JENKINS SOCIAL STUDIES - Home



AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: KEY TERMSUnit 1 – FoundationsImageDefinitionSignificanceMagna CartaDocument signed in 1215 by King JohnCreates ‘rule of law’King is not above lawRenews nobles’ allegiance to kingPetition of RightsDocument signed in 1628 by King Charles IKing & Parliament share power Begins checks and balancesEnglish Bill of RightsDocument signed in 1689 by William & MaryFreedom of speech – male citizensLimited monarchyThomas HobbesEnlightenment Philosopher Believed in absolute monarchyThought people basically evil – needed government to tell them what to doLeviathanBook written by Thomas HobbesSaid government should be like a ‘sea monster’ and control its subjectsJohn LockeEnlightenment Philosopher Father of democratic traditionSaid govt had ‘social contract’ with its peopleIf govt did not protect people, its people could rebelSecond Treatise on GovernmentBookWritten by John LockePeople have to give up some natural rights to live together in a societySocial Contract TheoryTheory that govt and people have a contractChallenged Divine Right TheoryRule of LawConcept that no one is above the law (even king)New way of thinking – 1st time in historyLimited GovernmentConcept that govt should not be concentrated in one areaGroups should share leadershipDeclaration of IndependenceDocument that stated colonies were free from EnglandBegins new govt & country - USUnit 2 – Constitution6 Principles of Constitution:ImageWhat they areWhy they are imptSeparation of powerssystem of diving btwn diff branches of govtDon’t want one group more powerful than anotherChecks & balanceseach branch keeps others from being too powerfulWant to make sure each branch is following its job (no one in charge – but still efficient)Popular sovereigntypeople are source of govt powerPeople make the govt – without people’s ‘consent’ (approval), there is no govtJudicial reviewCts have power to declare laws & actions of Cong & pres uncons (Marbury vs Madison 1803)Supreme court can review Congress’s laws to make sure they fit ConstitutionLimited governmentConst lists the power the govt has & describes the powers it does not haveGovt is not ‘all-powerful’ Federalism: system in which power divided btwn state & nat govtsStates share power w national govtPreamble to Constitution:ImageWhat that meantWhy they were addedWe the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, In order to make a better countryArticles of Confederation did not make an efficient, united countryestablish Justice, we will make a court systemEngland did not follow a dues process of law at timesinsure domestic Tranquility, make sure the country is at peace between all the statesDidn’t want ‘in-fighting’ btwn statesprovide for the common defense,?make a military Needed to unite as a group against other countries for protection (not work separately)promote the general Welfare, allow people to voteEngland had not allowed for thisand secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, give freedoms to ourselves and our future generationsUS based on personal freedom from govt tyrannydo ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.by writing this Constitution.Change from Articles of Confederation Articles of Constitution:ImageWhat they areArticle #1:Legislative branchArticle #2:Executive branchArticle #3:Judicial branchArticle #4:Relations among statesArticle #5:Amendment processArticle #6:Supremacy clauseArticle #7:RatificationAmendments 1-10: Bill of RightsImageWhat they areWhy they are impt1st 5 basic freedoms (speech, religion, assembly, press, petition) we can express ourselves, but we do not want to hurt anyone2ndright to bear arms(you can own a gun) – you can defend yourself, cop cannot take it – can check for serial # to see if it matches the guy’s gun license3rdsoldiers do not have to be housed in citizens’ homespolice/military does not have right to come into our house & tell us what do do4thcannot search wo a warrant (piece of paper)SRO cannot search bag; unless probable cause – witness; teachers can have ‘reasonable suspicion’5thdo not have to self-incriminate‘no comment’, but SRO can still charge6thspeedy trialright to go in front of judge in 30 days; 72 hrs – if they are transported to YDC; also – no ‘double jeopardy’ – can’t charge someone twice7thTrial by juryYour peers can judge you8th no excessive bail SRO/cops cannot demand money from you; no ‘cruel & unusual punishment’9thhuman rights people have rights10thStates’ rightsStates have rights as wellUnit 3: Legislative BranchImageWho they areCurrent OfficialPresident of SenateVP of the United StatesDem. Joe BidenPresident Pro TemporeStands as president of Senate when the VP isn’t thereRep. Orrin HatchSpeaker of the Housepresiding officer of the chamberRep. John BoehnerMajority Leader - Housethe speaker’s top assistant and the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives.Rep. Kevin McCarthyMinority Leader - HouseLeader of the minority party and head of the minority party in the House of Representatives.Dem. Nancy PelosiMajority Whip - Senatethe majority whip is responsible for helping members of their party “whip” up the votes and vote on the party’s policies.Rep. Steve ScaliseMinority Whip - Senatea person in the legislature who assists the party leader with keeping the votes and ensuring everyone attends important votes.Dem. Steny HoyerCommittees Chairthe person who presides over the committeesVaries (10+)Education, environment, healthcare, etcMajority Leader – Senatehead of the majority party in the SenateRep. Mitch McConnell Minority Leader - Senate head of the minority party in the SenateDem. Harry ReidGroups of PeopleImageWho they areSenateOne ‘house’ of Congress100 members 2 from each stateHouse of RepresentativesAnother ‘house’ of Congress 435 members totalNumber of members based on the population of each stateSpecial Interest GroupsA group of people who organize together because they have common goalsLegislative CommitteesImageWho they areCommitteesGroup of people chosen to do a specific taskStanding committeea permanent committee in Congress that looks over bills dealing with specific topics.SubcommitteesA group within a standing committee that focuses on a subcategory within the standing committee’s topicJoint Committeesa committee of the House and Senate that is a study group that reports back to both the House and SenateConference Committeesa temporary joint committee set up after the House and Senate pass two versions of the same billPolitical Action Committeesan organization that collects money to provide financial support to political candidatesLegislative PowersImageDefinitionExampleEnumerated (delegated) PowersPowers the Constitution gives to the national government(Art. 1, Sec. 8, 1-18)Powers in the ConstitutionRegulate tradeCoin $$Provide an armyConduct foreign affairsImplied (inherent) Powers powers that a government must have simply to governPowers not in Constitution, but that have to be done from Necessary & Proper ClauseCollect taxesDenied powerspowers denied to the national governmentPowers Congress does not haveSuspending habeas corpusPassing ex-post-facto lawsTaxing exported state goodsTaking $$ wo Appropriations billIdeas/ConceptsImageDefinitionBicameralTwo-house legislature(‘House’ just means group)Gerrymanderingto draw a boundary for a districtso that an advantage in elections is gainedVetorejecting of a billPocket Vetowhen the president rejects a bill passed in the last 10 days by simply refusing to act on itLobbyingContact made by Lobbyists to the government officials so that they will support their interest group’s ideasLegislationImageWho they are1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying ActRequires that the lobbyists and their groups they represent register and report all of their contributions and expendituresUnit 5: Judicial BranchTypes of peopleImageDefinitionWhat that meansLitigant169989568961000Person engaged in a lawsuitSued person10261602603500PlaintiffPerson who brings charges in courtPerson who is suingProsecutionTeam making the accusationPerson suing & lawyerDefenseTeam accused of the crimePerson being sued & lawyerMagistrateA civil officer in charge of the administration of lawJudgeGroups of PeopleImageDefinitionWhat that meansGrand juryGroup that hears charges against a suspect and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the person to trialGroup that decides if a trial is neededJuryA group of citizens who hear evidence during a trial and give a verdictGroup that hears case & decides verdict (guilty or not)DocumentsImageDefinitionWhat that meansAmicus curiaeWritten brief from an individual or group claiming to have information useful to a court’s consideration of a caseWritten submission of having useful evidenceBriefWritten statement setting forth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a caseSummary of one side of argumentsWrit of CertiorariAn order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for reviewRequest from Supreme Court to lower courts for recordsWrit of habeas corpusRequiring a person to be brought before a courtUsed as a protection against illegal imprisonmentDecides if person is legally in jailPer curium opinionA brief, unsigned statement of a Supreme Court decisionDecision of court caseIndictmentA formal charge by a grand juryFormal charge of a crimeTypes of CrimesImageDefinitionWhat that meansMisdemeanorA civil officer in charge of the administration of lawMinor crimeFelonyA major crimeMajor crimeWhite collar crimeCrimes that involve businesses such as embezzlement, fraud, or stealing office equipmentBusiness crimeCapital crimesSerious crimes including murder, rape, and robberyKilling, rape, stealing crimeTypes of CourtsImageDefinitionWhat that meansFederal Court SystemSystem of state and national courts operating at the same timeAll of the US courtsSupreme CourtThe highest court in the USMost important US courtCourt rulingsImageDefinitionWhat that meansDissenting opinionThe opinion expressed by a minority of justices in a Supreme Court caseMinority opinionJudicial ActionsImageDefinitionWhat that meansAppealA formal question as to the correctness of a ruling by a presiding officerAsking another court to review a rulingArraignmentTo bring a person before a court to answer an indictmentFormally asking a defendant for a pleaIncarcerationTo confine or imprisonThe act of putting someone in jailInsanity pleaA pledge that the defendant is innocent due to mental incompetence at the timeDefense that person was not mentally stablePlea bargainDefendant pleads guilty to lesser crime than the one chargedPerson admits one thing in exchange for not admitting to something elseJudicial activismThe philosophy that the Supreme Court should play an active role in shaping national policies by addressing social and political issuesBelief that judicial branch should influence societyJudicial restraintThe philosophy that the Supreme Court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questionsBelief that judicial branch should NOT influence societyIdeas/ConceptsImageDefinitionWhat that meansBailProperty or money given as surety that a person released from custody will return at an appointed timeMoney used to get out of jailDouble jeopardyRetrial of a person who was acquitted in a previous trial for the same crimeTrying a person a second time for the same crime (illegal)Due processPrinciple in the 5th amendment stating that the government must use proper constitutional procedures in trials and in other actions it takes against individualsGovt must follow rules in Constitution against accused peopleEstablishment clause5th amendment guarantee that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion’Govt cannot tell people what religion to followFinesA sum of money imposed as a penalty for an offenseMoney you oweProbationMethod of dealing with offenders by allowing them to go at large while under the supervision of an officerReporting to an officer every once in a whileSelf-defenseA claim that the use of force was necessary in defending one’s own personDefending oneselfSelf-incriminationTestifying against oneselfTelling on oneselfSubpoenaLegal order that a person appeal or produce requested documentsCourt order to do somethingWitnessBear with to or testify toPerson who tells what they sawSelective incorporationUse of the 14th amendment to apply citizens on a national levelStates cannot take away constitutional rights ................
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