Government Midterm Flashcards
private life
things you do that do not involve your roles as a citizen of your country or community
civic life
things you do that involve you in community events
political life
things you do to participate as a citizen of your government
direct democracy
all citizens vote on whether to pass a law
monarchy
monarch has complete power
oligarchy
a small group is in charge
republic
people elect representatives
totalitarian
government controls everything
unitary government
central government is in charge
confederal government
state governments are in charge
constitutionalism
government’s powers are restricted by a body of law
House of Representatives
American equivalent of the House of Commons
Senate
American equivalent of House of Lords
Bill of Attainer
British law that allowed someone to be arrested for a crime without going to court
George Mason
father of the Bill of RIghts
3/5 Compromise
agreed to count a portion of the slave population as population for the purposes of representation in Congress and for taxation
Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise
agreed to create a two-house legislature, one based on population and the other the same number of votes per state
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
called for a separation of church and state
John Locke
English philosopher that said that the only legitimate laws were the ones that protected everyone’s natural rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Thomas Paine
English philosopher that argued that the American colonists should overthrow the King of England
Declaration of Sentiments
women should enjoy the same rights as men
federalists
favored the Constitution and a strong US government
antifederalists
favored powerful states and feared a strong US government
federalism
power is divided between a national and state government
10th Amendment
spells out reserved powers
market economy
the government stays out of the economy
mixed economy
the government is involved with the economy to some degree
planned economy
the government runs the economy
posse comitatus act
1878 act that was passed to prevent US troops from being used as a police force in the states
fiscal policy
the name for the government use of spending and tax collecting to influence the US economy
monetary policy
the name for the actions of the central bank to regulate the amount and growth of the money supply
quorum
minimum number of Congress members needed to conduct business
discharge petition
method used to force a bill out of committee
bench trial
trial in which there is no jury
Citizens United V. The Federal Election Commission
super PACs raise money without limits
Sherman Silver Purchase Act
caused inflation
