MIDTERM REVIEW US History and Government Midterm Exam Test dates: Jan 12- Essay; Jan 15- multiple choice 1. Enlightenment Ideas Enlightenment philosophers described how people are endowed with certain inalienable natural rights. John Locke life, liberty, property Baron deMontesquieu separation of powers of government Idea of the consent of the governed 2. Greece and Rome Many contributions from Ancient Greece and Rome to our laws and our type of government (democracy) Greece: direct democracy Rome: representative democracy: have people who represent you 3. Mayflower Compact and House of Burgesses Mayflower Compact and House of Burgesses= examples of colonial self-rule The House of Burgesses was the first representative body in the colonies. The Mayflower Compact- examples of written documents establishing local self- government 4. Common Sense Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet entitled Common Sense to convince people to support the cause of independence. 5. Declaration of Independence NOT a plan of government It is a statement of grievances by the colonists against the British king Encouraged colonists to break away from Britain Written by Thomas Jefferson, it was inspired by John Locke. 6. Articles of Confederation The first American government Strengths Provided enough structure for the USA to defeat the British. Decided how to settle new states Weaknesses States are stronger than the central government. Federal government did not have the power to tax. Federal government did not have the power to raise an army. 7. Great Compromise Question arose regarding representation: should representation in Congress be equal between states or proportionate to the population? Compromise: a bicameral (2 house) legislature Senate: Each state gets 2 votes. House of Representatives: representation by population 8. Federalist Papers Written by Hamilton, Adams, Jay to encourage people to ratify the Constitution. 9. Compare Articles of Confederation to Constitution Articles of Confederation Strong state governments weak central govt No executive or judicial branches No common currency Constitution 3 branches Bill of Rights Strong central govt 10. Bill of Rights First ten amendments to the Constitution Demanded by Anti-Federalists since it offers protections from government Some amendments that give you individual liberties are: Free speech, press, religion, assembly 11. Bicameral Two houses Ex. Two houses of Congress House of Representatives Senate These houses can check up on each other too. Nebraska is a unicameral state (one house) 12. Legislative Branch responsibilities Make laws Ratify treaties Declare war Etc House of Rep. and Senate= legislature 13. Senate vs. House of Rep. Two houses make laws = bicameral legislature Why have two houses? They have different roles in law-making process Each represents people differently Senate- 2 per state House of Rep based on population (result of Great Compromise) 14. Presidents Responsibilities The executive branch (president and administration) has the power to make treaties, command the armed forces, make appointments, suggest Supreme Court nominees, suggest legislation, create the budget, and veto laws. 15. Powers of Supreme Court The role of the judicial branch is to interpret the Constitution. The Supreme Court decides if a law or action of the president or Congress is unconstitutional 16. Marbury v. Madison John Marshall was the 1 st chief justice of the Supreme Court. His decisions strengthened the power of the federal government. Marbury v. Madison established the power of judicial review which allowed the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution. 17. Checks and Balances The Constitution arranges for each branch of government to be checked by another branch so that no one branch can get too powerful. 18. Federalism Federalism is the division of power between the federal, state, and local governments. It is NOT the separation of powers between branches of government HINT: Think of the L in Federal and remember L in Levels of Government. States are responsible for many things such as education, licensing, marriage rules etc. 19. Amending process 2/3 of both the Senate and House of Representatives need to approve an amendment to the Constitution Then the amendment is sent to the states for ratification. of the states need to ratify it for it. WHY do we have this process? Allows our government to adapt to changes. Keep current with the times. 20. Implied powers powers not specifically given to the federal government, but can be interpreted through the elastic clause as necessary and proper. Also allows the government to change with the times. Keep current and relevant. 21. Elastic clause This clause gives the federal government the power to take on extra powers in the best interest of the nation. necessary and proper Loose constructionists favor a wide use of the elastic clause. Strict constructionists do not want the federal government expanding their powers. 22. Electoral college People do not vote directly for the president. Instead, people vote for an elector and the elector votes for the president. Its all or nothing in terms of electoral votes from a state. A candidate either wins the state and gets all the votes or gets nothing. 23. Unwritten constitution Part of government practice but not in the Constitution such as Cabinet positions political parties Judicial review Congressional committees 24. Alexander Hamilton Was Secretary of Treasury under Washington Four Part Financial/ Economic Plan 1.Federal government assumes the war debts of the states. 2.National Bank 3.Excise tax on whiskey 4.Protective Tariff- tax on imports 25. Precedents under Washington George Washington began a few precedents which are not part of the Constitution but have always been in place such as: Cabinet positions/ advisors 2-term presidency (later changed) Foreign policy of neutrality and no alliances 26. Washingtons Farewell Address Promoted neutrality in foreign affairs No alliances with other nations 27. Whiskey Rebellion Farmers rebelled at the federal governments Whiskey Tax It was an excise tax on whiskey Washington had federal troops put down the rebellion to show the strength of the federal government (He means business!) 28 Jefferson and Hamilton Their disagreements are the basis of our political party system Hamilton (Federalist) Jefferson (Democratic-Republicans) 29. Monroe Doctrine President James Monroes doctrine warned European powers about future colonization in the western hemisphere. It said that the U.S. would stay out of European affairs. It was designed to help preserve the independence won by several Latin American countries. It subtly threatened U.S. military intervention if Europe tried to colonize the western hemisphere. 30. Spoils system to the victor belongs the spoils Reward your supporters with positions/jobs in government Jackson viewed this as an expansion of job opportunities for more people. Saw it as an expansion of democracy 31. Andrew Jackson Common Mans president Spoils system used Time of growing sectional conflict Opposed National Bank Used veto many times Indian Removal Act 32.John Marshall John Marshall was the 1 st chief justice of the Supreme Court. Marshalls decisions strengthened the power of the federal government. 33. Missouri Compromise (1820) and Compromise of 1850 Key issue slavery or no slavery Missouri Compromise Missouri joined the Union as a slave state and Maine joined the Union as a free state. North of 3630 there would be no slavery Compromise 1850 California came in as a free state; New Mexico and Utah territories would be decided by popular sovereignty Fugitive Slave Law enacted in which Northerners were supposed to send escaped slaves back south 34. Seneca Falls Convention 1848 Focused on womens suffrage and other rights Document Declaration of Sentiments modelled after Declaration of Independence 35. Manifest destiny The belief that God planned for the United States to spread from sea to shining sea Leads to the nations expansion westward 36. Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase from France gave the U.S. control of the Mississippi River and the important port of New Orleans. -Jefferson made Purchase against his usual strict interpretation of Constitution 37. Indian Removal Act The Supreme Court ruled in Worcester v. Georgia that the Cherokee Indians could not be forced to give up their land. Andrew Jackson did not enforce the Supreme Court decision but instead supported the Indian Removal Act and forcibly removed the Cherokee Indians to west of the Mississippi River. The move was called the Trail of Tears. 38. Popular Sovereignty People (popular) get to vote for or against slavery in their state. Used in Kansas and Nebraska to decide if state would be free or slave Bleeding Kansas 39. Election of 1860 Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidency with the most number of electoral votes though it was not a majority of the country. The Democrats split their votes to two candidates. Immediately following the election, many southern states seceded (left) the Union. 40. Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln freed slaves in states still in rebellion Did not free slaves in border states 41. Jim Crow Laws Laws segregating blacks and whites Separate facilities such as schools, drinking fountains, etc Upheld in Plessy v. Ferguson case 42. Plessy v. Ferguson Homer Plessy (1/8 African-American) sat on a white railroad car and was arrested. He said his 14 th amendment rights to equal protection were violated by the segregation law. The Supreme Court ruled that segregated facilities was legal provided that it was equal. (separate but equal allowed) Overturned until 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education- (separate is unequal) 43. Lincolns Plan for Reconstruction Lenient plan (not harsh); forgiving Believed Southern states never left the Union 10 % of voters needed to take an oath of loyalty Welcome the Confederacy back to the Union With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nations wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan March 4, 1865 Lincolns Second Inaugural Address 44. Johnsons impeachment Andrew Johnson was a Southerner so Northern Radical Republicans didnt like him. Radical Republicans passed the Tenure of Office Act making it illegal for a president to fire someone without approval of Congress. Johnson fired Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Johnson was brought up on impeachment charges for violating the Tenure of Office Act. He was impeached but not removed Big Lesson- politically motivated impeachment (just like Clinton) 45. Result of Civil War North won South was in ruins and needed Reconstruction Showed how the federal government was strong 46. (Add ) Nominating conventions A political convention held every four years by most of the political parties The partys candidate is chosen at the nominating convention Terms to know for test Strict interpretation of Constitution Loose interpretation of Constitution Segregation Sectionalism Legislature Interstate Intrastate Commerce Revenue Incumbent Third-party terms Pardons Tariff Protective tariff Judiciary Waived Incumbent Secession Secede Extravagant Essay Topics Choose three presidents from Washington to Lincoln Plan carefully How should you begin to plan your essay??? George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln. Ask: What did they do? Domestic and Foreign policies? Impact on the nation? Major laws or major changes? What was happening at the time? What should you include in your essay about presidents? Major Domestic Accomplishments Major Foreign Accomplishments What is special about this president? Create a chart or outline about three presidents.