Understanding U.S. Government Unit #1: Political Ideologies

1. U.S. Government Unit #1

2. Your first quiz will be over … .. 1,) Classical Liberalism 1a.) Modern American Liberalism 2.) Conservatism 3.) Classical Republicanism 4.) The Republican Party 5.) Robber Baron 6.) The Democratic Party 7.) The ‘Left Wing’ 8.) The ‘Right Wing’ 9.) Rule of Law 10.) Magna Carta Also…. A#1,A#2, A#4, HO#1, HO#2

3. 4 Classroom Rules • Be Respectful • To your peers (no insults, don’t interrupt) • To me (don’t talk when I’m talking to the class, etc.) • To the school (take care of computers, classroom supplies, don’t leave trash, etc.) • To yourself (If you have a complaint, use the grievance bin and tell me in writing!) • No food or drinks in the classroom • Head up and off the desk (No Sleeping) • Any School Rule is also my rule

4. What Happens When You Break Classroom Rules? Step 1.) Verbal Warning Step 2.) Sign the Infractions Board -This is a pre-disciplinary intervention -Usually followed by a one-on-one conference in the hallway, sometimes a parent phone call -If we can reach an understanding, there is usually no reason to go to step 3…. Step 3.) Referral *Phones are the exception… if I see it, I keep it

5. What Supplies Do You Need? -A 3-ring binder containing notebook paper or a notebook -A pencil -Nothing else! Talk to me privately if you have any personal difficulty that makes it hard for you to acquire these items… I can help!

6. Absent Work -It is your responsibility to gather the work you missed when you’ve missed class. Step 1.) Go to the big yellow boards at the front of the room labeled “Assignments” and “Handouts”, and look for the date of your absence Step 2.) Gather the work you missed from the filing bin just below Step 3.) Write “Absent” and the date of your absence at the top of your work when submitting it to the black late work tray

7. 1.) Classical Liberalism is an ideology based on the autonomy (freedom) of individuals. Liberalism favors civil liberties to protect citizens from governmental abuses of power. “Unlike classical liberalism, modern American liberalism rejects unregulated economics and favors the creation of institutions that increase social and economic equality (public education, welfare)”

8. 1a.) Modern American Liberalism has its roots in President FDR’s ‘New Deal’ policies and combines the ideas of civil liberty from governmental abuse with support for social equality via government regulation of businesses in a mixed economy. “Unlike classical liberalism, modern American liberalism rejects unregulated economics and favors the creation of institutions that increase social and economic equality (public education, welfare)”

9. 2.) Conservatismis an ideology that is founded on traditional values, a distrust of government and resistance to changes in the established social order. “Conservatives tend to favor tradition over the political process, considering tradition to be above the political process.”

10. 3.) Classical Republicanism is an early theory of democracy that holds that the best kind of government is one that promotes the "common good" and the welfare of an entire society “Englishman John Locke defined classical Republicanism in light of the assumption that humans had certain unalienable rights--life, liberty, and property. Government should protect these rights and never do anything to threaten them or take them away. In return, citizens would act reasonably towards government. This is the idea of the social contract; If a government broke the social contract (by failing to protect citizens' rights or making laws without the approval of the community, for example), the people were justified, and even obligated, to overthrow that government and form a new one.”

11. 4.) The Republican Party (also known as the “Grand Old Party” or “G.O.P.”) is the more conservative of the 2 main political parties in the U.S., and despite its name is actually the younger of the 2. “The G.O.P.'s platform is generally based onAmerican conservatism and to some extent classical liberalism,in contrast to themodern American liberalism of the Democratic party. The Republican Party's conservatism involves support forfree marketcapitalism, free enterprise, business, a strong national defense, restrictions onlabor unions, andtraditional values, usually withChristian overtones (i.e. opposition to legal abortions).

12. 5.) The term "Robber Baron” is a derogatory metaphor ofsocial criticism originally applied to certain American capitalist businessmen of the Gilded Age (the late 19th-century) who used immoral methods to get rich. “The New York Times first used the phrase “robber baron” in 1859 to characterize the unethical business practices of Cornelius Vanderbilt, portraying him as a monopolist who crushed competitors, rigged markets, and corrupted government. Historian Charles Geisst says, "in a Darwinist age, Vanderbilt developed a reputation as a plunderer who took no prisoners." Other famous “robber barons” included Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Marshall Field & J.P. Morgan.

15. 6.) The Democratic Party is the more liberal (“modern American liberal”) of the 2 main political parties in the U.S., and the world's oldest active party. “Once the cradle ofclassical liberalism in the United States, since the 1930s, the Democratic party has promoted acenter-left platform,supportingsocial justice and amixed economy. The Democrats' philosophy ofmodern American liberalism advocatessocial andeconomic equality, along with thewelfare state.

16. 7.) The “Left-wing” is a populist slang term for those whose beliefs are strongly (modern American) liberal and democratic. “Left-wing beliefs areliberal in that they believe society is best served with an expanded role for the government, which typically means higher taxes to fund entitlement programs such as social security andMedicare, Medicaid, universal healthcare, food stamps, freepublic education, unemployment benefits, strong environmental laws, and other regulations on industries.

17. 8.) The “Right-wing” is a populist slang term for those whose beliefs are strongly conservative and Republican, meaning that they believe that the best outcome for society is achieved when individual rights and civil liberties are increased and the role — and especially the power — of the government is minimized. “Right-wing ideology would favor market-based solutions to the issues that government entitlement programs aim to tackle. For example, encouraging a freer marketplace forhealthcare, driven by the invisible hand of consumer choice to drive down costs. Or privately heldretirement accounts like 401(k) plans instead of government-guaranteed Social Security.”

18. 9.) “Rule of Law” is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as the authority and influence of law in society, especially when viewed as a constraint on individual and institutional behavior. “The concept referred to as ‘Rule of Law’ is thought of by political scientists as the principle whereby all members of a society (including those in government) are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes, and it is considered to be the most important element of a free democratic society.”

19. 10.) The Magna Carta (or “Great Charter”)is a charter (contract) of civil liberties to which the English barons forced King John of England to give his assent (approval) in June 1215 at Runnymede. “Due to thefact that the Magna Carta promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice in the form of trial, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown, it is considered to be an early form of social contract, the foundation of the rule of law and a major precursor to the U.S. Constitution.”