Mid-Term Flashcards
Direct democracy
Most citizens make policy, as in a town meeting
Polis
City/State, Community
Parliamentary System
Vests power in an elected legislature that chooses the chief executive
Presidential Democracy
Vests power in a separately elected president & legislature
Checks & Balances
Used to keep the government from getting too powerful in one branch
Separation of Powers
Power is shared by legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Natural Law
Unchanging moral principles
Article 1
All legislative powers shall be vested in a congress consisting of Senate & House of Representatives
Article 2
Executive power shall be vested in a president of US, term of four years
Article 3
Judicial power shall be vested in Supreme Court
Article 5
The process whereby the constitution may be altered
4th Amendment
No one can search you unless they have a warrant
5th Amendment
Right to be indicted by a grand jury, before being tried for a serious crime
10th Amendment
Powers not delegated to the U.S. by the constitution are reserved to the states
Implied Powers
Powers authorized by a document that seems to be implied rather than expressively stated
Elastic Clause
Granting congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers
Categorical grants
Federal grants for specific purposes (airports, parks, college dorms)
Block Grants
Several grants focused on a single block, devoted to a general purpose
Police powers
Government authority to promote public order, safety, and morals
Selective Incorporation
When court applies most parts of the bill of rights to the states
Unitary System
State government derive authority from central government (UK & France)
Federal System
Power divided between central & state government (Canada & US)
Confederal System
Power held by independent states (US under Articles of Confederation)
Lemon vs Kurtzman (1971)
Three tests are described for deciding wether the government is improperly involved with religion
Engel vs Vitale (1962)
There may not be a prayer in public schools
Zelman vs Simmons-Harris (2002)
Voucher plan to pay school bills is upheld
Devolution
Transfer or delegation of power to a lower level
Pluralism
System in which two or more states, groups, principles that coexist
Judicial Review
Power of courts to null and void
Strict Construction
View that judges should decide cases on the basis of the language of the Constitution
Bicameral Legislature
Law making body made up of two chambers (Senate & House of Representatives)
Laissez-faire
A policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering
John Locke
- optimistic view on society
- believed in unalienable rights
- supported the idea of a limited government
James Madison
- wrote The Bill of Rights
- believed every person should be free to exercise the religion of his choosing
