POLS 3314 Congress Chapter 2 Quiz

Chapter 2: The Historical Development of Congress

• The course is POLS 3314 - Legislative Process
• The instructor is Dr. Bianca Easterly
• The book is titled "The United States Congress" (Second Edition)
• Authors: E. Scott Adler, Jeffrey A. Jenkins, Charles R. Shipan

Objectives

• Explain the parties and issues that dominated each of the four party systems
• Analyze how Congress has expanded and restricted the powers of the executive branch over the course of history

Chapter 2 Timeline

• Antebellum Era (1789-1861): Mid-1790s - First Party System (Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans)
• Second Party System (1830s-mid-1850s): Whigs and Democrats
• Third Party System (1861-1932): The Civil War through the Early 1930s
• The New Deal (1933-Present): The continued course of history

Notable Features of the First Period

• A body built on norms and temporary structures
• Emergence of political parties to expedite governing
• Notable Battles: Federal government's role in economy and the role of the federal government in developing the new nation
• Battle over slavery was inevitable

Committees

• Committees were established to discuss bills, as a whole, which proved time-consuming.
• Standing committees emerged in the 1810s.
• Committees served as repositories of information and expertise, important to policymaking

Parties

• Hamilton favored a stronger national government.
• Hamilton's supporters did not always work together on key votes, creating institutional machinery (informal whip system, caucuses, floor leaders).
• Jefferson and Madison championed stronger states' rights.

First Party System (1790-1800)

• Hamilton's Federalists vs. Jefferson and Madison's Jeffersonian Republicans
• Federalists were the majority in Congress and based in the Northeast
• Federalists represented financial and commercial interests.
• Jeffersonian Republicans took over after Jefferson's presidential win in 1800, representing the common people and agrarian/worker interests

Second Party System (1830s–Mid-1850s)

• Whigs (Clay, Adams, and Webster): Believed in national economic development, high tariffs, and infrastructure investments.
• Democrats (Andrew Jackson, Van Buren): Favored low tariffs, state projects, and decentralized banking.

The Second Party System

• Parties existed outside of Congress.
• Interregional (free and slave states)
• Slavery shaped the political landscape and was governed by the Missouri Compromise (1820).
• Conflicts developed, but the system effectively resolved debates on the issue of slavery.

The Third Party System

• Rise of the Republican Party (Antislavery)
• Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 triggered the secession of eleven southern states. This led to the formation of the Confederacy.

The Civil War Through the Early 1930s (1861-1932)

• Congressional Republicans continued their pursuit of ending slavery.
• Two confiscation laws were passed to emancipate enslaved people.
• Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
• The Thirteenth Amendment was passed and ratified in 1865

Reconstruction

• Lincoln's assassination led to Andrew Johnson becoming president.
• Congress aimed to control Reconstruction policy by returning power to the presidency, accepting states back into the union while enforcing pledges of allegiance, and recognizing the 13th Amendment.
• The Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people.
• A significant decrease in support for Reconstruction occurred in 1874 amidst growing economic depression
• Reconstruction ended in 1877

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1870-1920)

• “White redemption in the South”
• Industrialization and national economic growth
• Political and economic corruption
• The Progressive Era involved shifting societal priorities and the democratization of political processes
• Republicans focused on economic policy
• The federal government promoted infrastructure development (railroads, canals, and rivers).
• Interest groups grew in power, which aided in policy-making.
• Congressional career paths became more prevalent.

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1870-1920)

• Parties gained significant power in Congress, partly due to the Reed Rules (House) and Senate Four. This allowed majority parties to control policymaking.
• Committee government became a major structure for power in the House of Representatives by emphasizing seniority.
• Key constitutional amendments occurred during the era: 16th (income tax), 17th (direct election of senators), and 19th (women's suffrage).
• The 20th Amendment adjusted the congressional calendar.

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1870-1920)

• Institutional Presidency, empowering the office with substantial capacity and authority.
• Budget and Accounting Act (1921) set the groundwork for presidential budget submission requirements.
• The Bureau of Budget (now called the Office of Management and Budget) was created to assist the president with budget requests.
• The Apportionment Act of 1929 limited the House size to 435.

Lame-Duck Sessions

• "Lame-duck session" refers to a session of Congress following a November election, when some members have been reelected and others have not. These sessions can face agency problems if a disconnect arises between elected representatives and the constituencies they serve.

The New Deal Through Present (1933-Present)

• First New Deal addressed the Great Depression.
• Second New Deal aimed to “level the playing field" through social change.
  • Social Security Act, National Labor Relations Act, Revenue Act, Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, and Administrative Reorganization Act

World War II and Its Aftermath

• Congress sought to reign in the executive branch after World War II and strengthen institutions.
• The Administrative Procedures Act codified standards and provided for judicial review of executive agency actions.
• Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 streamlined committee systems and enhanced professional staffing in the House and Senate.
• The 22nd Amendment limited presidential terms.
• The Presidential Succession Act established the line of presidential succession.
• The Taft-Hartley Act weakened organized labor.

LBJ's Great Society

• Initiatives such as Head Start, Job Corps, Medicare, Medicaid, and VISTA aimed to address various societal needs
• Head Start: Provided extra academic assistance to disadvantaged children
• Job Corps: Offered training to youth in inner cities
• Medicare/Medicaid: Provided health insurance for the elderly and disabled
• VISTA: Organized youth volunteers to assist in economically distressed areas

Civil Rights and the Great Society

• During the 1960s, significant civil rights movements occurred.
• The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes in federal state and local elections.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in various aspects.
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated restrictions.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1968 prohibited discrimination in housing.

Watergate and Congressional Reassertion

• In response to Watergate, Congress enacted reforms.
• The War Powers Resolution mandated presidential consultation before using military forces.
• The Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 created congressional committees to analyze the president's budget and prevented the president from indefinitely rejecting congressional spending.
• The Freedom of Information Act increased transparency of federal agencies.

The Reagan Revolution and Beyond

• The 1980s (Reagan era) marked a period of significant party polarization in Congress, with greater instances of single-party control.
• The 1990s (Clinton Era) saw a shift toward divided government, where control of the presidency and chambers of Congress was not held by the same party.

Ideology in Congress – NOMINATE SCORES

• NOMINATE scores provide a gold standard for analyzing legislator ideology.
• Scores range from -1 (most liberal) to +1 (most conservative) to determine a legislator's ideological position by comparing their votes over time.