Unit 1

Chapters 1, 2, 3

Constitutional Foundations

Key Terms: democracy, hyperpluralism, conservatism. liberalism, majority rule vs. minority rights, pluralist theory, public policy, direct democracy, representative democracy, social contract, Anti-Federalists, factions, Federalist Papers, Federalists, judicial review, limited government, Marbury v. Madison, Virginia Plan, bicameral, checks and balances, electoral college, Great Compromise, separation of powers, writ of habeas corpus, block grants, categorical grants, cooperative grants, dual federalism, enumerated powers, Federalism, fiscal federalism, “full faith and credit”, implied powers, McCulloch v. Maryland, supremacy clause, commerce clause,Gibbons v. Ogden, US v. Lopez, necessary and proper (elastic) clause, supremacy doctrine, Tenth Amendment, new federalism

Objectives:

  • Determine the essential principles of traditional democratic theory.
  • Describe the different forms of government.
  • Address the issue of the scope of government and explain how the scope of government is relevant to an understanding of democracy.
  • Assess the two questions central to governing: How should we govern? And what should government do?
  • Explain why the Constitution is sometimes called the “higher law.”
  • Review the basic philosophy of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • Explain the impact of Shay’s Rebellion.
  • Describe what Madison meant by “factions” and how he proposed to solve the problems presented by factions.
  • Summarize the major compromises of the Constitutional convention.
  • Analyze the 7 Articles of the Constitution.
  • Explain the attempts of the distribution of power: separation of powers, checks and balances, the electoral college.
  • Describe the major issues between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists in the debates over ratification of the Constitution.
  • Ascertain how constitutional changes both formal and informal-continue to shape and alter the Madisonian system.
  • Describe the three basic forms of governmental structures: federalism, unitary, and confederacy.
  • Identify and explain the classification of powers between the national and state governments.
  • Identify the ways in which the Constitution determines the powers of state and national governments.
  • Evaluate contrasting interpretations of the supremacy clause and the Tenth Amendment.
  • Describe how the Supreme Court set forth the principle of implied powers in the McCulloch v. Maryland case.
  • Describe fiscal federalism and what role it plays in state politics.
  • Explain the tools of cooperative federalism, including grants-in-aid and block grants.

Assignments/Readings:

VENN diagrams due January 26th

Chapter 1 and 2 quiz, Article 1 (4-10), 4 (41-45), 5 (pp. 47-51)February 2nd

Chapters 1 and 2 Test February 5th

Chapter 3 textbook; Article 12 (75-79), 14 (88-94), and 15 (94-97)February 10th

Unit I vocabulary Quiz February 16th

Federalism Test February 18th

(Reminder: Supreme Court notebooks are due February 22nd )