Government Chapter 9

Goals of governments > provide order, maintain stability, promote general welfare Framework of U.S. Gov. > Constitution Written over 200 years ago “Living document” > changes with the times through interpretation & amendment process; Constitution has changed to meet the needs of our changing society Process of Amendment Definition - to add (new text) or change (wording or get rid of older provisions) Difficult process – nationwide approval is needed for amendments to be ratified How amendments have changed voting rights: Expansion of voting rights > Late 1700s – property ownership, males of the white race, over 21, early 1800s – dropped property ownership, 1870 – 15 th Amendment, right to vote to all men, 19 th Amendment > 1840s women began to demand right to vote (suffrage); 1890s formed organizations; WWI, turning point in fight for suffrage for women b/c of taking men’s places in the workplace; th Amendment ratified, giving U.S. women the right to vote 26 th Amendment > Vietnam War changed the voting age from 21 to 18 in national elections b/c many Americans felt that if young people could be drafted to serve in the armed services they should have the right to vote for or against wars in which they may be fighting

“ Court of Appeals” > U.S. Supreme Court is our nations highest court of appeals Roles of Supreme Court > Determines how ordinary federal law should be applied to a case Overturn federal law that conflicts w/ the Constitution, determining the law to be unconstitutional Interpreting the Constitution > Interpretations may change over time Do not alter words of the Constitution, but change what the word mean Changing Interpretations of the 14 th Amendment “Equal Protection of the Laws” > gave former male slaves the rights of citizenship; these rights cannot be denied by any state Plessy v. Ferguson > 1896 Southern states passed Jim Crow laws segregating blacks & whites in public facilities Plessy, of mixed races, challenged Louisiana state law by riding in a railway car that was designated just for whites

14 th Amendment con’t Plessy was arrested for violating a state law saying that “separate but equal” rail cars were provided for both races Plessy said the state law violated his equal protection rights, however, the Supreme Court disagreed supporting the state’s right to legally separate the races as long as facilities were of equal quality Brown v. Board of Education > 1954 Linda Brown, African American, was denied to attend her all-white neighborhood school in Topeka, Kansas & forced to attend a Negro school far from her home Kansas claimed that the Negro school was an equal facility to the all-white school NAACP’s lawyer, Thurgood Marshall, argued before the Supreme Court, that by forcing Linda Brown to go to a separate school, she was made to feel inferior The Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson stating that public schools could not be “separate but equal” – desegregating schools

14 th Amendment con’t University of California v. Bakke > 1978 Affirmative Action – policy followed by universities to admit or hire more women & minorities Bakke, white male med school applicant at Univ. of CA; university had set aside limited # of places for minorities & Bakke was denied admission although test scores & grades were higher than minority applicants Bakke said he was denied his “equal protection;” Supreme Court ruled that universities could NOT use racial quotas for admission, but could take race into account as an admission factor, meaning affirmative action programs must be designed properly

Monarchy Definition > ruler inherits his/her power, at death, power passes on to a family member Absolute Monarchies > King/queen claims absolute power (rules w/ iron fist!) over subjects Power by divine right or through the will of God People/subjects have NO rights or freedoms, except those the monarch gives them Constitutional Monarchies > King/queen have limited powers, determined by a constitution; powers are shared w/ a law- making body People do have rights & a voice in the government

Dictatorship Definition > system of gov. where a single person or small group of people have supreme power over others Control is usually seized by force, may be put into power by others, then strengthens his or her power over the people, is not responsible to the people & power is not limited by people People do vote & choose dictators, but often that is the only choice Examples of dictators > Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini Advantage > decisions can be made quickly b/c the dictator does not have to consult a legislative branch Disadvantages > individuals who speak out against dictator are severely punished; government does not follow the law; force or terror is used to maintain power; elections are rarely an offering of choices; individual rights & liberties are not allowed

Democracy Definition > government gets its authority to govern from the people Direct Democracy > citizens vote directly on every issue (used in small New England towns) Representative Democracy > citizens elect representatives to carry out their “will;” U.S. is an example Characteristics of democracies > government operated under the rule of law (means members of gov. are not above the law & must obey laws); people’s rights are guaranteed; majority rule is followed, but minority rights are protected Parliamentary Democracy > voters elect members of the legislature, Parliament; members of Parliament elect the chief executive, Prime Minister who leads the legislative branch & carries out the laws passed; Prime Minister can be removed by a majority of the members of Parliament at any time; Great Britain is an example of parliamentary democracy Presidential Democracy > separation of powers between the 3 branches of government, each having separate & balanced powers but can check each other’s powers; chief executive is the President, elected separately, heads the executive branch of government & carries out laws passed by the legislative branch of gov. who are voted into office independently by citizens; U.S. is example of presidential democracy

Theocracy Definition > gov. where a religious leader rules over society Religious leader often chosen by a council of religious priests/clerics Ruler claims to act in the name of God & requires strict obedience to religious laws, may impose more rules, forbid secular (worldly) activities & impose religious taxes