Exam (elaborations)
Essay Plans - Government and Politics of the US
- Institution
- AQA
9 markers & 25 markers essay plans for topics listed in AQA Government and Politics A-level Paper 2
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
The US Constitution - RevisionExplain and analyze 3 ways the concept of federalism affects US politics. (9)
P – Changing Concept.
Ex – layer-cake to marble-cake, increased rep, foreign policy solely of fed gov, assurances to states.
Ev – New Deal alphabet agencies and 5% to 30% GDP growth during GD, Brown v. BofE 1955,
expands fed gov power.
An – overcentralisation, categorical grants which increase dependency due to lack of clarity.
P – Redefining of Federalism.
Ex – new fed, post-60s, gov unresponsive restrictive to states, cumbersome impersonal bureaucracy.
Ev – Reagan categorical grants to block grants, Clinton and the ‘era of big government is over’.
An – Bush, same ideology but biggest expansion since FDR, homeland sec, Medicare, and education.
P – Consequences.
Ex – undermine fed gov, presidential election 50 state ones, states can act as policy laboratories.
Ev – Alabama, electric ballots for those with accessibility needs but in Arkansas it is for everyone.
Colorado’s ballot initiative to legalise marijuana allowed and then 13 others follow.
An – Federalism offers greater chance for experimentation, yet citizens are entitled to equal rights.
Explain and analyse 3 ways rights are upheld in the US. (9)
P – limited gov.
Ex – c+b, encroachment is illegal, cannot take away civil liberties granted by Bill of Rights.
Ev – 1st grants freedom of religion & speech, Engel v Vitale struck down mandatory prayer in public
schools.
An – written down, does not mean it is always upheld, struggle w AA rights until 1964 CRA.
P – supreme Court interpretation.
Ex – crucial as decision has great impact on public, some amendments lack clarity, implied powers.
Ev – 1973. Roe v. Wade, abortion legal, Interpretation can be seen positively applying loose
constructionism concept.
An – interpretated beyond recognition of framers, no clear answer, Dobbs v. Jackson.
P – ratification process.
Ex – majorities & mass approval, difficult, 3/4ers of states must ratify, making them sovereign.
Ev – only time it occurred was the 21st amendment repealing 18th amendment ban on alcohol, rare
occurrence.
An – effectiveness questioned, some states Kansas placed a ban well into 1960s, violate amendment.
, The US Constitution - Revision
Explain and analyse 3 ways the constitution is sovereign. (9)
P – power of supreme court.
Ex – congress & exec unconstitutional through judicial review maintains constitution sovereignty.
Ev – 1997, Reno v ACLU declared Comms Decency Act, unconstitutional. 1974. US v Nixon, forced
exec to hand over recordings of Watergate conversations.
An – undermined due to failure of checks and balances, stopping declarations of war.
P – amendment process.
Ex – stage 1, proposition, 2/3rd majority congress, ratification 3/4ers of state. 2 stage, supermajority.
Ev – 1787. 27 passed, right to free speech (1st) right to bear arms (2nd), ratification is high, 6 not, child
labour regulation.
An – not been amended regularly, deliberately difficult due to this nature to uphold sovereignty.
P – federal constitution.
Ex – conflict between state & federal law, supremacy clause which maintains sovereignty.
Ev – 1803. M v. M, SC superiority, 1819. McCulloch v. Maryland tax levy unconstitutional as it
violates supremacy clause.
An – state constitutions important as they have responsibility of providing basic services to citizens.
Explain and analyse 3 ways the constitution can be changed/can’t be changed. (9)
P – proposition stage.
Ex – propose amendment, 2/3rds majority in both houses of congress, Nat. Cons. Convention.
Ev – BoR, first 10 proposed by James Madison in 1789, 13th amendment proposed in congress 1864.
An – good chance of being ratified, 6 not, child lab regulation, NCC risky, open up cons to revision.
P – ratification stage.
Ex – ¾ of state legislatures vote to ratify, or ¾ of states hold conventions to ratify, changes cons.
Ev – 19th granted women right to vote, ratifies 1920, 22nd 2-term presidency, ratifies 1971.
An – lack of consensus, ERA unable to be meet ratification threshold, even after additional time.
P – judicial interpretation.
Ex – SC power to interpret constitution and issue rulings that clarify or expand upon its provisions.
Ev – Brown v. Board, SC ruled segregation unconstitutional has far-reaching impact on CR.
An – cannot change constitution itself, D. Scott v Sandford, rules AA as not being citizens but does
not change constitution, AA granted citizenship eventually.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller manalahmed. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
52510 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now