Key Concepts in Federalism and Government Structure

Question 1

What are exclusive powers?

Answer 1

Powers only the national government may exercise.

Question 2

What is the commerce clause?

Answer 2

Grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity.

Question 3

What does the 10th Amendment state?

Answer 3

Reserves powers not delegated to the national government to the states and the people; the basis of federalism.

Question 4

What are reserved powers?

Answer 4

Powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people.

Question 5

What are concurrent powers?

Answer 5

Powers granted to both states and the federal government in the Constitution.

Question 6

What is the full faith and credit clause?

Answer 6

Constitutional clause requiring states to recognize the public acts, records, and civil court proceedings from another state.

Question 7

What is extradition?

Answer 7

The requirement that officials in one state return a defendant to another state where the crime was committed.

Question 8

What is the privileges and immunities clause?

Answer 8

Prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state.

Question 9

What did the 13th amendment accomplish?

Answer 9

Constitutional amendment that outlawed slavery.

Question 10

What does the 14th amendment assert?

Answer 10

Asserts that persons born in the United States are citizens and prohibits states from denying persons due process or equal protection under the law.

Question 11

What did the 15th amendment grant?

Answer 11

Constitutional amendment that gave African Americans the right to vote.

Question 12

What was the significance of Plessy v. Ferguson?

Answer 12

A Supreme Court case in 1896 that upheld legal racial segregation.

Question 13

What is dual federalism?

Answer 13

A form of American federalism in which the states and the nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy.

Question 14

What is cooperative federalism?

Answer 14

A form of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape public policy.

Question 15

What are grants-in-aid?

Answer 15

Federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives.

Question 16

What are categorical grants?

Answer 16

Grants-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use.

Question 17

What is fiscal federalism?

Answer 17

The federal government’s use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states.

Question 18

What are unfunded mandates?

Answer 18

Federal requirements the states must follow without being provided with funding.

Question 19

What are block grants?

Answer 19

A type of grants-in-aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of federal funds.

Question 20

What is pork barrelling?

Answer 20

Legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states.

Question 21

What is log rolling?

Answer 21

Trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation.

Question 22

What is oversight in Congress?

Answer 22

Efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals.

Question 23

What are constituencies?

Answer 23

A body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator.

Question 24

What is apportionment?

Answer 24

The process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data.

Question 25

What is redistricting?

Answer 25

The process of redrawing legislative district boundaries to ensure equal population distribution.

Question 26

What is gerrymandering?

Answer 26

The intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters.

Question 27

What is incumbency advantage?

Answer 27

The benefits that current officeholders have in elections, such as name recognition and access to campaign resources.

Question 28

What is the franking privilege?

Answer 28

The ability of members of Congress to send mail to constituents free of charge.

Question 29

What is casework?

Answer 29

Assistance provided by members of Congress to constituents in dealing with government agencies and programs.

Question 30

What is the delegate role in Congress?

Answer 30

The idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituent wishes.

Question 31

What is the trustee role?

Answer 31

A model of representation in which legislators use their own judgment to make policy decisions.

Question 32

What is the politico role?

Answer 32

A model of representation that blends the delegate and trustee roles depending on the situation.

Question 33

What is gridlock in Congress?

Answer 33

A slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship.

Question 34

What is divided government?

Answer 34

A situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress is split between the two major parties.

Question 35

What is bipartisanship?

Answer 35

Agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation.

Question 36

What is descriptive representation?

Answer 36

The degree to which a body of representatives in a legislature does or does not reflect the diversity of that nation's identities and lived experiences.

Question 37

What is a discharge petition?

Answer 37

A motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.

Question 38

What is a filibuster?

Answer 38

A tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation.

Question 39

What is cloture?

Answer 39

A procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided three-fifths of senators agree to it.

Question 40

What is a veto?

Answer 40

The president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Question 41

What is mandatory spending?

Answer 41

Government spending required by law, such as Social Security and Medicare.

Question 42

What is an entitlement program?

Answer 42

A program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income.

Question 43

What is discretionary spending?

Answer 43

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president.

Question 44

What is Social Security?

Answer 44

A federal program that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible Americans.