sol review guide · sol review guide civics and economics 2015-2016. principles of government and...

SOL Review Guide

Civics and Economics 2015-2016

Principles of Government and

Citizenship

CE.2 a-d & CE.3 a-d

Foundations of American Constitutional Government

– Path to Citizenship

– An individual becomes a citizen of the United States by birth or naturalization. All naturalized citizens must pass a test of written and spoken language.

– Responsibilities

– Vote

– Hold elected office

– Communicate with officials

– Voluntarily serve in appointed positions

– Participate in political campaigns

– Keep informed

– Respect other’s voice in government


– Voter Registration

– Registration closes 22 days before elections

– In person at the registrar’s office

– At the Department of Motor Vehicles

– Other designated sites

– By mail application


– Fundamental Political Principles

– Consent of the Governed – people are the source of all government’s power

– Democracy – people rule in a democratic system

– Representative government – people elect public officeholders to conduct

government on their behalf

– Limited government – government is not all powerful. It may do only things people

have given it the power to do.

– Rule of Law – Government and those who are governed are bound by the same laws


– Founding Documents

– Articles of confederation – established the first form of national government in the

new USA. The central government was weak and it failed.

– Charters of the Virginia London Company – charter to create Jamestown,

guaranteed the rights of the English to colonize in Jamestown

– Virginia Declaration of Rights – written by George Mason was the model for the bill

of rights (June 12, 1776)

– Declaration of Independence – (Thomas Jefferson – July 4 1776) declared colonies

independence from the British


– Founding Documents

– Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom – (Thomas Jefferson 1786) basis for the first

amendment and gave freedom to religious beliefs and opinions

– Magna Carta – issued by King John 1215, right to justice and a free trial


– Purpose of the Constitution

– Written by James Madison in 1787, it is the charter for government in the United

States. It was written to replace the Articles of Confederation which was proven

ineffective by Shay's Rebellion. It is the oldest Constitution in use on the world.


– First Amendment Freedoms

– R – Religion – government cannot establish an official religion or tell you how to

worship.

– A – Assembly – individuals may gather peacefully

– P – Press – Right to gather and publish information even if it criticizes the

government

– P – Petition – individuals have the right to make their views known to public officials

– S – speech – individuals are free to express their beliefs and opinions.


– Amending the Constitution

– Nothing can be added to the Constitution without going through the formal

amendment process called ratification. Ratification is very difficult. Many proposed

amendments are never ratified. Since 1791, only 17 amendments have been added

to the US Constitution.

Political and Government Process

CE.5 a-f, 6-10

Political Parties

Political Process at the State Level

– The Virginia Constitution distributes power among the legislative, executive, and

judicial branches of the state government.

– legislative branch is the General Assembly, a bicameral legislature—the House of

Delegates and the Virginia Senate—that meets annually for a fixed number of

days.

– executive branch - governor, who is elected for a four-year term of office

– lieutenant governor and the attorney general are executive branch officers who are

elected for a four-year term of office.

– judicial power - a court system that consists of four levels of courts: • Supreme

Court • Court of appeals • Circuit courts • District courts (including small claims

courts and juvenile and domestic relations courts)

Political Process at the Local Level

– Counties, cities, and towns adopt and enforce ordinances to provide services for their

residents.

– All citizens can learn the importance of the individual’s participation in the

policymaking process through direct participation and simulations.

– How do localities enact ordinances?

– An elected board of supervisors is the local legislative body in counties and is

responsible for passing laws (ordinances) for the county.

– An elected council is the local legislative body in independent cities and incorporated

towns.

– Individuals can have the greatest influence on the decisions made by local

government officials

Voter Registration & Participation

Voter Registration

Electoral College

Law Making Process

Functions of Political Parties

Roles of Media

Structure of American Government and

Structure of the Judicial BranchCE.6-10, CE.10a-f

U.S. Federal Courts

VA State Court

National

Economic Principles and Decisions

CE.10-CE.11, CE.14 a-b

Civil vs. Criminal

Due Process

Economic Principles

– Production – the goods and services produced by a company

– Scarcity – not having enough resources to produce all of the things we would

like to have

– Price – the particular amount, usually of money, that is offered or asked for

when something is bought or sold

– Consumption – the purchase and use of goods and services by consumers, or

the quantity of goods and services purchased

– Choice – a person, a thing, or course of action chosen by somebody from

among a range of possibilities

Economic Principles

– Supply – the amount of goods and services that producers are able and willing

to sell at various prices during a specified time period

– Demand – the desire, willingness, and ability to buy a good or service

– Resources – the money, people, and materials available to accomplish a

community’s goal

– Incentives – something that encourages or motivates somebody to do

something

– Opportunity cost – the cost of the next best alternative use of time and money

when choosing to do one thing rather than another

United States Economy

CE.14a-c, CE.11-13

Role of Government In Economy

Federal Reserve

Types of Businesses

Types of Business

Market Interaction

– The tendency for a change in the price of a product (or of a factor of

production) of one market to influence a corresponding price in another

because of the possibility of substitution between their products (or between

their factors of production).

Circular Flow

– Consumers – individuals and households who use products and services

– Creating currency – rule of the federal reserve, they maintain the amount of

money in the economy to keep inflation low and stable

– Global economy – world wide markets in which the buying and selling of goods

and services by all nations takes place

– Business (Producers) – three types of businesses: proprietorship, partnership, and

corporation

– Competition in the market place

– Enforcing antitrust legislation to discourage the development of monopolies

– Engaging in global trade

– Supporting business start-ups

Personal Finance and Career Opportunity

CE.14 a-c

Influence and Career Choice

– Career planning starts with self-assessment

– An awareness of personal talents, interests, and aspirations is needed to select

a career

Abilities and Skills

– Higher skill and/or education levels generally lead to higher incomes

– Supply and demand also influence job income

Technology and Borrowing

Maintaining Good Finance Habits

– Being fiscally responsible means maintaining a budget and spending within your

means.

– Being fiscally responsible includes:

– Making careful spending decisions

– Saving and investing for the future

– Having insurance

– Keeping to a budget

– Using credit wisely

– Understanding how contracts, warranties, and guarantees can protect the individual

Work Ethics & Career Success

– Employers seek employees who demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors of a

strong work ethic

– Attitudes and behaviors that support a strong work ethic enhance career

success