Study Guide: Bicameral Legislature

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Study Guide PSCI 203 Mid­term 1

Bicameral Legislature
A
governmental body with two houses or chambers, such as the US Congress or British
Parliament

Checks and Balances
Limits imposed on all branches of a government by vesting in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of another that fall within its purview. Separation of Powers
The principle or system of vesting in separate branches the executive,legislative, and judicial powers of a government. Advantages/disadvantages of federalism
Advantage (1) Suited to large geographical area because it encourages diversity in local government. Advantage (2) Avoids concentration of political power
Advantage (3) Accommodated already existing state governments
Advantage (4) States serve as training grounds for national leaders
Advantage (5) Keeps government close to people
Disadvantage (1)
Inflexibility inherent in written constitution
Disadvantage (2)
Complex
Disadvantage (3)
Duplication of offices and functions
Disadvantage (4)
Conflicts of authority may rise Articles of Confederation
The first constitution of the 13 American states, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789 by the
Constitution of the United States. Publius
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, the essays originally appeared anonymously in New York newspapers in 1787 and 1788 under the pen name
"Publius."

Prudence (Declaration of Independence) caution with regard to practical matters; discretion. “Prudence , indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes…”

Bill of Rights
A formal statement of the fundamental rights of the people of the United States, incorporated in the Constitution as Amendments 1–10,and in all state constitutions. Supremacy Clause
The provision in
Article Six
,
Clause 2 of the
United States Constitution that establishes the
United States Constitution, federal statutes, and treaties as "the supreme law of the land." It provides that these are the highest form of law in the United States legal system, and mandates that all state judges must follow federal law when a conflict arises between federal law and either a state constitution or state law of any state . Requirements for Presidential office
Age and Citizenship requirements ­ US Constitution, Article II, Section 1
No person except a natural born citizen
, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty­five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
Term limit amendment ­ US Constitution, Amendment XXII, Section 1 ­ ratified February 27,
1951
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

Deliberation careful consideration before decision.
Majority faction a large group of people (majority)who have desires conflicting with those of the group in power.

Direct democracy is a form of democracy in which people decide Popular sovereignty the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives (Rule by the People), who are the source of all political power. The Federalist Papers
The Federalist is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. Representative democracy a variety of democracy founded on the principle of elected officials representing a