The United States of America
political life and political system
• federal constitution republic
• 50 states and one federal district
• basic documents of democracy:
o declaration of independence (1776)
o constitution (1787)
o bill of rights (1791)
o writing of the founding fathers (18th century)
• separation of political power: checks and balance
• three branches of powers:
o legislative (congress, house of representatives, senate)
o executive (president, head of state and military Commander-in-Chief)
o judiciary (supreme court)
• two-party system
• presidential elections
o most important elections, every four years
o system of indirect election
o system is often criticized (undemocratic)
the political parties
→Democrats
PRO CON
higher minimum wage the free availability of guns
more government finance in health care use of torture against prisoners
more investment into alternative and military presence in Iraq
renewable energy sources
rights for homosexuals
→Republicans
PRO CON
tax cuts, especially for people who create jobs increase in the minimum wage
stricter anti-terrorism laws a national health insurance scheme
the right to own guns; capital punishment same sex marriage
the system today
• there are the same numbers of electors for each state as the total number of senators
and Representatives for that state
• “winner-takes-it-all” → candidate with the most votes receives all of the electors votes
for that state
• main disadvantage: the candidate who received the largest number of individual
votes from the people does not necessarily win
, The constitution
• 1787
• seven original articles
• twenty-seven amendments
• influenced by British government and age of enlightenment
• most important ideas:
o separation of political powers
o separation of church and state
o the sovereignty of the people
o government by the people
o unalienable rights for every individual (“Bill of Rights”)
Bill of Rights
❖ written because some delegates feared that the government would threaten
everyone´s ability to achieve personal freedom and the pursuit of happiness
❖ first ten amendments of the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights
❖ cover the power of the Congress, the presidency, judiciary and relation between
states, amendments, authorities and ratification
❖ limit power of government
❖ civil rights that every citizen should have, including
➢ freedom of speech, the press and religion
➢ the right to hold meetings as long as they are peaceful
➢ the right to lobby the government to bring about changes
➢ the right to a fair trial and freedom from cruel punishment
➢ the right to have and use weapons for protection
Declaration of independence
→written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson
• 13 colonies declared their independence from England and were therefore at war with
England
• all American citizens are created equal
“We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.”
• opportunity for every American to lead his/her life the way he/she wants to, making
their personal dreams come true
The civil rights movement
• 1945-1968
• abolishing racial discrimination against African Americans
• Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Date Important events
1.12.1955 Rosa parks refused to give up her seat to a white man in a bus (she gets
arrested)
1955 Bus boycotts in Montgomery against segregation in busses (non-violent
protest, black people refused to ride the bus)
1956 Supreme court declares the racial segregation of buses to be
unconstitutional
political life and political system
• federal constitution republic
• 50 states and one federal district
• basic documents of democracy:
o declaration of independence (1776)
o constitution (1787)
o bill of rights (1791)
o writing of the founding fathers (18th century)
• separation of political power: checks and balance
• three branches of powers:
o legislative (congress, house of representatives, senate)
o executive (president, head of state and military Commander-in-Chief)
o judiciary (supreme court)
• two-party system
• presidential elections
o most important elections, every four years
o system of indirect election
o system is often criticized (undemocratic)
the political parties
→Democrats
PRO CON
higher minimum wage the free availability of guns
more government finance in health care use of torture against prisoners
more investment into alternative and military presence in Iraq
renewable energy sources
rights for homosexuals
→Republicans
PRO CON
tax cuts, especially for people who create jobs increase in the minimum wage
stricter anti-terrorism laws a national health insurance scheme
the right to own guns; capital punishment same sex marriage
the system today
• there are the same numbers of electors for each state as the total number of senators
and Representatives for that state
• “winner-takes-it-all” → candidate with the most votes receives all of the electors votes
for that state
• main disadvantage: the candidate who received the largest number of individual
votes from the people does not necessarily win
, The constitution
• 1787
• seven original articles
• twenty-seven amendments
• influenced by British government and age of enlightenment
• most important ideas:
o separation of political powers
o separation of church and state
o the sovereignty of the people
o government by the people
o unalienable rights for every individual (“Bill of Rights”)
Bill of Rights
❖ written because some delegates feared that the government would threaten
everyone´s ability to achieve personal freedom and the pursuit of happiness
❖ first ten amendments of the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights
❖ cover the power of the Congress, the presidency, judiciary and relation between
states, amendments, authorities and ratification
❖ limit power of government
❖ civil rights that every citizen should have, including
➢ freedom of speech, the press and religion
➢ the right to hold meetings as long as they are peaceful
➢ the right to lobby the government to bring about changes
➢ the right to a fair trial and freedom from cruel punishment
➢ the right to have and use weapons for protection
Declaration of independence
→written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson
• 13 colonies declared their independence from England and were therefore at war with
England
• all American citizens are created equal
“We hold this truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.”
• opportunity for every American to lead his/her life the way he/she wants to, making
their personal dreams come true
The civil rights movement
• 1945-1968
• abolishing racial discrimination against African Americans
• Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Date Important events
1.12.1955 Rosa parks refused to give up her seat to a white man in a bus (she gets
arrested)
1955 Bus boycotts in Montgomery against segregation in busses (non-violent
protest, black people refused to ride the bus)
1956 Supreme court declares the racial segregation of buses to be
unconstitutional
