Government H Semester Exam Flashcards
Government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
Unitary government
A loose union of independent states
Confederacy
Government in which the people rule
Democracy
System of government in which people elect delegates to make laws
Representative democracy
Country in which the territory of both the nation and the state coincide
Nation-state
Plan that provides the rules for government
Constitution
Economic system providing free choice and individual incentive
Capitalism
Economic system in which the central government directs all major economic decisions
Communism
Rule by the people
Popular sovereignty
Trade among the states
Interstate commerce
Gives Congress the right to make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers
Elastic clause
Laws passed by Congress “shall be the Supreme Law of the Land”
Supremacy clause
System in which powers are divided between national and state governments
Federalism
When several parties combine forces to obtain a majority, they form one of these
Coalition government
A party that focuses on overall changes in society
Ideological party
A party that might fade away after the purpose for forming the political party loses purpose
Single-issue party
Political party that splits away from a major party because of some disagreement
Splinter party
All parties currently operating in the US who are not Republican or Democrat
Third party
Voting district
Precinct
A large district comprising several adjoining precinct
Ward
The process of nominating a candidate through a series of meetings
Caucus
Second primary election between two candidates who received the most votes in the primary election
Runoff election
Preliminary election to appoint delegates to a conference
Primary election
Gathering of local and state party members chosen to nominate president and vice president candidates
National convention
This organization of the 50 state parties runs the party between presidential elections
National comittee
List of values and actions which are supported by a political party
Political platform
An amendment made these unconstitutional as they forced people to pay a fee in order to vote
Poll tax
Duty or obligation
Incumbent
Money raised by a political party for general purposes, not designated for candidates
Soft money
Person responsible for the overall strategy and planning of a campaign
Campaign manager
System where two major political parties dominate political within a government
Two-party system
System in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control
Multi-party system
Political philosophy that promotes retaining traditional social institutions
Conservative
Political philosophy that promotes opening to new opinions and behaviors; willing to disregard traditional social institutions
Liberal
Individual who is not extreme, partisan, or radical
Moderate
Direct contact made by lobbyists to persuade government officials to support policies
Lobby
Domestic advocacy organizations which seek to influence government foreign policy
Foreign-interest group
Interest group that advocates for workers and organizations
Labor-interest group
Type of economic interest group that promotes corporates and employers
Business-interest group
PACs tied to corporations, labor unions, trade groups, and health organizations
Affiliated PACs
A PAC that is not affiliated with a labor union or corporation
Independent PAC
Prevailing or widespread belief of the majority of people about a candidate
Public opinion
Person’s attitude whether he or she ca affect politics
Political efficacy
Subset of statistical population that reflects members of a population
Representative sample
Subset of statistical population where each member has an equal probability of being chosen
Random sampling
Technique where entire population is divided and random sampling of a population is selected
Cluster sampling
Sample that is unrepresentative of the general population
Biased sample
Fallacy in which any evidence that supports an opposing argument is rejected
Stacking the deck
Using an expert to sell or support
Testimonial/endorsement
Attempt to discredit an idea based upon disfavored people associated with it
Guilt by association
Propaganda device that replicates the investment strategies of others who were good
Coat-tailing
Propaganda device that uses vague words to invoke powerful emotions
Glittering generalities
Unconstitutional to “deprive any citizen the right to vote’
Fifteenth amendment
Provided women with the right to vote
Nineteenth amendment
Prohibits the federal or state government from imposing poll tax
Twenty-fourth amendment
An election where voters of a specific party vote to choose a candidate for the general election
Closed primary
Voters from any party may vote in one of these but they are only allowed to vote for the candidates from one party
Open primary
By using this, the judicial branch can check the power of the other two branches of government
Judicial review
Word meaning “having the right to vote in elections”
Suffrage
Section of the Constitution states why it was written
Preamble
To be proposed, this requires a 2/3 vote from both houses of congress
Amendment
This action between heads of state does not require congressional approval
Executive agreement
Business and labor interest groups are concerned with the
Economy
Teddy Roosevelt ran for office under the banner of one of these types of parties
Splinter party
These entities support candidates who favor their ideas, but they do not nominate candidates
Interest group
The Anti-Federalists wanted this written into the constitution itself, but it exists today as a series of amendments
Bill of Rights
This term refers to a person’s attitude about whether he or she can affect politics
Political efficacy
PACs hire these individuals to speak directly with lawmakers
Lobbyists
Electoral college
- The electoral vote is equal to the number of representatives and senators from all the state, plus 3 votes from D.C. - Each state’s electoral vote is equal to the number of representatives and senators from that state - Larger states have more votes so a candidate can win by winning larger states - Winning the 11 largest states would win the election - The candidate who wins the majority of votes in a state wins that state’s electoral votes
Shay’s Rebellion
- Proved that under the Articles of Confederation, the government was too weak with individual states governing themselves - Proved that the Articles of Confederation was ineffective
Government of the United States under the Articles of Confederation
- Weak central government in which the states retained most of their power - Major flaws: Could not levy taxes or regulate trade, could not force states to obey decisions, could not enforce laws, difficult to amend
State that did not send a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
Rhode Island
Magna Carta’s purpose to the development of the American government
English colonist were influenced by the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights providing two important political concepts of limited government and representative government
Wrote the original draft of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
New Jersey Plan
- Unicameral legislature with one vote per state - Congress impose taxes and regulated trade - Weak executive branch of multiple officials elected by Congress - Executive would appoint a national judiciary
Virginia Plan
- Strong national legislature consisting of two houses (lower with official chosen by the people and upper with officials chosen by the lower house) - Strong executive elected by the national legislature - National judiciary appointed by the legislature
Connecticut Compromise
Legislative branch consists of two houses: - House of Representatives (state representation based on population; all revenue laws would begin in the hour) - Senate (two members from each state)
Why did delegates at the Constitutional Convention compromise on the issue of slavery?
- Slaves were a huge portion of the Southern population, complicating the question of proportional representation - Delegates at the Constitutional Convention eventually reached a compromise to count slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of Congressional representation - To appease Southern slave-holding states, Congress agreed not to ban the importation of slaves until 1808
What did the Federalists want at the time of ratification?
- Favored Constitution
- Strong national government
What did the Anti-Federalists want at the time of ratification?
Bill of Rights
Explanation of how the government works; there are 7
Articles
How can decision of the Supreme Court be overturned?
- If the decision is based on a law that Congress has passed, Congress can simply change the law - If the decision is based on the Constitution, the Constitution can be amended - A later Supreme Court can decide that a certain decision was wrong
Checks and balances
What is necessary for person to become a senator, representative, or president?
Senator: 30 years; citizen for 9 years
Representative: 25 years; citizen for 7 years
President: 35 years; born in the United States
Ways an amendment is proposed or passed
- Legislatures passes an act to change the constitution - Proposed amendments appear on the ballot at the next general election - Amendments must be proved by 2/3 majority vote in an election
Know the amendments that make up the Bill of Rights
- First Amendment: Freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government - Second Amendment: Right for the people to keep and bear arms, as well as to maintain a militia - Third Amendment: Protection from quartering of troops - Fourth Amendment: Protection from unreasonable search and seizure - Fifth Amendment: Due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, private property - Sixth Amendment: Trial by jury and other rights of the accused - Seventh Amendment: Civil trial by jury - Eighth Amendment: Prohibition of excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment - Ninth Amendment: Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights - Tenth Amendment: Powers of states and people
