Unit 1 Homework Packet Government

Name: ______Period: ______Due Date: ______

Foundations of American Government Chapter 1: Principles of Government

Public Policy

Anarchy

Compromise

Confederation

Democracy

Dictatorship

Direct Democracy

Federal Government

Representative Democracy

1. What are the four characteristics of the state?

2. What are the four most widely held theories on the origin of the state?

3. List the six purposes of government found in the Preamble of the Constitution.

4. Is the US government a presidential or parliamentary government? What is the difference?

5. What are the five basic concepts of democracy? Chapter 2: Origins of American Government

Limited Government

Connecticut Compromise

Constitution

Ratification

Federalists

Anti-Federalists

1. What was the goal of the Articles of Confederation? How well did it succeed?

2. How did the nation respond to the shortcomings of the Articles?

3. What was the role of compromise in the framing of the Constitution?

4. Who were the Federalists? What was their argument in favor of the Constitution?

5. What were the main arguments used by the Anti-Federalists?

Chapter 3: The Constitution Bill of Rights

Checks and Balances

Federalism

Formal Amendment

Informal Amendment Judicial Review

Popular Sovereignty

Separation of Powers

Unconstitutional

A. Match the Principle of Democracy with its description.

1. Popular Sovereignty - Each branch is subject to constitutional restraints by the other branches. 2. Limited Government - Powers are distributed among the three branches Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. 3. Separation of Powers - self-governing. 4. Checks and Balances - The division of power between the central government and the several regional governments. 5. Judicial Review - The government and its leaders are always subject to the law. 6. Federalism -The power of the judicial branch to determine the constitutionality of an action of government.

B. Interpreting Diagrams (Page 58) 1. Which branch of government can declare an act of Congress to be unconstitutional?

2. How may Congress check a presidential veto?

3. What powers do the President and Congress have over the appointment of Supreme Court justices?

4. Which branch of government has the power to make law?

5. Who has the power to remove judges and how do they do it?

C. What does the Bill of Rights guarantee? Chapter 4: Federalism

Inherent Powers

Interstate Compact

Expressed Powers

Extradition

Block Grant

Supremacy Clause

Implied Power

Grants-in-aid Programs

1. What are two obligations of the nation to the states?

2. Give an example of how the federal government gives aid to the states. Give an example of how the states aid the federal government.

Chapter 5: Political Parties Coalition

Independent

Major Party

Minor Party Multi-party System

Two-party System

Single-member District

Split-ticket Voting

1. What is the most important role of minor parties in the US?

2. What are the three elements of a political party?

3. What does it mean to say that the two major parties are more election-oriented than issue-oriented?

Chapter 8: Mass Media and Public Opinion Public Opinion

Mandate

Interest Group

Public Opinion Poll

Straw Poll

Mass Media

1. In what two areas does the media have its greatest impact?

2. What limits exist on the impact of mass media?