PLS 100
Key Terms and Concepts for First Exam
| Classical Society Understanding of Human Nature Purpose of Government Modern Society State of Nature Natural Freedom Natural Equality Natural Right Reason/Rational Self Interest Scarcity State of War Private Property Social Contract Civil Society Purpose of Government Liberalism |
Foundations of American Government Declaration of Independence Articles of Confederation U.S. Constitution Bill of Rights Federalist Papers Fed #10 Fed #51 Factions Democracy Republicanism Constitutionalism Separation of Powers Checks and Balances |
Powers of Government Supremacy Clause Express Powers Implied Powers Reserve Powers (Police Powers) Concurrent Powers 10th Amendment Article I, Section 8 Necessary and Proper Clause General Welfare Clause Commerce Clause Equal Protection Clause Take Care Clause |
| Federalism Supremacy Clause Tenth Amendment Macroeconomics Microeconomics Alexander Hamilton’s Treasury Policy McCulloch v. Maryland 13, 14, 15th Amendments Plessy v. Ferguson National Recovery Act NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Co Brown v. Board of Education. South Dakota v. Dole Block Grant Categorical Grant Devolution |
Concepts you should be able to discuss cogently:
What is the purpose of government as understood in classical society and how does it relate to the classical understanding of human nature?
Why is there a necessary tension between the good and the pleasant in classical society, and what mechanism was used to ease this tension?
What did Locke argue was incorrect about the way classical philosophers studied human nature and politics?
What is the modern understanding of human nature and how does it relate to the purpose and design of government?
Why is private property so important in modern government (discuss with respect to Locke and Madison)?
In what way can the Declaration of Independence be read as a Lockean document?
According to Federalist #10: What is a faction? How and why do factions form? Why are they the greatest problem for popular government? What are the "incorrect" ways to deal with the problem of factions? What is the "correct" way to deal with the problem of factions?
According to Federalist #51: In what way can government be understood to be a faction? What is the strategy for preventing government from becoming an abuser of our rights?
What does the term constitutionalism mean?
What were the primary weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
What are the primary powers of the U.S. Constitution? How can this document be understood as a correction of the problems in the Articles of Confederation? By what means have the powers of the federal government increased over time? How has this effected our understanding of federalism?