Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

American Government > Chapters 1-3 > Flashcards

Chapters 1-3 Flashcards

1
Q

Concurrent Powers

A

Powers shared by both national and state levels of government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Bicameral

A

Two houses or chambers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Authoritarian Regime

A

An oppressive system of government in which citizens are deprived of their basic freedom to speak write associate and participate in political life without fear of punishment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Separation of Powers

A

State in which the powers of the government are divided among the three branches

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Declaration of Independence

A

The formal proclamation declaring independence for the 13 colonies of England in North America approved and signed of july 4th 1776

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Concurrent powers

A

Powers shared by both national and state levels of government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Social contract

A

European philosophers who reasoned that the most efficient way to create the best government was to understand human nature in a state prior to government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Sovereignty

A

The independence and self government of a political entity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Thomas Paine

A

Common Sense pamphlet helped crystalize the idea of revolution for the colonist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Articles of confederation

A

The first constitutional framework of the new United States of America approved in 1777 by the second constitutional congress it was later replaced by the current constitution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Supremacy clause

A

Article IV of the constitution holding that in any conflict between federal laws and treaties and state laws the will of the national government always prevails

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Universal suffrage

A

The requirement that everyone must have the right to vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Order

A

A condition in which the structures of a given society and the relationships thereby defined among individuals and clauses compromising it are maintained and preserved by the rule of the law and police power of the state

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Judicial review

A

The power of the supreme court established in Marbury V Madison to overturn acts of the president.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Gibbons Vs. Ogden

A

The 1824 decision by John Marshall that gave congress the power under the interstate commerce clause to regulate anything that affects the transfer of goods between states

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Bill of rights

A

The first 10 amendments to the constitution added in 1781

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Freedom

A

A value that suggests that no individual should be within the power or under the control of another

18
Q

Ratify

A

An act of approval of proposed constitutional amendments by the states; 2nd step of amendment process

19
Q

The great compromise

A

A plan presented at the constitution conversation that upheld the large state position for the house its membership based on proportional representation balanced by the small state posture of equal representation in the senate

20
Q

Referenda

A

Proposed by policy measures submitted for direct popular vote

21
Q

Direct democracy

A

A type of government in which people govern themselves vote on polices and laws and live by majority rule

22
Q

Intrest groups

A

Formal organizations of people who share a common outlook or social circumstance and who band together in hope of influencing the government

23
Q

Confederation

A

A league of sovereign states that delegates powers on selected issues to a central government

24
Q

Federal Mandates

A

A direct order from congress that the states must fulfill

25
Q

Fulcrum Powers

A

The 5 constitutional provisions that dictate the balance of power between the national and state government in the federal structure. Interstate clause, general welfare clause, necessary and proper, supremacy, & 10th amendment

26
Q

Compact

A

Agreement that legally binds two or more parties to enforce rules

27
Q

Political Party

A

Organizations that exist to allow likeminded members of the population to group together and magnify their individual voices into a focus promoting individual candidates and government action

28
Q

Block grants

A

Federal grants that provide money to states for general program funding with few or no strings attached

29
Q

Three Fifths Compromise

A

Slaves were 3/5 of the population counted as three fifths of a person

30
Q

Devolution

A

Reducing the size and authority of the federal government by returning the programs to the states

31
Q

Federalist

A

Those in favor of the constitution

32
Q

Implied Powers

A

Powers not specifically stated in the constitution but inferred from the express powers

33
Q

Secession

A

the action of withdrawing formally from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state

34
Q

Public opinion polls

A

Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence intervals.

35
Q

The constitution

A

a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.

The basic written set of principles and precedents of federal government in the US, which came into operation in 1789 and has since been modified by twenty-six amendments.

36
Q

Legitimacy

A

conformity to the law or to rules

ability to be defended with logic or justification; validity.

37
Q

Anarchy

A

a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems.

38
Q

Electoral College

A

(in the US) a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

39
Q

Essay

A

Direct:government people govern themselves; vote on polices and laws

Representative: small # of people designate someone to represent their interest

Free elections, free press, competitive political parties, interest groups

Freedom stability equality order

40
Q

Thomas Jefferson

A

author of Dio

41
Q

John Locke

A

Most influential social contract theorist

Two treaties on government

42
Q

Expressed powers

A

Judicial
Executive
Legislative

American Government (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions