Economics chapter 1

Total number of votes for the country, does not count

Vote that does count

population

Electoral system in which the candidate receiving the most votes wins all the votes

number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency is ______

The electoral college is an ______ system

a state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections

enforces the laws (President, Vice President, Cabinet)

35 years old

if you win the popular vote, you can still lose the election, as a result people may belive their votes do not count

Voting for the president is indirect and voting for the senate or house of reps is direct

the RULES and REGULATIONS made and enforced by the GOVERNMENT that regulate the conduct of PEOPLE within a SOCIETY

Moral, political and economic

Chaos

Rights to debate issues freely, to travel, to live in any state, practice the religion of your choice

Be fair and enforceable and citizens must be able to know and understand it

• Protect our freedoms

• promote fairness

• help people avoid and resolve conflicts

• help communities achieve certain goals -promote order and stability

• represent the will of the majority -protect the rights of the minority

-framework for government -highest authority -power of the branches comes from the constitution -basic law of the land

Introduction to the Constitution stating it's goals

LEGISLATIVE Branch (how Congress works)

• congress has TWO houses meaning it is BICAMERAL -these two houses are the SENATE and HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

• senate has TWO senators for each state with a SIX year term -the house of reps is based on POPULATION and they serve a TWO year term -there are currently FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE reps

• the senate has a longer term to promote STABILITY while the house of reps has a smaller term to GIVE NEW IDEAS AND CHANGE WITH THE COMMUNITY

EXECUTIVE (role of the president)

• includes the PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, and CABINETS -the cabinets are ADVISORS and SECRETARIES

• examples are : Secretary of State, secretary of treasury, attorney general (justice), homeland security

4 years, can only do 8 years in total or 2 terms

adding the number of senators plus the number of reps for that state, 270 electoral votes are needed to win an election

JUDICIAL branch

• SUPREME COURT is the highest court

• (article outlines how the courts work)

• branch INTERPRETS the law

• PRESIDENT appoints the JUSTICES

for life or until they die or retire, this is for SECURITY purposes and there are NINE justices on the court

Accusing someone of wrong doing

to approve

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition (they have limitations)

government can not establish an official religion

• teach about religions in schools -allow voluntary prayer -transport students to a religion school

• read the Bible for literacy context

-set a state religion -order prayer -teach one religion in school -teach creationism

citizens can practice any religion freely but with limits

-choose any religion -lead a prayer in most instances -ask questions about religion

-break the law and use religion as an excuse

• raise children without education -deprive children from basic needs

attacks based on a person's race, religion, or other characteristics

-say political beliefs -protest without it being chaotic

• say things that are true about someone -burn the flag -say racist/hate slogans -say something you disagree with

-balancing test(weigh the danger of two things) -clear and present danger

• incitement test (provoking)

media

-Print any political position -Make fun of people, especially politicians -Expose wrongs by the government -Say things you might not agree with

• libel, intentionally injuring someones reputation with false facts

• disclosing classified government information

• detail how to make a weapon

• Libel is written defamationand slander is spoken defamation

• libel falls under freedom of press while slander falls under speech

the right of the people to gather peacefully

• protest -concerts -parade with a permit -parade chanting hate slogans -charity

-protest violently by throwing rocks or breaking things

• loiter (hang out on private property without permission)

-You may sue the government for wrongs -You cannot be punished for exposing wrongs by the government -The courts decide the wrongs

Right to keep and bear arms

No quartering of soldiers, government can not force you to shelter soldiers without your consent in time of war or peace

search and seizure

• government needs a PROBABLE CAUSE and a WARRANT given by a JUDGE

• only a POLICE OFFICER or DISTRICT ATTORNEY can ask for a warrant

• you can be searched in public places such as a train or airport

Rights of the accused persons

• indicted (to officially charge with a crime)

• Miranda rights - warning for criminal procedure "you have the right to remain silent... "

• double jeopardy- you cannot be tried for the same crime twice

• I plead the fifth- right to not self incriminate

• due process of law means the process an accused person goes through

Jury trial in criminal cases

• right to speedy trail before an impartial jury (not biased)

• trial must be held where the crime took place

• accused must be told what the charge is

• right to be represented by a lawyer

Rules of common law

• lawsuits based on common law

• common law- legal principles based on past court cases rather than laws passed by legislature (congress) -ex Brown v Board of Ed overturned Plessy v Ferguson

Protection against cruel and unusual punishment

• fines and bail money should be reasonable -bail- money to stay out of jail while case is ongoing

Other rights of the people

• if something isn't prohibited, we can do it

• rights that are not listed in the constitution but still count

Powers kept by the states or the people -powers reserved for the states to decide -ex abortion limitations, gay marriage, age for drinking, age for driving which may vary from state to state

• deals with criminal extradition (if someone commits a crime and flees out of state/country the US can try to bring them back

• formation of new states

• congress' power to government in territorial lands not yet states

-Amending the Constitution amending means changing

• 2/3 votes needed from congress

• submitted to states for ratification (3/4 of states must approve)

Constitution as supreme law

• the constitution declared itself the supreme law of the land

Ratification and approving the constitution

Changes to the Constitution

-Improve how all the stages work together to make one -Bring justice -keep peace defend the nation from foreign enemies -make the people's lives better -make sure that the people remain free

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power -ex congress impeaching the president or the judicial branch overturning laws

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional