Exam
#1 takes place during class time on Monday, September 22. You simply need to bring pen and photo
ID. The exam will consist of 5 sections;
4 of these will be short essays, and the other will be 5 true-false
questions. Each section is worth 5
points, and you must do a total of 3 sections (either 3 short essays, or two
short essays and all of the true-false).
DO THREE SECTIONS, BUT ONLY THREE SECTIONS. You will also earn 5 points simply for taking
the exam.
To prepare for the exam, you should read through the blog assignments, In terms of material covered in class, you should be familiar with the first set of lecture notes, as well as the material from the second set of notes on interest groups and the decline of parties. Specifically, from class, you should be familiar with:
Why we compare states.
To prepare for the exam, you should read through the blog assignments, In terms of material covered in class, you should be familiar with the first set of lecture notes, as well as the material from the second set of notes on interest groups and the decline of parties. Specifically, from class, you should be familiar with:
Why we compare states.
The
three types of political culture.
The
origins of the federal system.
The
major events in the development of federalism over time.
The
different types of fiscal federalism.
The
importance of conditions of aid.
The
changes to fiscal federalism under Ronald Reagan.
Why
some states get more federal aid than do others.
The
interaction between Dillon's Rule and Home Rule
Why some states give more power to local government than do others.
Why some states give more power to local government than do others.
The
role of regional bodies.
The
ways in which citizens try to influence government.
The
free-rider problem and its implications for the pluralist theory of interest
groups.
The
reasons for the decline of political parties in the states.
I will have my usual office hours on the day of the exam, in case you want to ask questions. You can also email them to me at the email address on the syllabus, until 9 pm on September 21. Finally, you may post questions to the blog under this topic. I’ll answer any questions posted on the blog by 9 pm on September 21. Good luck!--NB
Update, September 21, 9:35 pm: Blog is now closed to comments. If you have a late question, I have office hours on exam day from 1 pm to 3 pm. Read through the comments below. The questions and answers WILL help you prepare for the exam! Good luck!--NB
I will have my usual office hours on the day of the exam, in case you want to ask questions. You can also email them to me at the email address on the syllabus, until 9 pm on September 21. Finally, you may post questions to the blog under this topic. I’ll answer any questions posted on the blog by 9 pm on September 21. Good luck!--NB
Update, September 21, 9:35 pm: Blog is now closed to comments. If you have a late question, I have office hours on exam day from 1 pm to 3 pm. Read through the comments below. The questions and answers WILL help you prepare for the exam! Good luck!--NB
For the question that refers to the major events and the development of federalism over time what would be the best way to answer the question? Right now from my notes I have the 10th, 13th,14th,15th,16th amendments, Alien and Sedition Act, Interposition/nullification Act, Marbury Vs Madison, Louisiana Purchase, McCulloch Vs. Maryland, Civil War, and the government assuming the welfare role as all contributing, if this question was asked on the exam would we need to go into detail about each?
ReplyDeleteIt says short essays. If you went into detail on each that wouldn't be a short essay. I'm not sure
DeleteI wouldn't ask you a question that would require an answer that long. You're covering the correct material. If there's a question on it, just be sure to answer the actual question (not the one you're practicing).
Delete3. The origins of the federal system
ReplyDeleteI. Problems with Articles of Confederation
A. Lack of national unity
B. Lack of coordination
II. Options
A. Unitary system
B. Confederation
C. Federalism
Is this the right answer for this question
That's the general outline of what you'd want to talk about. Again, it would depend upon the actual question asked. And you want to offer brief explanation, not just list.
DeleteSo, your saying I need to know what all of them mean because that's what the questions are going to be based on.
DeleteI'm saying you need to know everything we've covered, but you should answer the actual questions on the exam and not those that you guess will be on the exam.
DeleteI have no idea what the answer to this is does anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe interaction between Dillon’s Rule and Home Rule
This paralleled my discussion on my daughter's old rule on toys in the house (in case you remember that). In 1868, a federal judge (Dillon) in Iowa ruled that all power in a state belongs to the state, it may be given to local government at any time, but it may be taken back at any time. One way around Dillon's Rule is Home Rule, which lets local governments set up a city charter, get it approved by state government, and then the powers can't be taken away as easily.
DeleteThe free-rider problem and its implications for the pluralist theory of interest groups
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have the answer to this question
is it that some consume more than their fair share of a common resource so pluralist believe the smaller the group the better
DeleteNot really. The free rider problem has to do with why some groups (generally larger ones, with each person having a little at stake) have difficulty forming (even though pluralist theory says every interest forms an interest group). Think of the example I gave in class of why milk drinkers don't form a group but dairy farmers do.
DeleteI don't know why I don't have the answers to these questions I'm in class everyday. Can anyone help me out with this question also.
ReplyDeleteWhats the role of regional bodies?
I don't know why either. These are right out of your lecture notes. We talked about how, for instance, a regional body like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey controls policy on one issue (transportation) in the New York metropolitan area, across state boundaries.
Delete3. The origins of the federal system
ReplyDeleteI. Problems with Articles of Confederation
A. Lack of national unity
B. Lack of coordination
I have the answers to the rest of them but I don't know what the lack of national unity is or the lack of coordination is.
Again, consult your notes (you should be taking notes that go beyond what's on the printed page I handed you). Not thinking of themselves as Americans, different currencies, different tariffs, does that ring a bell?
Deleteis the reason for the decline of political parties that there is monetary problems and to little support
ReplyDeleteThat was the entirety of Wednesday's lecture before the brief review. As your notes will indicate, we talked about shift from labor-intensive to capital-intensive campaigns, shift from closed to open primaries, end to smoke-filled rooms, end of patronage, and of party welfare function, and (maybe) increase in non-partisan local elections. But you need to actually understand the list, not just repeat it, so, if you weren't there, you may want to get notes from a classmate.
DeleteIf anyone would like to study for the exam, I currently have a reserved room at the downtown library, and will be here until 4:45-5:00. It's 100 B in the lower level.
ReplyDeleteI'm having a little trouble understanding my shorthand notes for McCulloch v. Maryland. Can someone elaborate a bit on how it contributed to the development of federalism?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Chief Justice Marshall (a Federalist, who thus supported strong national government power) used this case to extend the power of the national government. Maryland argued that the 10th Amendment (which reserved powers that weren't in the Constitution for the states) prevented the national government from having a national bank (it wasn't on the list of powers). Marshall used the end of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution (the "necessary and proper clause", "implied powers doctrine", or "elastic clause") to extend the power of the national government. Since it has the power to coin money and regulate commerce, he ruled that having a bank was necessary and proper to carry out those powers. This limited the power of the 10th Amendment and increased the power of the national government.
DeleteOn the review sheet, I am having a little trouble with the conditions of aid question? I have the lecture notes, but does this refer to policies that are mandated by state order?
ReplyDeleteYou should probably just refer to blog assignment #2, which is entirely about this question and has a summary in my post.
DeleteOn the question "Why some states get more federal aid than others," I am having trouble understanding the different components to this answer. Why did the small states do better in the early 1980's and the larger states do better in the mid 1980's? I am not fully understanding why from looking at my notes.
ReplyDeleteIf you could make this easier to understand I would appreciate it. Thanks!
The small state delegations organized themselves in the early 80s to change formulas to reduce California's money and redistribute it amongst themselves. By the mid-80s, most of the bigger states (except California) realized that they had strength in the numbers they had in the US House.
DeleteWhat exactly changed from the early 1980s to the mid 1980s that caused the shift in benefit from small states to large states. I know small states ganged up on California, saying they need equal representation and i know they had a benefit since smaller states usually have more unity but what event caused the large states to do better in the mid 80s and what exactly is "critical mass"
ReplyDeleteSee above answer to Casey Rock.
DeleteWhat are the different types of fiscal federalism?
ReplyDeleteThat was a whole lecture. Go to your notes (they're on the blog, too), but we can classify grants based on how you get them (project or formula), as well as by how much discretion (choice) the receiving government has in how the money is used (categorical, block, general revenue sharing). Sorry it's hard to do more in this limited space.
DeleteWhy do we compare states?
ReplyDeleteShort answer is because they're similar enough in so many ways that we can treat them as a laboratory for testing propositions about politics (does X appear to cause Y?)
Delete