An Essential Guide to American Politics and the American Political System by Kenneth Hill clarifies many of the trends influencing American politics today. You will find in this book a clear analysis of the underlying structure of the American political system, emerging trends, and enduring problems. The book analyzes both continuity and change in American politics and the interaction between the two. Voters, to take one example, now have multiple sources to gather and evaluate political information. The result is often confusion rather than better understanding. Policies adopted by nations around the world now impact the American voter in both positive and negative ways. The policies of other nations now in part determine rates of employment in the United States. The question of equality and equal opportunity has become increasingly controversial as the gap between social classes continues to widen. Much more than in the past, more Americans are now questioning the ability of the American political system to successfully deal with current challenges. Americans are losing confidence in their leaders and institutions. The optimism that has long been a characteristic of the American people is vanishing as problems go unsolved often because of petty political differences. Our two political parties no longer produce the leaders they once did. Kenneth Hill's book is an essential guide to better understand the challenges confronting the American political system--and the possibility of success or failure.

An Essential Guide To American Politics And The American Political System

By Kenneth L. Hill

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Kenneth L. Hill
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-4916-1

Contents

Declaration Of Independence..............................1Congress.................................................39Judiciary................................................53Political Parties........................................59Terms—Definitions—Events.....................63Primaries................................................161Wars In American History.................................197Foreign Policy Doctrines.................................215

Chapter One

Declaration Of Independence

The Declaration of Independence, approved by the continental Congress in 1776, declared the thirteen colonies to be free and independent of Great Britain's rule. The ideas in the document, authored by Thomas Jefferson, justified the revolution against unjust rule and has served as justification for revolutions in many places around the world ever since. The Declaration had several purposes. It explained why the colonists could not continue under British rule. Its message is that all governments are subject to restraints to prevent abuse of authority. Individuals have certain inalienable rights governments cannot take away and should not abuse. This claim remains valid today but some governments reject restrictions on their power. They behave as though there are no legitimate restraints. Jefferson's ideas are incompatible with non-democratic political systems that restrict or abuse fundamental freedoms. The Declaration was also a repudiation of certain laws put into place by George III including the Intolerable Acts, the Stamp Act, the Tea Tax, the Quartering Act, and others. The Declaration influenced the French rebels determined to curb the absolute power of the French government under the leadership of Louis XVI. When the French rebelled they often relied on many of the same slogans that inspired Americans to rebel against George III. A major purpose of the Declaration was to unify the colonists behind the cause of independence and to win foreign support as well. Foreign governments were unlikely to support a reform movement that simply wanted some changes in the way Great Britain ruled its colonies. The Declaration has lost none of its validity or relevance with the passing of time. It influenced President Wilson's Fourteen Points and President Roosevelt's speech in 1941 embracing the Four Freedoms. The Declaration influenced provisions of many international documents including the 1945 United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights approved by the United Nations in 1948. Many nationalist leaders in the Afro-Asian world relied on the Declaration after World War II to justify their fight for independence and an end to colonial rule. The independence of many colonies after the war was one of the major events of the twentieth century. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have distinct purposes. The Declaration justified the revolution. The Constitution deals with process, structure and the organization of the American political system.

TREATY OF PARIS

In 1783, American and British officials signed the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War. A year later Congress ratified the treaty negotiated by Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and James Madison. Great Britain recognized the independence of the thirteen states. The treaty consisted of ten articles dealing with items such as territorial boundaries, fishing rights, the payment of debts, property rights, the confiscation of property, prisoners of war, captured territory, and access to the Mississippi River. After completing the treaty, many disputes developed between the two countries because of conflicting interpretations regarding certain treaty provisions. Both sides were guilty of numerous violations. Individual states violated treaty provisions and there was little the national government could do to remedy the situation. Many Americans refused to pay debts owed to the British and many refused to return confiscated properties. The British government violated treaty provisions without fear of retaliation. The British refused to return captured slaves and failed to vacate some captured territories. Relations between Great Britain and the United States remained strained for many years after the war. The two countries resolved some of their conflicting interpretations of the Treaty of Paris when they signed the Jay Treaty in 1794. Despite the resolution of many of their differences, the two countries again went to war in 1812. Despite winning independence, there was no guarantee the union of thirteen states would endure and prosper. The new nation had to cope with many complex problems, both foreign and domestic. The leaders of the new nation soon realized that finding solutions to these problems would take time. In many ways the two sets of problems, foreign and domestic, were connected and this made the search for solutions more difficult. U.S. ties to Great Britain were complicated by the fact that many Americans were ambivalent about relations with Great Britain after the Revolutionary War. Some Americans favored a closer relationship but others were more comfortable with closer ties to France. George Washington supported a policy of neutrality. He did not want the United States too closely aligned to the policies of any European state. The Treaty of Paris left the United States the ruler of all the territory east of the Mississippi. George Washington envisioned the United States a great power without rivals other than some Indian tribes.

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS 1774-1789

The Continental Congress convened in 1774. It was a unicameral body meaning it was composed of only one house. All the states except Georgia sent representatives to the Congress that had a membership of fifty six members, each selected by their state legislature. Members of the Congress had to decide how to respond to the actions taken by the British government in response to Boston Tea Party. The Continental Congress ruled the country during a time of uncertainty and had to cope with many complex problems without having adequate power to do so effectively. It did institute a boycott of British goods and this contributed to the decision on the part of the British to deal more harshly with the colonies. Initially, delegates to the Congress did not intend to seek independence from Great Britain but they did demand changes in the way the British government dealt with the colonies. King George III did not think it was necessary to appease the colonists and this convinced many members of the Continental Congress that independence was their only option. In 1775, King George III formally accused the colonies of rebellion. That same year, the Second Continental Congress convened and was responsible for conducting the war for independence that had already begun. Military clashes between the two sides spread throughout the colonies. In 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. There was much support for such a declaration because delegates to the Congress did not think they could win any international support without it. Foreign governments would have no incentive for supporting a rebellion if the only goal of the colonists was to win political and economic reforms. The leaders of the revolution had to determine how to govern the new country. They completed that task in 1777, when the Continental Congress approved the Articles of...