Democracy in the United States Civics Chapter 1, Section 3

Main idea American democracy is characterized by core democratic ideals and principles, as well as by the free enterprise system

Ideals of American Democracy Liberty: all people have the ability or freedom to act and think as they choose Equality: all people possess the same fundamental moral worth that entitles them to fair treatment Self-Government: ordinary people can rule themselves and do so as political equals

Principles of American Democracy Worth of the Individual: all people are created equal and deserve an opportunity to pursue their potential Rule of Law: government is subject to recognized and enforced limits Majority Rule, Minority Rights: the majority rules but the rights of the political minority are protected Compromise: despite their differences, opposing groups can reach agreements Citizen Participation: a healthy democracy requires active citizen participation at all levels

Free Enterprise In the United States, each person has the right to: Earn money Purchase property Spend income on goods and services Choose an occupation or change jobs Determine where to save money and how much Open new businesses

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Constitutional issue of due process Unanimous Supreme Court decision on March 18, 1963 Court decided that the right to counsel was essential to a fair trial, thus, a person who could not afford legal counsel had to be provided with counsel by the state or the national government