1. AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM
United States Constitution 1787
Federalism = power sharing between national/federal & state govt’s
examples of Federal & state laws?
states’ rights
Balance of power among the 3 branches of gov’t

3. Executive Legislative Judiciary US President – elections every 4 years
State Governors
Legislative
Congress Senate – 6 year term of office
House of Representatives – 2 year term
State Legislatures
Judiciary
Supreme Court
State Courts

4. The Supreme Court decides whether laws are constitutional
judical review (balance of power)
Bill of Rights = First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
Civil War Amendments
13th outlawed slavery in 1865
14th Due Process & Equal Protection Clause 1868
15th right to vote regardless of race 1870

5. American Political Parties
Two major parties that have evolved since the 19th century
Democratic Party is oldest going back to the 1820’s
supported slavery in the South
Republican Party founded in 1854 as an anti-slavery movement with
the election of Lincoln in 1860 it became a national presence.
After the Civil War – each party represented a coalition of supporters:
Democrats: white southerners, urban northerners, workers,Catholics
Republicans: Blacks, northern elites, businessmen, middle classes
primary force during the Progressive era = good governemnt
fight corruption and support social and economic reforms
After WWI/Great Depression – Democratic Party led by FDR and New Deal
Supported by urban north, Blacks, immigrants, southerners
Republicans promote laissez-faire economic theory and social conservatism
Democrats support limited welfare state, taxation, regulation

6. 1874 cartoon by Thomas Nast

7. US Presidents in chronological order:
Political Party
1952 – 1960
1960 – 1963
1963 – 1968
1968 – 1974
1974 – 1976
1976 – 1980
1980 – 1988
1988 – 1992
1992 – 2000
2008 -