority
What is popular sovereignty?
A government based on the consent of the people. its authority comes from the people.
What was the biggest debate between the Federalist and Anti-Federalist?
The strength and power of the central government
What are concurrent powers?
Both federal and state governments hold the power
What is a categorical grant? What is an example of what you would receive this grant for?
It is a federal grant for a specific purpose defined by federal law. Ex: Special Ed Program, building an airport, Medicaid, Education Program, etc.
What is the Commerce Clause?
Congress has the power to regulate interstate trade between states and foreign nations.
What is the Due Process and Equal Protection Clause?
The Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause requires the United States government to practice equal protection.
The Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause requires states to practice equal protection.
What are the three biggest weaknesses of the Articles of Confedration?
1. A weak central government
2. No power to tax, no revenue raised
3. States had all the control, wasn't completely unified
4. Unicameral Legislature
What are exclusive powers?
Powers reserved specifically for the state or federal governments
What are Grants-in-aid?
Money given by the national government to the states
What is the supremacy clause?
Established in the Constitution, that all laws and treaties made by the federal government are the supreme law of the land.
What is a pluralist democracy?
A form of democracy that emphasizes the role of interest groups in advocating for public policy
What was the main argument of Federalist 10?
That a republic government suppresses factionalism
How would you describe reserved powers for state governments?
Powers that are not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution therefore are given to the state.
What are land grant programs?
Land grants made by the national government to the states in order to finance education. State Universities were built with the proceeds from the sale of land grants.
What is the 10th Amendment?
Any powers that are not specifically given to the federal government, nor withheld from the states, are reserved to those respective states, or to the people at large.
What happened at Shay's Rebellion?
In 1787, a group of ex-Revolutionary soldiers and officers start a Rebellion to prevent foreclosure of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes
Named after one of the officers, Daniel Shay, who led the rebellion
Tried to close the banks to prevent the foreclosures
Tried to storm the state arsenal to acquire weapons
Showed the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and called for a convention to rewrite the Articles.
How did Brutus 1 an example of anti-federalist stance?
It believed a centralized government posed a giant threat to individual liberties and that small republics are better for a stable government.
What is the federal government's role in interstate commerce?
Their role has been expanded through the interstate commerce clause, which allows the government to regulate transportation of goods between states as well as with Foreign nations.
What is the difference between Mandates and Conditions of aid?
Mandates are terms set by the national gov that states must meet whether or not they accept federal funds.
Conditions of aid are terms set by the national gov that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause
Allows congress the ability to make laws or to act where the constitution doesn't give it authority to act.
Describe McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
James McCulloch was the cashier for a Baltimore branch of the Bank of the United States.
Since it was a federal bank, he refused to pay a Maryland state tax that was levied onto the bank. He was convicted by the state courts on failing to pay the tax.
McCulloch appealed it all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court answered two questions that expanded and established the powers of Congress and the Federal Court.
McCulloch and the federal government won.