Pols 2312 1st Edition Exam 1 Study Guide The Colonies and Centralized power French and Indian war British emerged successfully and kicked the French out of the colonies British borrowed money to fight the war on behalf of the colonies After the war the British goes in debt so they stated to tax the colonies 1773 British placed the tea act Debt New assertions of authority from London Boston Tea Party Intolerable Acts Independence All men are created equal In order to secure our rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness The colonies get there freedom from Britain in 1776 Articles of Confederation No president no national judiciary Authority resided in Congress Congress had little power could not for instance levy taxes National government had almost all the power even congress barely had any power The 1787 Constitution Centralization of power in Washington Separation of powers congress president courts Federalism Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution gives the Congress authority to provide for the defense and general welfare of the U S to coin money declare war to regulate interstate and foreign commerce And to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the forgoing powers Supremacy Clause The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively 10th amendment Federalism The division of power sovereignty between a central government and sub national governments The national government and the states are independently constituted Police Power The power to regulate the health safety and morals of citizens crime education drinking laws marriage road safety public health regulation of barbershops and nursing licenses Benefits of Federalism Protection against centralized power States are the laborites of democracy they may experiment with new policies States and localities are potentially more responsive to local needs potential for greater citizen involvement Allows for flexibility Downsides Historically linked to the preservation of racial segregation and before that to slavery Result in divergent outcomes across jurisdictions Proliferation of jurisdictions makes coordination difficult National Power vs State Local Power Nullification Crisis 1832 33 Civil War 1861 1865 Civil War amendments 13 14 15 13th amendment slavery outlawed 14th amendment created national citizenship 15th amendment national right to vote for men not matter what race States cannot nullify South Carolina wanted to nullify The union must and shall be preserved The New Deal and the Great Society Social security 1935 Medicare and Medicaid 1965 Grants in aid programs through which Congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government Civil War Reconstruction and beyond A slave state Texas sided with the Confederacy Texas was ruled by the Republican Party during the reconstruction The state was redeemed in 1874 Disfranchisement Poll Tax 1902 The Texas Constitution 1876 Limitation and Fragmentation Responding to the constitution Reduced salaries and shortened terms of office Governor stripped of many powers Most offices made elective Democratic dominance Divergence of Texas from other Southern states oil cattle and demographics Urbanization of state and destabilization of democratic party Presidential republicans Redistricting States draw new boundaries for electoral districts every ten years Gerrymandering drawing an electoral district in order to give electoral advantage to one political party