https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5 An overview of the first unit in AP GOV en-us 2023-01-10 13:35:32 UTC 2023-01-29 22:31:03 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3db.png sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442239077 Natural rights theory is the idea that people have certain rights like life, liberty, and property as human rights.
Social Contract is an imaginary agreement that people in a society must conform to in order to maintain civil order. Without this, life would be anarchy.
Limited Government has only powers that have been given to it by law. In the US, that law is the constitution, which defines all government responsibilities and limitations.
Popular Sovereignty is the core of a democratic government. The populous and majority dictates what the government should do.
Republicanism is a system of government where citizens elect delegates and leaders to make decisions.]]> 2023-01-12 13:18:27 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442239077 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442243598 Participatory democracy lets citizens directly control political decisions, rather than through elected officials.
Pluralist democracy pits different political groups against each other and decisions are made by the majority.
Elite democracy is a system where only the elite have influence, and control the government for their own interests rather than that of the majority.]]> 2023-01-12 13:22:24 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442243598 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442281167 The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 to state that the US was breaking off from the British Empire and becoming an independent country. In the document, they stated their reasons for leaving, and created many ideals that the new union should have.]]> 2023-01-12 13:51:08 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2442281167 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443526028 After the revolutionary war, there was an absence of government in the US. The Articles of Confederation were written as guidelines for government responsibilities. However, the articles lacked many powers that the government needed, such as an army and tax collection. This lead to problems like Shay's Rebellion, where annoyed veterans refused to pay taxes and got together as a mob. Eventually, the rebellion was ended by a privately owned army. It was clear that a new, stronger government document was needed.]]> 2023-01-13 12:47:56 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443526028 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443530788 After much debate from clashing opinions, and a 4 day convention to write it, the new constitution for the United States was finally signed. The constitution outlined a partitioned government, with separate legislative, judicial, and executive branches. This new government was carefully engineered to avoid corruption and let citizens maintain control of the government. The constitution distributes powers to the government, and liberties to citizens (powers taken away from the government). The constitution can be amended, and the first amendments that were made were the rights to freedom of speech and religion, and the right to bear arms. This document is the foundation of the American democracy, it is used as a moral compass for government decisions, whether someone is or isn't contitutional.]]> 2023-01-13 12:52:55 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443530788 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443590677 When the US was a young country, the founders had different opinions on how the government should be formed. Federalists wanted a strong, powerful republic to make sure that factions do not get too divided. Antifederalists want a small, decentralized republic, which does not infringe as much on citizen's liberties. The federalists eventually won out and the strong US government we know today was made. However, the argument for less government continues even today.]]> 2023-01-13 13:50:49 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443590677 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443599606 When founding America, groups of differing opinions had to compromise often. 
Great Compromise: Having both a senate and a house, to give states and populations voices in congress.
The Electoral College: In order to compromise between states voting and populations voting, the electoral college gives a point value to each state.
3/5ths Compromise: In order for slave states to have higher populations be counted, slaves were counted as 3/5ths of a person toward seats in congress.
Slave Importation Compromise: The Atlantic slave trade was ended, but slavery remained legal in the US.]]> 2023-01-13 13:57:34 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443599606 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443626700 Federalist 51 argued for separation of powers in branches, and a system of checks and balances to “guard the society against the oppression of its rulers.” In our government, this has been applied with different branches overseeing different important powers.

Congressional Powers: "The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers."
Executive Powers: "The President can issue executive orders, which direct executive officers or clarify and further existing laws. The President also has the power to extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes."
Judicial Powers: "Federal courts enjoy the sole power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual cases. The courts, like Congress, can compel the production of evidence and testimony through the use of a subpoena."

Quotes from whitehouse.gov]]> 2023-01-13 14:18:11 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443626700 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443655478 There are two types of Federalism:
Dual Federalism: Government is clearly divided into local, state, and national sections. (1789-1936)
Cooperative Federalism: Local, state, and national government is mixed. (1936-present)
However, some experts say the US is now in a 3rd type, called New Federalism. New Federalism has power concentrated in the states.
10th Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." The states and citizens gain the power that the government is not specifically given.

Federal Revenue Sharing
Block Grants: Given to states, can be used for whatever they choose.
Categorical Grants: Specific purpose, must be used for what the government wants. Two types of categorical grants:
-Formula Grants use a formula to determine the best use of funds
-Project Grants are awarded for winning a competition, based on applications.]]> 2023-01-13 14:39:58 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443655478 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443673223 The Commerce Clause in Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution gives congress the power to regulate the commerce of the US. Congress gets a lot of power from this clause, as almost every one of their concerns affects the US economy in some way.
The Necessary and Proper Clause also in Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution is a vague blanket statement. It allows congress to pass and laws that are "necessary and proper" for executing the other powers that are listed in section 8.
Implied Powers are political powers that the US government has that aren't specifically stated in the constitution.]]> 2023-01-13 14:53:51 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443673223 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443699904 McCulloch v Maryland
In this case, James W. McCulloch, refused to pay taxes that the state of Maryland imposed on the second bank of the US. Maryland sued, and said that the US government didn't have the right to make a federal bank. Maryland lost, under the necessary and proper clause which gives congress extra powers to execute the commerce clause.
US v Lopez
In US v Lopez, a student was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon into a school, under the 1990 Safe Schools act. The student sued the US, stating that congress did not have the power to pass the act. Lopez won, because the commerce clause is not enough to pass this act.]]> 2023-01-13 15:14:49 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2443699904 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2445976295 2023-01-16 19:05:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2445976295 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2445977755 2023-01-16 19:07:19 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2445977755 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2446072302 In US government, power is allocated between the state and national governments. This means that people that are interested in how policies are made have multiple access points. Power is shared between the branches of the national government, and the state governments, making it harder to create policies.]]> 2023-01-16 21:39:49 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2446072302 sammycolewilson https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2460611017 Google slides (unit 1), Oyez, government archives (constitution, bill of rights)]]> 2023-01-29 22:29:40 UTC https://padlet.com/sammycolewilson/uyc7ldlte6eqbjg5/wish/2460611017