AP Gov 4/13 Vocab Quiz

Question 1

Majority rule

Answer 1

the belief that the power to make decisions about government should reflect the will of most (the majority) of the people

Question 2

Minority rights

Answer 2

rights of the minority must also be protected, even at the expense of overriding the will of the majority. The minority always has the right to speak out against the majority, for example. It’s kinda like a check on the majority

Question 3

Unitary system

Answer 3

central gov has all the power (exs: absolute monarchies)

Question 4

Federal system (federalism)

Answer 4

divides power between national and state governments. Under federalism, each level of government is independent and has its own powers and responsibilities.

Question 5

expressed powers

Answer 5

these powers are clearly outlined in the Constitution

Question 6

Enumerated powers

Answer 6

Powers specifically given to Congress in the Constitution; including the power to collect taxes, coin money, regulate foreign and interstate commerce, and declare war.

Question 7

Implied powers

Answer 7

A political power not expressly named in a constitution but that is inferred because it is necessary to the performance of an enumerated power.

Question 8

necessary and proper clause

Answer 8

Constitution also grants Congress the power to do anything “necessary and proper” to carry out its duties.

aka elastic clause

Question 9

reserved powers

Answer 9

powers given to the states by the 10th amendment because they are not given to the national government

Question 10

The 10th amendment

Answer 10

powers given to the states by the 10th amendment because they are not given to the national government

Question 11

Dual federalism (layer cake federalism)

Answer 11

like a layer cake, the states’ and the national governments each had their own distinct areas of responsibility, and the different levels rarely overlapped.

Question 12

Cooperative federalism

Answer 12

Federalism over much of the last century has more closely resembled a marble cake rather than a layer cake as federal authority and state authority have become intertwined.

Question 13

Fiscal federalism

Answer 13

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system

Question 14

Block grants

Answer 14

Money given for a fairly broad purpose with few strings attached.

Question 15

Categorical grants

Answer 15

Money given for a specific purpose that comes with restrictions concerning how the money should be spent

Question 16

Unfunded mandates and an example

Answer 16

one for which the federal government provides no money. For example, the federal government has required state and local governments to live up to the Americans with Disabilities Act without providing money to make buildings accessible to handicapped people. State governments resent unfunded mandates

Question 17

Funded mandates and an example

Answer 17

when the federal government give the states money to help them do whatever they want them to do

Question 18

political culture

Answer 18

The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms concerning the relationship of citizens to government and to one another.

Question 19

political socialization

Answer 19

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.

Question 20

public opinion

Answer 20

consists of the views held by the population of a state that influence those in power.

Question 21

political ideology

Answer 21

A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who ought to rule, what principles rulers ought to follow, and what policies rulers ought to pursue.

Question 22

political efficacy

Answer 22

how much effect the citizens of a certain country think they have on their federal and local governments. When citizens think they have a low amount of impact on their government then they are known to have low political efficacy. When the public has good faith in their government and its abilities to listen to their citizens views and respond to them then they are said to have high political efficacy. A belief that you can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external).

Question 23

bureaucratic expertise

Answer 23

The people who administer policy often know much more about those issues than the president or members of Congress. This expertise gives the bureaucrats power.

Question 24

conservative ideology

Answer 24

limited government insures order competitive markets and personal opportunity.

Question 25

liberal ideology

Answer 25

government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity.

Question 26

political party – roles they play

Answer 26

a political party is an alliance of like-minded people who work together to win elections and control of the government.
Fxns:

1. Recruit candidates
2. Organize elections
3. Hold conventions
4. Unite factions
5. Ensure plurality

Question 27

plurality elections

Answer 27

Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election

Question 28

single-member district

Answer 28

every elected official represents a geographically defined area, such as a state or congressional district and each area elects one representative

Question 29

winner-take-all elections

Answer 29

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies. In US presidential elections, the system in which the winner of the popular vote in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state.

Question 30

critical election

Answer 30

an electoral “earthquake” where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Critical election periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era.

Question 31

devolution

Answer 31

transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal gov to the states

Question 32

bully pulpit

Answer 32

the president’s use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public

Question 33

new federalism

Answer 33

political theory started by Nixon but carried out by Reagan which favors downsizing the federal gov and devolution to the states