Civics & Economics Chapters 1-3 – Flashcards
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What is Civics?
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The study of rights and duties of citizens.
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What are the characteristics of a citizen?
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Common history, common customs, common beliefs.
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Why is the US described as a nation of immigrants?
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Mid 1900's immigrants came from Europe.
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What ways is American culture diverse?
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Ethnic, racial backgrounds.
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How is the american population changing today?
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Rural to city areas, more women working at home.
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What values americans share because of common civic and political heritage?
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Freedom, equality, opprotunity, justice, democracy, unity, respect, and tolerance.
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What are five important institutions in American society?
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Family, education, government, social, and religion.
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How does a person become a US citizen?
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Naturalization: Foreign born who choose to become citizens.
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What are the steps in naturalization process?
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Sign a statement, living in the US for five years (three if married), and take a class.
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How many legal aliens are accepted each year?
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675,000
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How did Immigration act of 1990 change the policy?
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Benefits people with particular skills, talents, or the money to invest our economy.
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How many ILLEGAL aliens live in the US?
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12 million
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What happens when illegal aliens are discovered?
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They are deported back to their country.
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Where does the US patrol do its work?
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6000 miles of the Canadian/Mexican border, and 2000 miles off the coastal waters surrounding the Florida pennisula and Puerto Rico.
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How are the rights of aliens restricted?
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No voting, running for office, no government jobs, and carry an ID card all the time.
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How does the government provide security?
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Laws to avoid conflicts.
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What are public services the government provide?
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Recreational centers, parks, hospitals, schools, and libraries.
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What is public policy?
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Course of government action to achieve goals.
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Which level of government is closest to people?
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State and local government.
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Why is direct democracy not popular for most countries today?
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Because of large populations and large areas of land.
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What is the principle of majority rule?
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Citizens agree that when difference of opinion rise, they will abide by what most people want.
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Three main types of authoritarian government?
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Absolute monarchy, totalitarianism, and dictatorships.
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What are two rights included in the Magna Carta?
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No one can be above law, protected nobles privileges.
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How did the Glorious revolution change the idea of government in England?
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No ruler would have more power than the Parliament.
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Who are John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu?
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John Locke was an English writer who argued that people were born free, independent, and equal. Baron came up with dividing the government into three branches.
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What is significant about the House of Burgesses in VA?
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Marked the beginning of self government in colonial america.
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What was the Mayflower compact and what did it establish?
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They drew a plan for the government. 41 men aboard signed the contract, established direct democracy.
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What two features did each colonial government have in common?
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Legislature and a governor.
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What colonies made up the "Middle Colonies"?
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New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
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What were the two types of colonies?
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Propriety colony and royal colony.
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What did William Penn want his colony PA to serve?
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Freedom of religion.
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What was the last English colony in America, what military purpose did it serve?
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Georgia and protect British colonies from Spanish attack.
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What are two reasons that people immigrated to English colonies?
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Religious persecution, or economic gain.
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What did the plantation system lead to the development of slavery?
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Used slaves to crop their plants.
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What were three points of triangular trade?
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Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
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What was the Puritan work ethic?
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To reform and purify the Anglican church.
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What two main ports were located in the middle colonies?
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Soil and climate.
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What encouraged large scale agriculture in southern colonies?
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Found hope in Christianity, and development in African American culture.
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How did religion contribute to the development of education in the colonies?
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Schools trained ministers, and reading the Bible.
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What rights did men have and not women?
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To vote.
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What ways did Britain fail to uphold the social contract?
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British policies didn't follow Enlightenment writings.
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What was salutary neglect?
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Americans gained valuable experience in self government.
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What was the purpose of Navigation Acts?
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A series of laws, put merchantlism into practice.
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What three laws resulting from the French and Indian war angered colonists?
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Stamp Act, quartering act, and boycott.
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What made Parliament repeal Stamp Act?
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Parliament passed the Declaratory act.
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How did the British respond to the Boston Tea Party?
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"No taxation w/o Representation" Colonists dressed up as Indians and dumped million dollars worth of tea in the Boston harbor.
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How did the battles of Lexington and Concord lead many colonists to call for independence?
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To have freedom from outside control.
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Who wrote the pamphlet "Common Sense" and what was its main idea?
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Thomas Paine called for complete independence from Britain.
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What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
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Protect the rights of people.
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Who was the main author of the D of I and when was it approved?
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Thomas Jefferson, and July 4th 1776.
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What is a constitution?
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A written plan for the government.
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What three parts did each new state government have?
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Legislative, executive, and judicial.
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Why did most state constitutions include a bill of rights?
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Guarantee certain basic freedoms and legal protection to state citizens.
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Under the Articles of Confederation, what two important powers did the states refuse to grant to Congress?
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No power to enforce laws and no power to tax.
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What were the three main achievements of the Northwest Ordinance?
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Congress under the articles was passed.
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What were two weaknesses of the government under the Articles of Confederation?
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Couldn't pass a law unless 9 states voted and didn't provide a governor for our courts.
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What was the main problem that national and state governments faced after the US won the Revolutionary War?
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Debt and Daniel Shay's Rebellion.
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Why did the Virginia plan favor large states?
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Large states have more votes than smaller ones.
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What was the outcome of the Great Compromise?
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No group was happy but it helped resolved disagreements.
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What agreement did delegates make in the Three-Fifths Compromise?
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Every 5 enslaved persons would count as 3 free persons.
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What agreement did Northern and Southern delegates make over trade?
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They could regulate trade between states as well as other countries.
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Who were the Federalists?
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Supporters of the document.
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Why did Anti-Federalists oppose the constitution?
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The new constitution would take away liberties America fought from Britain.
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What compromise persuaded Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution?
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The Bill of Rights.
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What are the three parts of the Constitution?
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Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments.
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What are the three main branches of the government?
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Legislative, executive, and judicial.
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What does the Article VI of the Constitution state?
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Explains the relationship between the states and government.
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How many states must ratify an amendment to have it added to the Constitution?
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9 out of 13 states (3/4)
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What power does the necessary and proper clause give to Congress?
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All laws should be necessary and proper, the clause makes government excercise the laws.
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Who has the final authority to interpret the Constitution?
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Supreme Court.
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What has caused new interpretations of the Constitution?
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Political parties?
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What is popular sovereignty?
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Power of government lies with the people.
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How is the government limited by the rule of law?
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The government can do only what people allow it to do.
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What is the term for the split of authority among the three branches of government?
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Seperation of powers.
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What is an example of the system of checks and balances at work?
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Each branch is able to check, limit the power of others.
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How is the power divided in a federal system of government?
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National and state.
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What are expressed powers, reserved powers, and concurrent powers?
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Express: Powers granted to the national government. Reserved: Regulating trade with state borders. Concurrent: Powers both levels of government can exercise.
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How does the supremacy clause resolve conflicts between national and state law?
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Constitution and other laws and treaties made by the government. "Shall be the supreme law of land."
