America’s Democratic Republic

From America’s Democratic Republic book Chapters 1 & 2 & 3 :
Be able to define and briefly discuss the significance of the following terms as per lecture & assigned readings:
• Government

• Politics

• Social Contract Theory

• Declaration of Independence

• Tyranny

• Popular sovereignty

• Political equality

• Political liberty

• Inalienable (natural) rights

• Limited government

• Democratic Republic

• Direct Democracy

• Shay’s Rebellion

• Confederation

• Articles of Confederation

• Electoral College

• Supremacy Clause

• Elastic (“necessary & proper”) clause

• Bill of Rights

• Separation of Powers

• Bicameral Legislature

• Checks & Balance

• Judicial Review

• Full Faith & Credit Clause

• Extradition

• Privileges & Immunities Clause

• Federalism

• 10th Amendment

• Reserved powers

• Delegated powers

• Devolution

• Categorical grants

• Block grants

• Unfunded mandate

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Great Society Programs (LBJ)

• The New Deal (FDR)

• Civil War

• Hurricane Katrina

• Medical Marijuana
Questions:

1. According to scholars (such as Locke), why is government necessary?

2. What conditions in the country convinced leading citizens that the Articles of

Confederation were not working and a new system of government was needed?

3. What were the “major flaws” in the Articles of Confederation that the delegates

sought to correct with a new constitution?

4. Identify the major challenges facing delegates attending the Constitutional

Convention. How did the delegates resolve these challenges?

5. Identify and briefly discuss the four (4) major compromises reached by delegates

at the Constitutional Convention. Why were such compromises necessary?

6. Why did the Founders create a Democratic Republic instead of a Direct

Democracy?

7. Respond to the claim that the American political system has become more

democratic. Be precise and illustrate with concrete examples.

8. What did the Founders do to guard against tyranny of the majority (the people)?

9. What did the Founders do to guard against tyranny by the elite (those in power)? 10. What did the Founders do to promote popular sovereignty?

11. What did the Founders do to create a document that would be sufficiently flexible

to serve the nation as a blueprint for government during the 21st century? Do you think they succeeded? In other words, do you believe that the U.S. Constitution is still viable?

12. To what goals or ends did the Founders commit the new government? How do you know?

13. The U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times. What have been the two (2) major themes of these amendments?

14. According to Charles Beard, the Constitution’s framers were mainly interested in protecting economic rights. Defend or challenge this position.

15. In what ways did the U.S Constitution give support to the institution of slavery? 16. What does the U.S. Constitution tell us about state and national government

powers? Remember that the Constitution both extends and limits powers. 17. Federalism during the 21st century is different than federalism during the 18th and

19th centuries. First, identify the nature of these differences. Second, identify the factors responsible for changes in state-federal relations. Be sure to define federalism.

18. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a federal system of government (i.e., federalism)?

19. What does social welfare “reform” tell us about changes in federalism during the late 20th and early 21st centuries?