US History & Government Study Guide

US History & Government Study Guide

I. Influence of Geography

Explain the advantages of the following four geographic features of the United States of America.

1.Mississippi River

Served as a way to move people & products.

2.Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

great for trade along the coast & with Europe

Promote fishing

Natural barrier—protection from foreign invasion

3.Great Plains

Breadbasket of America

Flat and easy to travel

4.Abundant Natural Resources

Tobacco, cotton, trees, crops, coal & oil

Developed into an economic powerhouse

13 Colonies

Geography was the primary influence on colonial life. So were the practices brought from the homelands of the colonists. This divided the colonies into three major areas. Explain the main economic activities in the three colonial regions:

Soil is not good for farming

-Could only grow enough food to support

the population

Fishing is a key economic activity
Timber/wood supply is plentiful

-Valuable natural resources

Ship building business will grow in New England

Soil is excellent for farming
Natural resources for future industrialization like coal, steel, iron, etc.
NYC becomes center of finances (money) for the colonies

Soil is not good for edible crops, BUT
Soil is excellent for the production of Cash Crops.
Cash crops—crops grown to sell not to eat
Cash crops—1. Tobacco, 2. Cotton—harvesting/planting of these labor intensive crops needs many workers.
Demand for slaves increases as farms expand

II. Foundations of US Government

Choose one of the key people and highlight their achievements and the impactthese achievements had on this time period in this section.

John AdamsSamuel AdamsBenjamin Franklin

Alexander HamiltonPatrick HenryThomas Jefferson

Jean-Jacques RousseauVoltaireGeorge Washington

James Madison

This is your life: George Washington!

First president of the United States
Set a precedent for two terms
President’s cabinet—part of the unwritten constitution
Farwell address: Neutrality, stay away from entangling alliances with foreign countries or it can bring us into war.

Big Thinkers, Big Ideas for America

Explain how the following Enlightenment Philosophers influenced American Government

John Locke - Thomas Jefferson uses ideas from John Locke and the Enlightenment Thinkers to write the Declaration of Independence. Locke believed in:

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Government had the responsibility of protecting an individual’s rights and liberties, and if the government did not protect them, people had the right to overthrow or abolish the government.

Baron De Montesquieu - a French political analyst who lived during the Age of Enlightenment. He wrote The Spirit of Laws, which talked about the separation of powers.

Jean Jacques Rousseau - Rousseau argued that human beings are basically good by nature, but were corrupted by complex events in society.

Early Attempts at Self-Government

Ideals of Democracy
Mayflower Compact / This was an agreement for the settlers on how to govern their colony. This was one of the first steps in American for self-government (democracy).
Virginia House of Burgesses / A law making assembly made up of representatives from the colony. This is the first instance of limited self-government in the English colonies.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut / The framework for the government of the Connecticut colony from 1639-1662.

What was the Proclamation Line of 1763?

The proclamation forbade all settlers from settling past a line drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. It closed off the frontier to colonial expansion. The King and his council presented the proclamation as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians, who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded westward.

How did the Proclamation Line help to push the colonies toward war with Britain?

Thecolonists resented this and ignored the King’s rule, which pushed them toward war with

Britain.

Causes of the Revolution – Explain how the following led to the American Revolution

CAUSES
Reversal of Salutary Neglect—An economic system of mercantilism still exists BUT the mother country (England) begins to relax economic control over the colonies  equal to economic freedom = more $$$ POWER. When Britain tried to impose more rules and take control over the colonies again, the colonies were upset.
Mercantilism—
-Colonies exist to benefit the mother country
-Raw materials are sold by the colony to the mother country (i.e. timber)
-In return, mother country sells finished products back to the colony (i.e. desk
-There are trade restrictions on the colonies selling to other countries.
Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts—This law placed a tax on newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, and most other printed materials. This was supposed to pay the cost of keeping British troops in America. The Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts angered the colonists and caused them to renew boycotts and to call to the people of all the English colonies to arm themselves and form militias.
“No Taxation without Representation”— because the colonies didn’t have representation in the British Parliament, they felt the British had not right to force laws on the colonies. Therefore they used this argument to protest the Sugar Act.

Discuss three ideas the government expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

The people have self-evident truths: All men are created equal and they have certain unalienable rights.
The three unalienable rights are: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
The government derives its “just powers” from the =consent of the governed.

Explain the main ideas of each piece of literature by Thomas Paine and how each one influenced the American Revolution.

Thomas Paine (1776) wrote Common Sense a 47-page pamphlet which discussed the Revolution. It convinced many readers to support a complete break with Great Britain. The Crisis were pamphlets that were written in a language that the common man could understand, and represented Paine's philosophy.

Articles of Confederation

1781-1789

Strengths / Weaknesses

Successful conclusion of the American Revolution
Negotiated the Treaty of Paris
Passage of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 which set a pattern of how new states could join the nation. It also did not allow slavery in the Northwest Territory

strong state governments and a weak central (national, federal) government
One vote for each state, regardless of size
No single national currency
Congress could not collect taxes
No separated executive branch to enforce acts of Congress
Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce
No national court system to interpret laws
Amendment only with consent of all the states
A 9/13 majority required to pass laws

III. Writing & Ratifying the Constitution, 1787-1789

Explain what the constitutional issue was for each compromise and how compromise was reached.

Compromise / Issue / What compromise was reached
Great Compromise / New Jersey Plan:equal representation—favors smaller populated states.
Create a new stronger central government and a weak state government
Virginia Plan: representation based on population—favors larger populated states. / A bicameral system was reached. The New Jersey Plan was used for the Senate (2 members per state).
The Virginia Plan was used for the House of Representation (number of representatives based on population).
3/5 Compromise / The south wanted to count slaves as people for representation and as property for tax purposes. The North said—No, you can’t have it both ways / They will count each slave as three fifths of a person, so 5 slaves = 3 people.
Trade Compromise / *Southerners opposed tariffs because their economy was heavily dependent upon trade.
*Northerners wanted tariffs to protect their industries from foreign competition. / The Constitution allows the federal government to tax interstate trade but not intrastate trade.

Governments of the United States: 1781 and 1789

How the Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
Were Corrected by the Constitution
Articles of Confederation / Constitution of the United States

States have most of the power. The national government has little
No executive officer to carry out the laws of Congress
No national courts. Only state courts exist
Congress is responsible to the states
Nine out of 13 states have to approve a law before it can go into effect
Congress has no power to tax
Congress cannot regulate trade among the states
Each state coins its own money. No national currency

States have some power, but most is given to the national government
A president heads the executive branch of the government
Both national and state courts exist.
Congress is responsible to the people
Laws may be passed by a majority vote of both houses of Congress
Congress given the power to tax
Congress given the power to regulate interstate and foreign trade
Only the national government has the power to coin money

Definitions
Ratification / Approve
Reserved Powers / Powers reserved for the states
Establish schools, Pass statewide laws, regulate intrastate trade
Delegated Powers / Powers delegated to the federal government
Regulate interstate trade, coin money, declare war, sign treaties
Concurrent Powers / Powers held and exercised by both the national and state governments
Federalism / A strong central government with shared state powers.
Federalist Papers / Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay, they were a series of essays to persuade the NY State convention to agree to the Constitution
Preamble / The preamble describes the purpose of the government set up by the Constitution. We the people…
Separation of Powers / 3 Branches of Government

Legislative Branch—make laws
Executive Branch—The President, enforces laws
Judicial Branch—Supreme & Federal Courts

Explain what the debate was between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Include who supported the Bill of Rights and why?

The Great Debate

Federalists / Antifederalists
-James Madison
-They wanted a strong national government / -Thomas Jefferson
-Wanted strong state government
-They were afraid the president would be like a king
-They feared for Americans’ individual liberties
The federalists added the Bill of Rights to appeal to the antifederalists. These were amendments designed to protect citizens’ rights.
IV. The Constitution

Implied Powers

Powers not written in the Constitution—future power
This makes the constitution a “living document” and gives the government most of its power today
Flexible document based on the necessary and proper (or elastic) clause
Gives the Legislative Branch flexibility to make laws today. i.e. radio, internet.

Federalism

Delegated Powers: / Reserved Powers:
Those powers specifically granted the
Federal Government by the Constitution. / Those powers not delegated to the Federal Government or denied the states are reserved for the states.
Concurrent Powers:

Regulate interstate and international trade
Coin money
Declare war
Maintain an armed forces
Establish a postal system
Enforce copyrights
Sign treaties

/ Powers that are shared by both the Federal and State Governments.

Power to tax
Maintain courts
Borrow money

Regulate intrastate trade
Establish schools
Establish local governments
Pass statewide laws (ex. Safety belt laws)
Run elections

2. Give two specific ‘real life’ examples for each of the three powers.

Delegated Powers / Concurrent Powers / Reserved Powers

There is one common currency in the US
Passports

There are federal prisons and state prisons
Federal and state courts

Drivers’ licenses
Create schools

Explain the responsibility of the President under each ‘role’?

Chief of State / This role requires a president to be an inspiring example for the American people.
Chief Executive / The president is “boss” for millions of government workers in the Executive Branch, deciding how the laws are to be enforced.
Chief Diplomat / The president represents the United States in negotiations with foreign countries, because the Constitution grants the President the power to negotiate and sign treaties on behalf of the United States
Commander in Chief / The President is ultimately at the head of the chain of command for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and the Coast Guard.
Bill of Rights
1st Amendment

Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, Petition

2nd Amendment

Right to keep arms

3rd Amendment

Right to protection from troops being quartered in homes during peacetime

4th Amendment

Right against unreasonable search and seizure without a warrant

5th Amendment

Rights of the Accused

6th Amendment

Right to be informed of the charges against you, a speedy public trial, impartial jury

7th Amendment

Right to a trial by jury in a civil case (non-criminal case)

8th Amendment

Right to protection against cruel and unusual punishment

9th Amendment

Guaranteed the rights not listed in the Constitution are still protected

10th Amendment

Guarantee that the people and the states have all of the powers not specifically delegated to the federal government (reserved powers)

American History through Constitutional Law

Cases / Quick Summary / Outcome/Historical Significance / Constitutional Concepts/Enduring Issues
Marbury v. Madison (1803) / Appointment of midnight justices by John Adams rejected by Jefferson. Supreme Court must decide constitutionality of Judiciary Act. / John Marshall declares Judiciary Act unconstitutional The Supreme Court has the right of Judicial Review. This means that it decides if a law is constitutional or unconstitutional / Judicial v. Executive and Congressional Power
Judicial Review
Separation of Powers
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) / Maryland attempts to tax the National Bank of the U.S. Court must decide whether Bank is legitimate under the elastic clause and whether Maryland can tax it. / John Marshall declares “the power to tax is the power to destroy.” The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution prohibits state taxation of a federal institution. Federal law takes precedent over State Law. / State Rights
Elastic Clause
Judicial Review
Federalism
Gibbons v. Odgen (1824) / Ogden receives exclusive right from New York to use Steam boat to navigate in NY and to NJ. Gibbons get right from Congress. / John Marshall declares that Congress has the exclusive authority to regulate Interstate Commerce. Federal law takes precedent over State law. / Judicial Review
Federalism
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) / Dred Scott was a slave who was brought into free Territory as defined by the Missouri Compromise. / The supreme Court declared that slaves were property; therefore, he could be brought into the free area as a slave.
It also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. / Article III citizenship rights vs. Fifth Amendment property rights.
Civil War causes
Federalism
Equality
Impeachment
Trial of Andrew
Johnson (1868) / Andrew Johnson fired his Secretary of War Stanton in violation of the Tenure of Office Act and the House of Representatives voted to Impeach the president. / The Senate by one vote decided not to impeach him. Johnson as the president was able to finish his term. This event brings to light the major differences between the President and the Radical Republicans in Congress regarding Reconstruction. / Article I Impeachment Power of congress vs Article II appointment power of the president.
Federalism
Presidential Power
Separation of Power
Plessy v
Ferguson (1896) / The state of Louisiana enacted a law that required separate railway cars for blacks and whites. In 1892 Homer Adolph Plessy—who was seven-eighths Caucasian—took a seat in a “whites only” car of a Louisiana train. He refused to move to the car reserved for blacks and was arrested. / In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” was constitutional. The case established the principal of segregation until it was overturned in 1954. / Fourteenth Amendment
Equal protection clause
Equality
Federalism
Jim Crow
Korematsu v
U.S. (1944) / During WWII, Presidential Executive Order 9066 and congressional statues gave the military authority to relocate citizens of Japanese ancestry to internment camps as a means of national defense, Korematsu remained in California and was arrested / The Supreme Court ruled that the President had the right to issue the Executive order.
In 1988 Congress passed a law giving $20,000 to all ancestors of Japanese-Americans who were put in these camps. / Fourteenth Amendment
Equal protection clause, vs Article II power of the president.
Civil Liberties
Rights of ethnic minorities
World War II
Power of President
Rosenberg Trial (1951) / The Rosenbergs were accused as spies responsible for turning over atomic secrets to the Soviets during the Cold War. They were convicted and sentenced to die. / The Supreme Court refused to grant clemency and the Rosenbergs were executed amidst much protest that the original decision had Anti-Semitic overtones. The spy the Rosenbergs made contact with disclosed they did not give him nuclear secrets. / Fifth Amendment rights of Rosenbergsvs.Article I authority of Congress to pass Espionage act.
Due Process Rights
The Cold War
Gideon v Wainwright (1963) / Gideon was accused of a felony by Florida and did not have attorney representation because he could not afford one. / Based on his “pauper” appeal to the Supreme Court, it decided that regardless of the crime, Gideon had the right to free legal aide / Fifth and Sixth Amendments
Bill of Rights
Due Process
Right to an attorney
Mapp v Ohio
1961 / Dolleree Mapp was accused of harboring a dangerous criminal. The police searched her house without a warrant and found illegal pornographic material, which they used to prosecute Mapp. / Regarding the use of illegally obtained evidence in a trial, the Supreme Court ruled that evidence seized illegally could not be used in a trial. / Fourth Amendment
Bill of Rights
Search and Seizure
Miranda v Arizona (1966) / Ernesto Miranda was arrested, interrogated and confessed to rape without the police informing him of his right to remain silent or have an attorney after his arrest. / One of the most important cases decided by the Supreme Court, it directed police to give the Miranda rights, warning a person of his rights immediately after a person is arrested. / Fifth, Sixth Amendments
Bill of Rights
Due Process
Right against self-incrimination
Right to an attorney
New Jersey v TLO (1985) / TLO was accused of smoking in the bathroom. The principal searches her pocketbook without her permission and discovers cigarettes as well as other illegal substances. / The Court rules that schools have the right to search students with reasonable cause. This case gave school officials greater latitude in disciplining students. / Fourth Amendments
Bill of Rights
Due Process
Search and Seizure
New York Times vs U.S. (1971) / In what became known as the “Pentagon Papers Case,” the Nixon Administration attempted to prevent the NY Times and Washington Post from publishing materials from a classified Defense Department study regarding the history of US activities in Vietnam. / The Court ruled that the papers did not violate national security and therefore, the newspapers had the right to publish them. The result was an embarrassment for the President of the U.S. / First Amendment, free speech vs Article II power of the president.
Cold War
Vietnam
Freedom of the Press
US v Nixon
(1974) / President Nixon asserted that he was immune from the subpoena claiming “executive privilege,” which is the right to withhold information to preserve confidential communications or to secure the national interest and refused to hand over Watergate related tapes. / The Court ruled unanimously that executive privilege could not be invoked in a potential criminal activity. Shortly after turning over the tapes, Nixon resigned from office. / Article I power of Congress v Article II power of the president
Separation of Powers
Watergate

Explain the political importance of the Census every 10 years.

A census is given every 10 years to find out the population for representation in the House of Representatives and for electoral votes.