STUDY GUIDE POLS 101

These are the topics your test will cover: the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, and civil rights. You are responsible for all readings on the syllabus from 8/20-9/19. Please note that this study guide is NOT definitive. You are responsible for everything in your readings and in your class notes.

1. What were the Articles of Confederation? Why did they fail?

2. What were the major characteristics of the founders? Why did they call a Constitutional Convention in 1787?

3. What were the major areas of agreement at the Convention? Disagreement?

4. How and why did the founders attempt to restrict popular majorities? What was their view of "pure" democracy? What system of government did they prefer?

5. What was the crux of the debate between the federalists and the anti-federalists?

6. How did the founders attempt to resolve the problem of maintaining state autonomy while strengthening the central government?

7. How does the Constitution change?

8. What are the enumerated powers of the three branches? What branch is described in Article I? Article II? Article III?

9. What is federalism? Separation of powers? Republicanism?

10. What is the difference between a unitary and a federal system?

11. Describe the movement from dual to cooperative federalism.

12. What is the elastic clause? Why is it important? What are implied powers? What is the reserved powers clause? Why is it important?

13. Give a brief history of American federalism. Are there any noticeable trends?

14. What is fiscal federalism?

15. How does the national government try to influence state and local policy?

16. What is the Bill of Rights? Why was it included in the Constitution?

17. Are civil liberties absolute? What are civil liberties?

18. What is selective incorporation? On what was this process based? What is the role of the Supreme Court in defining civil liberties? What is judicial review?

19. What is in the First Amendment? What kinds of restrictions are placed on free speech, press, assembly, and exercise of religion? What is in the 4th Amendment? 5th? 6th? 7th? 8th?

20. Describe the constitutional protections granted those accused of crimes. How have they changed over the years?

21. What is the "right to privacy"? Where did it come from?

22. What are civil rights? How do they differ from civil liberties?

23. What is affirmative action (AA)? What are the two types of AA programs?

24. What obstacles have blacks, women, and other groups faced in their quest for civil rights? What are Jim Crow laws? What does the 13th amendment say? The 14th? The 15th?

25. What is the "separate but equal" doctrine? Describe the Supreme Court's rulings in these two cases: Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education.

26. What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do? How about The Voting Rights Act of 1965? The Open Housing Act of 1968?

27. What are the names of the two houses of Congress? What is bicameralism? What are the key differences between the House and Senate?

28. What precisely is in the Declaration of Independence? What is the generic definition of “constitution?”

29. What are "checks and balances?" Why are they necessary?

30. What is devolution? What is privatization?

31. What does the Constitution say about race? What were the founder's attitudes toward African-Americans? How do we know how they felt?

32. What is affirmative action? How have recent Supreme Court cases dealt with affirmative action? How have the Court's views changed over time?