Key term
WJEC A-Level Government and Politics 603-1979-3
The British Constitution
Topic overviewThe nature of the constitution: uncodified, unitary and flexibleStatute law as a source of the constitutionCommon law and works of constitutional authorityConstitutional conventionsParliamentary sovereigntyThe rule of lawParliamentary government and constitutional monarchyConstitutional reform since 1997The debate on a codified constitutionThe UK, the European Union and BrexitThe UK, NATO and the United Nations
The Judiciary and the Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtThe Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and the creation of the CourtThe Supreme Court as the highest court of appealThe separation of powers in the UKJudicial independenceJudicial neutrality and the appointment of judgesJudicial review and the doctrine of ultra viresSupreme Court rulings on constitutional mattersA separate legal jurisdiction for Wales
The UK Executive
Topic overviewThe core executiveThe roles of the Prime MinisterThe powers and resources of the Prime MinisterThe royal prerogativeThe composition of the CabinetThe roles and functions of the CabinetCollective ministerial responsibilityIndividual ministerial responsibilityPrime ministerial government and its limitsThe civil service
Parliament and the Accountability of Government
Topic overviewThe composition of the House of CommonsThe House of Lords: composition and powersThe functions of ParliamentThe legislative processPrivate members' bills and delegated legislationSelect committeesQuestions, debates and confidence in the governmentBackbench MPs and peersThe role of the OppositionParliamentary privilegeParliamentary sovereignty in practiceExecutive dominance and where power lies
Government and the Senedd in Wales
Topic overviewThe First Minister of WalesThe Welsh Government and its CabinetCollective and individual ministerial responsibility in WalesThe powers and resources of the Welsh GovernmentThe origins and structure of the SeneddThe composition and election of the SeneddThe legislative competence of the SeneddThe legislative process in the SeneddPlenary and the business of the SeneddSenedd committeesMembers of the Senedd and the OppositionDebates over the effectiveness of the Senedd
Devolution and the United Kingdom
Topic overviewThe nature and forms of devolutionThe origins of devolution in the UKThe Scottish Parliament and Scottish GovernmentThe Northern Ireland Assembly and ExecutiveDevolution in EnglandAsymmetry in the devolution settlementThe West Lothian question and English votes for English lawsFunding devolution and the Barnett formulaDevolution, sovereignty and the unionDebates over the future of the union
Citizenship and Rights
Topic overviewThe meaning of citizenshipGlobal citizenshipFreedom, equality and active citizenshipThe rule of law and protection under the lawThe rights of minoritiesPositive discrimination and positive actionThe sources of rights in the UKEquality legislation on race and genderFreedom of expression, association and religionPrivacy, liberty and the right to a fair trialConflicts between rightsDebates over a British Bill of Rights
The Protection of Human Rights
Topic overviewThe courts and the protection of rightsJudicial review: grounds and remediesJudicial review in practiceThe Universal Declaration of Human RightsThe European Convention on Human RightsThe European Court of Human RightsThe Human Rights Act 1998The Human Rights Act in the courtsEnforcing equality lawOmbudsmen and commissionersPressure and campaigning for rightsDebates over the protection of rights in the UK
Democracy and Participation
Electoral Systems in the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of elections and the language of electoral systemsFirst Past the Post: how it worksFirst Past the Post: advantages and criticismsThe Additional Member System and Senedd electionsThe Single Transferable VoteParty list systemsThe supplementary vote and the alternative voteProportionality, fairness and effects on party systemsCoalition and minority governmentKey elections in WalesReferendums in Wales and the UK
Voting Behaviour in the UK
Topic overviewThe sociological model and social classParty identification and partisan dealignmentThe rational choice modelThe valence model and governing competenceAge, gender, ethnicity and educationRegion, nation and voting in WalesElection campaigns and party leadersThe media and voting behaviourTurnout, tactical voting and volatility
Political Parties in Wales and the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of political partiesThe Labour Party: origins and ideologyThe Conservative Party: origins and ideologyThe Liberal Democrats and the centre groundPlaid Cymru and the Welsh party systemSmaller and minor partiesParty organisation and the role of membersLeadership selection in the main partiesCandidate selection and representationManifestos, platforms and the mandateParty funding, cash for influence and reform
Pressure Groups and Social Movements
Topic overviewPressure groups and how they differ from partiesSectional and promotional groupsInsider and outsider groupsAccess points in Wales and the UKLobbying and direct contact with decision-makersDirect action and public campaigningUsing the media and new technologiesFactors in pressure group successPressure groups and the health of democracySocial movements: nature, membership and methodsThe women's movement and the environmental movement
Liberalism
Topic overviewOrigins of liberal ideasHuman nature, reason and progressIndividualism, liberty and natural rightsToleration, pluralism and justiceThe social contract and the liberal stateConstitutionalism, the rule of law and liberal democracyNegative and positive freedomClassical liberalism and laissez-faire economicsModern liberalism and the enabling stateThe New Right and libertarian views of the marketEquality of opportunity and equality of outcomeLiberalism and Welsh political parties and movementsLiberal ideas in global politics
Conservatism
Topic overviewOrigins of conservative ideasHuman imperfection, pragmatism and traditionOrganic society, hierarchy and natural inequalityAuthority, order and propertyTraditional and one-nation conservatismAuthoritarian conservatismMoral conservatism, the family and the churchThe New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatismConservative debates on immigration and integrationConservative debates on minority rights and welfareEconomic conservatism, the market and state interventionConservatism and Welsh political parties and movementsConservative ideas in global politics
Socialism and Communism
Topic overviewOrigins of socialist ideasHuman nature, community and cooperationClass, class conflict and the proletariatEquality and social justiceMarxism and historical materialismCommunism in theory and in practiceRevolutionary and parliamentary roads to socialismSocial democracy, revisionism and the Third WayDemocratic socialism and ethical socialismSocialist views of capitalismPublic ownership and the means of productionCollectivism and the redistribution of wealthSocialism and the Welsh labour movementSocialist ideas in global politics
Nationalism
Topic overviewOrigins of nationalist ideasDefining the nation and the nation stateNational consciousness and the role of historyLanguage, culture and national symbolsNational sovereignty and self-determinationCivic nationalismEthno-cultural nationalismLiberal nationalismConservative nationalismChauvinism, xenophobia and expansionist nationalismPolitical nationalism, citizenship and the stateSeparatism, secession and anti-colonial nationalismNationalism and Welsh political parties and movementsNationalist ideas in global politics
The US Constitution and Federalism
Topic overviewThe Declaration of Independence and the founding principlesWriting the Constitution and its compromisesSeparation of powers and checks and balancesThe amendment processEnumerated, implied and reserved powersTheories of federalismThe changing balance of federal and state powerFiscal federalism and federal grantsFederalism before the Supreme CourtDebates about the Constitution
Rights and Liberties in the USA
Topic overviewThe Bill of Rights: origins and importanceThe First Amendment: speech, press and assemblyThe First Amendment: religionThe Second Amendment and gun ownershipRights of the accused and due processThe death penalty and the Eighth AmendmentPrivacy and the ConstitutionThe Fourteenth Amendment and incorporationCivil rights and the struggle for racial equalityAffirmative action and contemporary equality debates
The US Congress
The US Presidency
Topic overviewThe constitutional office of PresidentThe powers of the PresidentThe President as chief executiveThe President and legislationThe President, foreign policy and the armed forcesExecutive orders and unilateral actionThe CabinetThe Executive Office of the PresidentConstraints on presidential powerThe imperial presidency debate
The US Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtJudicial review and Marbury v MadisonJurisdiction and how a case reaches the CourtNomination and appointment of justicesTenure and proposals for reformJudicial activism and judicial restraintOriginalism and the living ConstitutionPrecedent and legal reasoningThe Court and the protection of rightsThe political significance of the Court and its composition
US Elections and Voting Behaviour
Topic overviewThe invisible primaryPrimaries and caucusesThe national nominating conventionsThe ticket and the general election campaignThe electoral collegeCongressional and midterm electionsMoney in US electionsPACs, super-PACs and campaign finance lawThe media and social media in campaignsLong-term determinants of voting behaviourShort-term factors, swing states and independents
Political Parties in the USA
Topic overviewThe American political spectrumThe Democratic partyThe Republican partyFactions in the Republican partyFactions in the Democratic partyParty organisation and candidate-centred campaignsWhy two parties dominateThird parties and independent candidatesRealignment, decline and polarisation
The US Constitution and Federalism
- 10 subtopics
- 30 things to know
- A2 Unit 4
What The US Constitution and Federalism covers
The US Constitution and Federalism is examined in A2 Unit 4, Government and politics of the USA — democracy in America. It covers the Declaration of Independence and the founding principles, writing the Constitution and its compromises, separation of powers and checks and balances, the amendment process, enumerated, implied and reserved powers, Theories of federalism, the changing balance of federal and state power, fiscal federalism and federal grants, federalism before the Supreme Court and debates about the Constitution.
The 10 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- The Declaration of Independence and the founding principlesRight of revolution asserted in the Declaration, republicanism as the founders understood it and what is meant by limited government in the American tradition.Open →
- Writing the Constitution and its compromisesConnecticut Compromise, three-Fifths Compromise and three authors of the Federalist Papers.Open →
- Separation of powers and checks and balancesSeparation of powers, senate's role in treaties and impeachment process.Open →
- The amendment processTwo ways an amendment can be proposed, two ways an amendment can be ratified and why the Constitution is described as entrenched.Open →
- Enumerated, implied and reserved powersEnumerated powers, necessary and proper clause and implied powers.Open →
- Theories of federalismDual federalism, cooperative federalism and new federalism.Open →
- The changing balance of federal and state powerStates acting where the federal government has not, sanctuary jurisdiction and anti-commandeering principle.Open →
- Fiscal federalism and federal grantsFiscal federalism, categorical grant and block grant.Open →
- Federalism before the Supreme CourtRecall questions on the Marshall Court's rulings, the New Deal confrontation, the commerce and anti-commandeering decisions of the 1990s, and the later cases on health care and voting.Open →
- Debates about the ConstitutionCriticism that the Constitution is too difficult to amend and criticism that the Constitution entrenches gridlock.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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Key term
Explain why the direction of federalism does not run only one way.
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Which three unalienable rights does the Declaration name?
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Why was the Connecticut Compromise necessary?
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Define the separation of powers.
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Which route for proposing a constitutional amendment has never been used?
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What are enumerated powers?
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Define federalism.
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Which two constitutional principles did McCulloch v Maryland establish?
Evaluation
Give two criticisms of the Constitution's democratic credentials.
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What does the Declaration say is the source of a government's just powers?
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Which amendment ended the Three-Fifths Compromise?
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Which article of the Constitution establishes each branch?
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Name the two ways an amendment can be ratified.
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What is the necessary and proper clause?
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Distinguish federalism from a unitary system.
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Describe the balance of power between the federal government and the states in the nineteenth century.
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Define fiscal federalism.
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What did Gibbons v Ogden (1824) establish?
Evaluation
Explain the criticism that the Constitution is too difficult to amend.
Key term
Define republicanism as the founders understood it.
Who and when
Who were the Federalists in the ratification debate?
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Distinguish the separation of powers from checks and balances.
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How many states must ratify an amendment?
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Define implied powers.
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What is dual federalism?
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How did the New Deal change federal power?
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What is a categorical grant?
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What did the Court decide in United States v Lopez (1995) and why did it matter for federalism?
Numbers
Why is the Constitution described as the oldest written national constitution still in force?
Take The US Constitution and Federalism further
The same content, four other ways.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
In which year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
Model answer
1776.
- 2
Who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence?
Model answer
Thomas Jefferson.
- 3
Which three unalienable rights does the Declaration name?
Model answer
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- 4
What does the Declaration say is the source of a government's just powers?
Model answer
The consent of the governed.
- 5
Explain the right of revolution asserted in the Declaration.
Model answer
It claims that when a government becomes destructive of the people's rights, the people may alter or abolish it and institute a new one.
- 6
Which European thinker's ideas on natural rights most shaped the Declaration?
Model answer
John Locke.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
The US Constitution and Federalism revision questions
- What does The US Constitution and Federalism cover in WJEC A-Level Government and Politics?
- 10 subtopics: the declaration of independence and the founding principles, writing the constitution and its compromises, separation of powers and checks and balances, the amendment process, enumerated, implied and reserved powers, theories of federalism, the changing balance of federal and state power, fiscal federalism and federal grants, federalism before the supreme court and debates about the constitution. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is The US Constitution and Federalism organised?
- By the WJEC 603-1979-3 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in The US Constitution and Federalism, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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