Chapter 7Chapter 7

The United StatesThe United States

U.S. Basic FactsU.S. Basic Facts►Population: over 300 millionPopulation: over 300 million►Total area: 3.79 million sq milesTotal area: 3.79 million sq miles►Political system: Presidential, Political system: Presidential,

representative democracyrepresentative democracy►Administrative structure: Federalism – Administrative structure: Federalism –

powers shared between national powers shared between national government and 50 state government and 50 state governments; separation of powers: governments; separation of powers: legislative, judicial, executivelegislative, judicial, executive

Branches of GovernmentBranches of Government

►Executive: Executive: President – “directly” elected (Electoral President – “directly” elected (Electoral College officially elects president and vice president) College officially elects president and vice president) for four-year term; cabinet selected by presidentfor four-year term; cabinet selected by president

►Legislative: Legislative: Bicameral. Lower house (House of Bicameral. Lower house (House of Representatives) 435 members, two-year terms. Representatives) 435 members, two-year terms. Upper house (Senate) 100 members, six-year terms.Upper house (Senate) 100 members, six-year terms.

► Judicial: Judicial: Supreme Court – nine justices nominated Supreme Court – nine justices nominated by President, confirmed by Senate – life tenure – can by President, confirmed by Senate – life tenure – can declare acts of legislature & executive declare acts of legislature & executive unconstitutional.unconstitutional.

Party SystemParty System►Two-party system: Republicans and Two-party system: Republicans and

DemocratsDemocrats Parties relatively weak, fractionalizedParties relatively weak, fractionalized Personal following of candidates importantPersonal following of candidates important

►Contrasts with parliamentary systems Contrasts with parliamentary systems (Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan)(Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan) Multiple political parties. One party elected, Multiple political parties. One party elected,

and then a prime minister is chosen within and then a prime minister is chosen within the party.the party.

Parties can be voted out of office if Parties can be voted out of office if unpopularunpopular

Four critical juncturesFour critical juncturesin U.S. historyin U.S. history

►American Revolution through American Revolution through ratification of U.S. Constitutionratification of U.S. Constitution

►Civil War and ReconstructionCivil War and Reconstruction►The New DealThe New Deal►Since 1968, national elections – period Since 1968, national elections – period

of divided national governmentof divided national government

Revolutionary Era Revolutionary Era (1773-1789)(1773-1789)

►Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence 7/4/17767/4/1776

►Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation (1777-1788)(1777-1788) governed nationgoverned nation Weaknesses: inability to implement Weaknesses: inability to implement

foreign/domestic policy, tax, regulate foreign/domestic policy, tax, regulate trade – also states had to ratify most key trade – also states had to ratify most key decisionsdecisions

►Constitution replaced Articles of Constitution replaced Articles of Confederation 1788Confederation 1788

► Constitution maintained most power with Constitution maintained most power with States – limited but specific powers to national States – limited but specific powers to national (federal) government(federal) government Federal government had authority over commerce & Federal government had authority over commerce &

military policymilitary policy Post offices, roads, coining money, establishing rule Post offices, roads, coining money, establishing rule

of naturalizationof naturalization Sought to limit citizenry’s voice in governmentSought to limit citizenry’s voice in government

► Created executive (presidency) – powers Created executive (presidency) – powers independent of legislatureindependent of legislature President elected indirectly through Electoral President elected indirectly through Electoral

CollegeCollege Senate originally elected through state legislaturesSenate originally elected through state legislatures Only House of Representatives elected by peopleOnly House of Representatives elected by people

►Bill of RightsBill of Rights (first 10 amendments)(first 10 amendments) – – prohibitions on national government prohibitions on national government necessary to ensure ratification of necessary to ensure ratification of ConstitutionConstitution

►Became guarantees against excesses Became guarantees against excesses of state & national governmentof state & national government

► Interpretation of meaning of rights Interpretation of meaning of rights periodically reviewed in federal courtsperiodically reviewed in federal courts

Civil War and ReconstructionCivil War and Reconstruction1861-18761861-1876

►What caused Civil War?What caused Civil War? Morality of slavery overt reasonMorality of slavery overt reason ReallyReally fought over states’ rights – many states fought over states’ rights – many states

still believed they could reject federal laws still believed they could reject federal laws ►Results of Civil War – Results of Civil War – (North won)(North won)

Indivisibility of the UnionIndivisibility of the Union Established an enforceable national Established an enforceable national

citizenship citizenship (Fourteenth Amendment 1868)(Fourteenth Amendment 1868) – extended – extended citizenship to all persons born in the U.S. citizenship to all persons born in the U.S. (freed slaves) (freed slaves)

►Fifteenth amendment (1870) – granted Fifteenth amendment (1870) – granted vote to African Americans – but rights vote to African Americans – but rights not uniformly enforced until…not uniformly enforced until…

►Voting Rights Act of 1965 – finally Voting Rights Act of 1965 – finally African Americans could routinely vote African Americans could routinely vote (especially in the South)(especially in the South)

The New Deal era The New Deal era 1933-19401933-1940

►New Deal – Roosevelt’s administration response New Deal – Roosevelt’s administration response to Great Depressionto Great Depression

► Presidency dominated Congress in policymakingPresidency dominated Congress in policymaking► Start of interventionist approach (vs. Start of interventionist approach (vs.

isolationist)isolationist)► Federal government establishedFederal government established

Social SecuritySocial Security Jobs programs – building roads/damsJobs programs – building roads/dams Housing and food programs for poorHousing and food programs for poor Subsidized farmersSubsidized farmers

Era of divided governmentEra of divided government1968-present1968-present

►Since 1968, increasing divisions Since 1968, increasing divisions ►Two dimensionsTwo dimensions

Division between two political partiesDivision between two political parties►Increases inefficiency of government – cannot Increases inefficiency of government – cannot

respond to national needsrespond to national needs►Increases popular distrust of governmentIncreases popular distrust of government

Rejection of expansion of federal Rejection of expansion of federal governmentgovernment►California proposition 13 (1978) limited California proposition 13 (1978) limited

government’s ability to increase property taxesgovernment’s ability to increase property taxes

U.S. ConstitutionU.S. Constitution

►U.S. Constitution created system of U.S. Constitution created system of federalism and separation of powersfederalism and separation of powers Federalism – division of governing Federalism – division of governing

responsibilities between national and state responsibilities between national and state governmentsgovernments

Separation of powers – between three Separation of powers – between three branches of governmentbranches of government

**reality is that individual citizens have **reality is that individual citizens have little ability to influence national little ability to influence national governmentgovernment

►Constitution amended 27 times since 1787Constitution amended 27 times since 1787►First ten amendments Bill of Rights (1791)– First ten amendments Bill of Rights (1791)–

set of protections of individual rights – set of protections of individual rights – required compromise required compromise

►Remaining 17 amendments extended Remaining 17 amendments extended democratic election practices and changed democratic election practices and changed procedural deficiencies (president & vice-procedural deficiencies (president & vice-president on a single ticket, term limits)president on a single ticket, term limits)

►Amendments initiated by Congress, Amendments initiated by Congress, require three-quarters of states to agree require three-quarters of states to agree

U.S. LegislatureU.S. Legislature

►Bicameral system – two housesBicameral system – two houses►House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

Allocated by populationAllocated by population 435 members (fixed #since 1910)435 members (fixed #since 1910) More responsive to popular willMore responsive to popular will Elections every two yearsElections every two years

►SenateSenate Equal representation for each stateEqual representation for each state

►Does not take into account growing gap in Does not take into account growing gap in population between large & small states population between large & small states

100 members (two for each state)100 members (two for each state) Six-year staggered terms (only one-third Six-year staggered terms (only one-third

can be unseated in an election)can be unseated in an election)

Two central powers of Congress are Two central powers of Congress are legislation and oversightlegislation and oversight

Electoral CollegeElectoral College►Citizens don’t directly elect president or Citizens don’t directly elect president or

vice presidentvice president►Voted into law in 1845Voted into law in 1845►Electoral College placed community leaders Electoral College placed community leaders

between voters and selection of leadersbetween voters and selection of leaders►Number of electors equal to number of a Number of electors equal to number of a

State’s representatives plus its two State’s representatives plus its two senatorssenators

►To win – earn half number plus one – 270 of To win – earn half number plus one – 270 of Electoral College votesElectoral College votes

►Electoral College system can make a Electoral College system can make a winner out of the person who places winner out of the person who places second in the popular vote (Gore v. second in the popular vote (Gore v. Bush in 2000)Bush in 2000)

All but two states award electoral votes All but two states award electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis on a winner-take-all basis (Maine & (Maine & Nebraska use tiered system)Nebraska use tiered system)

Most states require that an elector vote Most states require that an elector vote for a candidate to whom s/he is for a candidate to whom s/he is pledged pledged (elector from D.C. in 2000 did not vote (elector from D.C. in 2000 did not vote for Gore although pledged to by popular vote)for Gore although pledged to by popular vote)