U.S. Legal System, Social Dynamics, and Court Processes
California Penal Codes: Homicide & Defenses
Murder
Murder requires malice aforethought; otherwise, it is manslaughter.
- Express Malice: Deliberate thought and intent to kill.
- Implied Malice: An abandoned and malignant heart, not provoked.
Degrees of Murder
- First-Degree Murder: Characterized by:
- Willful, deliberate, and premeditated intent to kill.
- Occurring during a dangerous felony (e.g., robbery, rape).
- Poisoning.
- Lying in wait.
- Torture.
- Drive-by shooting.
- Use of ammunition designed to penetrate armor.
- Second-
US Political Terms, Election Concepts, and Supreme Court Cases
Key Political Terms & Concepts
Clothespin Vote
The vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate, so votes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench.
Ideological
A set of opinions or beliefs held by a group or an individual.
Prospective Voting
Voting for a candidate based on their proposed ideas for addressing future issues (forward-looking).
Retrospective Voting
Voting for or against an incumbent candidate or party
Read MoreThe US Constitution: From Articles to Amendments
Types of Government
- Monarchy: A single monarch holds the power (e.g., Saudi Arabia).
- Oligarchy: A small group of people rules the country (e.g., North Korea).
- Democracy: Rule by the people through voting. The U.S. is a representative democracy.
Key Events Leading to the Constitution
- Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Boston Massacre, Tea Act, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts: Series of British policies that fueled colonial discontent.
- Sons of Liberty: Founded by Samuel Adams, this group played a
Understanding U.S. Government: Constitution, Rights, and More
The U.S. Constitution: Foundation of American Governance
The Constitution, the nation’s rulebook, is the product of conflict and compromise.
Key Historical Events
- Continental Congresses:
- 1774—First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia with the goal of reconciling with Great Britain.
- April 19, 1775—Tensions between colonists and British soldiers result in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
- May 1775—Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia with divided sympathies. Some were for
US Political System: Parties, Elections, Congress, Presidency
Political Parties and the Two-Party System
Political Parties: Swing states are states in which both major parties receive significant support; they typically determine the outcome of an election, along with independent voters. National political parties write and distribute a party platform—a document or statement developed by a political party to include its official positions on issues of public concern. Platforms should both satisfy party loyalists (sometimes called “the base,”) who can
Read MoreEnvironmental Politics: Scalar Governance, Energy, and Corporate Power
Lecture 11 – Scalar Politics & ‘Local’ Environmental Governance
1. Context: Global environmental governance: the norms, rules, laws, expectations, and structures to guide behavior (GEP as complex interactions).
Rescaling of GEP: Increasing linkages, issues that cross traditional boundaries, shifting political action across geographical space from local to global.
From the global to the domestic: Pathways of influence:
- International rules (treaties, international organizations – compliance mechanism,