POLS 100-150 Exam 1 Study Guide

What is the role of democracy as the foundation of america?

Chapter 1: Foundations of American  Democracy

• Popular sovereignty

• Democracy as process v. substance • Majority rule

• Political freedom

• Political equality

• Minority rights

• Different types of equality (legal, social,  economic, opportunity

• Direct v. representative democracy • Challenges and criticisms of American  democracy

• Pluralistic political system

• Elitism

• False consensus Don't forget about the age old question of What is the english word for mappa mundi?

Chapter 2: The American Constitution • Declaration of Independence

What is the american constitution?

• Articles of Confederation

• American Constitution

• Constitutional Convention

• Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut  Compromise/Great Compromise

• Representative government

• Fragmentation of power

• Separation of powers

• Checks and balances

• Separation of constituency/mixed  

government

• Exclusive powers, shared powers and  negative/checking powers

• How to change the Constitution

• Formal amendments

• Custom and usage

What is the role of civil liberties as the foundation of america?

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• Executive, legislative and judicial  

interpretation

• Bill of Rights

• Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

• Unicameral v. bicameral legislature

• Constituency

• Enumerated powers, implied powers,  inherent powers

Chapter 3: Federalism

• Federalism

• Unitary, confederal and federal systems • Advantages and disadvantages of federalism • “Laboratories of Democracy”

• “Race to the bottom”

• Necessary and proper clause Don't forget about the age old question of What is the definition of lambda?

• Supremacy clause

• Reserved powers

• Concurrent powers

• Full faith and credit clause

• Dual, cooperative and “new” federalism • Grants-in-aid v. block grants

• Unfunded mandates

Chapter 4: Civil Liberties

• Civil liberties

• Civil liberties v. civil rights

• Tradeoffs-Individual freedom v. government  interests v. public good

• Origins of civil liberties-relationship to Bill  of Rights

• Freedom of speech

• Freedom of assembly

• Freedom of press

• Freedom of religion

• Right to bear arms

• Law, order and the rights of criminal  defendants

• Right to privacy

• Due process clause

• Selective interpretation

• 1st amendment

• “Clear and present danger” test

• Direct incitement test

• Prior restraint, gag order

• Libel, slander

• Establishment clause

• Free exercise clause If you want to learn more check out What is the difference between nutrient ­dense and energy ­dense?

• Separation of church and state

• 2nd amendment If you want to learn more check out What is the meaning of evaporative cooling?

o Collective v. individual rights

• 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th amendments

• Exclusionary rule

• Inevitable discovery exception

• USA PATRIOT Act

• Cruel and unusual punishment

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

• Roe v. Wade (1973) Don't forget about the age old question of What is the importance of law?

• Citizens United v. Federal Election  

Commission (2010)

Chapter 5: Civil Rights

• Civil rights

• Civil rights v. civil liberties

• Social categorization

• Stereotypes/stereotyping

• Prejudice

• Discrimination

• Assimilation and contrast effects • Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

• Reconstruction amendments

o 13th, 14th and 15th amendments

• Disenfranchisement

• The path to voting rights for African  Americans

• Grandfather clause

• Jim Crow laws

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• Clark doll studies

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) • Strategies used in civil rights movement o Passive resistance, civil  

disobedience

• Legislative response to the civil rights  movement (1960’s and 1970’s)

• Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Voting Rights Act of 1965

• History of women’s rights in America • Protectionism

• Women’s suffrage movement

• Important issues for women’s rights in  recent years

• Involvement of women in politics • History of LGBT rights in America • Important issues for LGBT rights in recent  years

• “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

• Same-sex marriage

• Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) • Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

• Public opinion on same-sex marriage