Final Exam Flashcards
Identify the primary purpose(s) of government
Make, enforce, and interpret laws to protect citizens and provide services.
Differentiate between different government types
Autocracy- one person
Oligarchy- small group
Democracy- majority
Totalitarianism- no limits, eliminate rivals
Authoritarianism- no limits, constrained by institutions
Constitutionalism- constrained by codified rules.
Identify important features of the U.S. Constitution.
Article I, II, III- legislative, executive, judicial.
Article IV- establishes obligations between the states; full faith and credit, privileges and immunities, extradition.
Article V- outlines methods for changing the Constitutions.
Article VI- Supremacy clause, federal law is supreme.
Article VII- standard for ratifying the Constitution.
Define federalism and recall its history in the United States.
System of government in which power is divided between central and regional.
Dual federalism- both federal and state have exclusive control over areas Cooperative federalism- expanded federal government’s power
Regulated federalism- Congress requires states to meet national standards
New federalism- seeks to return some power and flexibility to the states.
Recall important Supreme Court decisions concerning civil liberties and civil rights.
Barron vs Baltimore- Bill of Rights only to state governments
Plessy vs Ferguson- separate but equal
Brown vs Board of Education- overturned Plessy and fought discrimination
Gideon vs Wainwright- everyone has the right to an attorney
Recall the role played by public opinion in the American political system
Democratic governments should reflect the will of the people.
Identify specific ways the media influence public opinion
Agenda setting- identifies issues. Selection bias- focusing on one aspect while avoiding others.
Framing- influence how people interpret things using chosen words and images.
Priming- preparing the public to bring criteria to mind when evaluating politicians or issues.
Recall the characteristics and history of political parties in the American political system
They attempt to influence government by electing their members to office. First Party System (1790s)- Federalist party and Jeffersonian Republican party. Second Party System (1830s)- Democrats and Whigs. Third Party System (1860s)- Republicans and Democrats. Fourth Party System (1890s)- Reps: business, North and Midwest; Dems: farmers and miners in South and West. Fifth Party System (1930s)- Dems: supported New Deal. Sixth Party System (1960s-now)- Reps- won support of white southerners; Dems- retained support of racial minorities and union workers.
Identify the role played by interest groups in the American political system
Shape policy through lobbying, an attempt by a group to influence the policy process through the persuasion of public officials
Recall the different types of Congressional committees
Standing committees- permanent committees that have the power to propose and write legislation.
Select committees- formed temporarily to focus on a specific issue.
Joint committees- formed from members of both the Senate and the House.
Conference committees- joint committees created to work out a compromise on House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation.
Recall the primary purpose of each branch of the U.S. federal government
Legislative- make law.
Executive- enforce law.
Judicial- interpret law.
Recall the primary purpose of the federal bureaucracy
They help a chief executive officer carry out his or her duties and define what Congress’s policy will mean in practice.
Identify and explain the most significant power wielded by American courts
Judicial review- the power of a court, in any case, to review an act of Congress, the president, or a state, and to invalidate that action if the court believes it to violate the Constitution.
Recall the difference between means-based and non-means-based social welfare programs
Contributory programs- programs financed by taxation or other mandatory contributions. Noncontributory programs- benefits based on demonstrated need rather than any contributions made.
Identify the three (3) main goals of American foreign policy
Security, prosperity, and creation of a better world.
