UnderpinningsUnderpinnings

Mayflower Compact3 point clue

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Early document based on majoritarian rule.

First governing document in America.

Written by those who came over on the Mayflower.

Spirit of Laws3 point clue

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Contains concepts of preservation of civil liberties, the abolition of slavery, and the rule of law

Written by Montesquieu in 1748 advocating separation of powers

This document also includes the idea of checks and balances.

Declaration of Independence

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Drafted at the Second Continental congress. The clause against slavery was removed before it was approved.

List of grievances against King George III

Document written by Jefferson declaring independence from England

Federalists3 point clue

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Led by Hamilton and in favor of the National Bank

Group for the ratification of the Constitution

Party that came to oppose the Anti-Federalists

Virginia Plan3 point clue

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plan that would have created a legislative branch that gave the larger states more power

Counter to the New Jersey plan

Plan proposed by Virginia delegates at the Constitutional Convention

Bill of Rights3 point clue

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Applied to the states under the incorporation doctrine via the 14th amendment

A condition of the Anti-Federalist dominated states for the ratification of constitution

First ten amendments

Direct Democracy3 point clue

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The framers didn’t trust this form of government because they were afraid of mob rule.

The type of government used in Ancient Athens.

Type of democracy where people were decisions are made by the masses

Federalist # 513 point clue

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Meant to inform the public about the safeguards in the Constitution to protect people’s rights and check ambition

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

Federalist paper written by Madison about separation of powers and Checks and balances

Great Compromise3 point clue

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Combined ideas of Edmund Randolph and William Paterson

Resulted in bicameral legislature

Solved conflict between big states and small states

The Framers3 point clue

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Met in Philadelphia in 1787

They had to decide issues of slavery and representation

most of them were farmers.

Checks and Balances3 point clue

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An idea credited to a member of the French Enlightenment who was influenced by the Roman republic.

For example, Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and approved by Congress

The power of one branch of government to block acts by the other two branches

Elite Theory3 point clue

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Theory of who really holds power in our government, or runs the country.

A small group of wealthy and influential individuals are behind the scenes pulling the strings on policy.

A good example of this would be an oil cartel.

Leviathan3 point clue

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Stated that an absolute monarch is needed to maintain order

Expressed belief that people give up their freedom for protection by the government

Written by Thomas Hobbes in 1651

The Social Contract3 point clue

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“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”

Written by Rousseau

Focused on value of a social contract, saying it must be based on popular sovereignty to have legitimacy

New Jersey Plan3 point clue

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Proposed to simply amend the Articles of Confederation

Proposed that each state have one vote in Congress

plan favored by small states

Articles of Confederation3 point clue

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Product of the Second Continental Congress

Lacked a judicial branch and used a unicameral legislature

First US Constitution

Machiavelli3 point clue

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“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”

“Politics have no relation to morals.”

“It is better to be feared than to be loved.”

Antifederalists3 point clue

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wrote responses to Publius.

opposed a strong central government.

The most famous member of this group was Thomas Jefferson.

3/5 Compromise3 point clue

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mostly affected the Southern states

dealt with the representation of non-citizens

resolved the question of how to count slaves in the population

Republic3 point clue

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The name of Plato’s most famous work

the framers thought of the United States as this, as opposed to a democracy

involves representation, unlike direct democracy

Pluralist theory3 point clue

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Many non government groups use their resources to exert influence.

because there are so many competing interests everybody gets some of what they want.

a theory of who really hold power in government.

Natural Rights3 point clue

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the abuse of these, according to Locke, were enough to break the social contract

another name for them are unalienable, or God given rights

life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness

Federalist Paper #103 point clue

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written by Madison

warned of the dangers of factions

argued that the best form of government to limit the influence of the majority (of the faction that is in the majority) is a republic.

Common Sense3 point clue

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the author of this pamphlet supported the Pennsylvania constitution

influenced thoughts of independence

written by Thomas Paine

Hobbes3 point clue

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thought that life without laws was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

along with Locke, thought that people would give up some freedom to gain security and order

wrote Leviathan

Magna Carta3 point clue

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written in 1215

forced King John of England to observe the rights of freemen and accept that his will could be bound by the law, or helped establish the concept of rule of law.

the first example of limited government because the powers of King John were restricted

Madisonian Model3 point clue

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helped eliminate the threat of the tyranny of the majority.

only the House of Representatives was directly elected under this.

As much government as possible was placed beyond the control of the majority in this model. This model also included separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism.

Hyperpluralist theory3 point clue

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This could help explain gridlock in government.

Interests groups are so powerful that the government is weakened.

Theory of who really hold power in the government.

Majoritarian Democracy3 point clue

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One criticism of the type of democracy is that it can turn into a “tyranny of the majority” where minority ideas or groups could be oppressed.

initiatives, recall & referendum are a return to this.

A government where decisions are made according to the majority rule.