Chs 1-3 Flashcards
The institution in which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocates benefits and privileges is known as
Government
Totalitarianism
The system of government, usually a dictatorship, using force to lead and control people
The procedures by which voters can propose a law or constitutional amendment is
Initiative
The framers of the constitution chose to create a
Republic
The framers of the constitution viewed direct democracy as
Dangerous and representative democracy was more reliable
Majoritarianism
A political theory holding that in a democracy, the government should do what the majority of the people want
Why do many scholars believe that majoritarianism is a poor description of the how U.S. democracy works
Many people don’t know about politics/ low level voter turnout
The perspective that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self interest is
Elite theory
The theory that views conflicts among interest groups using bargaining and compromise is
Pluralism
The concept that ultimate power authority is based on the will of the people
Popular sovereignty
—– is one of our most prized liberties because democracy could not endure without it
Freedom of speech
As a political value, equality is defined as the idea that all people
Are of equal worth
Economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract
Capitalism
The comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and the role of the government
Ideology
Set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government in helping individuals, support for policies favoring traditional values and lifestyles and a cautious response to change
Conservatism
Set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change
Liberalism
Like other economically advanced countries the U.S. has in recent decades experienced
Falling birth rates and increase in a number of older citizens
The most recent statistics show that the greatest percentage of immigrants to the U.S. came from
Mexico
Which of the following is true about voter turnout in the U.S.
50%-50% or 51%-49%
The centralized government system in which local government exercise only those powers given to them by the central government
Unitary government system
The system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers and a central government with limited powers
Confederal government system
System of government in which authority is divided between central and regional governments
Federal government system
The U.S. employs a
Federal system
Powers granted to the national government by the constitution
Enumerated powers
The special category of national powers that derive from the fact that the U.S. is a sovereign power among nations and thus it’s national government must be the only government that deals with other nations
Inherent powers
Powers not given to the federal government by the constitution are
Reserved by the states or the people
Power held jointly by the national and state governments
Concurrent powers
Constitutional provision that makes it and federal laws superior to all conflicting state and local laws
Supremacy clause
Legislation enacted on the national level is said to—conflicting state or local laws in that area
Preempt
Article IV of the constitution requires states to give full faith and credit to
The acts and judicial decisions of other states
Decision of government power in Canada is different from that in the U.S. because
Canada is a constitutional monarchy
Civil unions
Recognized by the government as legal couples
The principle of —-requires states to extend citizens of other states the protection of the laws and other privileges that they grant their own citizens
Principle of principles and immunities
In McCullough vs Maryland the Supreme Court
Ruled in a manse that enabled the national government to grow and meet problems the farmers were never able to foresee/ government has implied powers
Chief Justice—did much to increase the power of the national government and to reduce that of the states in the early part of the 19th century
John Marshall
The controversy over—took the form of a dispute over national government supremacy versus the rights of the separate clauses
Slavery
The first national income tax was passes to
Pay for the debt caused by the civil war
In what way was the constitution amended in the years immediately following the civil war so that the power of states was limited
National government tells state governments what to do—less state power
In the civil war era the Supreme Court
Lost influence because it had supported slavery up to the beginning of the civil war
States and the national government each remain supreme within their own sphere in the system of
Dual federalism
Federal grants to states or local governments that are for specific programs or projects
Categorical grants
Federal programs that provide funds to state and local government for general functional areas
Block grants
The transfer of power from the national government to state and local government is
Devolution
The Boston tea party was prompted by
British taxes on a wide range of goods and products
The first Continental congress that met in 1774
Approved a resolution requesting that the colonies send a petition to king George III expressing their grievances
The second continental congress that met in 1775
Established an army and named George Washington commander in chief
Common sense written by
Thomas Paine
The Declaration of Independence
Jefferson declared separation from king
After the U.S. gained its independence, the first system of government was created by
Articles of confederation
The articles of confederation operated in manner that
Prevented congress from having the power to demand revenues from the states or the ability to enforce its decisions
The actions of—demonstrated the inability of the federal government under the articles of confederation to protect….
Daniel shay
“Master builder or father of constitution”
James Madison
The delegates to the constitutional convention were
Experienced in politics and the military
Edmund Randolph’s Virginia plan
Called for a national executive that would be elected by the legislative body
The 3/5’s compromise,
Avoided the use of the word slave instead referring to all people
James Madison argued in federalist paper #51 that the “ greatest security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department” was
Identification in the constitution of the specific powers that the branches of government would possess
Electoral college
A group of people who are selected by the voters in each state—elect president and Vice President
The framers established the constitution would be ratified if approved
9/13 state legislatures
The federalist papers were written by
Alexander Hamilton
Some historian have suggested that if a Gallup poll could have been taken at the time of the ratification of the constitution
There would have been more anti-federalists than federalists
Constitutional amendments can be proposed by
2/3 of both houses of congress
According to the constitution, a national constitutional convention can be called by
2/3 of the states
Constitutional amendments can be ratified by
3/4 of state legislatures
Congress chose to use state conventions instead of state legislatures as the method of ratification of the amendment
Repealing prohibition
The constitutional amendment process has been used to
- Limit the # of terms a president can serve
- Allow congress to propose an income tax
Which practice was abolished by a constitutional amendment
13th- slavery
The —-prohibited the denial of the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude
15 amendment
The power of the supreme court to declare actions of the other branches of government to be unconstitutional is
Judicial review
The right of people to peacefully assemble is protected by
1st amendment
Protection from unreasonable search and seizures is guaranteed by
4th amendment
Cruel and unusually punishment is prohibited by
8th amendment
Because of the frustrations with king George, the continental congress used the articles of confederation to create a government that had
Very little power
