American Democracy: Key Principles

American Democracy

• The United States has both a federal republic and a representative democracy.
• Many English colonists sought religious freedom by immigrating to the New World.
• The Declaration of Independence establishes the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
• Colonists separated from England due to taxation without representation, trade restrictions, and other oppressive measures by the British government.

Impact of the French and Indian War

• The French and Indian War (1763) left Britain with a large debt.
• This led to higher taxes and stricter control over the American colonies, which caused colonial discontent.

Virginia House of Burgesses

• The Virginia House of Burgesses, established in 1619, was the first elected legislative assembly in the American colonies.

Branches of the US Government

• The three branches of the US government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances in the US Government

• The system of checks and balances prevents any single branch of government from becoming too powerful.
• Each branch has some influence over the others and can block their procedures.

Levels of the US Government

• The three levels of the US government are federal, state, and local.

Powers of Congress

• Congress has the power to make laws, declare war, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, and control taxing and spending policies.

Powers of the President

• The President has the power to enforce laws, veto legislation, command the military, conduct foreign policy, appoint federal officials, and grant pardons.

Powers of the Supreme Court

• The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the Constitution, review laws, and decide cases involving states' rights.

The Great Compromise

• The Great Compromise, during the Constitutional Convention, created a bicameral legislature.
• Representation in the House is based on state population, and the Senate has equal representation for each state.

Selection of Representatives and Senators

• Members of the House of Representatives are elected by the people of their districts, and senators are elected by the people of their states.

Allocation of Representatives and Senators

• The number of representatives for each state in the House depends on the state's population.
• Each state has two senators, regardless of its population.

Presidential Succession

• The Presidential Succession Act outlines the order of succession after the President:
• Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, and then eligible heads of federal executive departments.

The Electoral College

• The Electoral College is a body of electors established by the Constitution, which formally elects the President and Vice President.

Gerrymandering

• Gerrymandering involves drawing electoral district boundaries to benefit a particular political party or group.

Separation of Church and State

• The separation of church and state ensures the government remains neutral on religious matters and does not support or interfere with religious practices.

Shays' Rebellion

• Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787) was an armed uprising by Massachusetts farmers who protested economic injustices and the lack of governmental response to their problems.

Holidays Honoring Armed Forces

• Memorial Day and Veterans Day honor members of the armed forces.

Source of US Government Power

• The US government derives its power from the Constitution and the consent of the governed.

Original Capital of the US

• The original capital of the United States was New York City.

Common Law

• Common law is a body of unwritten laws based on legal precedents established by courts.

Basis of the US Judicial System

• The US judicial system is based on the Constitution, statutory laws passed by Congress, and legal precedents from court decisions.

US Constitution

• The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States.
• The US Constitution has 27 amendments.
• The first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights.

First Amendment

• The First Amendment protects the freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

Second Amendment

• The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.

Fourth Amendment

• The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Fifth Amendment

• The Fifth Amendment protects the rights to due process, protection against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and eminent domain.

Sixth Amendment

• The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, to be informed of criminal charges, to confront witnesses, and to have legal counsel.

Seventh Amendment

• The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases involving claims of more than twenty dollars.

Eighth Amendment

• The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.

Ninth Amendment

• The Ninth Amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights not specifically mentioned.

Tenth Amendment

• The Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.

Thirteenth Amendment

• The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.

Fourteenth Amendment

• The Fourteenth Amendment provides equal protection under the law, defines citizenship, and addresses rights related to due process.

Fifteenth Amendment

• The Fifteenth Amendment prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Nineteenth Amendment

• The Nineteenth Amendment grants women the right to vote.

Twenty-sixth Amendment

• The Twenty-sixth Amendment lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.

Changing the Constitution

• The Constitution can be changed through the amendment process.
• This requires a proposal by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures, followed by ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions.

Repealed Amendment

• The Eighteenth Amendment, which established Prohibition, was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment.

Purpose of the Preamble

• The Preamble outlines the objectives of the Constitution.
• These include forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty.

"Full Faith and Credit"

• "Full faith and credit" requires each state to recognize and honor the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.

Signing of the Constitution

• The Constitution was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Commerce Clause

• The "commerce clause" in Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the several states, and with Indian tribes.

Elastic Clause

• The "elastic clause," also known as the Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution).
• It grants Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers.

Magna Carta

• The Magna Carta (1215) was a charter of liberties that limited the power of the English monarch.
• It established the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law and laid the foundation for modern concepts of justice and human rights.

English Bill Of Rights

• The English Bill of Rights, enacted in 1689, outlined specific constitutional and civil rights and ultimately gave Parliament power over the monarchy.
• It influenced the American Bill of Rights and contributed to the development of a constitutional monarchy.

Mayflower Compact

• The Mayflower Compact, signed in 1620 by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, was an early form of self-government and social contract in the New World.
• It established a foundation for democratic governance and majority rule.

Common Sense

• Written by Thomas Paine in 1776, advocated for American independence from Britain.
  • Its significance lies in its persuasive arguments that rallied public support for the revolutionary cause.

Abigail Adams' Letter To John Adams

• In her 1776 letter, Abigail Adams urged her husband to "remember the ladies" when drafting new laws for the newly independent America.
  • This is significant because it highlighted early advocacy for women's rights and gender equality.

Virginia Declaration Of Rights

• Drafted in 1776, outlined the inherent rights of men, including the right to reform or abolish inadequate government.
  • Influenced the US Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

Declaration Of Independence

• Adopted on July 4, 1776, proclaimed the separation of the thirteen American colonies from Britain and outlined the principles of individual liberty and government by consent.
  • It is a foundational document of American democracy.

Federalist Papers

• A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in 1787-1788 to promote the ratification of the US Constitution.
  • Known for their detailed explanations of the Constitution's principles and the functioning of the new government.

Federalist Paper 10

• Written by James Madison, addresses the dangers of factionalism and advocates for a large republic to mitigate those dangers.
  • Its significance lies in its arguments for the structure of the federal government.

Federalist Paper 51

• Also written by James Madison, explains the system of checks and balances and the separation of power within the government.
  • Significant for its defense of the mechanisms that prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Federalist Paper 58

• Written by James Madison, discusses the apportionment of representatives among the states and the necessity of a larger House of Representatives as the population grows.
  • Significant in its arguments for proportional representation and balance in the legislative branch.

Articles Of Confederation

• The first constitution of the US, ratified in 1781.
  • It lies in its role as the initial governing document, weaknesses, such as lack of central authority, led to the drafting of the US Constitution.

Bill Of Rights

• The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, ratified in 1791.
  • Guarantees fundamental rights and protections to individual. Has a significance in its protection of civil liberties and its role as a cornerstone of American democracy.

US Constitution

• Ratified in 1787, is the supreme law of the United States, establishing the framework for the federal government and outlining the rights and responsibilities of its citizens.
  • It is significant as the foundation of American government and law.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

• The treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized American independence from Britain.
  • Its significance lies in Its formal establishment of the US as an independent nation and its establishment of borders.

Northwest Ordinances (1787)

• Legislation that established a system for governing the Northwest Territory and outlined the process for admitting new states to the Union.
  • Significant for its establishment of precedents for westward expansion and the prohibition of slavery in the new territories.

John Locke's "Two Treatises of Government"

• Published in 1689, Locke's work argues for the principles of natural rights, government by consent, and the right to revolution.
  • Significance lies in its profound influence on Enlightenment thought and the philosophical underpinnings of the American Revolution and Constitution.

Emancipation Proclamation

• Issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, it declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free.
  • Significant in altering the character of the Civil War and advancing the cause of abolition.

"I Have A Dream" Speech

• Delivered during the 1963 March or Washington, this speech called for an end to racism and for civil and economic rights.
  • Significant in its articulation of the aspirations of the Civil Rights Movement and its enduring impacts on American society.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• Significance in its role in dismantling institutional segregation and advancing civil rights in the US.

Civil Rights Act of 1965

• Also known as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
• Significance lies in the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment and its impact on increasing voter participation among minorities.