Chapters 1-5 Flashcards
American Political Culture, The founding and the constitution, Federalism, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights. Constitutional Clauses and Court Cases.
Representative Democracy
Where people are represented by their elected representative, not a direct democracy where they vote directly for laws and policies.
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
Even though that majority rules, the government still has to look out for the minorities interest and rights.
Checks and balances.
A system put in place to make sure that no one branch of government exceeds their power. (ex. President veto bill, the power of the senate to approve presidential appointments, judicial review of congressional enactments)
Federalist
- Favored a strong national government
- supported our current constitution at the convention in 1787
Antifederalist
- Supported a state government & a weak national government
- Opponents of our current constitution established in 1787
Grants in aid
Programs through which congress provides funds to state and local governments on the condition that it is for the purpose defined by the government
Unfunded Mandates
- When a federal government imposes a law or regulation without necessary funding, for example, it becomes the responsibility of the state or local government to pay for the implementation of the law. In the end, it is local taxpayers who end up footing the bill.
Block Grants
Federal Grants in aid that allow states some discretion in who the funds are spent
Devolution
Passing down to a lower level of government for ex. passing down powers of the national government to the stale and local governments
Civil Liberties
Personal freedoms from which the government cannot interfere
Civil Rights
Obligation imposed on the government to take positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action of government agencies and of other citizens
Selective Incorporation
protects the rights, immunities and privileges of U.S. citizens from state laws
Double Jeopardy
5th amendment right that a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime
Miranda rights
Protecting against self incrimination
De jure
Segregation by law
De facto
Segregation by fact
Bicameral
Having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses
Bill of Rights
First 10 Amendments
Political Efficacy
The ability to influence and government and policies
Direct Action Politics
Strategic use of immediately effective acts, ex. strikes
Referendum
The practice of referring a proposed law passed by a legislature to the vote of the electoral for approval or rejection
Political Culture
- BROADLY shared values, beliefs and attitudes about how the government should function
- American Political Culture emphasizes on the values of liberty, equality & democracy
Equality of Opportunity
The belief that people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealths they have to succeed &reach their fullest potential
Expressed powers
Powers written in the constitution granted to congress
Implied Powers
Powers that are not expressed in the constitution, but are implied through the expansive interpretation of the delegate powers
Federalism
A system of government in which power is divided by the constitution btwn a central gov. & regional gov.
Interstate Commerce
between states
Intrastate
within a state
Necessary and Proper
Provides congress with the authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out its expressed powers
Due Process
5th amendment = due process
6th amendment = Right to counsel
8th amendment = Cruel & unusual punishment (debate: Death penalty).
Equal Protection
14th Amendment = grants equal protection of the law
Separate but equal
People can be segregated/separated as long as they were being treated equal
Right to Privacy
The right to be left alone, has been interpreted by the supreme court as allowing an individual to have access tot birth control & abortions
Eminent Domain
The right of the government to take private property for public use
Cruel & Unusual
8th Amendment
Right to Counsel
6th amendment
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Lemon test articulated in this case that government action or funds toward religion is allowed if it doesn’t promote the practice of the religion
Habeas Corpus
A court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention
Mapp V. Ohio
Ruled that that any illegally obtained evidence could not be introduced in federal courts
Gideon V. Wainwright
The Court ruled that the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment required that the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees indigent defendants the Right to Counsel in federal criminal proceedings
Roe v. Wade
Right to privacy
Plessy V. Ferguson
Declared that facilities were allowed to be separate as long as they were equal
Brown V. Board of Ed.
Declared that separate facilities were unequal
Madbury V. Madision
Established the principle of judicial review