us political system essay

American Political System

Exploring the american political system, institutions, processes, and challenges, introduction.

The American political system is a complex and multifaceted structure that plays a crucial role in shaping the nation’s governance and policies. Understanding this system is of paramount importance as it directly impacts the lives of every American citizen and influences global politics. This essay aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the American political system, delving into its historical foundations, institutional components, electoral processes, contemporary challenges, and potential reforms.

Historical Foundations

The roots of the American political system can be traced back to its colonial and revolutionary past. The early American colonists, heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideas, sought to establish a system that would protect their rights and provide a framework for self-governance.

The development of the United States Constitution in 1787 was a pivotal moment in American history. It laid the groundwork for the federal government and established the principles of separation of powers and federalism . The Constitution’s creation was not without controversy, leading to a spirited debate captured in the Federalist Papers, authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

During this period, early political parties, such as the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, began to emerge, reflecting differing ideologies and visions for the new nation. These parties played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of the United States.

The Three Branches of Government

The American political system is characterized by its tripartite structure, consisting of three co-equal branches of government: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Each branch has distinct roles and responsibilities, ensuring a system of checks and balances that prevent any one branch from accumulating too much power.

The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch is headed by the President of the United States, who serves as both the head of state and the head of government. The President’s powers and duties include the execution of laws, foreign policy decisions, and the appointment of key government officials. Executive agencies and departments, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services, carry out various government functions under the President’s direction. This branch plays a crucial role in shaping domestic and international policies.

The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch, also known as Congress, is responsible for making and passing laws. It consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Members of the House of Representatives, known as Representatives, are elected based on population, while each state has two Senators. The legislative process involves the introduction, debate, and voting on bills, which, once approved by both chambers, become law. Committees within Congress play a vital role in examining and refining proposed legislation, and party dynamics influence the legislative agenda. Additionally, the power of impeachment, as outlined in the Constitution, gives Congress the authority to remove high-ranking government officials.

The Judicial Branch

The Judicial Branch is responsible for interpreting and applying the law. The federal court system, with the Supreme Court at its apex, ensures the rule of law is upheld throughout the nation. The Supreme Court, comprised of nine justices, holds the final authority in legal matters and has the power of judicial review, enabling it to declare laws unconstitutional. Landmark Supreme Court cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, have had a profound impact on American society and civil rights. The judicial branch’s role in safeguarding the Constitution and individual rights cannot be overstated.

The Electoral Process

The American electoral process is a cornerstone of the democratic system, providing citizens with the opportunity to choose their representatives and leaders. This section delves into the intricacies of elections, political parties, and the unique features that define American democracy.

Elections and Political Parties

At the heart of the electoral process are elections themselves, which serve as the mechanism through which citizens express their preferences. The United States has a two-party system dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. These parties play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape, with candidates from each party competing in various elections, from local offices to the presidency.

Primary elections and caucuses are key components of the American electoral process. These events determine each party’s nominee for major elections. They allow party members to participate in the selection of candidates who will represent their party in the general election.

Voter Participation and Demographics

Voter participation is a crucial aspect of any democracy. However, voter turnout in the United States varies across elections and demographics. Factors such as voter registration processes, election timing, and political engagement influence turnout rates.

Demographics also play a significant role in shaping elections. Understanding the demographics of voters and their voting behavior is essential for political campaigns and parties. Factors like age, race, gender, and socioeconomic status can impact voting choices and influence election outcomes.

Gerrymandering and Its Effects

Gerrymandering is a practice that involves manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one political party or group over another. This practice can distort the representation of citizens and undermine the principle of fair representation. Gerrymandering has been a contentious issue in American politics, with ongoing debates about how to address it and ensure fair and competitive elections.

Interest Groups and Political Movements

Interest groups and political movements are essential components of the American political system, serving as vehicles for citizens to voice their concerns, advocate for specific policies, and influence government decisions. This section explores the role of interest groups, lobbying efforts, grassroots movements, and the impact of money in politics.

Role and Influence of Interest Groups

Interest groups, often organized around specific issues or industries, seek to advance their agendas by influencing government policies and decisions. These groups can represent a wide range of interests, including labor unions, environmental organizations, and business associations. Their activities include lobbying, advocacy, and mobilizing their members to support or oppose legislation.

Lobbying and Advocacy

Lobbying is a common practice in American politics, where interest groups and their representatives engage with elected officials to persuade them to support their positions. Lobbyists use various strategies, including providing information, campaign contributions, and building relationships with lawmakers. While lobbying is a legitimate means of influencing the political process, concerns about the influence of money in politics and potential conflicts of interest have led to ongoing debates and calls for transparency and accountability.

Grassroots Movements and Their Impact

Grassroots movements are social and political movements driven by individuals and communities rather than established organizations. They often emerge in response to specific issues or perceived injustices. These movements have played a significant role in American history, from the civil rights movement of the 1960s to contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter and climate activism. Grassroots movements rely on public support, protests, and advocacy to bring about change and influence government policies.

Money in Politics and Campaign Finance

Money plays a central role in American politics, funding election campaigns, and shaping political discourse. Campaign finance laws and regulations govern the flow of money into elections and political activities. Super PACs, dark money contributions, and the Citizens United Supreme Court decision have raised questions about transparency, the influence of wealthy donors, and the potential for corruption in the political system. Reform efforts seek to address these concerns and ensure that the political process remains fair and accessible to all citizens.

Contemporary Challenges

The American political system faces a multitude of contemporary challenges that test its resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing world. This section explores some of the pressing issues and concerns that confront the system in the 21st century.

Polarization and Political Gridlock

One of the most significant challenges facing the American political landscape is the increasing polarization of political parties and the resulting political gridlock. Deep ideological divisions between Democrats and Republicans have made it increasingly difficult to find common ground and pass essential legislation. This polarization often leads to legislative standoffs and undermines the ability of government institutions to address pressing issues.

The Role of Media in Shaping Public Opinion

The media plays a critical role in shaping public opinion and influencing political discourse. The rise of cable news, social media, and online news platforms has transformed the way information is disseminated and consumed. However, concerns about media bias, the spread of misinformation, and echo chambers that reinforce preexisting beliefs have raised questions about the media’s impact on political polarization and the quality of public discourse.

Issues of Representation and Minority Rights

Issues of representation and the protection of minority rights remain at the forefront of American politics. Questions about the fairness of electoral processes, voter suppression, and the representation of marginalized communities persist. Debates over voting rights, immigration policy, and civil rights continue to shape the political landscape and highlight the ongoing struggle for equal representation and justice.

The Impact of Globalization on American Politics

Globalization has significantly influenced American politics, with economic, cultural, and geopolitical forces reshaping the nation’s priorities and challenges. Trade agreements, international diplomacy, and global threats like climate change and pandemics require a coordinated and adaptive response. The American political system must navigate the complexities of a globalized world while balancing national interests and international responsibilities.

Future Prospects and Reform

As the American political system grapples with contemporary challenges, it also faces questions about its future prospects and the need for reform. This section examines potential paths forward and the possibilities for enhancing the system’s effectiveness and accountability.

Potential Reforms to Improve the Political System

Efforts to reform the American political system have been ongoing throughout its history. Various proposals have emerged to address issues such as campaign finance reform, gerrymandering, and the role of money in politics. Proponents of reform advocate for changes to make the political process more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of citizens.

The Role of Civic Education and Engagement

Civic education and engagement play a crucial role in the future of the American political system. Encouraging citizens to become informed and active participants in the political process can help strengthen democracy. Civics education in schools, initiatives to increase voter participation, and programs that promote civic literacy all contribute to a more engaged and informed electorate.

Speculation on the Future of American Politics

Speculating about the future of American politics is a complex endeavor. Predicting how the system will evolve in response to changing demographics, technological advancements, and global challenges is a subject of ongoing debate. Some foresee a more inclusive and responsive political system, while others express concerns about further polarization and division. The future of American politics is shaped by the choices and actions of its citizens and leaders.

In conclusion, the American political system is a dynamic and intricate framework that has evolved over centuries, shaped by historical events, ideologies, and the efforts of countless individuals. It serves as a model for democratic governance globally, but it also faces significant challenges in the modern era.

From its historical foundations, with the creation of the Constitution and the birth of political parties, to the contemporary challenges of polarization, media influence, and minority rights, the American political system has demonstrated both resilience and adaptability. It continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s policies and direction.

While the system faces challenges such as political gridlock and the impact of globalization, there is hope for its future. Potential reforms, increased civic education and engagement, and ongoing efforts to address issues of representation and equality all offer paths forward. The future of American politics will ultimately depend on the collective will and actions of its citizens.

1. Madison, James, et al. “The Federalist Papers.” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/federalist.html.

2. United States Constitution. National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution.

3. Katznelson, Ira. “Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time.” Liveright Publishing, 2014.

4. Smith, Adam. “The Wealth of Nations.” Penguin Classics, 1982.

5. Ginsburg, Tom, and Elkins, Zachary. “The American System of Government: Politics and Government in the United States.” Yale University Press, 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions about The American Political System

The American Political System is the framework of government and political processes that operate in the United States. It is characterized by its democratic principles and separation of powers among three branches: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The system is guided by the United States Constitution, which establishes the rules and principles governing the nation’s governance. It includes processes for electing representatives, making and enforcing laws, and resolving disputes. The American political system also incorporates the role of political parties, interest groups, and grassroots movements in shaping public policy.

The American Political System is built on several fundamental principles:

Democracy : The system is rooted in the idea that the power to govern is derived from the consent of the governed. Citizens have the right to participate in the political process through elections and civic engagement.

Separation of Powers : The system divides government authority among three branches, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful. This separation, as outlined in the Constitution, is designed to prevent abuses of power.

Checks and Balances : Each branch has the ability to check the actions of the other two, preventing any one branch from dominating the others. This system of checks and balances promotes accountability and oversight.

Federalism : The American system features both a federal government and state governments, with powers divided between them. States have their own governments and jurisdictions, while the federal government handles national and international matters.

Presidents in the United States are elected through a complex process. First, political parties hold primary elections and caucuses in each state to choose their candidates. The winners become the official nominees of their respective parties. Then, a general election is held on the first Tuesday in November, where citizens cast their votes for president.

However, the U.S. does not directly elect the president through popular vote. Instead, the Electoral College system is used. Each state has a set number of electoral votes based on its representation in Congress (the number of senators and representatives combined). When citizens vote in the general election, they are technically voting for a slate of electors chosen by their state’s political parties.

These electors then meet in their respective state capitals in December to cast their votes for president. To win the presidency, a candidate must secure a majority of the electoral votes, which is currently 270 out of 538. In some cases, this system can lead to a candidate winning the electoral vote while losing the popular vote, as seen in several U.S. presidential elections.

Check out our in-depth piece on  the US Presidency.

Political parties are central to the American Political System and serve as crucial intermediaries between citizens and government. They play several key roles:

Candidate Nomination : Political parties select and endorse candidates to run for public office, including the presidency, through primary elections and caucuses.

Policy Formulation : Parties develop and promote policy platforms that reflect their ideologies and priorities. This helps voters understand the positions and values of the candidates they support.

Mobilizing Voters : Parties engage in voter outreach, registration, and mobilization efforts to encourage citizens to participate in elections.

Representation : Elected officials from the same party often work together to advance their party’s agenda in government, promoting party unity and cooperation.

Opposition : Parties that are not in power play the role of the opposition, providing checks and balances by scrutinizing and challenging the policies and actions of the party in power.

Shaping Public Opinion : Parties, along with the media, contribute to shaping public opinion by framing political debates and issues.

Political parties are a fundamental part of the American political landscape and help organize and structure the political process in the country.

Check out our in-depth piece on  Political Parties .

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the land and plays a pivotal role in interpreting the Constitution and shaping American jurisprudence. Its primary functions include:

Judicial Review : The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review, allowing it to examine laws and government actions to determine their constitutionality. This means the Court can strike down laws that it deems unconstitutional, shaping the legal landscape for the entire nation.

Interpreting the Constitution : The Court interprets the Constitution, settling disputes over its meaning and application. Landmark decisions, such as Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, have had profound impacts on civil rights and social policy.

Resolving Disputes : The Court hears cases involving conflicts between states, federal vs. state laws, and disagreements between branches of government. Its decisions provide legal clarity and finality to these disputes.

Setting Legal Precedent : Supreme Court decisions become legal precedent, guiding lower courts and future cases. This precedent influences how laws are applied and interpreted across the country.

Protecting Individual Rights : The Court plays a vital role in safeguarding individual rights and liberties. It has ruled on cases related to free speech, privacy, and due process, shaping the protection of civil rights in the United States.

Check out our in-depth review of the Supreme Court and the Judiciary of the US .

Gerrymandering is the practice of manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one political party over another. It can have significant impacts on the American political system:

Unfair Representation : Gerrymandering can lead to distorted representation, where the party in power redraws districts to secure more seats than their share of the popular vote would warrant, undermining the principle of fair representation.

Political Polarization : Gerrymandered districts often produce extreme partisan outcomes, as they are designed to be safe for one party. This can contribute to political polarization and discourage cooperation between parties.

Incumbent Protection : Gerrymandering can protect incumbents, making it difficult for challengers to unseat sitting politicians. This can reduce competition in elections and limit voters’ choices.

Undermining Trust : When voters perceive that their districts have been gerrymandered, it can erode trust in the electoral process and discourage civic engagement.

Efforts to address gerrymandering include calls for independent redistricting commissions and legal challenges to redraw district maps more fairly.

Voter participation in the United States faces several challenges:

Voter Registration : Complex voter registration processes and strict ID requirements can create barriers to voter participation, particularly for marginalized communities.

Voter Suppression : Efforts to restrict voting access, such as limiting early voting and closing polling places, disproportionately affect certain demographics and can discourage participation.

Disengagement : Apathy and disillusionment with the political process can lead to voter disengagement, where individuals feel that their vote won’t make a difference.

Gerrymandering : Gerrymandered districts can lead to uncompetitive elections, reducing the incentive for voters to participate when outcomes are predetermined.

Accessibility : Accessibility issues, such as inadequate accommodations for voters with disabilities, can hinder participation.

Efforts to improve voter participation include expanding access to early voting, implementing automatic voter registration, and promoting civic education.

Read more about  Elections and Campaigns in the US .

Issues of minority rights and representation have been central to the American political system’s development. Key aspects include:

Civil Rights Legislation : Historic legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to end racial discrimination and protect minority voting rights.

Affirmative Action : Affirmative action policies have been implemented to promote diversity and address historical discrimination in education and employment.

Voting Rights : Efforts have been made to protect minority voting rights, including the prevention of voter suppression and ensuring language assistance for non-English-speaking voters.

Representation : Minority communities have made strides in political representation, with increasing numbers of minority individuals serving in government at various levels.

Despite progress, challenges persist, and ongoing efforts are required to protect and expand minority rights and representation in the American political system.

The media plays a vital role in American politics by serving as a conduit of information between government, political actors, and the public. Its functions include:

Informing the Public : The media provides information about government actions, policies, and events, helping citizens stay informed about political developments.

Setting the Agenda : Media outlets can influence public discourse by highlighting specific issues or events, shaping the national agenda and political priorities.

Monitoring Government : Investigative journalism holds government officials accountable for their actions, exposing corruption and abuses of power.

Providing a Platform : The media offers a platform for political candidates and officials to communicate with the public, share their views, and engage in debates.

Framing Political Debates : Media outlets frame political debates by emphasizing certain aspects of an issue, influencing public perception and opinion.

Opinion Formation : Political commentators and analysts contribute to opinion formation, offering interpretations and insights on political matters.

However, concerns about media bias, misinformation, and the concentration of media ownership have raised questions about the media’s impact on the political process.

Make sure to check out our in-depth piece on Politics and the Media .

The American political system manages international relations through a combination of diplomatic, legislative, and executive actions:

Executive Branch : The President, as the nation’s chief diplomat, negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign governments. The State Department oversees diplomatic relations and embassies.

Congress : The Senate has the power to ratify treaties, while both chambers of Congress play a role in shaping foreign policy through legislation, budget approval, and oversight.

International Organizations : The United States is a member of international organizations such as the United Nations and NATO, participating in global diplomacy and security efforts.

Executive Orders : Presidents can use executive orders to implement foreign policy decisions, although these actions are subject to judicial and congressional review.

Military Power : The President, as Commander-in-Chief, can deploy military forces overseas, often requiring congressional approval for extended conflicts.

Trade and Economic Policy : Trade agreements and economic policies can have significant international implications, with Congress playing a key role in trade negotiations.

U.S. foreign policy reflects a balance of national interests, alliances, and global responsibilities.

Campaign finance and money in politics are complex issues addressed through a combination of legislation, regulations, and legal decisions:

Campaign Finance Laws : Federal and state campaign finance laws regulate the raising and spending of money in elections, including contribution limits and disclosure requirements.

Federal Election Commission (FEC) : The FEC enforces campaign finance laws at the federal level, overseeing campaign contributions, expenditures, and reporting.

Supreme Court Decisions : The Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision in 2010 and subsequent rulings have shaped campaign finance, allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited funds in elections.

Super PACs : Super Political Action Committees (PACs) can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose candidates, but they are prohibited from coordinating with candidates’ campaigns.

Public Financing : Some states and localities offer public financing options to reduce the influence of private money in elections.

Campaign finance reform remains a topic of debate, with calls for increased transparency, contribution limits, and public financing to reduce the influence of money in politics.

Interest groups and political movements influence government policy through a variety of strategies:

Lobbying : Interest groups hire lobbyists to advocate for their positions to lawmakers, providing information, conducting research, and proposing policy changes.

Advocacy Campaigns : Groups engage in advocacy campaigns to mobilize their members and the public, using grassroots efforts, social media, and advertising to promote their causes.

Campaign Contributions : Interest groups often make campaign contributions to candidates and parties to gain access and support for their policy agendas.

Litigation : Some groups use the legal system to challenge government actions or policies they oppose, leading to court decisions that can shape policy.

Public Opinion : Influencing public opinion through education and awareness campaigns can lead to increased support for specific policies, putting pressure on elected officials.

Direct Action : Political movements and advocacy groups may engage in protests, demonstrations, and civil disobedience to draw attention to their causes.

Interest groups and political movements play a vital role in the democratic process, representing diverse perspectives and ensuring that a wide range of voices is heard in policymaking.

Check out our in-depth piece of Political Interest Groups .

25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes

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If you are a teacher searching for essay topics to assign to your U.S. government or civics class or looking for ideas, do not fret. It is easy to integrate debates and discussions into the classroom environment. These topic suggestions provide a wealth of ideas for written assignments such as  position papers , compare-and-contrast essays , and  argumentative essays . Scan the following 25 question topics and ideas to find just the right one. You'll soon be reading interesting papers from your students after they grapple with these challenging and important issues.

• Compare and contrast what is a direct democracy versus representative democracy. 
• React to the following statement: Democratic decision-making should be extended to all areas of life including schools, the workplace, and the government. 
• Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans. Explain how these led to the Great Compromise .
• Pick one thing about the U.S. Constitution including its amendments that you think should be changed. What modifications would you make? Explain your reasons for making this change.
• What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?" Do you think that this statement still applies to today's world? 
• Compare and contrast mandates and conditions of aid regarding the federal government's relationship with states. For example, how has the Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered support to states and commonwealths that have experienced natural disasters?
• Should individual states have more or less power compared to the federal government when implementing laws dealing with topics such as the legalization of marijuana  and abortion ? 
• Outline a program that would get more people to vote in presidential elections or local elections.
• What are the dangers of gerrymandering when it comes to voting and presidential elections?
• Compare and contrast the major political parties in the United States. What policies are they preparing for upcoming elections?
• Why would voters choose to vote for a third party, even though they know that their candidate has virtually no chance of winning? 
• Describe the major sources of money that are donated to political campaigns. Check out the Federal Election Regulatory Commission's website for information.
• Should corporations be treated as individuals regarding being allowed to donate to political campaigns?  Look at the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling on the issue. Defend your answer. 
• Explain the role of social media in connecting interest groups that have grown stronger as the major political parties have grown weaker. 
• Explain why the media has been called the fourth branch of government. Include your opinion on whether this is an accurate portrayal.
• Compare and contrast the campaigns of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
• Should term limits be instituted for members of Congress? Explain your answer.
• Should members of Congress vote their conscience or follow the will of the people who elected them into office? Explain your answer.
• Explain how executive orders have been used by presidents throughout the history of the U.S. What is the number of executive orders issued by the current president?
• In your opinion, which of the three branches of the federal government has the most power? Defend your answer.
• Which of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment do you consider the most important? Explain your answer. 
• Should a school be required to get a warrant before searching a student's property? Defend your answer. 
• Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail? What kind of campaign could be run to see it passed?
• Explain how the 14th Amendment has affected civil liberties in the United States from the time of its passage at the end of the Civil War.
• Do you think that the federal government has enough, too much or just the right amount of power? Defend your answer.
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Essays on Contemporary American Politics

In contrast to most of modern American political history, partisan control of our national elective institutions has been unusually tenuous during the past several decades. This essay series argues that the ideologically sorted parties that contest elections today face strong internal pressures to overreach, by which I mean emphasizing issues and advocating positions strongly supported by the party base but which cause the marginal members of their electoral coalitions to defect. Thus, electoral losses predictably follow electoral victories. Institutional control is fleeting. The first group of essays describes the contemporary American electorate. Despite myriad claims to the contrary, the data show that the electorate is no more polarized now than it was in the later decades of the twentieth century. What has happened is that the parties have sorted so that each party is more homogeneous than in the twentieth century; liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats have largely passed from the political scene. The muddled middle is as large as ever but has no home in either party. The growth in the proportion of self-identified independents may be a reflection of the limited appeal of today’s sorted parties. The second group of essays develops the overreach argument, discusses the role of independents as the marginal members of an electoral majority, and explains how party sorting produces less split-ticket voting. Rather than most voters being more set in their partisan allegiances than a generation ago, they may simply have less reason to split their tickets when almost all Democratic candidates are liberals and all Republican candidates are conservatives. The third group of essays embeds contemporary American politics in two other contexts. First, in a comparative context, developments in the European democracies are the mirror image of those in the United States: the major European parties have depolarized or de-sorted or both, whereas their national electorates show little change. The rise of anti-immigrant parties may have some as yet not well-understood role in these developments. Second, in a historical context, the instability of American majorities today resembles that of the late nineteenth century, when similar significant social and economic changes were occurring. A final postelection essay will wrap up the series.

For More Information

Unstable Majorities

The American public is not as polarized as pundits say. In Unstable Majorities Morris P. Fiorina confronts one of the most commonly held assumptions in contemporary American politics: which is that voters are now more polarized than ever. Bringing research and historical context to his discussion of the American electorate and its voting patterns, he corrects misconceptions about polarization, voter behavior, and political parties, arguing that party sorting—not polarization—is the key to understanding our current political turbulence.

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Three Branches of Government

By: History.com Editors

Updated: September 4, 2019 | Original: November 17, 2017

The three branches of the U.S. government are the legislative, executive and judicial branches. According to the doctrine of separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution distributed the power of the federal government among these three branches, and built a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch could become too powerful.

Separation of Powers

The Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu coined the phrase “trias politica,” or separation of powers, in his influential 18th-century work “Spirit of the Laws.” His concept of a government divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches acting independently of each other inspired the framers of the U.S. Constitution , who vehemently opposed concentrating too much power in any one body of government.

In the Federalist Papers , James Madison wrote of the necessity of the separation of powers to the new nation’s democratic government: “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elected, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

Legislative Branch

According to Article I of the Constitution, the legislative branch (the U.S. Congress) has the primary power to make the country’s laws. This legislative power is divided further into the two chambers, or houses, of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate .

Members of Congress are elected by the people of the United States. While each state gets the same number of senators (two) to represent it, the number of representatives for each state is based on the state’s population.

Therefore, while there are 100 senators, there are 435 elected members of the House, plus an additional six non-voting delegates who represent the District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

In order to pass an act of legislation, both houses must pass the same version of a bill by majority vote. Once that happens, the bill goes to the president, who can either sign it into law or reject it using the veto power assigned in the Constitution.

In the case of a regular veto, Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses. Both the veto power and Congress’ ability to override a veto are examples of the system of checks and balances intended by the Constitution to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Executive Branch

Article II of the Constitution states that the executive branch , with the president as its head, has the power to enforce or carry out the laws of the nation.

In addition to the president, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces and head of state, the executive branch includes the vice president and the Cabinet; the State Department, Defense Department and 13 other executive departments; and various other federal agencies, commissions and committees.

Unlike members of Congress, the president and vice president are not elected directly by the people every four years, but through the electoral college system. People vote to select a slate of electors, and each elector pledges to cast his or her vote for the candidate who gets the most votes from the people they represent.

In addition to signing (or vetoing) legislation, the president can influence the country’s laws through various executive actions, including executive orders, presidential memoranda and proclamations. The executive branch is also responsible for carrying out the nation’s foreign policy and conducting diplomacy with other countries, though the Senate must ratify any treaties with foreign nations.

Judicial Branch

Article III decreed that the nation’s judicial power, to apply and interpret the laws, should be vested in “one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

The Constitution didn’t specify the powers of the Supreme Court or explain how the judicial branch should be organized, and for a time the judiciary took a back seat to the other branches of government.

But that all changed with Marbury v. Madison , an 1803 milestone case that established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, by which it determines the constitutionality of executive and legislative acts. Judicial review is another key example of the checks and balances system in action.

Members of the federal judiciary—which includes the Supreme Court, 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals and 94 federal judicial district courts—are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Federal judges hold their seats until they resign, die or are removed from office through impeachment by Congress.

Implied Powers of the Three Branches of Government

In addition to the specific powers of each branch that are enumerated in the Constitution, each branch has claimed certain implied powers, many of which can overlap at times. For example, presidents have claimed exclusive right to make foreign policy, without consultation with Congress.

In turn, Congress has enacted legislation that specifically defines how the law should be administered by the executive branch, while federal courts have interpreted laws in ways that Congress did not intend, drawing accusations of “legislating from the bench.”

The powers granted to Congress by the Constitution expanded greatly after the Supreme Court ruled in the 1819 case McCulloch v. Maryland that the Constitution fails to spell out every power granted to Congress.

Since then, the legislative branch has often assumed additional implied powers under the “necessary and proper clause” or “elastic clause” included in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

Checks and Balances

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty is this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself,” James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers . To ensure that all three branches of government remain in balance, each branch has powers that can be checked by the other two branches. Here are ways that the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches keep one another in line:

· The president (head of the executive branch) serves as commander in chief of the military forces, but Congress (legislative branch) appropriates funds for the military and votes to declare war. In addition, the Senate must ratify any peace treaties.

· Congress has the power of the purse, as it controls the money used to fund any executive actions.

· The president nominates federal officials, but the Senate confirms those nominations.

· Within the legislative branch, each house of Congress serves as a check on possible abuses of power by the other. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have to pass a bill in the same form for it to become law.

· Once Congress has passed a bill, the president has the power to veto that bill. In turn, Congress can override a regular presidential veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses.

· The Supreme Court and other federal courts (judicial branch) can declare laws or presidential actions unconstitutional, in a process known as judicial review.

· In turn, the president checks the judiciary through the power of appointment, which can be used to change the direction of the federal courts

· By passing amendments to the Constitution, Congress can effectively check the decisions of the Supreme Court.

· Congress can impeach both members of the executive and judicial branches.

Separation of Powers, The Oxford Guide to the United States Government . Branches of Government, USA.gov . Separation of Powers: An Overview, National Conference of State Legislatures .

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Federalist Papers and the Constitution

During the late 1780s, the United States faced significant challenges with its initial governing framework, the Articles of Confederation. These issues prompted the creation of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays aimed at advocating for a stronger central government under the newly proposed Constitution. This article will examine the purpose, key arguments, and lasting impact of these influential writings.

Background and Purpose of the Federalist Papers

The Articles of Confederation, though a pioneer effort, left Congress without the power to tax or regulate interstate commerce, making it difficult to pay off Revolutionary War debts and curb internal squabbles among states.

In May 1787, America's brightest political minds convened in Philadelphia and created the Constitution—a document establishing a robust central government with legislative, executive, and judicial branches. However, before it could take effect, the Constitution needed ratification from nine of the thirteen states, facing opposition from critics known as Anti-Federalists.

The Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton , James Madison , and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius," aimed to calm fears and win support for the Constitution. Hamilton initiated the project, recruiting Madison and Jay to contribute. Madison drafted substantial portions of the Constitution and provided detailed defenses, while Jay, despite health issues, also contributed essays.

The Federalist Papers systematically dismantled the opposition's arguments and explained the Constitution's provisions in detail. They gained national attention, were reprinted in newspapers across the country, and eventually collated into two volumes for broader distribution.

Hamilton emphasized the necessity of a central authority with the power to tax and enforce laws, citing specific failures under the Articles like the inability to generate revenue or maintain public order. Jay addressed the need for unity and the inadequacies of confederation in foreign diplomacy.

The Federalist Papers provided the framework needed to understand and eventually ratify the Constitution, remaining essential reading for anyone interested in the foundations of the American political system.

Key Arguments in the Federalist Papers

Among the key arguments presented in the Federalist Papers, three themes stand out:

• The need for a stronger central government
• The importance of checks and balances
• The dangers of factionalism

Federalist No. 23 , written by Alexander Hamilton, argued for a robust central government, citing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Hamilton contended that empowering the central government with the means to enforce laws and collect taxes was essential for the Union's survival and prosperity.

In Federalist No. 51 , James Madison addressed the principle of checks and balances, arguing that the structure of the new government would prevent any single branch from usurping unrestrained power. Each branch—executive, legislative, and judicial—would have the means and motivation to check the power of the others, safeguarding liberty.

Federalist No. 10 , also by Madison, delved into the dangers posed by factions—groups united by a common interest adverse to the rights of others or the interests of the community. Madison acknowledged that factions are inherent within any free society and cannot be eliminated without destroying liberty. He argued that a well-constructed Union would break and control the violence of faction by filtering their influence through a large republic.

Hamilton's Federalist No. 78 brought the concept of judicial review to the forefront, establishing the judiciary as a guardian of the Constitution and essential for interpreting laws and checking the actions of the legislature and executive branches. 1

The Federalist Papers meticulously dismantled Anti-Federalist criticisms and showcased how the proposed system would create a stable and balanced government capable of both governing effectively and protecting individual rights. These essays remain seminal works for understanding the underpinnings of the United States Constitution and the brilliance of the Founding Fathers.

Analysis of Federalist 10 and Federalist 51

Federalist 10 and Federalist 51 are two of the most influential essays within the Federalist Papers, elucidating fundamental principles that continue to support the American political system. They were carefully crafted to address the concerns of Anti-Federalists who feared that the new Constitution might pave the way for tyranny and undermine individual liberties.

In Federalist 10 , James Madison addresses the inherent dangers posed by factions. He argues that a large republic is the best defense against their menace, as it becomes increasingly challenging for any single faction to dominate in a sprawling and diverse nation. The proposed Constitution provides a systemic safeguard against factionalism by implementing a representative form of government, where elected representatives act as a filtering mechanism.

Federalist 51 further elaborates on how the structure of the new government ensures the protection of individual rights through a system of checks and balances. Madison supports the division of government into three coequal branches, each equipped with sufficient autonomy and authority to check the others. He asserts that ambition must be made to counteract ambition, emphasizing that the self-interest of individuals within each branch would serve as a natural check on the others. 2

Madison also delves into the need for a bicameral legislature, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate. This dual structure aims to balance the demands of the majority with the necessity of protecting minority rights, thereby preventing majoritarian tyranny.

Together, Federalist 10 and Federalist 51 form a comprehensive blueprint for a resilient and balanced government. Madison's insights address both the internal and external mechanisms necessary to guard against tyranny and preserve individual liberties. These essays speak to the enduring principles that have guided the American republic since its inception, proving the timeless wisdom of the Founding Fathers and the genius of the American Constitution.

Impact and Legacy of the Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers had an immediate and profound impact on the ratification debates, particularly in New York, where opposition to the Constitution was fierce and vocal. Alexander Hamilton, a native of New York, understood the weight of these objections and recognized that New York's support was crucial for the Constitution's success, given the state's economic influence and strategic location. The essays were carefully crafted to address New Yorkers' specific concerns and to persuade undecided delegates.

The comprehensive detail and logical rigor of the Federalist Papers succeeded in swaying public opinion. They systematically addressed Anti-Federalist critiques, such as the fear that a strong central government would trample individual liberties. Hamilton, Madison, and Jay argued for the necessity of a powerful, yet balanced federal system, capable of uniting the states and ensuring both national security and economic stability.

In New York, the Federalist essays began appearing in newspapers in late 1787 and continued into 1788. Despite opposition, especially from influential Anti-Federalists like Governor George Clinton, the arguments laid out by "Publius" played a critical role in turning the tide. They provided Federalists with a potent arsenal of arguments to counter Anti-Federalists at the state's ratification convention. When the time came to vote, the persuasive power of the essays contributed significantly to New York's eventual decision to ratify the Constitution by a narrow margin.

The impact of the Federalist Papers extends far beyond New York. They influenced debates across the fledgling nation, helping to build momentum towards the required nine-state ratification. Their detailed exposition of the Constitution's provisions and the philosophic principles underlying them offered critical insights for citizens and delegates in other states. The essays became indispensable tools in the broader national dialogue about what kind of government the United States should have, guiding the country towards ratification.

The long-term significance of the Federalist Papers in American political thought and constitutional interpretation is substantial. Over the centuries, they have become foundational texts for understanding the intentions of the Framers. Jurists, scholars, and lawmakers have turned to these essays for guidance on interpreting the Constitution's provisions, shaping American constitutional law. Judges, including the justices of the Supreme Court, have frequently cited these essays in landmark rulings to elucidate the Framers' intent.

The Federalist Papers have profoundly influenced the development of American political theory, contributing to discussions about federalism, republicanism, and the balance between liberty and order. Madison's arguments in Federalist No. 10 have become keystones in the study of pluralism and the mechanisms by which diverse interests can coexist within a unified political system.

The essays laid the groundwork for ongoing debates about the role of the federal government, the balance of power among its branches, and the preservation of individual liberties. They provided intellectual support for later expansions of constitutional rights through amendments and judicial interpretations.

Their legacy also includes a robust defense of judicial review and the judiciary's role as a guardian of the Constitution. Hamilton's Federalist No. 78 provided a compelling argument for judicial independence, which has been a cornerstone in maintaining the rule of law and protecting constitutional principles against transient political pressures.

The Federalist Papers were crucial in the ratification of the Constitution, particularly in the contentious atmosphere of New York's debates. Their immediate effect was to facilitate the acceptance of the new governing framework. In the long term, their meticulously argued positions have provided a lasting blueprint for constitutional interpretation, influencing American political thought and practical governance for over two centuries. The essays stand as a testament to the foresight and philosophical acumen of the Founding Fathers, continuing to illuminate the enduring principles of the United States Constitution.

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political system

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political system , the set of formal legal institutions that constitute a “government” or a “ state .” This is the definition adopted by many studies of the legal or constitutional arrangements of advanced political orders. More broadly defined, however, the term comprehends actual as well as prescribed forms of political behaviour, not only the legal organization of the state but also the reality of how the state functions. Still more broadly defined, the political system is seen as a set of “processes of interaction” or as a subsystem of the social system interacting with other nonpolitical subsystems, such as the economic system . This points to the importance of informal sociopolitical processes and emphasizes the study of political development.

Traditional legal or constitutional analysis, using the first definition, has produced a huge body of literature on governmental structures, many of the specialized terms that are a part of the traditional vocabulary of political science , and several instructive classifying schemes. Similarly, empirical analysis of political processes and the effort to identify the underlying realities of governmental forms have yielded a rich store of data and an important body of comparative theory. The third definition has inspired much scholarly work that employs new kinds of data, new terms, and some new concepts and categories of analysis. The discussion that follows draws on all three approaches to the study of political systems.

• 5 Important Elements Of The US Political System

• The five most important elements of the US political culture are liberty, democracy, equality, individual responsibility, and civic duty.
• People in the United States are generally free to do whatever they like as long as they do not hurt anyone else while doing it, and that is what the element of liberty implies.
• The element of equality presumes that everyone has the same rights and chances to succeed, which is often not the case in most societies.

The US political system is a democracy , but it differs from other democracies in many ways. The country itself is a federal constitutional republic. The President of the United States shares power with the Congress and the judiciary. These powers are reserved to the national government. The state governments are overseen by the federal government. There are five important elements of the political system in the United States. It is better to call it political culture, in this context.

Those five elements are liberty, democracy, individual responsibility, equality and civic duty.  This article will continue to explore these elements further. However, let us look into the political system in general in more detail for now. The executive branch of the United States is led by the President . This branch is independent of the legislature of the country.

The legislative power is divided among the two chambers of Congress. These chambers are the Senate and the House of Representatives. The judicial branch is composed of the Supreme Court and other federal courts that fall lower on the scale. The reason why the US political system is different from other democracies is because the upper house of the legislature has more power than usual.  The Supreme Court also has much more power than similar institutions in other countries. This is a complex subject that deserves a specific article, but for now let us look at the five elements of the US political system.

Liberty refers to the fact that the people living in the United States should be able to do whatever they want as long as they do not hurt others. This also includes a commitment to the free enterprise system. The United States is often described as the land of the free . This is true, to a certain extent.

People are free to do as they wish in this country, however, there are marginalized groups whose freedom is indirectly taken away from them. People living in poor neighborhoods, that are unemployed, people that face racial or sexual prejudice all have less freedom than the average citizen.

4. Democracy

Democracy refers to the belief that the government and its officials in the United States should be accountable to the people. Everyone should have the right to vote and be a part of the political life of their community. The people pick who will represent them and whoever they do choose should be accountable to the people. The majority of societies today are democracies , however, not all of them truly live up to the name. There are many factors that play an important role there.

3. Equality

Equality means that everyone should have equal rights to vote and an equal opportunity to participate and succeed. However, this does not refer to economic equality, since it should be earned. This is one of the biggest problems of capitalism, and American society. While it might seem that people have equal opportunities on the surface, the reality of the situation is much different than that. It will take a lot of time in order for us to create true equality .

However, the principle itself is extremely positive and should be used to teach good things. People do deserve equal chances, equal opportunities. No one should be stripped away of their chance to succeed and achieve whatever they want. However, we often do just that. People from underprivileged families do not have the same opportunities as those that come from a rich background. This is something that should be addressed more often and changed.

2. Individual Responsibility

All individuals should be responsible for their success, actions, and well-being, except for cases of severe misfortune or disability . This element ties into the previous one nicely. Is it possible for everyone to be responsible for their own success? We previously noted how everyone is not equal in this country and it is a huge problem.

Since people do not have equal opportunities, they should not be individually responsible for their successes or failures. This will continue to be so until we manage to create equal chances for everyone and get rid of prejudice from our society. Until then, we can’t talk about true equality and individual responsibility.

1. Civic Duty

People should take their community affairs extremely seriously and participate in them whenever they can. This is an extremely important aspect of every democratic society. However, it is often ignored by many. In a democracy, people have more political power than they are aware of. However, the majority of people do not even go out to vote during election time.

This is something that needs to change. Political activity is important and it helps shape the future of the country. Every vote makes a difference, and this is why more people should be included in community affairs. Help younger people realize the importance of voting and being politically active. Democracy is the basis of our society, and we should start behaving in a way that is fit for the members of a democratic society.

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Section 1: Principles of the American Republic

The two most important documents in the United States of America are the Declaration of Independence (from 1776) and the United States Constitution (from 1787). The Declaration of Independence lays out the core ideals behind and the political philosophy of the United States. The U.S. Constitution creates practical structures and rules both for the federal government and state governments.

Both the Declaration and U.S. Constitution can be read in less than an hour, and are essential reading for all citizens. Pocket versions of these texts are widely distributed by civic groups and are an especially convenient way to read them. Find out more about ordering United States and Arizona pocket constitutions here and view Arizona's Constitution here

Access Section 1 Full Curriculum.

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Section 1: Principles of American Democracy Study Guide

Section 1.1: the u.s. constitution.

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, establishing the federal government, defining that government’s powers and structures, and protecting the basic rights of all Americans.

The Constitution creates the form of government we have in the United States, which is a constitutional and federal republic. A constitutional republic means that it is one in which, rather than directly governing, the people select some of their members to temporarily serve in political office; the constitutional part means that both the citizens and their governing officials are bound to follow the rules established in that Constitution. A federal republic is one in which a federal government is given only limited powers for limited purposes, while state governments retain most powers of government.  The Constitution describes this division of power, establishing which specific powers have been given to the federal government, while reiterating that most remain with the state governments.

The Constitution’s status as supreme law of the land works in two ways. As long as an action of the federal government is authorized by the Constitution, that action supersedes any state or local law with which it might conflict. But not every action by the federal government is supreme-- federal activity must also follow from the Constitution or it too would be illegal.

Building off the ideas of self-government and “the consent of the governed” in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution begins with “ We the People ,” announcing the purposes and goals of the Constitution, before listing the structures and protections of individual rights its authors designed to implement those objectives.

The Founders wrote the Constitution to ensure the government remained bound to its principles and promises, but they recognized that to be a lasting document, it would need to change. Thus, they included Article V, which describes the process of making an amendment — a change or addition to the Constitution, in which Congress proposes an amendment and the states ratify it.

Section 1.2: The Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights and were ratified in 1791. These amendments limited federal power, by protecting both the rights of individuals and the authority of the states. The members of the Constitutional Convention had originally argued that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary because of the doctrine of “enumerated powers.” (This doctrine means the federal government can only do what the Constitution specifically allows it to do.) For example, one did not need to specifically protect freedom of speech when the federal government had not been given explicit authority to restrict speech in the first place. Critics nonetheless demanded a Bill of Rights as an additional check and security before they would ratify the Constitution.

The Big Idea

“The 4th of July is the first great fact in your nation’s history… Pride and patriotism, not less than gratitude, prompt you to celebrate and to hold it in perpetual remembrance… [T]he Declaration of Independence is the ring-bolt to the chain of your nation’s destiny; so, indeed, I regard it. The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost... [And] interpreted as it ought to be interpreted, the Constitution is a glorious liberty document .”

 - Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” (1862)

As a result, the constitutional ratifying conventions in almost every state demanded an amendment or amendments clarifying the limited power of the federal government to protect states’ sovereignty, and several insisted on specific individual liberties as well. While many proposed amendments were ultimately rejected, basic structural concerns were addressed by what became the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. The Tenth Amendment reiterated that the federal government’s powers were limited to those granted by the Constitution. The Ninth Amendment similarly held that a list of civil liberties—what the federal government could not do- did not imply the federal government could do everything else. The individual rights proposed by some of the conventions were fleshed out by James Madison into the rest of the Bill of Rights.

These provisions initially applied only to the federal government, though most state constitutions had similar provisions applying to their state governments. (Many of these state provisions actually preceded and even served as models for the Bill of Rights). The Fourteenth Amendment changed this, making the first eight amendments also apply to each of the states as well—providing a floor of individual rights at both the state and federal level.

Although Congress has proposed other amendments, only twenty-seven (27) amendments have been successfully ratified by the states to become constitutional amendments.

Section 1.3 The Declaration of Independence

In 1776 the Declaration of Independence announced the independence of the 13 colonies from Great Britain. This was because, according to the Declaration, humans are “endowed by their Creator” with “certain unalienable rights,” especially “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and Great Britain was not respecting the rights of the colonists. The Declaration explains that the very purpose of government is to protect these rights. Furthermore, it says that the people have the right to “alter or abolish” governments to protect these rights, and even to rebel against a government that systematically and consistently violated the people’s rights. Most of the Declaration of Independence is a list of these abuses by the British government and the British refusal to correct them. This sustained refusal is why the colonists concluded that they were justified in turning to rebellion, as a last resort, in order to create new governments that would protect their rights."  

Moreover, the Declaration of Independence asserted that ‘all men are created equal,’ meaning that no one has, by right, the innate authority to rule another. In order for a government to have legitimate authority, it must act with the consent of the people that it governs.  While the argument of the Declaration seems open to different forms of government that preserve the rights of the people, Americans increasingly came to believe that the principle that ‘all men are created equal’ entailed a republican form of government.    The Declaration’s ideas of liberty, equality, limited government, and self-government later served as important features of the Constitution. Other documents that shared these ideas and influenced the Constitution include important colonial documents such as the Mayflower Compact and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the debates between the authors of the Federalist Papers and their “anti-Federalist” critics, and the Iroquois Great Law of Peace (the constitution establishing the federal league of five tribes). This tradition of political liberty is why the Constitution carefully limits government, such as by separating power into three branches of government: to ensure no part of the government can become too powerful.

Section 1.4 The American Political Order

The economic system of the United States is a capitalist or market economy, in which almost all businesses are owned and operated by private individuals, partnerships, and stockholders rather than by the government. Although the government can regulate the market, most decisions about what to produce, buy and sell, and at what prices, are made by consumers and sellers.

The “rule of law” is the idea that a consistent, and evenly applied set of rules, rather than the arbitrary will of those in power, binds all the members of society.  These laws must be made by proper procedures and published in advance of their enforcement. The binding nature of law means everyone—not just citizens, but the government, its leaders and officials—must follow and obey the law. Indeed, lawmakers, judges, and officers of federal and state governments must take a specific oath to faithfully follow the U.S. Constitution.

Section 1: Principles of American Democracy  

Flash cards, section 1: principles of american democracy, proceed to the next section.

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Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics

2. views of the u.s. political system, the federal government and federal-state relations, table of contents.

• The impact of partisan polarization
• Persistent concerns over money in politics
• Views of the parties and possible changes to the two-party system
• Other important findings
• Explore chapters of this report
• In their own words: Americans on the political system’s biggest problems
• In their own words: Americans on the political system’s biggest strengths
• Are there clear solutions to the nation’s problems?
• Evaluations of the political system
• Trust in the federal government
• Feelings toward the federal government
• The relationship between the federal and state governments
• Americans’ ratings of their House member, governor and local officials
• Party favorability ratings
• Most characterize their party positively
• Quality of the parties’ ideas
• Influence in congressional decision-making
• Views on limiting the role of money in politics
• Views on what kinds of activities can change the country for the better
• How much can voting affect the future direction of the country?
• Views of members of Congress
• In their own words: Americans’ views of the major problems with today’s elected officials
• How much do elected officials care about people like me?
• What motivates people to run for office?
• Quality of recent political candidates
• In elections, is there usually at least one candidate who shares your views?
• What the public sees as most important in political candidates
• Impressions of the people who will be running for president in 2024
• Views about presidential campaigns
• How much of an impact does who is president have on your life?
• Whose priorities should the president focus on?
• How different are the Republican and Democratic parties?
• Views of how well the parties represent people’s interests
• What if there were more political parties?
• Would more parties make solving problems easier or harder?
• How likely is it that an independent candidate will become president?
• Americans who feel unrepresented by the parties have highly negative views of the political system
• Views of the Electoral College
• Should the size of the U.S. House of Representatives change?
• Senate seats and population size
• Younger adults more supportive of structural changes
• Politics in a single word or phrase: An outpouring of negative sentiments
• Negative emotions prevail when Americans think about politics
• Americans say the tone of political debate in the country has worsened
• Which political topics get too much – and too little – attention?
• Majority of Americans find it stressful to talk politics with people they disagree with
• Acknowledgments

In evaluating the current and future state of politics in the United States, Americans express largely negative views. And trust in the federal government, which has been low for nearly two decades, hovers near record lows.

Only 4% of Americans now say the political system is working extremely or very well, with nearly three-quarters saying it isn’t. A majority (63%) say they have little or no confidence in the future of the U.S. political system.

Views of Congress , the Supreme Court and the political parties also remain deeply – and in some cases, historically – negative.

Meanwhile, there are wide partisan differences in views of several aspects of federal-state relations. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to say they are very or extremely concerned that a person’s rights and protections might vary depending on which state they are in.

By contrast, a much larger share of Republicans than Democrats express concern that the federal government is doing too much on issues better left to state governments.

Only 4% of the public says the political system in the U.S. is working extremely or very well today, while 23% say it is working somewhat well. About seven-in-ten (72%) say the system is working not too (45%) or not at all (27%) well.

Looking to the future of the system, about six-in-ten Americans (63%) say they have not too much or no confidence at all. A third say they have some confidence, and just 4% express a lot of confidence.

Younger adults are somewhat more likely than older adults to say the political system is working well: 35% of adults under age 30 say the system is working at least somewhat well, compared with 29% of those 30 to 49 and 24% of those 50 and older.

But older people are more likely to express confidence when it comes to the future of the U.S. political system. About four-in-ten adults 65 and older (43%) say they have at least some confidence in the future of the political system. That drops to three-in-ten among adults under 30.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to express negative views of the political system.

Roughly eight-in-ten Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (81%) say the political system is working not too or not at all well, including more than a third (37%) who say it is working not at all well. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, 64% say the political system is working either not too or not at all well, with 19% saying it is not working well at all.

Older Republicans are particularly likely to say the system is not working well: 88% of Republicans 50 and older say this, compared with 77% of those 30 to 49 and 61% of those under 30. Democrats do not differ by age on this question.

Republicans also express less confidence in the future of the U.S. political system: 68% of Republicans and 56% of Democrats say they have not too much or no confidence at all in its future. While Republicans of all age groups are about equally likely to have confidence in the political system’s future (31% have a lot of or some confidence), older Democrats are more likely to say this than younger Democrats. A majority of Democrats 50 and older (54%) say they have at least some confidence, compared with 37% of those under 50.

Just 16% of Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time. While public trust in government has been low for nearly two decades, the current measure is among the lowest in more than 70 years of polling.

Trust in the federal government is down 4 percentage points from last year and was somewhat higher in 2020 and 2021. The current measure is on par with public views in 2019.

For more on trust in the federal government over the last 70 years, please visit our trust interactive .

Trust in government by party

As in the past, trust in government is higher among those whose party holds the presidency. Today, a quarter of Democrats say they trust the government to do what is right at least most of the time, compared with just 8% of Republicans.

Democrats’ trust in government is now substantially higher than it was during the Trump administration but is down 8 points from the spring of 2021. In contrast, Republicans’ trust in government dropped between 2020 and 2021 but has changed little over the last few years.

Republicans’ current level of trust in the federal government is among the lowest since the question was first asked in the 1950s. Prior to Joe Biden’s presidency, GOP trust in government had only hit similar lows during the Obama administration.

As has been the case for more than a decade, a majority of Americans (59%) say they feel frustrated toward the federal government. About two-in-ten (21%) say they feel angry toward the government, while 18% say they are basically content.

These views have changed only modestly in recent years. A slightly higher share express anger today than did so last year and the year before. Anger is now slightly lower than it was in the summer of 2020.

Feelings about the federal government by party

The share of Democrats and Democratic leaners saying they are basically content with the government is similar to the share who said the same a year ago (27% today, 29% then). In 2021, Democrats were 16 percentage points more likely to say they felt content toward the government. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats (64%) express frustration toward the government, a share unchanged in the last year but 12 points higher than in 2021. The share of Democrats who say they are angry remains low – 9% say this today – but is up 5 points since 2021.

About a third of Republicans and Republican leaners (35%) say they feel angry toward the federal government, while 55% say they feel frustrated and just 9% say they feel content. These figures are largely unchanged in recent years.

Majority of Americans concerned rights and protections may be different in different states

A majority of Americans (54%) now say they are extremely or very concerned that the rights and protections a person has might be different depending on which state they are in. About three-in-ten (29%) say they are somewhat concerned about this, while 16% are not too or not at all concerned.

The share reporting they are extremely or very concerned about this has risen 11 points since May of 2022.

Democrats are particularly likely to express concern that rights and protections may vary across states. Seven-in-ten Democrats now say they are extremely or very concerned about this, up from 53% a year ago.

Among Republicans, the share who say they are at least very concerned is up 6 points, from 33% to 39%.

Some concerned the federal government is doing too much that should be left to states

The share expressing concern about the federal government doing too much on issues better left to state governments has also risen over the past year: 41% now say they are extremely or very concerned about this, compared with 34% in May 2022.

Republicans express higher levels of concern than Democrats that the federal government is doing too much. Roughly six-in-ten Republicans (62%) are extremely or very concerned about this, compared with 22% of Democrats.

The share of Republicans who are at least very concerned is up 8 points in the past year, while the share of Democrats who say this has increased by 4 points.

Some concerned states are not willing enough to work with the federal government

Overall, 41% of U.S. adults say they are extremely or very concerned about state governments not being willing enough to work with the federal government, up from 34% last year. Roughly a third (36%) say they are somewhat concerned about this, while 22% say they are not too or not at all concerned.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they are concerned about state governments not being willing enough to work with the federal government: A majority of Democrats (54%) are extremely or very concerned about this. Just 27% of Republicans share that concern.

The share in each party who say they are at least very concerned about state governments’ unwillingness to work with the federal government has increased since 2022, by 9 points among Republicans and 6 points among Democrats.

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American history resources.

• America: History and Life Index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. Covers over 2,000 journals published worldwide. Strong English-language journal coverage is balanced by an international perspective on topics and events, including abstracts in English of articles published in more than 40 languages.
• Gale In Context: U.S. History This link opens in a new window Media-rich database containing reference content, millions of news and periodical articles, and more than 5,500 rare and vital primary source documents that range from slave journals to presidential papers for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in U.S. history.
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• Historical Statistics of the United States This link opens in a new window Electronic version of Historical Statistics of the United States: Earliest Times to Present; Millennial Edition presents thousands of annual time series of quantitative historical information covering virtually every quantifiable dimension of American history: population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, governance, and international relations. Chapters are preceded by essays that introduce the quantitative history of their subject, and provide a guide to the sources. Enables searching, combining, and downloading of data using Excel or CSV spreadsheets.
• Statistical Abstract of the U.S. Annual compendium of statistics from government and nongovernmental sources produced by the Census Bureau from 1878-2012 and ProQuest from 2013-present.

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• National Archives of the United States The National Archives was established in 1934 by President Franklin Roosevelt is the nation's record keeper. Holdings date back to 1775 and include approximately 13.28 billion pages of textual records; 10 million maps, charts, and architectural and engineering drawings; 44.4 million still photographs, digital images, filmstrips, and graphics; 40 million aerial photographs; 563,000 reels of motion picture film; 992,000 video and sound recordings; and 1,323 terabytes of electronic data.
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Selected Documents

• Declaration of Independence Independence Day, also known as "the Fourth of July," celebrates our Declaration of Independence from the British Empire in 1776.
• The Constitution of the United States Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the U.S. Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government.
• Federalist Papers "Written in favour of the New Constitution" (in 1787 and 1788), the Federalist Papers explores how the American government might operate.
• The Bill of Rights The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights which guarantee essential rights and liberties, were ratified in 1791.

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Branches of the U.S. government

Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

Legislative branch

This branch is made up of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives) and special agencies and offices that provide support services to Congress.

The legislative branch’s roles include:

• Drafting proposed laws
• Confirming or rejecting presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court
• Having the authority to declare war

Executive branch

The executive branch’s key roles include:

• President - The president is the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces. 
• Vice president - The vice president supports the president. If the president is unable to serve, the vice president becomes president. The vice president also presides over the U.S. Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.
• The Cabinet - Cabinet members serve as advisors to the president. They include the vice president, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate.

The executive branch also includes executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees.

Judicial branch

The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

It evaluates laws by:

• Interpreting the meaning of laws
• Applying laws to individual cases
• Deciding if laws violate the Constitution

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances .

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

• The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.
• Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.
• The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Chapter 6 Introductory Essay: 1828-1844

Written by: edward g. lengel, the national world war ii museum, by the end of this section, you will:.

• Explain the context in which the republic developed from 1828 to 1848

Introduction

In 1831, the twenty-five–year-old French noble Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States and Canada with a friend during a ten-month tour at the behest of the French monarchical government. Their official task was to examine and report on the American prison system. Tocqueville accomplished his task but also published a seminal work on the democratic political institutions and character of American society called  Democracy in America . Although he warned of the dangers of the tyranny of the majority if it did not respect minority rights, Tocqueville was especially impressed by the local self-rule, voluntary associations, and churches he found that created a healthy American civil society. Tocqueville visited the United States during a time in which democracy was increasing, especially for white men, and when reformers—male, female, black, and white—were inspired to improve society with several moral reforms (see the  Alexis de Tocqueville,  Democracy in America , 1835  Primary Source).

The Presidential Election of 1828

The presidential election of 1828 marked a high point in the transition to a new, more democratic era in American politics. Leading roles were played by many of the same characters already on the national stage. President John Quincy Adams, supported by his Secretary of State Henry Clay, ran against war hero and former senator Andrew Jackson, supported by Senator Martin Van Buren of New York and Vice President John C. Calhoun. The political rivals struggled for power during a time of expanding democracy. In 1828, the choice of victor would rest in the hands of the full population of adult white men in every state, except South Carolina and Virginia, thanks to the broad abolition of property restrictions on voting rights.

Adams failed to understand and exploit the new realities of democratic politics in an age of universal male suffrage and greater political participation, but Jackson and Van Buren proved remarkably adept at forming a political party. For example, Jackson supporters organized political parties and learned to mobilize voters on the local level. They also succeeded in winning the support of the popular press. Van Buren, meanwhile, choreographed a powerful and efficient campaign against Adams in Congress. Jackson’s almost mythical status as a popular hero helped him to fend off personal attacks, including whispers about his violent temper and the duels he had fought, and revelations that his wife had still been legally married to another man when she wed Jackson in 1791 (this case had been cleared up in 1794). Adams, in contrast, tended to hold grudges and absorb slander rather than deflect it. Jackson won a clear victory by 178 electoral votes to 83.

Jackson embraced the populist image that swept him to office, and his inaugural ceremony symbolized the democratic age. A White House reception ended with his followers practically sacking the White House and forcing the age-worn new president to escape through a window. One disapproving observer noted that a large throng of well-wishers tramped through the White House with muddy boots and spilled their alcoholic drinks. The mob left only when it was lured outside with ice cream and alcohol. Although the nation had certainly seen public political demonstrations before, both angry and triumphant, the venting of popular opinion now permanently transformed the political process.

Although there is a small amount of chaos in this depiction of the White House during Jackson’s inauguration it does not show the destruction going on inside.

American Indians and the Weight of Presidential Power

The Jacksonians had not won on image alone. Policy figured prominently in the 1828 election, far more than at any time since the War of 1812. Jackson promised to bring stability to the nation’s volatile economy. He also helped introduce the spoils system, which increased his ability to implement the program of what came to be called the Democratic Party, as he dismissed office holders from the previous government wholesale and placed party loyalists in office. Jackson’s administration also operated with an authority previously absent from government, firmly exercising federal and executive power, at times in outright conflict with the hallowed traditions of states’ rights he otherwise embraced.

American Indians initially bore the brunt of this raw exercise of power. For almost two hundred years, the native people of the southeastern United States had managed to hold their own against European encroachment. However, they had lost their powerful British allies after the War of 1812 and were greatly weakened. Moreover, with the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814, the United States had forced the pliable minor chiefs of the Creek (Muscogee) to cede 22 million acres in Alabama and Georgia. Before ascending to the White House, Jackson had fought in several battles against American Indians and had presided over the 1817–1818 First Seminole War, which resulted in the annexation of Florida. By the 1820s, the pressure on American Indians to continue moving westward had become almost overwhelming. Whites settled in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana by the tens of thousands. The Cherokee, inspired by the Cherokee leader Sequoyah and members of other tribes, attempted to accommodate themselves to white dominance by taking up white ways, including adopting a written language, schools, American farming methods, division of labor between the sexes, American-style clothing, and Christianity, but to no avail. Most whites wanted not their friendship but their land, especially because of the cotton boom occurring in the Southwest.

(a) Cherokee leader Sequoyah developed a syllabary that made reading and writing in the Cherokee language possible. Sequoyah’s invention enabled the Cherokee nation to produce a newspaper in their own language the Cherokee Phoenix (b) This front page of the Cherokee Phoenix dates from May 21, 1828. The paper continued until 1834 and was revived in the twentieth century.

As president, Jackson responded to pressure from southern farmers by securing passage of the Indian Removal Act, which he signed in May 1830. The Removal Act permitted Jackson to eject American Indians from their lands in the Southeast in return for lands west of the Mississippi. Although their acquiescence was framed as voluntary consent, the Indians, in effect, were compelled to move. For this reason, the bill was fiercely debated in Congress, with many northerners (and even some southerners such as representative Davey Crockett) opposed to the unjust treatment it allowed. However, their objections were narrowly overruled by southerners who wanted the Indians’ land and passed the bill by nine votes in the Senate and only six in the House (see the  Indian Removal Act, 1830, and Cherokee Chief John Ross’s Memorial and Protest to Congress, 1836  Primary Source).

The Cherokee, meanwhile, attempted to resist efforts by the state of Georgia to encroach upon their land, resulting in two cases revolving around the question of tribal sovereignty being presented to the U.S. Supreme Court in the early 1830s. In  Cherokee Nation v. Georgia  (1831), the Court determined that the Cherokee tribe lacked standing to sue as a foreign nation because it was a “domestic dependent nation” and declined to rule on the merits of the case, whereas in  Worcester v. Georgia  (1832), the Court ruled that only the federal government (not the states) had the power to regulate relations between a Native Indian nation and a U.S. state and, therefore, Georgia had no authority in Indian affairs. However, Georgia refused to follow the order of the Court or prevent settlers from taking land.

At the same time, President Jackson also sought to implement his own powers under the Indian Removal Act to compel the American Indians to move. From 1831 to 1838, some sixty thousand people of what colonial settlers named the “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole) were forced off the property they held, in direct violation of past treaties, and were pushed across the Mississippi. White charlatans robbed and persecuted them in the process, and their forced winter treks resulted in thousands of deaths. The culmination of the process came with the ejection of the Cherokee from their lands east of the Mississippi and along the 1838 Trail of Tears (see  The Trail of Tears  Narrative). The appearance of these people west of the Mississippi had a disruptive influence among the tribes of that region, fostering conflict that would persist until they, too, became victims of American westward expansion.

Tariffs and the National Bank

President Jackson continued to expand federal and executive power in a crisis precipitated when he and many northern members of Congress sought to regulate overseas trade and protect U.S. industry. In 1828, Henry Clay assumed responsibility for guiding through Congress a protectionist tariff, the so-called Tariff of Abominations, with the support of President John Quincy Adams, until Martin Van Buren took charge and sought to use the tariff bill to appeal to mid-Atlantic Jacksonian voters. The tariff was supposedly designed to counteract British economic dominance by placing high tariffs on imports from that country as a means to protect (mostly northern) manufactured goods from foreign competition. Many southern leaders, however, suspected the measure was a clever attempt to harm the South and undermine the institution of slavery. Vice President Calhoun argued the tariff would provoke retaliatory British tariffs on American cotton imports from the South, which fed the British mills in Lancashire. Calhoun had reversed his earlier support of tariffs as a device for integrating a national, self-sufficient economy, instead adopting what was politically expedient to win with Jackson. Because the U.S. cotton industry and the system of slavery were mutually dependent, the results of the tariff could be disastrous for southern planters.

In 1828, Calhoun anonymously published  Exposition and Protest , in which he argued that the Union was a compact of states that could individually decide on the constitutionality of federal laws and nullify them (see the  Is the Concurrent Majority Theory Faithful to the Ideals of the Constitution?  Point-Counterpoint and the  John C. Calhoun,  South Carolina Exposition and Protest , 1828  Primary Source). (These ideas had their roots in Thomas Jefferson’s Kentucky Resolution of 1798.) In November 1832, incited in part by Calhoun, the government of South Carolina, in convention, proclaimed the tariff nullified and unenforceable within its borders because it was unconstitutional, and the state invoked the principle of state sovereignty in support of its right to do so. Despite the widespread popular support he enjoyed across the South and his general sympathy for low tariffs, Jackson denounced nullification as treasonous and, in March 1833, he signed a Force Bill that Congress had passed authorizing military action against South Carolina (see  The Nullification Crisis  Narrative). The same day the Force Bill was signed, Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky helped defuse the crisis by leading Congress to adopt a compromise tariff that greatly reduced the tariff duties and induced Calhoun to back off. But a precedent had been set that would act itself out in full thirty years later when the South seceded from the Union. A South Carolina convention met a few days later and repealed its tariff nullification as well as the Force Act.

The presidential election campaign of 1832 was fought in the context of Jackson’s growing opposition to the Second Bank of the United States, a stance that further enlarged his executive power by exercising his veto power. Congress had chartered the Second Bank in 1816, and the Supreme Court declared it constitutional in  McCulloch v. Maryland  (1819). The bank had a twenty-year charter that was due for renewal in 1836. Senators Henry Clay and Daniel Webster of Massachusetts worked with bank president Nicholas Biddle to renew the charter early and make it an issue in the presidential election of 1832, especially because Clay was running for president. Congress passed the recharter bill and sent it to the president to sign.

On July 10, 1832, however, Jackson vetoed it. (See the  Andrew Jackson’s Veto of the National Bank  Decision Point and the  Andrew Jackson, Bank Veto Message, 1832  Primary Source). He argued that the bank was unconstitutional, controlled by speculators and foreign interests, and damaging to western and southern farmers. At the same time, Jackson refused to endorse Calhoun’s continuation as vice president, partly because of their differing views on the bank, and Calhoun assumed the senate seat vacated by Robert Hayne who became governor of Southern Carolina. It was former Secretary of State Martin Van Buren who eventually secured the Democratic Party’s nomination in Calhoun’s place.

Jackson’s overwhelming election victory against National Republican candidate Henry Clay allowed him to focus on his campaign to destroy the Bank, which he and his supporters viewed as an inherently corrupt tool of large moneyed interests in and out of government. Appointing the cooperative Roger Taney as secretary of the treasury (after replacing two less malleable treasury secretaries), Jackson ceased depositing government funds in the Bank of the United States, instead diverting them to a series of so-called pet banks. Bank president Nicholas Biddle fought Jackson vociferously, but after years of debate in Congress and economic destabilization, the Bank’s charter expired in 1836.

This 1833 lithograph entitled The Downfall of Mother Bank applauds Jackson’s order for the removal of federal funds from the Bank of the United States. Jackson holds up an “Order for the Removal of the Public Money.” Nicholas Biddle (depicted with devil’s horns) and his supporters scatter as the bank building falls around them.

The fall of the Bank of the United States coincided with another election year in 1836. Opposition to Jackson had converged around his supposedly imperial presidency, including his free use of the presidential veto, which appeared to threaten the powers of Congress. His detractors now called him King Andrew I, in ironic contrast with the democratic excitement that had accompanied his initial entry into office. Jackson, they argued, had contradicted the anti-aristocratic ideals of Jeffersonian America.

In this famous 1832 political cartoon entitled “King Andrew the First ” by an unknown artist President Jackson is dressed in royal garb and holds a veto message in his hand while the Constitution lies in tatters at his feet.

Remnants of the National Republican Party and the smaller Anti-Masonic Party merged with Calhoun’s southern supporters and others to form the Whig Party, so named because of its association with seventeenth- and eighteenth-century English anti-royalists. However, the Whigs remained a diffuse organization in 1836. Their slate of candidates, led by William Henry Harrison, failed to muster the strength to defeat Jackson’s chosen successor, Martin Van Buren.

Van Buren and the Panic of 1837

A talented politician once known as the “Little Magician,” Martin Van Buren was given little chance to establish a successful presidency. Shortly after he entered office, the national economy staggered under the so-called Panic of 1837. This catastrophe originated in the collapse of a land bubble and the subsequent failure of many of the banks to which Jackson had transferred funds once destined for the Bank of the United States. In response, Van Buren established an independent treasury and cut government expenditures, but to little avail—the economy entered a deep recession. This setback, combined with an ongoing and expensive military campaign to force the Seminole Indians out of Florida and condemnations of Van Buren’s allegedly extravagant White House lifestyle, doomed his chances for reelection in 1840.

Whig candidate William Henry Harrison had first won fame as a general in the War of 1812. Even though his father was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this son of the Virginia aristocracy secured election in 1840 as a “hard cider” and “log cabin” man representative of common Americans. He fell ill and died only four weeks into his presidency, however, and was replaced by Vice President John Tyler, also known as “His Accidency.” Although an anti-Jacksonian, Tyler refused to align himself with the Whigs, who then felt betrayed and threw him out of the party. By the election of 1844, in which Democrat James K. Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay in Clay’s final bid for the presidency, the United States had settled firmly into a two-party system. The Democrats generally supported limited federal power, states’ rights, and slavery and its expansion, and opposed protective tariffs and federal spending on roads and canals (“internal improvements”). The Whigs generally supported greater expansive federal powers and economic nationalism of the American System, while the party split over slavery, with many of its northern members opposing the westward expansion of slavery.

Manifest Destiny: Westward Expansion

Americans’ rapid westward migration was changing the very nature of the United States. Building on the migration that had begun in earnest after the War of 1812, the Indian removals of the 1830s had cleared the way for further westward expansion in the South, while the former Louisiana Purchase territories were rapidly swallowed up by homesteaders. The term “Manifest Destiny,” which entered the language in the mid-1840s, suggested the United States had a divinely appointed mission to expand westward to the shores of the Pacific Ocean against any opposition. But this idea of destiny fueled another, divisive debate: as the country expanded, would slavery too?

The first new phase in what would soon become a tidal wave of western expansion centered around Mexico and the territory of Texas. After winning independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico enticed white settlement in this region, which was populated by the Comanches. At first, Mexico welcomed American settlers if they became Mexican citizens, converted to Catholicism, and did not bring their slaves. Nine years later, because these stipulations were not being followed, the Mexican government outlawed further immigration from the United States, but to little effect. After a war for independence in 1835–1836 that began with the Mexican capture of a small Texan garrison at the Alamo and ended with the defeat and capture of Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna, white settlers established the independent Republic of Texas (see the  Sam Houston and Texas Independence  Narrative).

This 1903 painting by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk depicts a view of the defenders of the Alamo as making a heroic final stand. Davy Crockett the famous frontiersman and politician who joined the Texans at the Alamo is dressed in buckskin and using his rifle as a club. There are conflicting accounts as to whether Crockett died in a final stand or surrendered and was executed. How does this painting depict Manifest Destiny and the American West?

Over the following years, Texans and southern political leaders campaigned stridently for the annexation of Texas to the United States. The Jackson and Van Buren administrations had hesitated to comply because of the sectional and political conflict it would produce, but Tyler was sympathetic. He pushed the issue in Congress despite opposition from John Quincy Adams, then serving in the House of Representatives, and resistance by other northerners and Whigs in Congress who saw annexation as a pretext for expanding slavery. In one of his last acts as president, Tyler pushed a joint resolution through Congress and signed the bill making Texas eligible for admission to the United States as a territory and then as a state, which it became in December 1845. Texan statehood became a flashpoint leading to the Mexican-American War of 1846–1848 that pushed the borders of the United States to California.

Social and Religious Movements in the Second Great Awakening

Even as the United States expanded outward, and inwardly debated the moral implications of the growing system of slavery, many of its people experienced a religious revival in what has come to be called the Second Great Awakening. Whereas eighteenth-century Calvinists had emphasized the inability of humans to overcome sin on their own accounts, a new order of preachers now argued the opposite, claiming that people could reject and overcome sin through direct action (see the  Jedediah Burchard, Revivalist Sermon, 1835  Primary Source).

Public missionaries of the Second Great Awakening preached emotionally and worked tirelessly to foster true repentance and conversion in dramatic public encounters called revivals. The birth or expansion of several religious denominations accompanied the Second Great Awakening, especially including Baptists and Methodists, whose preachers used these techniques for conversion. In 1830, at the age of 24 years, Joseph Smith published the  Book of Mormon  and established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in New York (see  The Mormon Trail  Narrative).

Some movements took the ideals of the Second Great Awakening even further by attempting to create utopian communities that would herald a New Jerusalem of peace and brotherhood. One of these was the Oneida Community, which John Humphrey Noyes founded in 1848 in New York. His followers, known as Perfectionists, eventually spread to other areas of the United States, especially New England, but their often-unconventional views on marriage and morality infuriated the mainstream communities amid which they settled.

The Oneida community practiced “complex marriage ” an institution in which every man was married to every woman and vice versa. John Humphrey Noyes shown in an 1896 image encouraged this practice because he believed that God did not desire monogamy.

Other utopian communities found inspiration in the ideas of transcendentalism. Drawing upon European Romanticism, the transcendentalists argued for the fundamental goodness of human nature and argued that free thought and life independent of mainstream society could bring individuals to higher states of being. The community of Brook Farm in Massachusetts, founded in 1841 by former Unitarian minister George Ripley, with the support of men like writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Charles A. Dana, sought to bring this concept to fruition through communal living that fostered the “thinking worker.” Like many other utopian or neo-utopian communities, however, Brook Farm folded after less than a decade in operation.

Inspired by the Second Great Awakening, Revolutionary principles of equality, and Enlightenment humanitarianism, antebellum reformers sought to transform society by turning it away from sin and laying the foundations for a better or even utopian future. Individuals, often women, worked together in voluntary organizations dedicated to these reform efforts, which originated locally but grew to regional and wider importance and eventually swayed national policy. Although it violated the social norm of “separate spheres” for women to enter into politics and public life, the moral nature of antebellum reform gave women the opportunity to challenge this restriction on the grounds of bettering the lives of others.

Growing Resistance to Slavery

The most extreme examples of resistance to slavery occurred among African Americans. In 1829, free black David Walker published his  Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World , a radical pamphlet warning whites that blacks would revolt if the enslaved were not freed (see the  David Walker, “An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World,” 1829  Primary Source). He wrote, “your DESTRUCTION is at hand, and will be speedily consummated unless you REPENT.” On August 22 and 23, 1831, Nat Turner’s Rebellion erupted in southeastern Virginia. Nat Turner was guided by his interpretation of biblical and religious ideals. He believed he had a divine mission of exacting vengeance against slaveholders and ushering in a new age of liberty. About sixty enslaved and free blacks in Southampton County traveled through several plantations and murdered and decapitated almost sixty white inhabitants, including forty-six women and children. White mobs and militia troops retaliated by massacring more than one hundred enslaved and free blacks, some of whom did not even participate in the rebellion. Turner eluded capture for several weeks until he was caught, tried, and hanged. The episode triggered an internal debate over slavery and emancipation in Virginia but mostly resulted in increases in slave patrols, tighter controls over the movement and meetings of enslaved persons, and restrictions on free blacks (see the  Nat Turner’s Rebellion  Narrative).

The Second Great Awakening, Enlightenment ideas and the ideals of the Declaration of Independence energized abolitionists who worked to end slavery. They used the same means as other social reformers, including voluntary organizations, religiously inspired emotional preaching, and aggressive  proselytism  to institute change. Here, too, women played a leading role.

By this time, slavery had become a national issue of increasing importance, and one that threatened to destabilize the country even to the point of war. In 1831, William Lloyd Garrison helped stimulate the rise of the abolitionist movement by launching a newspaper called the  Liberator , demanding the immediate emancipation of enslaved persons (reversing his previous support of gradual emancipation), and denouncing slavery as a national sin (see the  William Lloyd Garrison’s War against Slavery  Narrative). He argued the Constitution was a “covenant with death and an agreement with Hell” and opposed abolitionists participating in politics. In 1833, Garrison, wealthy New York philanthropists Arthur and Lewis Tappan, Wendell Phillips, and other abolitionist reformers founded the American Anti-Slavery Society in New York.

Abolitionists formed hundreds of antislavery societies, traveled through the North and Midwest delivering speeches against slavery, petitioned Congress for an end to slavery, and wrote and distributed antislavery tracts in the North and South. Female abolitionists also joined the lecture circuit, wrote antislavery tracts, and started female antislavery societies. Famous female abolitionist speakers included New England Quaker reformers Lucretia Mott and Abby Kelley, and the South Carolina sisters Angelina and Sarah Grimké, who moved north. Many northerners were shocked by these female abolitionist speakers addressing mixed crowds and hurled objects at them or violently chased them off stages. Mott and Kelley later supported women’s suffrage and black suffrage (see the  Sarah M. Grimké, Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and Condition of Women, 1837  Primary Source).

African Americans were prominent abolitionists, and those former enslaved persons who spoke against the ills of slavery did so with special authority that made Garrison and others welcome them into the movement. Harriet Tubman had escaped from slavery and courageously made at least nineteen trips to the South to liberate enslaved persons. She was a key leader in the Underground Railroad, a network of people who helped runaway enslaved people escape through the north to freedom. Frederick Douglass had escaped from slavery to become a prominent speaker, author of three autobiographies describing his experiences, and publisher of the abolitionist newspaper  North Star . He later broke with Garrison and read the Constitution as an antislavery document. Sojourner Truth was an antislavery activist who supported abolitionism and women’s rights in her speeches, the most famous of which was “Ain’t I a Woman?” (see the  Frederick Douglass’s Path to Freedom  Narrative and the  Frederick Douglass,  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , 1845  Primary Source).

All abolitionists concurred that slavery was a moral evil that needed to be outlawed, but there was a range of opinion as to whether it should happen immediately or gradually. Abolitionism provoked angry and sometimes violent reaction from southern and even northern defenders of a system they considered integral to the American way of life. Their disdain for female participation in abolitionism further promoted feelings of resentment.

Northern mobs often reacted violently to the incendiary message and beat up or hurled rocks at male and female abolitionist speakers. On November 7, 1837, an Illinois mob destroyed the presses of abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy and murdered him. In 1835, the American Anti-Slavery Society began mailing abolitionist tracts to prominent churchmen and government officials across the South. After angry mobs burned a consignment of abolitionist literature on the docks of Charleston, the Postmaster General ruled, with President Jackson’s support, that states had the right to deny transport of even federal mail.

This wood engraving of unknown date depicts a mob burning abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy’s building.

At the same time, abolitionists sent thousands of antislavery petitions to Congress which infuriated southern representatives and took up an increasing proportion of legislative time. On May 26 1836 southern Congressmen succeeded in their efforts to get the House of Representatives to introduce a “gag rule ” by which all antislavery petitions would be tabled automatically and ignored. John Quincy Adams immediately denounced the rule as unconstitutional in Congress but it remained in place until after years of campaigning he succeeded in having it rescinded in 1844 (see the John Quincy Adams and the Gag Rule Decision Point).

Perhaps Adams’s most satisfying personal achievement though took place in the Amistad case. In the summer of 1839, a cargo of West Africans who had been sold as slaves in Havana Cuba revolted on the slave ship Amistad killing the captain and crew and demanding to be returned to Africa. Subsequently captured by a U.S. ship and imprisoned in Connecticut the enslaved men became the focus of a national and international dispute over their fate that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 1841 Adams took the case as a lawyer and delivered an impassioned nine-hour speech that convinced the justices to free the thirty surviving slaves and return them to Africa (see the John Quincy Adams and the Amistad Narrative).

Social Reforms and Suffrage

Antebellum reformers also targeted the inhumane conditions in prisons and asylums, institutions that focused on incarceration and punishment rather than rehabilitation. Horrified reformers such as Samuel Gridley Howe and Dorothea Dix campaigned for changes, including opportunities for education, recreation, and religious instruction for inmates. Through their efforts, especially in New England, several model prisons and asylums were constructed (see the  Dorothea Dix, Memorial to the Legislation of Massachusetts, 1843  Primary Source).

The drive for temperance (abstinence from alcohol) was another reforming movement that was established locally, often on the religious principles of the Second Great Awakening. Moreover, the average adult consumed more than seven gallons of liquor annually, and some men victimized their families by drinking all their wages away or abusing their wives and children. Reformers also supported temperance because they were influenced by xenophobia and associated heavy drinking with German and Irish immigrants in urban areas. The earliest societies for the promotion of abstinence from alcohol appeared in New England toward the beginning of the nineteenth century, but their efforts accelerated in the 1830s, by which time there were thousands of local temperance societies throughout the United States, as well as the national American Society for the Promotion of Temperance. Often working in tandem with Methodist and other preachers who argued that individuals could choose to turn away from sin, temperance advocates held public events to convince more than one million adherents to abstain from alcohol and drink only water. By the 1840s, they had enacted numerous prohibition ordinances, from the county to the state level.

These burgeoning movements for public welfare coincided with a renewed interest in public education. George Washington, believing that an educated electorate was a fundamental underpinning of American democracy, had provided financial support to private educational foundations. Thomas Jefferson had even proposed a system of government-funded public education in Virginia. In 1837–1838, Secretary Horace Mann of the Massachusetts Board of Education succeeded in fostering the common public school movement. By creating common public schools funded from local taxes, Mann and his followers across the United States believed they could establish a system of universal secular education that would not just buttress the political system but help ensure social harmony. Although this vision for national education was never fully realized, its long-term effects were transformative.

Horace Mann shown in a daguerreotype from about 1850 believed that improving public education would bring wide-ranging benefits because society would be more prosperous and benign.

A broad movement for women’s suffrage emerged out of women’s diligent efforts in other antebellum reform movements. Women reformers were banned from participating in the 1840 World Anti-Slavery Convention in London; they began advocating for equal rights for women. Abolitionist leaders Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton initiated the national process by convening the first women’s rights convention in the United States, held in Seneca Falls, New York, in July 1848. Some two hundred women attended the convention’s first day; on the next day, men, including abolitionist icon Frederick Douglass, attended and merged their causes into one campaign to transform the place of women in U.S. society. In their Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (commonly called the “Declaration of Sentiments”), the convention’s participants appealed to the natural and civil rights of women by drawing close parallels to the Declaration of Independence (see the  Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Struggle for Women’s Suffrage  Narrative).

(a) Lucretia Mott and (b) Elizabeth Cady Stanton were pioneers in women’s rights efforts in the United States writing the Declaration of Sentiments and starting a series of women’s rights conventions.

The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 in some ways may be seen as a culmination of the democratization of politics that symbolically began with the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828. But the road ahead remained unclear. Although the American political system had settled into a two-party system that endures to this day, westward expansion and conflict with American Indians and possibly foreign powers, combined with rapidly escalating tensions over public morality, popular rights, and especially the institution of slavery, increasingly threatened to tear the United States apart.

By 1828 suffrage expanded to include more white men and reforms—male female black and white—were inspired to improve society. The country continued to grow as did sectional divisions within the republic.

Additional Chapter Resources:

• The Lowell Girls Narrative
• Webster-Hayne Debates 1830 Primary Source
• Ralph Waldo Emerson “The American Scholar ” 1837 Primary Source
• John C. Calhoun “Slavery as a Positive Good ” 1837 Primary Source
• Art Analysis: The County Election by George Caleb Bingham 1852 Primary Source
• Responses to the Cherokee Removal Mini DBQ Lesson
• Native Americans in American Art Lesson
• The Women’s Movement and the Seneca Falls Convention Lesson
• Unit 3 Civics Connection: Liberty and Union

Review Questions

1. Andrew Jackson defeated incumbent president John Quincy Adams in the election of 1828 primarily because of

• Adams’s opposition to slavery
• Jackson’s determination to remove American Indians
• Adams’s perceived weakness in foreign relations
• the Jackson campaign’s focus on reaching a broad electorate

2. The primary outcome of the Nullification Crisis was to

• bring the United States and Great Britain to the point of war
• undermine public support for Andrew Jackson
• establish a precedent for state secession
• provoke the Panic of 1837

3. Whigs denounced Jackson as King Andrew I because of

• his sympathy for Great Britain
• his extravagant lifestyle
• his support for hereditary rule
• his expansion and free use of presidential powers

4. Which of the following was not a prime focus of organized antebellum reform movements?

• American Indian rights
• Prison reform
• Abolition of slavery

5. All the following were the roots of major crises in the Jackson Administration except

• the tariff issue
• the expansion of suffrage
• the national bank
• the rights of American Indians

6. President Andrew Jackson implemented his view of the appropriate use of federal power by acting to weaken

• the spoils system
• the veto power
• high protective tariffs.

7. Which of these was not a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

• The Supreme Court ruling in Worcester v. Georgia
• The Supreme Court ruling in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
• The Trail of Tears
• The beginning of the Frontier Wars

8. What was the main idea of John C. Calhoun’s Exposition and Protest published in 1828?

• That states had the right to declare a federal law unconstitutional
• That the South was against the policies of President John Quincy Adams
• That South Carolina wanted to create its own tariff policy
• That States’ rights were subordinate to Federal policy

9. Exposition and Protest held the same premise as which document?

• The Articles of Confederation of 1781
• The Kentucky Resolutions of 1799
• The Tariff of 1816
• The Monroe Doctrine of 1823

10. The most significant issue of the election of 1832 was

• women’s suffrage

11. Which of the following actions did President Andrew Jackson take regarding the Bank of the United States?

• Agreed with Nicholas Biddle’s argument in favor of the bank
• Vetoed the re-chartering of the bank in 1832
• Left any major decision regarding the bank to his successor Martin Van Buren
• Immediately closed the national bank

12. The Whig Party most likely won the election of 1840 because of

• its wholesale support of the expansion of slavery west of the Mississippi River
• the declining popularity of Martin Van Buren after the Panic of 1837
• the Whigs’ philosophy that smaller government equals more effective government
• the popularity of William Henry Harrison as an anti-Jacksonian

13. The desire to do which of the following best describes the concept of Manifest Destiny in the 1840s?

• Expand American territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
• Extend U.S. economic control throughout the Americas
• Implement immediate abolition throughout all existing states and territories
• Extend the influence of Protestant Christianity into the territories acquired in the Louisiana Purchase

14. The greatest impact of the Mexican War of 1846–1848 was that

• the United States gained a significant amount of territory in its quest to expand to the Pacific
• abolitionism spread across the North and South
• slavery was outlawed in the new territories
• Texas became a state at the conclusion of the fighting

15. The Second Great Awakening affected all the following except

• the development of “perfectionist” societies like the Oneida Community
• the growth of new religious sects like the Mormons
• support for public education for all
• the spread of American democratic ideals even if it meant war

16. The reform movement stemming from the Second Great Awakening that caused the most controversy in the United States was

• public education for all
• rights for women
• abolitionism

17. The introduction of the “gag rule” in Congress meant

• petitions supporting the abolition of slavery would not be introduced on the floor of Congress
• it was unlawful to discuss the tariff issue in Congress
• only legislation that supported the expansion of slavery could be debated in Congress
• a declaration of war was not to be debated in Congress

18. The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 was known for a document its attendees issued in support of

• nationwide temperance
• equal rights for Native Americans

Free Response Questions

• Explain how the Second Great Awakening and antebellum social reform movements influenced and reinforced each other.
• Explain how the election of 1828 signaled a change in U.S. national politics.
• Explain why settlers moved to Texas during the 1820s and into the 1830s and how this migration affected the United States.
• Explain how the role of women influenced social reform in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s.

AP Practice Questions

King Andrew the First created by an unknown artist c. 1833.

1. In the political cartoon the intention of the artist is to

• praise President Jackson for his strong and effective leadership while in office
• support President Jackson’s use of the veto to “protect the common man”
• illustrate belief that President Jackson abused his power as president
• propose that Jackson should serve as president for life

2. People who agree with the sentiments expressed in the political cartoon would most likely support

• the spread of slavery into the western territories
• an increase in the tariff rates
• the protection of American Indians from federal government interference
• the formation of the Whig Party

Westward Ho by Emanuel Leutze 1861.

3. The paintings reflect the sentiments of what American idea?

• Overseas expansion
• Jacksonian democracy
• Manifest Destiny
• Nullification

4. The sentiments expressed in the paintings share common values with which group?

• Camp meeting speakers of the Second Great Awakening
• Members of the Sons of Liberty in the late Colonial Era
• British colonists who opposed the Royal Proclamation of 1763
• Anti-Masonic Movement

Primary Sources

Cain William E. William Lloyd Garrison and the Fight Against Slavery: Selections from The Liberator. Boston: Bedford Books 1994.

Greenberg Amy S. ed. Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion: A Brief History with Documents . Boston: Bedford Books 2017.

Greenberg Kenneth S. ed. The Confessions of Nat Turner . Boston: Bedford Books 2016.

Jackson Andrew. “President Andrew Jackson’s Veto Message Regarding the Bank of the United States; July 10, 1832.” Yale Law School. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/ajveto01.asp

Jacobs Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl . New York: W.W. Norton 2018.

Purdue Theda ed. The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford Books 2016

Sklar Kathryn Kish ed. Women’s Rights Emerges within the Anti-Slavery Movement 1830-1870: A Short History with Documents . Boston: Bedford Books 2019.

“South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification November 24, 1832.” https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/ordnull.asp

Tocqueville Alexis. Democracy in America . Edited by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 2002.

Walker David. “Walker’s Appeal in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble to the Coloured Citizens of the World but in Particular and Very Expressly to Those of the United States of America Written in Boston State of Massachusetts September 28, 1829: Electronic Edition.” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/walker/walker.html

Suggested Resources

Brands H.W. Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay John Calhoun and Daniel Webster the Second Generation of American Giants . New York: Doubleday 2018.

Ehle John. Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation . New York: Doubleday 1989.

Garraty John A. and Eric Foner. The Reader’s Companion to American History . New York: Houghton Mifflin 1991.

Ginzberg Lori D. Women in Antebellum Reform . New York: Wiley 2000.

Howe Daniel Walker. What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America 1815-1848 . New York: Oxford University Press 2007.

McMillen Sally. Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women’s Rights Movement . Oxford UK: Oxford University Press 2009.

Meacham Jon D. American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House . New York: Random House 2008.

Mintz Steven. Moralists and Modernizers: America’s Pre-Civil War Reformers . Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 1995.

Peterson Merrill D. The Great Triumvirate: Webster Clay and Calhoun . New York: Oxford University Press 1988.

Ratcliffe Donald J. Jacksonian America 1815-48 . London: Longmans 1994.

Rediker Marcus. The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom . New York: Verso 2013.

Remini Robert. Andrew Jackson and the Bank War . New York: W.W. Norton 1967.

Wallace Anthony F.C. The Long Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians . New York: Hill and Wang 1993.

Walter Ronald G. American Reformers 1815-1860 . New York: Hill and Wang 1978.

Wellman Judith. The Road to Seneca Falls: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the First Woman’s Rights Convention . Urbana IL: University of Illinois Press 2004

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• Donald Trump: The Law Violations The former president of the US, Donald Trump, has been the subject of heated political and legal discussions due to the numerous charges he faces because of violating the law on several accounts.
• Foreign Policy of the Clinton Administration The foreign policy strategies of Clinton and Bush Jr.differed significantly. In contrast, Bush Jr.was focused on isolation and confrontation with the principles of globalization.
• President Obama’s Justification for Killing bin Laden In Schlag’s opinion, the secrecy of lawyers in working on the legal actions surrounding the plot of Bin Laden’s death raised concerns regarding the justification of his killing.
• Requesting a Warrant for Trump’s Home Search In his opinion piece for KCRA, Alanna Durkin observes that a checklist of stringent conditions governs the procedure of getting a search warrant. Durkin notes that the court could have only authorized the request if […]
• Conservatism in the Clinton and Obama Administrations Thus, the Clinton and Obama administrations have examples of how the presidents challenged the rise of conservatism and were considered the continuation of it simultaneously.
• Biden’s Student Loan Dilemma by Barbaro & Cowley The podcast Biden’s Student Loan Dilemma by Michael Barbaro and Stacy Cowley examines the state of student debt loans in the U.S.
• Joe Biden’s Inaction on the Need to Eliminate Existing Tariffs The main effect of this decision was retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural imports to China, which led to a decrease in the export of soybeans.
• Trump’s Trade Dump: Agreement With China According to detractors, it is the sort of management trade policy that the U.S.has long opposed, particularly about China and its economic control.
• Women in the USA: The Emergence of Political Power The role of factors determining the status of American women in the state and society and the degree of influence of women themselves on the development of state policy in general and concerning the female […]
• George W. Bush’s Inaugural Speech It is rather interesting that, in the text, Bush says that “the best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world”. This text also helps to think about […]
• Black Lives Matter and Trump’s Use of Secret Police He has tried to hide the truth and the police brutality that took Floyd’s life, just as it endangered the lives of other black Americans.
• Trump Tells Story About Killing Terrorists With Bullets Dipped in Pigs’ Blood The text reflects on Donald Trump’s recollection of the myth that terrorists were killed before the bullets used were dipped in pig blood.
• President Biden’s State of the Union Address in 2022 The measures taken to date will help reduce the share of unresolved problems and give some impetus to the development of the well-being of America and its citizens.
• Michele Obama’s Speech: A Rhetorical Analysis The main message of the First Lady was to draw attention to the suppression of the advertising of unhealthy food to minors.
• Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Ideas The decision to promote progressive ideas was not spontaneous, and he saw the movement as the possibility to protect the real rule of humans.
• George Washington’s Farewell Address He considered the most important element of the success of the state and society to be the preservation and promotion of peaceful coexistence with all forces.
• Rhetorical Analysis: Logos and Pathos in Trump’s Truth In the third chapter, “The Truth Is the Greatest Enemy of the State,” attention is paid to Trump’s speeches and promises.
• 1968: The Turning Point in American Politics and Society Over the years of existence in the modern United States, there have been numerous iterations of the party systems and political structures in the attempts to address the differences between Democrats and Conservatives.
• The Speech About the Assassination of Osama bin Laden by Barack Obama To conclude, we can consider this speech as a good example of weighted but at the same time pompous and threatening speech regarding the issue of national security.
• President Obama’s Inaugural Address in 2009 First, the inclusion of certain phonological elements such as alliteration, consonance, and assonance works to beautify the language, which causes it to resonate with the listener.’Pounded the pavement’ or ‘picked up the phones’ is an […]
• Michelle Obama’s Tuskegee University Commencement Speech The commencement speech of Michelle Obama at the Tuskegee University primarily focused on the continuing and detrimental effects of racism, but even more improtantly on the concept of a post-racial America.
• Progressive Ideology by President Roosevelt In addition, the key role of the progressive lies in addressing the problems of the other, for which reason they are to remain enthusiastic and inspiring under any circumstances.
• Biden’s Push to Increase Tax on the Rich From New York Times The major reason for this news is Biden’s will to increase taxes for the rich to fund his plan of reshaping the economy.
• Biden Ends Workplace Immigration Raids, Reversing Trump Policy Firstly, the announcement will contribute immensely towards the integrity of most employers in the sense that it is going to push employers to pursue only documented immigrants for labor without putting excessive pressure on the […]
• George Washington’s and John Adams’s Policies George Washington is the first popularly elected President of the United States of America, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, a participant in the War of Independence, and the founder of the American institution of the […]
• The COVID-19 Bill Proposal by President Biden As the standing committees to introduce the bill to, the budget committees of the House and the Senate will be involved.
• The Actions of Roosevelt During the New Deal The period from 1929 to 1941, including the Great Depression and the New Deal, is undoubtedly one of the most important in American history.
• Watergate – American Biggest Political Scandal In an attempt to do so, participants of Nixon’s Committee to Re-Elect the President broke into Watergate headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.
• “Industrial Education for the Negro” by B. T. Washington In the article, the author insists on the introduction of industrial education to the curriculums of all black students to ensure that they understand the value of labor.
• Academic Reforms of George W. Bush The development and establishment of the Every Student Succeed Act, is an attribute of Bush’s education reforms from his initiative to provide every child with the right to education in his bipartisan act of No […]
• What Explains the Increased Use of Drones Under The Obama Administration in Pakistan The C.I.A.holds the responsibility for the Drone attacks in Pakistan.”The C.I.A.began using drones in Pakistan in 2004, even though the United States was not engaged in a war with that country.
• Washington vs. Texas Court Case No. 649: Issue, Facts, and Summary Still, the court authorities denied him a request to listen and consider the testimony of a witness or an accomplice, because of which the court’s verdict turned in the opposite direction.
• Booker T. Washington’s Position Regarding the Black Problem Washington saw the main goal of education in the social and cultural teaching of African Americans, thanks to the emphasis on the acquisition of technical skills.
• Booker T. Washington’s Atlanta Exposition Speech The appeal to the white population was based on a call to reduce pressure on African Americans to build a socially equal society.
• W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington on African American Education The effects of racial discrimination and the resulting segregation echoed in every area in the late 19th and early 20th century, causing the debate concerning the need for integrated schools to become rather polarizing even […]
• Biden’s Stimulus Package: Impact on Society The new legislation will also provide direct payments to individuals through the US, and this is the second reason why I support it strongly.
• American Wars and American Political Development In his article “Wars and American Politics,” David Mayhew argues that there were at least five major wars faced by the US which determined its fate as a progressive state: the War of 1812, the […]
• Text Analysis of Trump’s Tweets Besides, the Network has a system of comments on the posts of politicians, which can also help to understand the mood of the public.
• American Political Thought in the Pre-Revolutionary Period Hence, the Enlightenment and Great Awakening played a central role in shaping the colonists’ ways of thinking, which significantly changed the way that the residents of North American colonies regarded the authorities.
• President Obama’s and Sen. Cruz’s Hanukkah Greetings The speeches reveal that upholding the celebration is an important event in commemorating the justice of redemption of Jerusalem and rededication of the second temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt.
• President Roosevelt’s New Deal in Tennessee The United States was in the middle of the Great Depression when Roosevelt was elected. In conclusion, the election of Roosevelt seemed like a solution to the impacts of the Great Depression.
• The Washington Consensus and 21st-Century Socialism The relation between market trade and the involvement of the state from one of the primary aspects upon which such models are compared. Both policies demonstrate particular differences in the context of the balance between […]
• Barack Obama Policies in Healthcare: Ethical and Unethical Behavior The United State should not have health care reform when members are working but it has to support every child and provide him/her with quality healthcare services.
• Obama’s Health Care Speech to Congress Summary He said that the failing economy was affecting businesses and homeowners and there was a need for decisive action to cut costs and therefore ensure the survival of the Americans by not counting the returns […]
• Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal The New Deal was initiated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he was the 32nd president of the United States. His administration inherited the devastation of the Great Depression.
• Cooper’s “Perfect” Feedback Regarding Trump’s White House Address The segment featured a live Trump’s speech a few days before the election was called and had to be cut off due to the President’s remarks a few minutes into the session.
• Is Political and Racial Equality Possible in American Society? The study of this issue is important to modern American politics as it directly reflects the problems and opportunities of racial and ethnic minorities. It is also important to strive for justice and equality in […]
• Opioid Crisis During Trump, Obama, and Bush Presidency The president is the head of government, meaning that this political figure has the power to solve the existing problems. Trump declared the opioid crisis a national emergency, meaning that sufficient attention was necessary to […]
• Social Media Helped Obama Win The theory of hegemony is instrumental in understanding the relationship that exists between media and power as it can go a long way in reinforcing certain beliefs.
• The Under-Representation of Asian Americans in US Politics The vast disproportion between the percentage of Asian American individuals within the overall US population and the rate of their representation in office might be addressed by improving the likelihood of this community engaging in […]
• Leadership Lessons from Donald Trump: Analysis of Success Factors His leadership style seems to be visionary in regards to his managerial skills and the ability to focus on the future rather than focusing on past events.
• “Michelle Obama Calls on You to Serve” Address Michelle pointed out initiatives and actions that were implemented and asked people to join her and the President to serve communities and build the foundation for the state’s future growth with the help of the […]
• Media Influence on Donald Trump’s Career Trump is the focus of this essay as a prominent case of a worldwide discourse regarding the negative effects of media on a politician’s image.
• A Critique of President Obama’s Administration Position on Contraception The paper comes from the premise that after all contraception is widely used in the US but not all the women can afford the contraceptive.
• Barack Obama: Ambassador Leadership Style The history and current experiences of the leaders determine the approaches to the management of contemporary institutions. The advantage of this leadership is that the staff gains a lot of experience as they become more […]
• Constitutional Issues vs. Obama Healthcare Law This is because of government involvement in subsidizing the medical cover costs and putting it mandatory for everyone to have a medical cover or pay a fine.
• Obama’s Health Reform and Weak Points Revealed Consequently, the chief goal of the US administration is to re-focus the benefits promised by the medical care in the USA on citizens but not on medical products manufacturers.
• Clinton Health Policy Formulation Its main components included the formulation of a national health board that was supposed to regulate the health care structure in the United States.
• The Trump Travel Ban The aim of the current paper is to explore the ban and review the implications of its enactment for the affected individuals and the global community as a whole.
• The Role of Interests and Factions in American Politics Thinking about the consequences of unregulated factions politics, the first idea that comes to mind is that the weaker groups will always be outsiders that are unable to promote their interests. Nevertheless, in my opinion, […]
• Stories From the Great Depression: President Roosevelt At the same time, the era of the Great Depression was the time when many Americans resorted to their wit and creativity.
• Political Communication: Donald Trump’s Insult Politics The purpose of this paper is to analyze Donald Trump’s insult politics and the role of racism and religion in it.
• Progressive Policies After Theodore Roosevelt’s Term By centralizing power in the federal government, he diminished the chances of misrepresentation by municipal governments and ensured close monitory of the United States affairs to the fulfillment of the will of the people.
• Trump’s Advocacy for Waterboarding: A Comprehensive Analysis In addition, as Trump said, waterboarding is a good method to gather information from the enemy and predict national or international threats.
• Success and Mistakes of Barack Obama’s Foreign Policy This paper aims at discussing the achievements and shortcomings of the 44th U.S.president’s foreign policy. The second mistake of Obama’s foreign policy seems to be its expansive nature.
• Barack Obama Made History: The First Black President of the United States In addition to becoming the first black president of the united states, Barack Obama has numerous prominent achievements that will remain the history of the United States.
• President Obama’s Budget Proposal for the United States The budget is also expected to have an expansion of the earned income tax credit for the working poor. Contrary to the above, Republicans argue that raising the tax of the wealthy during a downturn […]
• Roosevelt’s New Deal and Its Influence on the Society The meaning of the policy of “New Deal” was described by Roosevelt in a speech to the voters, as elements of economic planning for a “more equitable distribution of wealth and goods and supplies, the […]
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt His credits as a leader are tied to his successful leadership amidst the alarming economic depression that was a challenge to his administration. These are just a few of the great thing Roosevelt achieved during […]
• The Healthcare Reform Law by Obama: Budget of the Healthcare Reform The proposed healthcare reform has an estimated budget of $828 billion; half of which is scheduled to be acquired from the expansion of Medicaid with an extra $29 billion stipulated to aid in the funding […]
• The American Army: Political Science John wanted to become a warrior, belong to the company of the best soldiers in the world, to see the world, and to have financial stability.
• Satiric Cartoons on American Politics In this cartoon, a stout man in a formal suit is depicted. In this cartoon, there is a snake cut into parts.
• Bush on God: Bushisms From a Satirical Point of View According to the latest news, more and more people believe in the coming of the new Prophet. The witnesses claim, he was receiving a new message from the God at that moment.
• Franklin Roosevelt: The Evolution of an American Idea The following paper is intended to discuss and explain why the first inaugural speech of Franklin Roosevelt, the retirement announcement made by Lou Gehrig, John Kennedy’s inauguration address, and Martin Luther’s “Dream” disclosure are considered […]
• Will Donald Trump Make a Good President? Donald Trump might be a successful businessman and a true patriot, but he lacks the skills and experience to be a good leader of a country and represents opposition to core American values.
• Public Opinion About American Politics All three articles perform in depth analysis of the events, or offer all the necessary information for such an analysis, hence, whether these are discussion of a public opinion, description of the governor’s actions, or […]
• The Debate Over Gay Rights in American Politics Proponents of gay rights vigorously dispute these interpretations, but many people on both sides of the issue do not realize that the Bible has historically been used to argue many things in the past including […]
• Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson in American Presidency Theodore Roosevelt is known as the 26th President of the United States and the first president to have served the full cadence in the 20th century.
• Colonialism Questions: George Washington and Monroe Declaration He believed that the US was in danger if it would entangle itself in the foreign affairs of other nations particularly those from Europe. The convention of 1800 saw an end to all the treaties […]
• Obama’s Health Care Bill: Legaslation`s Changes Review It is imperative to note that the passage of the bill involved wrangling from what appeared as proposition and opposition sides of the Health Care Reform bill.
• President Obama’s Wall Street Reforms The new “bill stipulates that the amount of fees charged by banks to process debit card transactions need to be realistic and relative to the cost of the transaction”.
• George Washington: The First President of the Great Free Country He was recognized not only as the commander in chief but also as one of the leaders who assisted in crafting the new constitution.
• The Jesus Factor in G. W. Bush’s Political Career This time marked the turning point in the life of George Bush as he was able to receive Jesus as his personal savior this was how Bush explained. The friends of Bush were able to […]
• Obama’s Deal: The Problem of Healthcare Reform The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the problem of healthcare reform, which was raised in the documentary Obama’s Deal, and to evaluate the impact of lobbyists’ efforts on the legislative process.
• Barack Obama as an Exceptional Leader According to Huffington, “the first one hundred days of Obama in office has had a lot of achievements and intangible transformational leadership”.
• Barack Obama’s Leadership Skills Between the ages of six and ten, the young Barrack lived in Indonesia before coming back to the US to complete his education which culminated in a degree from Harvard Law School.
• American History: Key Events in Social and Political Life In the beginning of the 18th century, half of the labor was provided by the African slaves while the rest was being provided by the Native Americans with the latter providing the Spanish farms or […]
• Donald Trump: Leadership Ability As a leader, Trump is committed to direct involvement in every business that has his name on it. As a leader, Trump is able to build strong business relationships and rally people behind his ideas […]
• Bush Plan on Immigrants Since the program seeks to vet all aliens entering our country, it will be bound to increase the security in our country considerably. According to the program, all foreigners entering our country will have to […]
• American Politics and Power Decentralization The investigation done on policymaking for the period of 1947-1998 presented enough information on the subject of national government to decentralize its power to state government.
• President Obama and Congress on Healthcare System The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between Obama and the congress over the health care plan. Using the power of the media, he is appealing to the voters to maintain his […]
• The Barack Obama Presidency in the United States This essay discusses President Obama’s administration policies on foreign and domestic issues, the challenges he faces, the strengths he can utilize, and what he needs to do in order to deliver the promises he made […]
• The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama In the book The Breakthrough, Gwen Ifill addresses the political background and what part the women and men the author calls “the breakthrough politicians” or what the editor of the New Yorker David Remnick refers […]
• The Influence of Evangelical Christianity on American Politics and Culture The others are the belief in the supremacy of the bibles authority and the reiteration of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• George W. Bush’s Activities and Forecasts for Barack Obama So far, all he has done to show that he would make a better president, was to overturn a number of decisions made during the Bush administration.
• Obama: The Rule of Law and the Chrysler Debacle The Rule of law is also well known as Supremacy of law and it establishes the fact that nobody should be considered above the law of a particular nation.
• Theodore Roosevelt as the Man and the American I at once announced that I would continue unchanged McKinley’s policies for the honor and prosperity of the country, and I asked all the members of the Cabinet to stay. This emphasizes that he was […]
• Obama’s Tax Relief Plan Analysis The following graph outlines the proposed tax cut relief plan in detail and it would be analyzed in terms of the effect that it has had on the economy and it’s bearing on the American […]
• Political Parties in the Modern America Political parties introduce the political life of the country through the ideas and considerations which are put in the basis of these parties and are the main differential features, which make the opposite.
• Barack Obama and Joe Biden Committing to Domestic Reform The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is mostly renowned for his policy of progressivism, which initially arose at the end of the nineteenth century as a response to the vast changes brought […]
• Obama: Successes and Failures But Obama has not relented on the plan; in his speech to the Congress about the plan, he challenged them to face the plan as a way of tackling health issues.
• Obama vs. Lincoln: Presidents’ Comparison The people of the nation are the first line to be affected with how the president handles the state that is why they are very keen in evaluating the current president.
• American Political and Economic History of the 20th Century While a part or parts of this statement maybe true, it is not in the way it is presented. The fall of its communism marked the end of its superpower regime and a global change […]
• President Bush’s Tax Cut Policies The impact of the tax cuts on the high-income households, the middle-income households and the low-income households have been assessed. Taylor argues that the tax cut policies of President Bush have minimized the amount of […]
• Obama and Solving the Problem of Racial Inequality One of the most important problems in this sphere is the growing tendency of authorities to influence the work of mass media.
• Inauguration of President Barack Obama on 2009 He smiled and waved to the audience, he was confident in correcting the Chief Justice during the oath and he was strong in his speech speaking of what has been done wrong in the past […]
• Global Security Interests of Bush and Clinton This was probably one of the several factors that led to the formation of the Clinton’s administration policy of enlargement and engagement.
• Americanization of Canadian Political Culture Nowadays, the Canadian political culture boasts of a great sense of collective responsibility as demonstrated by the general support of the universal care, foreign control, as well as gun control social programs However, as already […]
• The Death of George Washington He is considered to be one of the most prominent politicians in the history of the United States. The twentieth century was marked with increased attention to the death of George Washington.
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Great Depression The Austrian school of thought is regarded to be the most truthful in the matters of the Great Depression, as The economics profession during the 1930s was at a loss to clarify the Depression.
• Political Campaigns Finance Reform in USA Right from winning the primaries to winning the nomination of the party members, candidates have to spend a lot of money so that they remain in the public memory, appear as worthy candidates and hope […]
• Roosevelt’s New Deal and the Great Depression The crash of the stock market in 1929 first was regarded as the beginning of the end, as it provided complex problems in the economy of the United States but it is not considered as […]
• American Politics: Judges Selection and Appointment The elected judiciary leads to an out-of-control judicial system and unfair results while in the appointment the public has no power in the process which makes them not to be transparent because it does not […]
• Obama and McCain’s Taxation Policy The first two sections deal with the positions of McCain and Obama on the issue of taxes and a look at the merits and demerits of the same.
• Biography of Bill Clinton: Interpretation of Personality Hillary Rodham Clinton, his life partner had played a vital role to boost up his political career and she gained immense popularity after the rejection of his health care reform bill by Congress in the […]
• Comparing Obama and Mccain Plans The health care problem has assumed great dimensions due to rising costs, rise in the number of uninsured people and lack of uniformity in providing care to the needy.
• George Bush, Love Him or Hate Him In response to the attack, Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq prior to the approval of the United Nations. The reason given for the invasion was supposedly the disarming of the weapons of mass destruction […]
• B. Obama H. Clinton: Peculiar Individuals in US History Barack Obama-tracing his root in Africa- is out to be the first Black American to become the president of America while Hillary Clinton is out to be the first female president in the history of […]
• Barack Obama as the Next President of the USA The real estate foreclosures, affected by the current crisis of the banking system, make way for imminent trouble in the 2008 Election as the conflict between the homeowners and foreclosed properties takes a clash.
• The Gilded Age as an Important Political Turning Point in American History
• President Bush and United States Congress
• F. D. Roosevelt and L. B. Johnson: USA Presidents
• Barrack Obama Is a United States Presidential Candidate
• Vice President in the Political System of the USA
• Barack Obama: The First Black President Ever
• Barrack Obama’s Campaign Review
• Political Function of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
• George W. Bush’s Foreign Policies
• Trump’s Contributions to Healthcare Policy
• Tea for Trump Public Relation Campaign: ROPE Theory
• American History vs. Donald Trump
• Clinton’s Plan and Obamacare: Healthcare Policy
• President Trump’s Impeachment: For and Against
• American vs. Russian Government & Politics
• Sentimentalism in American Political Culture
• Turnover Rate at President Trump’s White House
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Definition of Freedom
• President Trump’s Impact on Economy
• Politics and Justice Challenges in American Society
• Barack Obama’s Charisma in Leadership
• Barack Obama’s Presidential Leadership and Charisma
• 2016 Presidential Elections: Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio
• The Heroic Deeds of George Washington
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt as an Admirable Historical Figure
• Bill Clinton’s Impeachment From Post-9/11 Perspective
• Roosevelt’s First New Deal and the Second New Deal
• Asian Americans’ Political Involvement
• The Politics of Theorizing African American Families
• Obama Campaign vs. Save the Children Initiative
• Power, Politics, Government in Canada and America
• George Washington: Leader in the United States
• Politics in America Between 1820 and 1850
• Judicial System and Politics in American History
• American History and Politics in the 19th Century
• The American Revolution and Political Legitimacy Evolution
• Ethical Factors in Trump Campaign Funding
• The Evolution of Trump’s Muslim Ban in the United States
• Trump’s Trade Restrictions and International Mechanisms
• Franklin Roosevelt’s Presidency and Its Influences
• Political Cartoon: Trump’s Healthcare Amendments
• Bush’s Best Baked Beans: International Expansion
• Franklin Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler: Leaders Ways
• Is Obama “The Reagan of the Left”?
• Trump Phenomenon: Why Was He Popular?
• Internet in American Politics, Society, Economics
• American Political Ideology
• Brexit and Trump’s Election in Online News Media
• Popular Politics, Populism, and Donald Trump
• Trump’s Refugee Order: Suppression or Protection
• Trump’s Presidency: A Legitimate Change Amidst Global Instability
• Racism in Trump’s and Clinton’s Campaigns
• Anti-Trump Protests for Third Night on CNN
• Hip-Hop and Politics Correlation in the USA
• Hillary Clinton and John Mccain: Media’s Defeat
• Importance of Religion in American Politics
• Why Franklin Delano Roosevelt Was Most Popular Presidents?
• Did President Obama Save the Auto Industry?
• Barack Obama and Race Impact on American Politics
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidential Era
• George Washington’s Leadership Style and Character
• Hillary Clinton’s View on Religion and Politics
• Intelligence Problem in the Trump Administration
• Hillary Clinton’ Education Policy
• Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Candidate’s Position
• Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’ Debates
• George Washington: Servant Leadership and Communication
• Marcus Garvey: Afro-American Political Leader
• New York Times: Obama Vows to Push Immigration Changes
• Presidential Elections Analysis: Clinton vs. Cruz
• The Congress by George Bush
• Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney’s Economic Plans
• First Presidential Debate: Mitt Romney and Barack Obama
• Political Issues of Marijuana in America
• Presidential Campaign: Barack Obama’s Message and Its Power
• King’s and Obama’s Views on Racism in America
• Press and Politics Relations in America
• Historical Event: Barack Obama’s Election
• Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – Leaders Comparison
• Political Sciences: American Immigration
• Political Rhetoric: Barack Obama’s March 18 Speech
• Washington, Jefferson and Parker’ Role in the US History
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Era
• Roosevelt’s Plan to End the Great Depression
• Donald Trump: His Political Course and Contribution as a President
• President Clinton’s Impeachment
• The Challenges That Being Black Creates for Douglass and Obama
• George W. Bush Role in Foreign Policy of the United States
• American National Politics
• The Challenges of Racism Influential for the Life of Frederick Douglass and Barack Obama
• Ronald Reagan Revolution Through Obama
• President Barack Obama’s Healthcare Reforms
• Effects of the Indigenous Movements to the Politics of Modern Latin America
• Obama’s First Election and Racism
• Has President Obama’s Presidency Changed the US?
• The Political Views of Muslim Americans
• Economic, Political, Social, and Racial Concerns Affecting Mexican Americans
• How Obama’s First Election Has Been Affected by Racism?
• The Controversial Health Policy in the USA Initiated by the Obama’s Administration
• Features of Bill Clinton’s Obituary
• US Foreign Policy During Obama Presidency
• President Obama’s Higher Education Agenda
• Leadership Style of Bill Clinton: What Can We Learn?
• The Monroe Doctrine and Its Roosevelt Corollary
• Barack Obama’s Family History
• Latin American Government and Politics
• American Government and Politics Today
• Bush Tax Cuts Debate
• President Obama’s National Export Initiative
• Political Leadership: Bill Clinton and John Kennedy
• Republican Presidents Theodore Roosevelt & Taft
• President Obama’s Duties as the American CEO in His Second Term
• President Obama’s Foreign Policy
• President Obama: Manager of the Economy
• Did Obama’s Stimulus Work?
• Sumner, Wilson, Reagan, and Obama
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal
• Abraham Lincoln’s Cultural and Political Legacy on Central America
• Bill Clinton Leadership
• African American Political History
• Political Regimes and Business Environment Comparison Between China and USA
• Clinton Homosexual Discrimination Policy
• Theodore Roosevelt Role in the American History
• Obama’s American Jobs Act
• Cultural and Political History in the USA: Flight to Canada by Ishmael Reed and The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein
• American Political Parties in the Late Nineteenth Century
• General George Washington. Life of the Commander in Chief
• Religion and American Politics
• Lifespan & Personality: Towards Explaining President Barrack Obama’s Personality Traits
• Role of Politics in American Social Microstructures
• Print Media Journalism: Obama Campaign
• Politics in America: President and Congress
• American Political Culture
• Addressing Barack Obama’s Presidency Issues
• Barrack Obama and Race in Politics and Culture
• Political Structure and Process in America
• American Political Culture History
• Obama’s Administration Seeking Peace With Iran
• Obama and Romney’s Plans for Higher Education
• Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney on Health Care
• Eric Rauchway’s Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt’s America
• The Views on the Debate of President Obama and Romney on 10/3/12
• American Politics and British Taxation
• Rhetoric in American Politics
• Public Speaking by American Politicians
• The Political Landscape of America
• Bush Doctrine, Explanation of the Administration and War on Terror
• Immigration as Political Issue in the USA
• Welfare Expenditure Reduction: Obama’s Federal Worker “Tax”
• Role of Judicial Review: Bush vs. Gore
• Political Causes of WWII for America and Germany
• President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
• Evaluating Obama’s Presidency
• Concepts of Bill Clinton
• President Obama’s State of the Union Address on January 1, 2011
• Role of the American Constitution in America’s Political Process
• Barack Obama as President of the United States
• Compare and Contrast of the Historical Figures: Barrack Obama and Joel Osteen
• Fiscal Policies by President Barrack Obama
• The Era of Franklin D. Roosevelt
• The Legacy of George W. Bush
• Bill Clinton’s Foreign Policies
• Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy: Partners or Opponents?
• Roles That Political Parties Play and Have Played in American Politics
• T. Roosevelt as a Rough Rider
• California History Essay Titles
• Civil War Titles
• Federalism Research Ideas
• Cold War Topics
• Democracy Titles
• Immigration Titles
• Franklin Roosevelt Questions
• International Politics Questions
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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IvyPanda . "381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/.

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• Political Science

The American Political System

Updated 13 November 2023

Subject Political Science

Downloads 42

Category Government

To Understand the United States Political System

To understand any country's political system, it is significant to know the past information about the nation, and it is fundamental to the establishment of the old constitution. The government structure of the United States is diverse, and it has been in existence for over two centuries now. Ultimately, this paper explains the old system of the American politics.

A Unique Governance Structure

The United States is an influential country in the world not only in the political arena but also in diplomacy, economic stability, and defense. Mainly, America's governance structure is unique in the globe. Both the youth and adults understand well the political system. Therefore, most Americans are aware and comprehend slight details on the governance structure of their nation.

The Federalist Union

The Federalist Union was the pioneer of the American political system and arose since the beginning of the 1790s to 1816. Alexander Hamilton led the union as an Administrator of the funds and principal planner of George Washington's government. The Federalists commanded a stable country regime that supported wealth creation development. An Independent Democrat Union (IDU) was an American governance union created by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in 1791 to 1793 to bring down the unifying strategies of the current Federalist Union. Although different movements were suddenly replaced by two political parties which are the Democrats and the Republicans, the aftermath of this is still in existence up-to-date. The fundamental governance is divided among the proponents of an opposition regime and those who support the supremacy of the central government, customarily headed by the Self-ruled Union and the Antiroyalist Union.

Party Eras in American Politics

The Hamilton's Federalists together with Jefferson's ascendancy toward the president Eras enjoyed the First Party Era and the Second Era respectively. The critical elections conducted arouse the party Eras in every place. For example, the Hamilton's Federalist was knocked out through elections in 1800 revolution in America while the Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans took control of the real politics found in the US. The political parties seen in the US are harsh in a way, but they aim at helping an individual's voice being heard by those in power.

Influence of the Self-rule and Democrat Unions

At some length, a wide range it is peculiar to self-rule nations. The American governance structure is influenced by both governance unions, namely, the Self-rule Union and the Democrat Union. The two are perceived as the Outstanding Ancient Unions (OAU). They are the most ancient and are such steady unions, the Self-rules dates from 1824 while the Democrat Union started in 1854. In demonstrations and advertising posters, the Self-rule Union is shown as a big animal. The source of these trademarks is the governance artist Thomas Nast who developed them between 1870 and 1874 accordingly.

Misconceptions in the United States Political System

In summary, today, Americans no longer believe in their political architecture as individuals all over the globe inquire about the unchanging pre-eminence of the United States as the dominant world influence. In every government system, there is a misconception when it comes to the prescribed procedure as designed in the composition and related regulations and the casual process as it happens physically. In the United States, it is said that this misconception is more pronounced than in some self-governing structures since the United States composition is ancient on its own, which has been there over two decades ago, while numerous nations have got some writing with the recent one being commonly formed less than a decade ago.

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