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United States Government > Chapter 1: Government > Flashcards

Chapter 1: Government Flashcards

GOVT-2305

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1
Q

Purpose of Government

A

provision of security for lives, liberties, and property of individual citizens, who give their consent to governmental functions designed to achieve this purpose of security at a minimum risk to liberty

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2
Q

Representative Republic

A

voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf

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3
Q

Civic Participation

A

foundational to a free society;
it ensures the government serves the people and not the reverse

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4
Q

Government

A

how a society organizes itself to allocate and exercise authority in order to accomplish purposes, goals, and functions

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5
Q

Politics

A

a competitive struggle for gaining and exercising control over the governmental processes or organizational structures that carry out goals, purposes, or functions of the country

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6
Q

John Locke

A

a 17th century philosopher that posited that all people have natural liberties/right of life, liberty, and property that are viewed as unalienable/inseparable liberties that cannot be taken away

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7
Q

Monarchy

A

one person or one family in control; not all seek to protect liberty or property;
sees order and control as the highest priority

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8
Q

Anarchy

A

a state known by no government, police, court, or rules

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9
Q

Absolute Monarchy

A

a form of government where a single person has the complete power to rule a state without restriction from laws or a constitution

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10
Q

Authoritarianism

A

the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom

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11
Q

Totalitarianism

A

the government controls all aspects of citizens’ lives - including social and private matters such as the number of children a family can have

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12
Q

Oligarchy

A

power concentrated in a handful of elite members of society

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13
Q

Republic

A

representative democracy; indirect rule of citizens through representatives and the rule of law

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14
Q

Unalienable Rights

A

inseparable from the human condition either by human reasoning or personal recognition of divine authority; no government should separate them from their rights to life, liberty, and property without their consent

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15
Q

Majoritarian

A

a democratic model which relies on the majority of citizens through elections to exercise political power to achieve consent of the governed

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16
Q

Pluralist

A

a democratic model that relies on many competing interest groups to influence government decisions to be responsive to the general public

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17
Q

Elitist

A

a non-democratic model which suggests that a concentrated and a distinct minority (an oligarchy) exercises power of governmental decision making

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18
Q

Constitution

A

a contract the American people have with the government;
written in 1787 and amended 27 times;
is the basis for U.S. government

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19
Q

Coercive Acts

A

Parliament responded to colonial defiance with these laws in 1774

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20
Q

First Continental Congress

A

a unified opposition to Great Britain to develop a declaration of rights and grievances

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21
Q

Second Continental Congress

A

delegates met again in 1775

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22
Q

Declaration of Independence

A

On July 2nd, 1776, Congress declared American independence from Britain and two days later signed the Declaration of Independence

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23
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

the final draft that formed the basis of the new nation’s government and first written constitution that was accepted by Congress in 1777

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24
Q

Confederation

A

the articles defined a governmental structure based upon a confederation of states-independent and self-governing entities unified in the form of an alliance for the primary purpose of defense and commerce

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25
Q

Constitution

A

consists of the preamble and the seven articles

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26
Q

Connecticut/Great Compromise

A

suggested by Roger Sherman effectively combined the two plans - a bicameral legislature (two-chambered) body with a Senate where each state, regardless of size and population was counted to ensure proportional representation

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27
Q

Congress

A

2 chambers to check up on each other; House of Representatives (based on population; elected to short 2-year terms) and Senate (based on equal representation; longer 6-year terms for stability)

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28
Q

President

A

separate election system; not elected by the Congress; fixed 4-year terms

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29
Q

Judiciary

A

independent from the Congress and the executive; to make judgements under the law; interpreting the Constitution

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30
Q

Federalism (U.S.)

A

create new relationship between states and national government; preserve significant autonomy or states subject to future interpretation

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31
Q

Three-fifth compromise

A

allowed for the slaves to be taxed as property and counted as population for purposes of a state’s representation in the government

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32
Q

Twenty Second Amendment

A

restrict presidency to two terms

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33
Q

Procedures for Amending the Constitution: Origination: Proposed by Congress

A

Approval:
2/3 majority in the House of Representatives
2/3 majority in the Senate
3/4 vote of all state legislatures required

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34
Q

Procedures for Amending the Constitution: Origination: Petitioned by 2/3 of States

A

Approval:
Congress calls convention to propose amendment;
forwarded to states for ratification;
3/4 of all state legislatures required

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35
Q

Bill of Rights

A

the first ten amendments (19 proposed; only ten were accepted by the states) added to the Constitution in 1791;
there are 27 now in total

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36
Q

Civil Liberties

A

limitations on government power, intended to protect individual freedoms from illegal government intrusion

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37
Q

Civil Rights

A

guarantees that government will treat people equally and base decisions on law rather than race, gender, or other personal characteristics

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38
Q

1st Amendment

A

protected right to free speech, press, assembly, religion, and petition of government

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39
Q

2nd Amendment

A

protected right to bear firearms

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40
Q

3rd Amendment

A

no quartering of soldiers during peace time in private homes without consent

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41
Q

4th Amendment

A

right to be secure in your own property and person against unreasonable search or seizure

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42
Q

5th Amendment

A

grand jury, against double jeopardy, due process, eminent domain

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43
Q

6th Amendment

A

criminal procedure - speedy & public trial, impartial jury, counsel, etc

44
Q

7th Amendment

A

civil procedure - jury trial according to rules of common law

45
Q

8th Amendment

A

no excessive bail or fine, no cruel or unusual punishment

46
Q

9th Amendment

A

rights not enumerated belong to the people

47
Q

10th Amendment

A

powers not delegated to the government belong to the states and the people

48
Q

11th Amendment

A

prohibits the federal courts from hearing certain lawsuits against the states

49
Q

12th Amendment

A

presidential election procedures

50
Q

13th Amendment

A

abolition of the institution of slavery

51
Q

14th Amendment

A

citizenship rights/responsibilities; equal protection; due process of law; protections

52
Q

15th Amendment

A

all males may now vote regardless of race unless they are Native Americans

53
Q

16th Amendment

A

individual income tax

54
Q

17th Amendment

A

voters can directly elect US Senators

55
Q

18th Amendment

A

prohibition of alcohol manufacture, sales, and distribution

56
Q

19th Amendment

A

women were guaranteed the right to vote

57
Q

20th Amendment

A

inauguration day moved from March to January after election of the previous year

58
Q

21st Amendment

A

repeal of 18th Amendment prohibiting alcohol manufacture, sales, and distribution

59
Q

23rd Amendment

A

residents of the District Columbia (Washington D.C.) may vote for president of the U.S.

60
Q

24th Amendment

A

poll taxes abolished; no poll taxing stopping the citizens from exercising right to vote

61
Q

25th Amendment

A

if the President dies, resigns, or is removed from the office, then the Vice President shall become President

62
Q

26th Amendment

A

all citizens over the age of eighteen years old may register and cast their vote

63
Q

27th Amendment

A

regulation of congressional salaries

64
Q

Federalism

A

an institutional arrangement, creating relatively autonomous levels of government (national & state), each able to act directly on behalf of the people with granted authority

65
Q

Federalism

A

as an institutional/structural design, is intended to both safeguard states’ interests while creating a strong union led by an effective centralized national government

66
Q

Dual Federalism

A

each level of government is somewhat independent of others

67
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

national and state governments interact

68
Q

Elastic Clause/Necessary And Proper Clause

A

the last clause in Article I, Section 8 enables Congress to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying out of its constitutional responsibilities

69
Q

Commerce Clause

A

empowers the federal government to regulate interstate economic transactions

70
Q

Powers of the State

A

never listed in the original Constitution (Articles of the Confederation);
the consensus was that states would retain any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government

71
Q

Supremacy Clause

A

although states retain some sovereignty, Article VI proclaims the U.S. Constitution, national laws and treaties are the “supreme law of the land”

72
Q

Levels of Government

A

federal, state, and local

73
Q

Local Level of Government

A

the government structure closest to where people live, typically encompassing cities, towns, and counties; the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state

74
Q

Responsibilities of the Local Government

A

Providing local services like public safety, infrastructure maintenance, zoning regulations, parks and recreation, and waste management

75
Q

Governance of the Local Government

A

involves elected officials like mayors and council members

76
Q

Local Government’s Relationship with the State Government

A

operate under the authority of the state government and must adhere to state laws

77
Q

State Level of Government

A

governing body within a specific state;
has its own executive, legislative, and judicial branches;
led by a governor;
responsible for managing affairs within its state borders

78
Q

Structure of the State Government

A

each state has its own Constitution;
mirrors the federal government structure with three branches

79
Q

Powers of the State Government

A

Education, healthcare, infrastructure, elections, licensing, and criminal justice within the state boundaries

80
Q

Federal Level of Government

A

powers are vested by the U.S. Constitution in the Congress, the President, and all the federal courts

81
Q

Responsibilities of the Federal Government

A

national defense, foreign policy, regulating interstate commerce, managing the currency, establishing federal welfare programs, healthcare, and environmental protection

82
Q

Article I, Section 8

A

Congress could establish “all means which are appropriate” to fulfill “the legitimate ends” of the Constitution

83
Q

Dual Federalism

A

under it, the states and the national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction

84
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

shared (overlapping or concurrent) powers had now become an integral part of contemporary U.S. federalism

85
Q

Federal Government Powers

A

Delegated Powers:
coin money, punish counterfeiting, regulate interstate commerce & foreign trade, conduct foreign affairs, establish rules of naturalization & immigration, regulate the postal system, establish a court system, declare war & raise/support the national military

86
Q

Federal Government Powers

A

Prohibited Powers:
tax state exports, change state boundaries, violate the Bill of Rights, deny due process, suspend Habeas Corpus (except national emergency)

87
Q

State Government Powers

A

Reserved Powers:
regulate interstate commerce, conduct elections, provide for Public Health, Safety, Welfare, & Morals, establish local governments, maintain militia (National Guard), and ratify amendments to the Constitution

88
Q

State Government Powers

A

Denied Powers:
tax imports & exports, coin money, enter into treaties with foreign countries, impair obligation of contracts, abridge privileges and immunities of citizens, deny due process and equal protection of the law

89
Q

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A

in Article IV, asserts that states are prohibited from discriminating against out-of-states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of all other states

90
Q

Privileges and Immunities Clause

A

in Article IV, asserts that states are prohibited from discriminating against out-of-staters by denying them such guarantees as access to courts, legal protection, property rights, and travel rights

91
Q

Ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment

A

in 1913, authorized Congress to impose income taxes without apportioning it among the states on the basis of the population

92
Q

Federal Grants

A

transfers of federal money to state and local governments;
do not have to be repaid;
encourage to pursue federal policy objectives they might not otherwise adopt

93
Q

Federal Government Revenue Sources

A

Individual Income Taxes: 47%
Payroll Taxes: 34%
Corporate Taxes: 10%
Other: 6%
Excise Taxes: 3%

94
Q

State Government Revenue Sources

A

Taxes: 50%
Sales Tax
Individual Income Tax
Property Tax
Federal Grants: 30%
Service Charges: 11%
Other: 9%

95
Q

Local Government Revenue Sources

A

Taxes: 41%
Property Tax
Sales Tax
Individual Income Tax
Federal and State Support: 37%
Service Charges: 17%
Other: 5%

96
Q

Federal Budget

A

Social Security: 24%
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and marketplace subsidies: 24%
Defense and International Security Assistance: 18%
Safety Net Programs: 11%
Benefits for Federal Retirees: 8%
Interest on Debt: 7%
Transportation Infrastructure: 3%
Science and Medical Research: 2%
Education: 2%
Non-Security International: 1%

97
Q

Local Governments

A

allocate more funds to police protection, fire protection, housing and community development, and public utilities such as water, sewage, and electricity;
if state governments allocate more funds towards universities, then local governments spend even more on elementary and secondary education;
state governments allocate comparatively more funds to public welfare programs, such as health care, income support, and highways, both local and state governments spend roughly similar amounts on judicial, legislative, and correctional services

98
Q

Grant

A

designed to entice the recipient toward a specific goal

99
Q

Unfunded Mandates

A

impose federal requirements on state and local authorities;
they are typically backed by the threat of penalties for non-compliance and provide little to no compensation to carry out the mandated action

100
Q

How the government supported the states in the first 1800s

A

the national government used grants to influence state actions as far back as the “Articles of Confederation”, providing land grants

101
Q

Categorical Grants

A

federal transfers formulated to limit recipient’s discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria that guide project selection, performance, and financial oversight, among other things

102
Q

Block Grants

A

come with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipient’s more flexibility over how to spend grant funds

103
Q

Federal Grants to State and Local Governments

A

Health: 55%
Income Security: 17%
Transportation: 11%
Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services: 11%
Other: 4%
Community and Regional Development: 2%

104
Q

Creeping Categorization

A

a process in which the national government places new administrative requirements on state and local governments or supplants block grants with new categorical grants

105
Q

Unfunded mandates

A

federal laws and regulations that impose obligations on state and local governments without fully compensating them for the administrative costs they incur

106
Q

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)

A

the widespread use of federal mandates in the 1970s and 1980s provoked a backlash among state and local authorities and culminated it

107
Q
A

United States Government (1 decks)

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