Week 3 -  Federalism.
Here's a few terms to focus on:

Federalism
Writ of habeas corpus
Due process clause
Equal protection clause
Full faith and credit clause

Federalism is a relationship.

It's the relationship between and among the levels of government. Traditionally this has meant the state governments and the central government, but the number of special district governments and their ability to act like interest groups means that federalism is even more decentralized than the Founders could have imagined. 

The relationship has changed.  There are three eras of federalism in our history: Pre-Civil War, Civil War to New Deal, and New Deal to Today. 

Here's my favorite time line again (a bigger version): 

The first period, "State-centered Federalism,"

Like the name implies was a system where the states retained most of the functions and powers of government. Then came the Civil War.

The Civil War was the single most important event in our history. 

By the time of the Civil War, the Northern States had one rail system. The South had 13 separate systems using 9 different gauges. The North was becoming what it is today, urban and industrialized. 

The Civil War was a clash of cultures.

The South was locked into an economic and cultural system much like the French and Spanish Colonies in the New World. This included large tracts of land, run inefficiently by a Patron or Master of the Plantation. It was what today we might call, agro-business, but far less efficient and far more (slave) labor intensive. 

The Civil War was the first MODERN WAR.

Among other things (like killing more Americans than in all other wars our country has ever fought in combined) the Civil War was the first war to use: aerial photography, telegraphs extensively (from the field), rail systems on a large scale, inter-changeable gun parts, cannon which could shoot from beyond the horizon, and the list goes on and on.

An old saying:

Before the Civil War the United States are (plural), after the Civil War the United States is (singular). 

The era of "Co-federalism"

This era saw a great increase in the rate of westward expansion which had started before the Civil War. The era of the "Robber Barons" or "Captains of Industry" (the same guys) also produced the first true grassroots movement in our history: "The Progressive Reforms." Again, I am no expert on this era of history, feel free to visit some of the sites listed below for further information. 

FYI:  Much of the set up of California's state government i s due to the "Progressive Reforms" (referendums, recall, plural executive, etc). 

We are a country born of The Industrial Revolution.

Historians argue about when the industrial revolution began, but the first factory in the U.S. was set up in 1775, to make candy. By the time of the Civil War, we were a major exporter of raw materials with a growing industrial ability. By the outbreak of World War One , we were an industrial power as large as any in the world. 

At the outbreak of WWI, the U.S. had a huge army, still on horse back. We had a large navy but not the world's biggest by far. We had three fighter aircraft. Not three type, just three. Our army did not have the machine gun. But by the end of World War Two , we were the only nuclear power in the world with the largest navy and air force in the world and troops stationed all around the globe. 

"Generation of Change"

The "Generation of Change" between the two wars saw as much change in our society and government as we have seen in the last three decades. 

After WWI, "The War to End All Wars" as it was called, came the Great Depression . State governments collapsed with the rest of the economy. The federal government was the only one with the resources to stabilize the economy, the banking system and people's nerves. 

Enter F.D.R. and the New Deal.

The size and scope of the federal government grew four times under FDR and has grown another four times since his administration. He started what we call the "modern welfare system." Since FDR the debate has been about how much the federal government should grow in scope and size. 

This really is the start of what political scientists call the "modern government." It's the way things have been since before all of us were born. The Federal government has most of the power because it has more money than the states. This is "Nation-centered Federalism." 

The relationship has changed with our culture.

We have an earthquake, the Federal government can save us… a hurricane, flood, riot, whatever, the federal government has the resources. People have grown to expect the federal government to be involved in many aspects of life. 100 years ago people would be appalled at the idea of some one from Washington sticking their noses in "our children's education." Today people clamor for "national educational standards." Our culture has changed along with our view of federalism.

The Cold War was WWIII (and we won!)

Many historians argue that the difference between the end of WWI and WWII was the active participation of the U.S.  Unlike the League of Nations after WWI, the US was instrumental and dominant in setting up the United Nations and the IBRD-IMF system. (The IBRD is also called the World Bank , and it's sister organization is called the International Monetary Fund. )

Whatever your view, shortly after WWII, the Cold War broke out and raged for forty years. It lasted longer than WWI and WWII combined; killed more people, more civilians, cost more money, involved more countries…It was a global war of attrition in which almost every country on the planet was involved at one time or another. 

We expected World War Three to be the end of the world, but that was only one possibility. And don't forget, most of the bombs that we made (on both sides) for forty years are still operational. 

We won the cold war. The USSR is now 16 separate (all struggling) countries and we are eight trillion dollars in debt. We win!! Peace isn't all it's cracked up to be. For the last decade we have had no cold war but have we had peace? What do we do with peace?

The US is now the only "super-power" left, but what does that mean in the world today? That's plenty for you to think about this week.