Pols 2312 1st Edition Exam # 1 Study GuideThe 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 theforgoing powers” – Supremacy Clause- “The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it tothe 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